LONGVIEW, WA (February 17, 2012) — The International Longshore and Warehouse Union is calling on Sue Baur, the Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney, to cease her personal vendetta against union members and their supporters, who continue to face criminal charges stemming from last summer’s labor dispute with EGT. Even though EGT and the ILWU entered into an historic agreement earlier this month, and even though juries have so far returned six “not guilty” verdicts against ILWU members and supporters, Baur has refused a series of attempts to negotiate a settlement of all pending charges. Instead, Baur has escalated the conflict by recently filing serious felony charges against an ILWU member who allegedly drove his log loader near a train almost five months ago.
“Sue Baur has a personal grudge against the ILWU,” said Leal Sundet, ILWU Coast Committeeman. “Ms. Baur was personally involved in urging the Port of Longview to crack down on lawful picketing last summer, and has made grossly improper comments threatening physical harm to those who dared to criticize Sheriff Mark Nelson.”
In documents obtained by the ILWU through a Public Records Act request, Cowlitz County recently disclosed that when Sheriff Nelson informed Baur about a Facebook group formed in support of ILWU Local 21’s recall campaign against him, Baur responded: “Will you let me borrow a gun please?”
Sundet said, “This is clearly an inappropriate response towards people who were exercising their democratic rights. Ms. Baur’s hypocrisy is clear. Last summer, Ms. Baur pursued felony harassment charges against an ILWU member for allegedly making a threat on a picket line. Yet, by her own standards, Ms. Baur should be charging herself for the same crime.”
Baur’s office has also filed dozens of meritless criminal charges against ILWU members and supporters, forced them to go through months of court proceedings, and then dismissed these charges for lack of evidence, often dismissing the cases on the eve of trial. Just this week, Baur has moved to dismiss six charges stemming from a September 7th demonstration, charges that never should have been filed in the first place.
“The waste to the public is apparent, while her reckless ‘charge first and investigate later’ style has caused all sorts of personal stress and anxiety to ILWU members and supporters who did nothing more than to exercise their First Amendment rights,” said Sundet.
In an effort to promote reconciliation and help the Longview/Kelso communities put this dispute behind them, the ILWU has repeatedly tried to come to a fair settlement with Baur on all pending ILWU related cases, even suggesting mediation. Baur, though, has ignored these requests.
“After a long divisive conflict, we’ve reached a historic agreement with EGT. We are now just beginning the difficult process of healing,” said Dan Coffman, President of Local 21. “This is an opportunity for Sue Baur to demonstrate leadership and help put this bitter dispute behind us. Enough is enough. We call on Sue Baur to stop escalating this conflict and instead join the rest of Cowlitz County in trying to help this community heal.”