International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 4 charged that Wednesday’s lockout of its workers in Vancouver, Wash., by United Grain Corp. constitutes an unfair labor practice, and a union spokeswoman said the ILWU plans to file formal charges in the next few days.
The ILWU charged that rather than locking out the entire work force based on alleged sabotage by one individual, the company should have dealt with the union at the bargaining table.
The ILWU charged that by hiring outside security guards two months in advance of the lockout, United Grain was preparing for a lockout it knew would come. “This shows they have been itching to lock us out, rather than negotiate a fair contract,” said Leal Sundet, ILWU coast committeeman and co-negotiating chairman.