The removal of protection for grain inspectors at the Port of Vancouver is the culmination of a well-intentioned idea gone wrong for Gov. Jay Inslee.
In February 2013, United Grain Corp. locked out the International Longshore and Warehouse Union from its Vancouver facility as part of a contract dispute. That resulted in picketing activity by union members at the site’s entrance, while the use of company managers and non-union employees allowed for operations to continue at the terminal.
According to law, grain must be inspected by state officials before being exported. And because inspectors were concerned for their safety in the wake of what they felt was intimidation from ILWU members, Inslee for the past nine months has directed state troopers to escort grain inspectors across picket lines. That was the governor’s initial error, however well-meaning. Inslee said the presence of troopers was designed to be temporary, but, as spokeswoman Jaime Smith told The Columbian last week, “Under state law, the Washington State Patrol lacks authority to contract police services to private entities.” United Grain has an obligation to provide safe access for inspectors, and the governor should have left the company to contract with private security companies.
This month, after little movement in the situation, Inslee compounded his error. He stopped having troopers provide protection — effectively halting operations as inspectors declined to enter the facility. Hector Castro, public information officer for the Washington Department of Agriculture, told Portland radio host Lars Larson: “There definitely were security concerns. I think it would be fair to say there still was some harassment going on. As a result, our inspectors, we didn’t think we could ask them to continue to cross the picket lines.”