Posted by Tina
A labor dispute turned destructive and ugly in Washington Thursday as longshoreman broke through gates, challenged police and damaged a grain shipment and the train hauling it. One officer was threatened with a baseball bats and the thugs warned it was only the start:AP
LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — Hundreds of Longshoremen stormed the Port of Longview early Thursday, overpowered and held security guards, damaged railroad cars, and dumped grain that is the center of a labor dispute, said Longview Police Chief Jim Duscha.
Six guards were held hostage for a couple of hours after 500 or more Longshoremen broke down gates about 4:30 a.m. and smashed windows in the guard shack, he said.
NO ARRESTS WERE MADE????
Since when do we not make arrests when there is destruction of property and threats to officers with deadly weapons? Jack…can you help me out here? Anybody?
And that’s not all…from the same article:
The blockade appeared to defy a federal restraining order issued last week against the union after it was accused of assaults and death threats.
HELLO!!!
(Pie, great minds run in the same channels…I was already on it…thanks!)
If several men came at me, threatening to harm me, with baseball bats, that’s time to respond with deadly force. And I would have every right to use deadly force too. Not a court in the land would convict me over that. Sometimes that’s what its takes to convince thugs that criminal behavior is the wrong way to handle things.
You ever notice everything evil the terrorist/liberals accuse conservatives/ Tea Party of doing or being, they themselves actually do 10 fold. It never fails.
Toby you’re very perceptive…and yes, I have noticed. They often do it when they are guilty as sin of something big they know will soon come out. Media lap dogs aid and abet them.
I’ll be gone for a few hours, you kids play nice…we’ll post as soon as we can.
You all know if Rush Limbaugh or Rove called for people to go out and commit crimes the Justice Department would already have them in cuffs.
I wonder how Libby or Q would react if they were held against their will by armed thugs? Would they be happy with no arrests being made and no obvious investigation?
Any chance Obama will now step up and put Hoffa and his thugs in their place? I know I am dreaming.
You guys at PS need to keep posting this stuff keep it front and center!
This is only the beginning, and another shining example of “civility.” Where is Governor Gregoire with the National Guard, if needed? Oh, that’s right – she’s a Dem and beholdin’ to the unions.
And I’m sure the union will gladly reimburse the shipping company for all the damage their thugs did . . . .
‘Nuff said.
Clearly, Jimmy “Take these bastards out” Hoffa’s speech had the desired effect.
Notice how the usual gang of union thug apologists is completely silent.
If there are any arrests for assault on a guard, here is how the trial will go —
No medical records of treatment given to the victim of the assault will be introduced in court.
A labor union thug defendant will say the security guard threw the first punch.
The only witness called will be a union buddy who will confirm that testimony.
All defendants will be found not guilty.
The labor union will send $50,000 to Media Matters.
Media Matters will launch a character assassination assault on the guard.
Then the security guard will get the same treatment by some of the people who frequent this blog.
DAY OF RAGE September 17.
A “peaceful occupation” of Wall Street named “THE DAY OF RAGE” is scheduled for September 17th to, ostensibly, protest unlimited corporate money in American elections.
Yep, you read that right, a peaceful DAY OF RAGE.
A peaceful DAY OF RAGE to protest human based organizations known as corporations from participating freely in the election process. (No other human based organizations who contribute money to political campaigns are targeted.)
Time for all good peaceful dudes and dudettes to go out and demonstrate in a peaceful DAY OF RAGE.
Ooops I completely forgot to mention that the peaceful DAY OF RAGE is brought to you by SEIUs Stephen Lerner and former president of the New Orleans branch of the SEIU and ACORN founder Wade Rathke.
So, naturally, there will be no focus on the huge contributions from unions to influence politicians and elections.
Doesn’t failing to obey a court order entitle you to be charged with contempt of court, fined and/or arrested?
Maybe it’s time the Longshoremen’s union leaders should be tossed in the clink and their union made to pay for the damages their members caused.
J. Soden, seems like the reasonable thing to do, as far as I am concerned. It’s been done before too. I have no idea why they aren’t being charged.
Pie it looks like they’re getting a head start in Washington (state):
WARNING: Video posted at Powerline is XXX rated for extremely foul thug language…which is why I didn’t embed the video.
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2011/09/meet-the-democratic-party-up-close-and-personal.php
MEET THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL JOHN HINDERAKER, POWERLINE
What is the purpose? As John indicated, this is the face of the Democrat Party. This is the attitude that follows a call to “get in their face” and to “take the sons a bi*#hes out”
This news is heartening:
http://tdn.com/news/local/article_0da048fe-db66-11e0-949e-001cc4c002e0.html
“In 2007, average annual full-time wages for 15,000 workers at 29 West Coast ports topped $136,000 ….”
And that’s why we all want to be union members! Or government employees!
And, why those who cannot be (cause the can’t do the work) are so splendidly resentful.
From Oregon Public Broadcasting, I actually managed to get some details of the dispute. And what it boils down to is the employer, EGT, doesn’t want to pay $136K in wages and $50K in benefits. Surprise, surprise.
I have to say, though, the union may be over-reaching. They want a $20 per man hour premium paid to the pension fund to make up the deficit caused by The Great Recession. This would, of course, cut into investor profit. On the other hand, as it was the “investor class” that’s made the mess, I see no reason why they shouldn’t clean it up.
EGT isn’t saying that they can’t pay it, they just won’t.
“Where is Governor Gregoire with the National Guard, if needed?”
Apparently this enterprise commenced at 4:00 in the morning! The governor and the national guard was all sleeping.
“Doesn’t failing to obey a court order entitle you to be charged with contempt of court, fined and/or arrested?”
The hearing in on the 15th. The union will be cited and get fined. But you know those longshoremen. Nobody will peach on the vandals, and that’s the end of that.
And P.S. … you’ve been posting inflammatory, impertinent, and totally unrelated photos again.
Libby: “And that’s why we all want to be union members! Or government employees!”
And you’re too ignorant to figure it out that there wouldn’t be anyone to PAY YOU! Your too ignorant to realize that to pay that level of wages to millions of people (fairness wages) your daily bread allotment would cost you a wheel barrel full of cash…if you could get it.
“And, why those who cannot be (cause the can’t do the work) are so splendidly resentful.”
Extortion for a living wage does tend to make an employer a little cranky. Being prohibited from hiring those who are more reasonable in their demands, and just as capable, more productive and a lot less thuggish, can also make one angry. Propperty distruction also tends to make people just a tad resentful.
Splendidly resentful? You betcha…these thugs don’t deserve a dime of their pay, or their jobs. They shgould be fired! There are plenty of strong, capable people who have been out of work for some time that can do those jobs; any suggestion to the contrary is just bullstuff…and you kinow it.
“…it was the “investor class” that’s made the mess”
LIE! It was Democrat Party policy that made the mess, has profitted from the mess, and is profitting from “cleaning up” the mess.
While the rest of America suffers, Obama is busy putting the finishing touches on the “transformation project” begun in the thirties.
YOU PEED IN THE POOL…ALL THAT TOXIC WASTE MADE POSSIBLE HUGE CONTRIBUTIONS TO DEMOCRAT POCKETS AND DEMOCRAT TRANSFORMATION PROJECTS.
“And P.S. … you’ve been posting inflammatory, impertinent, and totally unrelated photos again.
Is that so! The photo above came right out of the AP story.
“Extortion for a living wage ….”
Wanna think about this one some more?
Libby I’m pretty certain that you can recognize a snide remark when you read one…no thinking necessary.
No one seems able to define “living wage”. It’s one of those arbitrary terms that tugs at the heart strings but means absolutely nothing! Its a term a community organizer would use to gin up emotions and notions that somehow we’ve been ripped off. A we/they term to inspire the troops to go to war against the mean old company or the opposition political party.
Your side champions unions who use extortion as a means of acquiring that so-called “living wage” whether it’s deserved or not. Ultimately this just makes products and services more expensive for consumers or taxpayers. As we’ve seen, over a long time it leads to unsustainable budgets.
Working hard, doing outstanding work, and improving knowledge or skills should be the means for acquiring better pay. Savings, invention, and investment should be the means for acquiring more wealth.
Extortion is criminal.
“No one seems able to define “living wage”.”
Nonsense. In the Pacific Northwest, a father of three with a mortgage is obliged to come up with 40k per year … just for the mortgage. Of 136k, after taxes, a family will be doing what it can with 90K … minus 40k, which leaves 50K for clothes, food, music lessons, little league fees, orthodontia and college.
That would be, in American terms, a living wage, which EGT don’t want to pay. Happily, it’s employees are unionized. And collective bargaining (Tina calls it extortion) is the American way.
Tina, have I mentioned lately how much happier you might be in Somalia?
Just as I thought. A one size fits all approach to wages. Every working guy is like every other working guy and tho]se living in Manhatten, NYC require the same as those loving in Manhatten, MT. about 300 people live in one of those places and I assure you they can get along quite nicely on a lot less than 136K and are happy to do it.
You control freaks have it all figured out…in narrow and limited terms, naturally!
“And collective bargaining (Tina calls it extortion) is the American way.”
When the terms are, “if you don’t pay up according to our terms we will shut you down”, it is extortion. And it is the mob way with a little Marx thrown in for good measure…leave America, land of the free, out of it.
By the way? You too are welcome to take a hike.
Tina: “Your side champions unions who use extortion as a means of acquiring that so-called “living wage” whether it’s deserved or not.”
If I didn’t think my employees deserved a living wage, they wouldn’t be my employees.
Clearly, what these Longshoremen did was wrong and against the law. No matter how noble the goal, these tactics are wrong. I’m not sure why no arrests were made at the time of this printing, but I am sure there will be charges soon.
Chris: “If I didn’t think my employees deserved a living wage, they wouldn’t be my employees.”
I agree Chris with exception.
I want to pay my employees well and I think most business people these days do. Satisfied employees make for a better work environment and seeing employees buy a first home or car is satisfying for me too.
I don’t appreciate it when the profit my company makes becomes something employees think of as theirs or that I am forced to share by government action. Profit is the return for my risk and investment. My employees haven’t “shared” in that risk and investment and they do not share the daily responsibility that I have to keep the place running, make payroll, comply with regulations and pay insurances and taxes. If I choose to share some of that profit, and I do, that’s one thing but it should remain my decision.
Also, not all jobs are done by a person who must support a family with a mortgage. I’ve hired eighteen year olds without other prospects and I’ve trieds to encourage them to go to college or get some other training. Entry level positions allow someone just starting out to gain work experience as well as earn some money. These jobs usually have high turnover, the employer expects people to move on to a better job. These jobs could be more plentiful and perfect for teens and college students but minimum wage laws have tied the hands of the emoployer to create more of these types of jobs.
It’s definitely not a one size fits all world.
I appreciate your position on the Longshoreman thuggery. I hope there will be consequences and there should be compensation for damages.
A family of five, on Mahattan, for $136K ?!!!!
What planet do you live on?
$136K will, however, do fine in the regions around Seattle.
Kansas is another matter. I never said it wasn’t.
And Tina, your attitude is a very good example of why unions were formed in the first place.