USW Contract Expiration Dates at GP

GP workers across the country are facing difficult negotiations with the new GP, including GP’s
insistence on the ability to chance the health care at anytime during the agreement. The GP Union Conference adopted a program whereby workers at Georgia Pacific mills and converters, where the company has failed to make an offer that meets minimum standards, including the right to maintain the negotiated health care, are refusing to sign the sub-standard contracts and working beyond the expiration date under the terms of their extended agreements. Here is a list of USW locals whose contracts have already expired:

Location Local Union Contract Expiration
Brunswick, Ga. USW Local 400 1/3/07
Owosso, Mich. USW Local 829 2/14/07
Naheola, Ala. USW Locals 950, 952 & 966 2/28/07
Parchment, Mich. USW Local 323 3/21/07
Cleveland, Oh. USW Local 438 7/15/07
Crossett, Ark. USW Local 589 7/31/07
Cleveland, Tenn. USW Local 1337 7/31/07
Easton, Pa. USW Local 412 8/1/07
Big Island, Va. USW Local 1013 10/31/07
Mt. Wolf, Pa. USW Local 1754 10/31/07

Local Union Training Sessions On Track

Arrangements have now been made for a series of seven regional meetings with the 64 USW locals at GP during the last two weeks in January and the first two weeks in February. The focus of these regional meetings, which are within driving distance of each GP local union, is to build a stronger GP Union Conference and stronger local unions at every GP facility.

15 USW local unions facing contract expirations have already had Building Power training sessions at their locals and set up action teams. The regional training meetings will include elements of the Building Power program, but also focus on what local leaders see as most important to strengthening the workers’ position in bargaining new contracts with GP.

DATE FOR REGIONAL MEETINGS ARE:
Albany, NY 6 Locals Jan. 23-24, 2008
Little Rock, AR 13 Locals Jan. 23-24, 2008
Birmingham, AL 12 Locals Jan. 30-31, 2008
Toledo, OH 6 Locals Jan. 30-31, 2008
Columbia, SC 14 Locals Feb. 7-8, 2008
Portland OR 4 Locals Feb. 7-8, 2008
Madison, WI 9 Locals Feb. 14-15, 2008