Union Violence: Myth holdover from the Days of Jimmy Hoffa?

Unfortunately the answer to the question is… No!

Ronald K. Hooks, Director NLRB Region 19 in Seattle, recently filed charges against the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (“ILWU”) Local 4.  Director Hooks accused the union of a laundry list of dangerous and violent behavior engaged in by union members.

The case is the latest event in a long running dispute between the union and United Grain Corp.  The Company locked out the union nearly 12 months ago.  To be fair and balanced, Director Hooks also filed a charge against the Company claiming the lockout was improper, but that Complaint contained no counterclaims of violent behavior by Company officials.

The filing details actual violence by union picketers against Company workers.  Allegations include the pinning of a security guard’s leg under a moving vehicle; the shining of spotlights into vehicles coming in and out of the Company’s facility, creating dangerous vision obstruction and permanent injury to the eyes of at least one security officer; and engaging in reckless pursuit of United Grain company vans.  The picketers threw rocks and verbal abuse, including racial slurs, against Company security guards and threatened harm to employees of a cargo shipping company doing business with United Grain.

Most troubling, however, are the actual and implied threats made against Company managers.  Director Hooks’ filing alleges Local 4 members “threatened to rape the daughter of one of the employer’s managers,” and leveled implied threats against another manager’s children threatening they would “see his children at school” and asking him “Are your children okay today?”

Such detailed and horrifying accusations leveled against a labor organization by the arguably union-friendly agency that is the current National Labor Relations Board, is truly telling of the situation.  It is important to note that at this time these remain “allegations,” but the likelihood that the Board would file a Complaint without sufficient evidence concerning such matter is very slim.

This matter will proceed toward litigation this summer.  National Labor Relations Advocates will update with the outcome when it becomes known.