Almost seven months ago, on July 11, 2011 about a hundred ILWU longshore workers were loaded into Cowlitz County law enforcement vans and arrested after taking action to protect their jobs at EGT. On February 7, 2012, ILWU Local 21 loaded EGT's first ship, signaling another positive step forward after a long and difficult battle.
EGT officials and members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union stood at the Columbia River waterfront to watch the ship, the Hong Kong-registered Full Sources, arrive Tuesday.
The event was a peaceful one, a far cry from the six months of protests during a dispute over the union’s demand to work at the terminal.
The ILWU represents workers at every other operation at the port, as well as at most ports on the West Coast.
“We’re excited to be moving the right direction and do what we do best — loading and unloading ships,” Byron Jacobs, secretary-treasurer of ILWU Local 21, said.
There is no lingering animosity, he said, just “positive feelings. … We’re ready to move forward and mend our relationships.”