A group describing themselves as concerned citizens demonstrated outside the Port of Vancouver on Thursday morning, alleging United Grain Corp. is using foreign workers to build a grain silo.
Demonstrators held signs outside the port’s main entrance off Northwest Lower River Road. Cars lined the road as longshore workers said they would respect the picket from the other side of the street. Groups dispersed around 8 a.m.
The demonstrators said they want local jobs at the publicly owned port.
Theresa Wagner, communications manager at the port, said the silo is being built this week. She said the port has heard concerns from local labor groups about the company using outside workers. United Grain says the project requires specialized skills and it brought people in that have experience doing that kind of work, Wagner said.
United Grain Corp. appears to have been following all the rules, Wagner said.
Three lawmakers from Vancouver questioned the use of labor in the project earlier this year.
