US west coast ports including Tacoma and Seattle have faced severe disruption amid an increasingly violent dispute between a dockworkers union and the owners of a grain export terminal in nearby Longview, Washington state.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) is in dispute with the terminal's owner EGT Development, over its move to recruit non-ILWU members. Dockers went on strike yesterday at the ports of Anacortes, Tacoma, Everett and Seattle, reports the Seattle Times. Later that day, some 500 protesters stormed the Longview terminal, holding security guards captive, dumping grain and causing significant material damage. ILWU president Bob McEllrath was arrested during the protests, but was later released.
The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) condemned the detention of McEllrath. ITF president Paddy Crumlin said: "The 350,000 plus dockers in the ITF will be watching how the company treats their American colleagues and, if the company makes it necessary, will be ready to take lawful solidarity action in support of the ILWU."