[290911.EN.LOG] ILWU President Surrenders To Court To Face Terminal Trespass Charges

INTERNATIONAL Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) president Bob McEllrath surrendered to the local courthouse in connection an attack by union members on the new Export Grain Terminal (EGT) near the Port of Longview, Washington.

The vandalism consisted of damage to the facility where the union demanded rights to work. Four hundred longshoremen blocked a BNSF train from entering the EGT and dumped the grain and blocked security officials at the terminal.

McEllrath has been served misdemeanour charges of trespassing in the second degree and blocking a BNSF train from entering the EGT and in turn dumping the grain September 7.

The ILWU president said he was "standing with Longview's longshore workers and their supporters who have been harshly punished for standing up to multinational bully EGT."

The union said its protest against EGT, jointly-owned by Itochu, Japan-based Bunge and Korea's STX Pan Ocean, opening a terminal was staged because it violated an agreement with the Port of Longview only to employ ILWU workers.

Since the disturbance the ILWU Local 21 turned themselves in after warrants for arrest of 135 dockers and their supporters were issued for alleged violations.

McEllrath went to the Cowlitz County Hall of Justice, accompanied by the presidents of the local unions at the ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Portland, it was followed by an west coast work shutdown of 15 minutes as an act of solidarity.

Source : HKSG.