Two hundred workers at Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics in Tacoma join ILWU with grit, determination, and solidarity
started growing, as things
went from bad to worse. “So
many of us were thinking
‘it’s now or never—either
we go union or we go work
somewhere else,’” remembers
Jessica Roberson. Workers
faced ever-worsening health
and safety conditions,
including constant injuries
from employer negligence;
forced overtime; imposition
of 10 and 12-hour schedules;
pressure to violate speed
limits; lack of adequate
equipment; failure to train
and certify drivers and forklift
operators; all combined
with severe workers’ rights
violations by managers
and drastically substandard
compensation.
support.
WWL flew in corporate union busters from at least five states; brought in anti-union employees from other WWL sites; tried to impose a different union on employees; forced workers to attend more than 20 captive meetings to bombard them with misinformation; and committed more than 15 additional violations of federal law over which Unfair Labor Practices charges were filed, including discriminatory surveillance, write-ups, demotions, suspensions, and terminations.
“It was unbelievable how the union busters would say anything to try to get people to vote ‘No,’” said Juanita Garrido, an accessories installer.
WWL flew in corporate union busters from at least five states; brought in anti-union employees from other WWL sites; tried to impose a different union on employees; forced workers to attend more than 20 captive meetings to bombard them with misinformation; and committed more than 15 additional violations of federal law over which Unfair Labor Practices charges were filed, including discriminatory surveillance, write-ups, demotions, suspensions, and terminations.
“It was unbelievable how the union busters would say anything to try to get people to vote ‘No,’” said Juanita Garrido, an accessories installer.
“Our union makes us strong!”
After paralyzing their employer
with a massive strike in February,
almost 200 workers at Wallenius
Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) in the
Port of Tacoma organized around this
central message for a sweeping victory
in an NLRB union election. On March
21, employees overwhelmingly voted
to become certified as members of
ILWU Local 23. “Once we stood up
and saw what power we had,” said
Jessica Roberson, a lead distribution
driver, “we knew we could stick
together and win big.”
Signatory sweatshop In 2018, WWL signed a 30-year lease with the Port of Tacoma and opened a Vehicle Processing Center (VPC) directly across from the East Blair waterway, while the Northwest Seaport Alliance also signed a ten year vessel services agreement with Wallenius to manage cargo handling operations. The car transport operation began to escalate in volume and velocity, as Local 23 members moved hundreds of thousands of automobiles annually off the ships into the processing facility, where VPC workers install accessories and load vehicles into railcars for domestic transport.
But as the non-union VPC got up and running, it became abundantly clear WWL was degrading standards for processing employees and running a sweatshop operation. “Since this place opened, we have seen workers chewed up and spit out,” said Jon
Signatory sweatshop In 2018, WWL signed a 30-year lease with the Port of Tacoma and opened a Vehicle Processing Center (VPC) directly across from the East Blair waterway, while the Northwest Seaport Alliance also signed a ten year vessel services agreement with Wallenius to manage cargo handling operations. The car transport operation began to escalate in volume and velocity, as Local 23 members moved hundreds of thousands of automobiles annually off the ships into the processing facility, where VPC workers install accessories and load vehicles into railcars for domestic transport.
But as the non-union VPC got up and running, it became abundantly clear WWL was degrading standards for processing employees and running a sweatshop operation. “Since this place opened, we have seen workers chewed up and spit out,” said Jon
Nino, an installer inside the shop.
“There is such a basic lack of respect
for people from managers that they
regularly lose employees and must
constantly do hiring events.”
“They refused to follow any kind of fair and transparent rules here, whether its regular raises, promotions, or consistent schedules,” said Jose Camacho, a distribution driver. “As for health and safety, managers regularly encouraged us to speed up our driving and break limits so they can move more vehicles for greater profit.”
Churn and burn Over the last two years, several workers had begun meeting and talking about getting together to confront the dire conditions facing Wallenius employees.
“We are not paid what we should be getting, doing this kind of heavy, dangerous job loading railcars,” said Rob Zacapu, a rail loader.
“There was no question we had to step up before the company pushed us out.”
“There were so many people getting fired or leaving an unworkable situation,” said Tammie Bredeson, another driver in distribution. “It took a bunch of starts and stops over months to get people showing up regularly.”
Eventually, in late 2023, meetings
“They refused to follow any kind of fair and transparent rules here, whether its regular raises, promotions, or consistent schedules,” said Jose Camacho, a distribution driver. “As for health and safety, managers regularly encouraged us to speed up our driving and break limits so they can move more vehicles for greater profit.”
Churn and burn Over the last two years, several workers had begun meeting and talking about getting together to confront the dire conditions facing Wallenius employees.
“We are not paid what we should be getting, doing this kind of heavy, dangerous job loading railcars,” said Rob Zacapu, a rail loader.
“There was no question we had to step up before the company pushed us out.”
“There were so many people getting fired or leaving an unworkable situation,” said Tammie Bredeson, another driver in distribution. “It took a bunch of starts and stops over months to get people showing up regularly.”
Eventually, in late 2023, meetings
>Worker heat finds union hammer
So at the end of January 2024, workers marched on the boss to demand respect for health and safety, presenting a petition signed by most employees. The general manager and supervisors then immediately violated federal law by threatening to fire marching workers; unlawfully interfering with workers distributing union gear on break; and illegally telling employees they could not engage in protected action, among other unlawful acts.
On February 7, more than 150 workers walked off the job on an Unfair Labor Practices strike, disrupting car ship offload operations for an entire day. “What an incredible moment it was when we all realized longshore workers were in solidarity with us,” said Ladda Hilyard, a distribution van driver. The following morning, employees returned to work and resumed their jobs after having been successfully reinstated.
Busting the busters Later that day, workers demanded recognition as Local 23 members. Instead of recognizing the workers’ union, WWL began holding captive union-busting meetings, committing many further illegal acts against employees, and eventually filing for an NLRB election on February 21. Over the next month, workers fought intense battles to overcome incessant union-busting while advancing mass
So at the end of January 2024, workers marched on the boss to demand respect for health and safety, presenting a petition signed by most employees. The general manager and supervisors then immediately violated federal law by threatening to fire marching workers; unlawfully interfering with workers distributing union gear on break; and illegally telling employees they could not engage in protected action, among other unlawful acts.
On February 7, more than 150 workers walked off the job on an Unfair Labor Practices strike, disrupting car ship offload operations for an entire day. “What an incredible moment it was when we all realized longshore workers were in solidarity with us,” said Ladda Hilyard, a distribution van driver. The following morning, employees returned to work and resumed their jobs after having been successfully reinstated.
Busting the busters Later that day, workers demanded recognition as Local 23 members. Instead of recognizing the workers’ union, WWL began holding captive union-busting meetings, committing many further illegal acts against employees, and eventually filing for an NLRB election on February 21. Over the next month, workers fought intense battles to overcome incessant union-busting while advancing mass
Garrido, an accessories installer.
“They kept trying to fool employees
into thinking ‘the union’ is some
outside, third party—but we are our
union, and those shameless corporate
busters they flew in from everywhere
to mess with us are the outsiders.”
With unyielding supply chain solidarity from Local 23 leadership and members, workers re-centered coworkers day and night around a strategic vision of union power while dismantling the distortions, misinformation, and lies rolled out every day in meetings, memos, and daily management texts to all employees. “After each round of busting, we could look over at the ships and remember how strong we are and how scared they were,” said Milton Turner, a warehouse worker.
Messages of solidarity poured in from the Maritime Union of Australia, the Maritime Union of New Zealand, and the International Longshoreman’s Association, whose members work at Wallenius-owned job sites. MUA’s message to workers highlighted Local 23’s strong stance to back up Australian longshore for victory in — continued on page 7
With unyielding supply chain solidarity from Local 23 leadership and members, workers re-centered coworkers day and night around a strategic vision of union power while dismantling the distortions, misinformation, and lies rolled out every day in meetings, memos, and daily management texts to all employees. “After each round of busting, we could look over at the ships and remember how strong we are and how scared they were,” said Milton Turner, a warehouse worker.
Messages of solidarity poured in from the Maritime Union of Australia, the Maritime Union of New Zealand, and the International Longshoreman’s Association, whose members work at Wallenius-owned job sites. MUA’s message to workers highlighted Local 23’s strong stance to back up Australian longshore for victory in — continued on page 7