Free Republic

A California longshoreman, who works at California’s San Pedro Bay Port Complex, reportedly said the labor unions are exascerbating the supply chain crisis. Identified as Alfred to Yahoo News, the longshoreman blamed Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) for “cutting the work” at the port, which is increasing the jam of containers stuck at sea and on the docks. “They’re [PMA] the ones who are not training: skilled positions. [That] means crane operators, top handler drivers, trans drivers,” said Alfred. “They’re the ones who are keeping the ships out there at sea anchored.” Despite the delays and mounting shipping costs American families...

ON THE WATERFRONT, there’s a longshoreman on the books who washes trucks. He gets paid $465,981 a year. To wash trucks. Fired when his bosses discovered he wasn’t actually showing up when he claimed to be working, he nevertheless regained his job—after an arbitrator concluded it was not unusual in the industry for employees to be paid “without being expected to work all the hours for which they are being paid.” The Port of New York Harbor is the busiest on the East Coast and the third largest in the nation. From the marine terminals in Port Newark and Port...

You better at least get ready. There’s a buzz being fed. Warren gave a speech to the AFL-CIO today, and the “draft Warren” talk is starting. Elizabeth Warren is totally wowing @AFLCIO convention, Wonder if she'll enter the race if Hillary, for some reason, doesn't run. #AFLCIO13— Steven Greenhouse (@greenhousenyt) September 8, 2013 @greenhousenyt Outstanding speech. I would not be surprised at all if Draft Warren groups sprung up in Iowa, New Hampshire. — Mike Conrad (@mikeconrad1) September 8, 2013 @greenhousenyt @AFLCIO DEAR GOD YES, PLEASE, YES, OMG, THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN #DRAFTSENWARREN (sorry for the caps!) — Organize...

Longshore Union Quits the AFL-CIO In a surprise move, the 40,000-member International Longshore and Warehouse Union announced its disaffiliation from the AFL-CIO yesterday. The news comes just a week before the federation is set to hold its national convention in Los Angeles, the nation’s biggest port and an ILWU stronghold.. The ILWU, known for its militant traditions and progressive politics, has been drawn into turf wars with other unions in recent years—particularly in the grain export terminals of the Pacific Northwest, where longshore workers have been locked in a high-stakes battle over master contract standards since 2011. - See more...

Scores of out-of-state strikebreakers wait on high alert in Northwest hotel rooms, ready to replace longshoremen in case of a lockout at grain terminals. Three fully crewed, non-union tugboats protected by armed guards stand by, prepared to keep grain ships docking. In a provocative move, a California company has moored the tugs on the Willamette River near longshore Local 8's Northwest Portland union hall. Quietly, owners of Portland, Vancouver and Puget Sound terminals have spent months preparing for a battle royal on the waterfront, lining up troops and assets like chess pieces. The agribusiness giants have laid legal groundwork for...

It's not about jobs. It's not about safety. It's not about improving dockworkers' living standards. The looming, long-planned East and Gulf Coast port strikes are about protecting Big Labor's archaic work practices and corrupt waterfront rackets. Are you ready for a fiscal cliff? The union bosses of an estimated 14,500 workers at 15 ports are preparing to send the economy plunging back into recession over productivity and efficiency rules changes. You read that right. Much more on that in a moment. But first, here's what's at stake. The International Longshoremen's Association's (ILA) grip extends from Boston to Texas to Florida...

Who’s Your Buddy?Well, if you’re a member of the US International Longshoremen’s Association, that would be Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Yes, you heard me correctly; an American union (snort) awarded the leader of communist China the title “Best Friend of the American Worker.” China Daily reports: ILA Vice President William McNamara said his association was honored to give the award to Premier Wen to thank China for its great contributions to creating more job opportunities for American workers. The award ceremony coincided with the 10th anniversary of the first direct vessel call to the Port of Boston by China Ocean...

Remember last month's several-hour shutdown of the Port of Oakland - that "historic and effective action" that "lives in the hearts of people across Oakland and around the country," according to Occupy Oakland? Well, on Monday, there's to be an encore, not just in Oakland, but up and down the West Coast, "in solidarity with longshoremen, port workers and truckers in their struggle against the 1 percent," says the group. "We will blockade all of the West Coast Ports on Dec. 12. Together we are unstoppable! Strike while the iron is hot!" it declared in a call to arms. Trouble...

A federal judge has fined a Longshore union $250,000 for its tactics in a Longview labor dispute. ~snip~ Leighton says he rounded down to be cautious and ordered additional penalties for future violations.

Remember a few weeks ago when 500 or more longshoremen stormed a port in Washington state? They were angry not that the port didn't hire union labor but that it didn't hire the right union labor. So they took 6 security guards hostage and trashed the place. Well that thuggery was apparently not enough for these union members. After taking out their anger on the media they have moved back to violence. While blocking train tracks to the port they stormed previously at least two of the longshoremen attacked police officers. The attack was caught on camera:

Vancouver, WA - A main rail line in the Portland-Vancouver area was taken out of service for hours Monday after officials received reports of track tampering. The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office said about a dozen locations in a 60-mile stretch from Vancouver to Chehalis, Wash., were tampered with. Local law enforcement agencies were working with railway investigators. Burlington Northern Santa Fe workers discovered the tampering about 11 a.m., said Gus Melonas, a spokesman for BNSF, which owns the line. Several Amtrak passenger trains were delayed as inspectors checked the tracks. At least nine trains, including freight as well as passenger,...

Authorities in Washington have arrested two people in connection with the union takeover of a Longview grain terminal, including a worker caught on video in a vulgarity-laced tirade outside the union hall. The Cowlitz County Sheriff's office says 45-year-old Ronal Patrick Stavas, of Kelso, is accused of assaulting a guard and breaking into the EGT terminal on Thursday. He was arrested for first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, intimidating a witness and sabotage. Bail was set at $50,000. Witnesses identified Stavas on the KGW-TV video. Authorities also arrested 39-year-old Shelly Ann Porter, of Longview, for trespassing when she blocked a train. She...

We linked yesterday to Dana Loesch’s post on a violent attack by union longshoremen in Washington: Earlier this morning 500 or so members of the AFL-CIO stormed a port in Washington, vandalized the facility, reportedly cut the brake lines of train cars, and held six guards hostage. Shockingly, no one was arrested. Earlier that week a judge issued a restraining order against this same group after they clashed with police while brandishing bats and issuing death threats. Remarkably, this union violence seems to have received hardly any national news coverage. Local reporters did follow up on the story, however, and...

News Release from: Cowlitz Co. (WA) Sheriff's Office SHERIFF GIVES MORE INFO ON PROTEST INCIDENT-CAR JACKING Posted: September 9th, 2011 6:01 PM Kelso, WA - With officers far outnumbered by protesters, Sheriff's deputies, police officers and Washington State Patrol troopers had to back off to a defensive position during Wednesday's ILWU rally due to threats to their safety. "Our teams of 4 or 5 officers were confronted by baseball bat and axe handle wielding protesters." Said Cowlitz County Sheriff Mark Nelson. "They had their protest signs attached to bats and axe handles. When we attempted to make simple, misdemeanor arrests...

After a union wildcat strike turned violent on Thursday, triggering a walkout at five ports in Washington state, longshoremen went back to work on Friday. But in an unusual twist, the National Labor Relations Board succeeded in getting a federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction Thursday against further union activity at the Port of Longview after the union ignored the temporary restraining order that he issued a week earlier. The agency will hold a hearing next month to determine whether further restrictions are warranted. NLRB spokeswoman Nancy Cleeland said it was not common for the agency to

Here’s the understatement of the day, courtesy of the poor reporter who found himself on the receiving end of this unhinged union member’s profane tirade: “You’re not part of the PR staff, are ya?” MAJOR LANGUAGE WARNING

<p>A member of a Pacific Northwest longshoreman’s union verbally attacked a news crew that showed up at the union’s local headquarters in Longview, Washington. The assault was captured on a video that hit YouTube Friday morning.</p> <p>“I’m from KGW and I wanted to know if there was anyone here who would want to talk to us about the situation,” a Portland, Ore. television correspondent is seen asking while knocking on the building’s door.</p>

A band I was in years ago had a song titled, “Sheet Rockers vs. Aluminum Siders,” about a fight our singer saw at work on a construction site. I was reminded of it earlier today, when members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) stormed the Port of Longview, Washington, where they held security guards hostage, blocked a train, and destroyed property, damaging railroad cars and dumping grain. They were protesting the hiring at a grain terminal by the employer, EGT, of a contractor employing workers belonging to a different union, the Operating Engineers. Such union turf battles are...

At least 500 Longshoremen stormed the Port of Longview and broke out windows in the guard shack, according to Longview Police Chief Jim Duscha. As men wielding baseball bats and crowbars held six guards captive, others cut brake lines on boxcars and dumped grain, according to Duscha.

Washington (CNN) – First lady Michelle Obama has invited a diverse array of business executives, military personnel and workers – both well known and unknown – to sit in her box at President Barack Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress on Thursday. The selection of 24 guests and what each guest is noted for in the White House release of guests are considered indicators as to what the president's speech may address. Among those attending the speech will be Jeffery Immelt, CEO of General Electric and the chairman of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and Steve...