More on Longview Action and EGT

Categories: Labor Solidarity Committee, News

Note: This is the first in a series of releases over the next two weeks explaining the role of the Occupy Movement in the struggle against EGT Development and their parent company Bunge Ltd that is developing into a large-scale action in Longview, Washington. All releases will be posted at www.OccupyTheEGT.org  *

For immediate release – Jan 18, 2012

Contact: Kari Koch or Jess Kincaid – (503) 567-8694; Barucha Peller (415) 574-8138; Stan Woods (510) 681-7224

West Coast Occupiers will travel to Longview to stop grain shipment.

Caravan and protest planned in response to the labor struggle, food justice issues, and environmentally destructive practices of EGT and Bunge corporations.

Portland, OR – Occupations from across the West Coast are planning to converge in Longview, Washington when the first ship to be loaded for export arrives at the new EGT grain terminal later this month. Occupy Portland, Occupy Oakland, and Occupy Longview all passed a resolution calling for the Occupy Movement to come together in Longview to stop “EGT’s attacks on our communities, our food supply and the jurisdiction of West Coast Longshore workers.”

Occupy is responding to the call to action from the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Counties Central Labor Council asking that “friends of labor and the 99% everywhere come to the aid” of the Longview community. EGT recently completed construction of a tax-payer subsidized grain elevator at the Port of Longview that the company is attempting to operate with non-Longshore Union workers.

EGT Development is owned primarily by Bunge Ltd, an international agribusiness holding company. Bunge has been accused of tax avoidance and of breaking labor laws in Brazil and in Argentina. Bunge North America has a history of union disputes and union busting in the United States. According to Greenpeace and Rainforest Action Network, Bunge, through soybean production, is a major contributor to rainforest destruction. They have also been accused of buying soy from plantations in Brazil blacklisted for using slave labor.

“Our demands of EGT and Bunge are based not only in worker’s rights, but also in food justice, environmental justice and international solidarity. Bunge is a Wall Street firm, a corporate leader in the race to the bottom, and now they are targeting the people in our community,” says Kari Koch with Occupy the EGT working group.

The empty grain ship is expected to arrive sometime in January with an armed Coast Guard escort. This is the first known use of the US Military in a labor dispute on the side of management in 40 years. The San Fransisco Labor Council has condemned this use of the Coast Guard.

Thousands of people, members of Occupy, union members, activists, the 99%, from all over the West Coast are expected to join Occupy Longview and the people of Longview to protest the loading of this ship and the actions of EGT and Bunge corporations.

Information about the caravan can be found at www.OccupyTheEGT.org

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