Community Protest Closes Port of Seattle

Community Protest Closes Port of Seattle

September 12, 2007

    SEATTLE, Sept. 12 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- More than 100
demonstrators shut down a major terminal at the Port of
Seattle today to protest alleged U.S. labor law violations
by Seattle-based National Frozen Foods Corporation (NFFC).

    The protest, led by Washington State Jobs with Justice,
took place at the Hanjin Shipping Terminal 46.  NFFC uses
the terminal to ship frozen vegetables to customers in
Asia.  The Hanjin Boston, chartered by Hanjin from German
shipper NSB, was set to transport NFFC products from
Seattle.	

    NFFC is one of the five largest private-label frozen
vegetable processors in the United States.  NFFC workers in
Chehalis have been represented by the International
Brotherhood of Teamsters since 1945.  

    Armed with fliers and noisemakers, the group blocked
the main entrance to the 88-acre terminal, chanting slogans
in support of workers' rights and demanding that longshore
workers not load the cargo, while distributing fliers
calling on NFFC to return to the bargaining table.  

    In response, longshore workers and marine clerks from
the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU)
stood by in accordance with their collective bargaining
agreement until the issue was resolved.  The terminal
operator agreed to isolate the NFFC cargo, put it on wheels
and have NFFC remove the cargo from the terminal.  

    Paul Bigman, a rally organizer and officer of Jobs with
Justice, explained that the group was sending a message to
NFFC and shipping companies that do business with the food
processor that Seattle will not tolerate employers
"that continually disrespect the rights of their
workers."  Bigman vowed to work with Jobs with Justice
coalitions and their allies in other areas to confront
shipping lines that carry NFFC products.  "What
happened today in Seattle makes it clear that there will be
problems throughout the logistics chain whenever and
wherever NFFC cargo is involved," said Bigman.

    Both the Teamsters and the ILWU are members of the
International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), made up
of 681 labor unions representing 4.5 million workers in 148
countries.

    The action took place against the backdrop of growing
demands by unions and community groups that NFFC cease all
anti-worker activities and negotiate a fair contract with
workers at its facility in Chehalis, Washington.  

    Since 2004, NFFC workers have made concessions to meet
alleged financial difficulties at NFFC, including pay cuts
of 16%, loss of health care benefits for seasonal workers,
loss of retiree health care benefits, and increases in the
number of qualifying hours for health care, pension
benefits and pay increases.  These concessions have hit
hardest at those least able to afford them, particularly
Latino workers and new hires.

    NFFC has engineered two decertification votes in recent
years, in 2004 and 2007.  The workers beat back these
efforts, voting to keep their Union, Teamsters Local 252 by
better than 60% majorities.  On July 14, 2007, NFFC
illegally declared bargaining to be at an impasse, and
ended their contract with the workers' Union.  The
Teamsters have filed unfair labor practice charges with the
National Labor Relations Board.  NFFC has denied access to
any pension plan for workers aged 18-21, eliminated entry
into the defined benefit plan for new hires, stopped the
Union grievance process, and put into effect minimal pay
increases that come nowhere near making up for recent
concessions. 

    Additionally, NFFC is under investigation by the State
of Washington for alleged child labor law violations,
including having children work into the night, denying
minors legally mandated meal breaks, using minors to
operate machinery, and forcing minors to work at legally
inappropriate work stations.

    Craig Dameron, Co-Chair of Washington State Jobs with
Justice, stressed that the community has no dispute with
Hanjin or NSB.  But he vowed that "disruptions and
delays at ports used by National Frozen Food will continue
until NFFC returns to the bargaining table and signs a fair
contract that honors its workers." 

    Washington State Jobs with Justice is a coalition of
over 140 community, labor, faith and student organizations
that mobilizes around issues that affect working families. 
It is part of the national Jobs with Justice network of more
than 40 coalitions in over 25 States.


    For more information, please contact:

     Paul Bigman 
     Washington State Jobs with Justice 
     Tel:      [phone]
     Website:  http://www.jwj.org