More than 300 people packed into Mayor Dan Pike’s community meeting Wednesday, June 1, to discuss concerns about the environmental effects from the Gateway Pacific Terminal coal and bulk cargo export terminal that SSA Marine wants to build at Cherry Point.
David Warren, past president of the Whatcom Central Labor Council, said union leaders had been rebuffed when they asked local environmental leaders to meet with them to discuss Gateway Pacific.
“We’ve lost 3,500 to 4,000 jobs in the last several years in this area,” Warren said. “You can’t say you’re for jobs if you are against the industries that provide them… We’re going to fight for these jobs … let me express my disappointment at how quickly the people of this community can turn their backs on the unemployed.”
At that point, jeers drowned out his remarks.
Warren and a handful of other union members and officials at the meeting were outnumbered heavily.