Global solidarity with ILWU Local 21 is growing as workers around the world learn of multinational EGT’s greed and union-busting in Longview, WA. The following resolution was adopted unanimously by the San Francisco Labor Council on September 26, 2011:
Resolution in Support of ILWU 21 in the Struggle Against EGT for Jurisdiction at the Longview Washington Grain Terminal
Whereas, the purpose of a labor union is to leverage the collective power of workers to improve and protect the working conditions and standard of living of working men and women; and
Whereas, the strength of each union and the union movement as a whole depends on the unity of all the members therein; and
Whereas, West Coast dockworkers marched by the thousands and sometimes died at the hands of law enforcement in 1934 in their fight to form the union known today as the International Longshore and Warehouse Union; and
Whereas, the ILWU has worked in all Northwest grain export terminals since that bloody beginning and has spent decades honing its safety procedures, working conditions, wages and benefits with the employer; and
Whereas, EGT Development, a joint venture of multinational corporations Bunge, Itochu and STX Pan Ocean agreed to hire union longshoremen when accepting millions in taxpayer funds to build a massive grain exporting terminal at the Port of Longview and is now trying to avoid following its contract with regards to labor; and
Whereas, the only way that EGT could neutralize this public demand to honor its agreement to hire union ILWU longshoremen was to find another union to collude with the employer to create window dressing to trick people into thinking the union issue had been resolved; and
Whereas, the ILWU stands ready and committed to continue negotiations and to move cargo as directed by all current and future employers; and
Whereas, longshoremen and their supporters are being wrongfully arrested by the hundreds in their defense of this lifetime jurisdiction from EGT’s attacks, and have gained public support in the process; and
Whereas, the Cowlitz County Sheriff and the Longview Police Department have carried on a continuing campaign of harassment and intimidation of ILWU members and supporters on the streets, at their union hall and at their homes; and
Whereas, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and ILWU Local 21 responded to this ongoing police brutality and harassment by filing a civil rights lawsuit on September 22, 2011 against Mark Nelson, Cowlitz County Sheriff; Jim Duscha, City of Longview Police Chief; Cowlitz County; and the City of Longview; and therefore
Be it Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council condemn in the strongest way possible EGT for pitting workers against workers to undermine their agreement with the ILWU; and
Be it Further Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council supports the ILWU with its continuing efforts of jurisdiction with EGT at the Port of Longview; and be it further, and
Be it Finally Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council condemns the use of the courts, police forces and the campaign of brutality and harassment against ILWU pickets and supporters in their struggle with [the] EGT terminal.