Free Republic

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...

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...

<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...

“Verum is Latin for truth, as in truth serum. Union Members Take Hostages, Threaten Cops, Somehow Avoid ArrestJohn on September 8, 2011 at 8:41 am So, here’s what Obama’s new army of union thugs does in its spare time when not attending rallies: Hundreds of Longshoremen stormed the Port of Longview early Thursday, overpowered and held security guards, damaged railroad cars, and dumped grain that is the center of a labor dispute, said Longview Police Chief Jim Duscha. Six guards were held hostage for a couple of hours after 500 or more Longshoremen broke down gates about 4:30 a.m. and...

CHICAGO (Reuters) - More than 500 protesting port workers stormed the EGT grain terminal at the Port of Longview, Washington, on Thursday and damaged railcars and other property, Longview Police Chief Jim Duscha said. The incident came a day after several of Longshoremen were arrested after blocking a train from arriving at the newly constructed facility owned by EGT, LLC, which is a joint venture of Bunge Ltd, ITOCHU International Inc and STX Pan Ocean Inc. Early on Thursday, the protesters stormed the EGT facility, smashed guard shack windows, pushed a security vehicle into a ditch, cut brake lines on...

LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — Hundreds of Longshoremen stormed the Port of Longview early Thursday, overpowered and held security guards, damaged railroad cars, and dumped grain that is the center of a labor dispute, said Longview Police Chief Jim Duscha.