ILWU member ordered to stay away from union president after fistfight

The International Warehouse and Longshore Union Local 13 secured a temporary restraining order last week against a union member who engaged in a fight with the chapter president, court records show.

According to the order filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, ILWU President Christopher Viramontes was punched in the face and kneed in the ribs by member Eric Aldape during a July 3 altercation in an alley near the union's San Pedro office.

The restraining order was issued Wednesday, court records show. It orders Aldape to stay away from employees and offices of the ILWU Local 13.

The order shows the fight occurred after Aldape finished serving a six-month suspension in connection with a harassment grievance filed under the union's collective bargaining agreement with the Pacific Maritime Association.

"When I asked him what his issues were, Brother Aldape punched me in the face and hit me directly in the nose," Viramontes' court declaration states. "He then proceeded to attack more. I was able to grab him where it turned into a holding match trying to avoid more punching."

Through a representative, Aldape declined to comment. Gilliam B. Goldberg, an attorney for the union, said in an email that the order was necessary to protect union employees, officers and members.

"The members

of ILWU, Local 13, have the right to express views and opinions of the union and its leadership but they do not have the right to express those views with violence," Goldberg said.

Apparently in connection with the incident, Aldape filed his own allegations with the downtown Los Angeles region of the National Labor Relations Board, records show. The charges were filed on July 11.

According to the NLRB charge, ... "the labor organization, through its officers and agents, physically assaulted Eric Aldape in retaliation for his protected activities."

NLRB lawyers will investigate Aldape's charges and decide whether to bring a case against the union.

Meanwhile, in the civil court case, the ILWU's lawyers are expected to return to court on July 30 to seek an injunction against Aldape, court records show.

Source: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_23664135/ilwu-member-ordered-stay-away-from-union-president?source=rss

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