Federal judge sets ILWU fine at $250,000 for violating restraining order

[The Northerner]

TACOMA — A federal judge on Friday ordered the longshore union to pay a $250,000 fine for vandalism and other illegal activity during September protests at the EGT grain terminal at the Port of Longview — and he warned that individual protesters could face their own penalties for future violations of his orders.

The amount was $43,000 less than attorneys for the National Labor Relations Board had requested to cover damage at the terminal, law-enforcement overtime costs and attorney fees. Attorneys for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union said they will appeal, arguing that the damage estimates were "general, unsubstantiated and inflated."

"That's a lot of money," said union attorney Robert Remar.

But U.S. District Court Judge Robert Leighton said acting quickly to impose a fine was more important than determining the precise amount of damages. He said he rounded down from the NLRB's original $293,000 request because he considered parts of it inflated.

Read more: http://tdn.com/news/local/article_a200fd7a-eb8a-11e0-94fc-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1ZaiAL4jo

[Ian David]

1. Oh, great. Tomorrow's lead story all day on Fox "News." n/t

[The Second Stone]

2. Too bad chemcial spills don't rate fines anywhere near

that amount.

[TheWraith]

3. They do if it's severe. nt

[provis99]

4. and BP hasn't been fined a single cent for ruining the Gulf.