Local 40 is asking a judge to order Columbia Grain, also known as Willamette Stevedoring, to enter arbitration with the union, says the lawsuit, dated Tuesday.
The federal lawsuit says Local 40 filed a grievance Jan. 21 challenging lost work under their contract. “Specifically,” the lawsuit says, “the Union alleged that work is within its jurisdiction under the existing labor agreement between ILWU Local 40 and Defendant.”
The lawsuit also says that on Feb. 7, lawyers for the grain terminal operators told the union “that it would not honor the collective bargain agreement and that it would not process Plaintiff’s grievance.”
