Madison South Central Federation of Labor (SCFL) Supports Longview, WA Longshore Workers

January 19, 2012

President Barack Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Washington, D.C.  20500

 Dear President Obama:

With over 200 present at our monthly meeting on Monday, January 16, delegates to the South Central Federation of Labor heard a very disturbing report about the planned use of U.S. military to intervene on the side of management in a crucial labor dispute in Washington State, and voted unanimously to condemn such intervention.

The International Longshoremen Workers Union is engaged in a crucial struggle at the Port of Longview, Washington, where a multinational company, EGT, is attempting to operate as the West Coast’s only non-ILWU facility, despite promising otherwise when it received millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies to build its grain exporting terminal.  Now, as the first ship makes its way to the port to fill up with grain bound for Asia, it is reported that Coast Guard ships and helicopters will be used to escort this ship.  Use of our tax dollars and our military to assist such union busting is horrifying.

Mr. President, as Commander in Chief, we call upon you to order the Coast Guard to stand down, to not interfere on the side of management in this labor dispute.

Sincerely,

James A. Cavanaugh

President

cc: Rich Trumka, Sen. Kohl, Sen. Johnson, Rep. Baldwin, ILWU