3:57pm

Thu September 15, 2011
Union unrest

Longshoremen union held in contempt for terminal raid

Credit Associated Press
Longshoremen actions at the Longview grain terminal have led to a judge holding the union in contempt of court.

TACOMA, Wash. — A federal judge has found a union in contempt of court after hundreds of its members raided a grain terminal in southwestern Washington, smashed windows and menaced security guards last week.

U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton said he wants the operator of the to provide him an accounting of the damage for purposes of gauging how much he should fine the Internatio Longview grain terminalnal Longshore and Warehouse Union.

Witnesses testified that the union protesters stormed the terminal and spilled grain from railroad cars.

The judge had issued a temporary restraining order before last week's protests trying to restrain the union's activities.