To the Editor,

Members of our community need to know how the Port of Walla Walla treats its own employees and has misspent our tax dollars. Over the last few years, the port spent $172,000 on lawyer's fees to unsuccessfully fight one fireman's legal right to exercise his collective bargaining rights under state law. The port was found to have unlawfully failed to bargain in good faith, unlawfully laid off the fireman and discriminated against him for trying to exercise his statutory rights.

What a slap in the face to every hard-working union member within our community. To use public tax dollars to try and prevent an individual's legal right to join a union is outrageous.

Our community is well served by members of many unions including the Fire fighters Local unions (4203,4514, 404), Teamsters Local 117, Laborers local 348, UFCW local 14, AFSCME Local 1191, AFGE 181, IBEW 112, and various teachers unions among others.

I would like to ask all union members within our community to support Barlow Corkrum to bring needed changes at the Walla Walla Port Commission. I have known Barlow for more than 40 years and believe that he will represent the best interests of our entire community with honesty, integrity and respect.

Robert McBain Walla Walla