The men and women of the ILWU have exported America’s grain from Pacific Northwest terminals since 1934. They are currently locked out of Japanese-owned facilities in Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA.
Excerpts from the Capital Press:
The ILWU has violated a court order for the second time by blocking grain shipments, according to a federal judge.
In October 2013, the National Labor Relations Board complained to the judge that longshoremen have continued to harass tug boats attempting to move barges near Portland, Ore.
In April, the agency claimed longshoremen had resumed waterborne pickets by preventing barges from Tri-Cities Grain in Pasco, Wash., from moving downriver.
Attorneys for ILWU argued that longshoremen were simply publicizing their dispute with grain exporters and didn’t violate the injunction.
Even if they did breach the order, the judge should refuse to impose the “excessive” fines of $850,000 sought by the agency, union attorneys said.
Aiken has now rejected arguments that longshoremen complied with the injunction and cited ILWU for contempt of court.
However, she again declined to issue any fines.