GP Union Conference meeting shaping up
Early numbers indicate that our upcoming meeting of GP local unions in Pittsburgh August 4-5 will be well attended. Aug. 4th is the day for our GP council meeting and the 5th will be a plenary meeting of other attending paper industry councils. We will move our Workers Uniting agenda forward where we have a joint presence in the paper sector with our United Kingdom counterpart UNITE. July 20 is the deadline for hotel reservations. For more information on arrangements or your local union, contact Dolly at the USW at 412-562-2382.
Labor Taking the Offense on the Political Front
After a long struggle since their government supervised vote to organize a union with the United Steelworkers, workers at the GP gypsum plant in Wheatfield, Ind., voted to accept the terms of their first union contract. USW members there will receive 2% wage increases in each of the succeeding years of the contract and other improvements.
Union negotiators say management finally got off a few issues that were unacceptable to union members, thereby providing an opportunity to present the proposed contract to hourly workers for discussion and a vote.
Members of the USW GP Union Conference extend congratulations and solidarity to brothers and sisters in Wheatfield for this important accomplishment. Also, a reminder that although some union proposals were not accepted this time around, with the union you have a vehicle to make important changes in the future, not just to accept whatever management is willing to give.
SUCCESS: Union workers at GP help nail down ‘black liquor’ tax credit
USW-represented workers from GP and other paper plants have successfully lobbied for continuation of the tax credits to the paper industry for alternative byproduct energy known as ‘black liquor.’ Rank-and-file union lobbyists said congressional representatives needed to be educated that this tax credit was not just a giveaway to companies, but an important tool to keep paper plants open during hard times and also promote bio-mass fuels. GP worker and USW member Melvin Dixon from GP-Naheola said, “I felt our lobbying effort went very well. It was well organized and people listened to what we had to say, especially those who had a lot of paper industry in their states. I think our efforts helped extend the tax credit until the end of the year.”
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
GP Union News March 2009
GP Union Conference Utilizing First National Conference Call
On Thursday, March 26, 3:00 p.m. (Eastern), local union representatives from the GP Union Conference will be joining USW Vice President and GP Chair Jon Geenen on a conference call to discuss the latest developments at the company and in the industry. It will address questions and concerns that have been GP Union Conference Utilizing First National Conference Call
submitted by the local unions. Following the submitted questions, those on the call will have an opportunity to ask question and raise issues as time permits. This is not to replace conference meetings, but to enhance communications using the latest tools at our disposal.
GP Gypsum Worker in Wheatfield Fired by Company
As previously reported, GP gypsum workers inWheatfield, Ind., have gone more than two years since organizing without a union contract. Now comes news that a four-year employee and strong union supporter has been fired. This union member was singled out after reporting on the company hotline his concerns about possible leaks in employees’ personal information from GP’s
GP Gypsum Worker in Wheatfield Fired by Company records. While urging workers to report problems on the hotline, it’s apparently a firing offense to say something the company doesn’t like! Even worse, management is trying to block him from getting unemployment benefits to support his family. Even without having a contract in place, members have taken up a collection and are supporting their union brother though the tough times.
‘Weingarten Rights’
A WORKER’S RIGHT TO UNION REPRESENTATION
There is no time like the present to educate ourselves on where we stand as workers at this large company. USW members should be aware of an important legal safeguard that union-represented workers have that nonunion workers do not.
The right of employees to have union representation at investigatory interviews was announced by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 1975 case (NLRB vs. Weingarten, Inc.) These are known as the Weingarten rights.
Employees have Weingarten rights only during investigatory interviews, when a supervisor questions an employee to get information which could be used as a basis for discipline or asks an employee to defend his or her conduct.
If a union worker has a reasonable belief that discipline or other adverse consequences may result from what he or she says, they have the right to request union representation. Management is not required to inform the employee of his/her Weingarten rights; it is the employee’s responsibility to know and request.
When an employee makes the request for a union representative to be present management has three options: (I) stop questioning until the representative arrives, (2) call off the interview or, (3) tell the employee that it will call off the interview unless they voluntarily gives up his/her rights to a union representative (an option employees should refuse.)
Management often tries to say that the only role a union representative has in an investigatory interview is to observe the discussion. The Supreme Court, however, clearly says a representative can assist and counsel workers during the interview.
The Supreme Court also ruled that during an investigatory interview management must inform the union representative of the subject of the interrogation. The representative must also be allowed to speak privately with the employee before the interview. During the questioning, the representative can interrupt to clarify a question or to object to confusing or intimidating tactics.
While the interview is in progress the representative can not tell the employee what to say but he may advise them on how to answer a question. At the end of the interview the union representative can add information to support the employee's case.
Right now, employees who work in a non-union workplace are not entitled to have a coworker accompany them to an interview with their employer, even if they thinks that the interview might result in discipline.
Our Weingarten rights are one more important reason why it pays to be a union member!
On Thursday, March 26, 3:00 p.m. (Eastern), local union representatives from the GP Union Conference will be joining USW Vice President and GP Chair Jon Geenen on a conference call to discuss the latest developments at the company and in the industry. It will address questions and concerns that have been GP Union Conference Utilizing First National Conference Call
submitted by the local unions. Following the submitted questions, those on the call will have an opportunity to ask question and raise issues as time permits. This is not to replace conference meetings, but to enhance communications using the latest tools at our disposal.
GP Gypsum Worker in Wheatfield Fired by Company
As previously reported, GP gypsum workers inWheatfield, Ind., have gone more than two years since organizing without a union contract. Now comes news that a four-year employee and strong union supporter has been fired. This union member was singled out after reporting on the company hotline his concerns about possible leaks in employees’ personal information from GP’s
GP Gypsum Worker in Wheatfield Fired by Company records. While urging workers to report problems on the hotline, it’s apparently a firing offense to say something the company doesn’t like! Even worse, management is trying to block him from getting unemployment benefits to support his family. Even without having a contract in place, members have taken up a collection and are supporting their union brother though the tough times.
‘Weingarten Rights’
A WORKER’S RIGHT TO UNION REPRESENTATION
There is no time like the present to educate ourselves on where we stand as workers at this large company. USW members should be aware of an important legal safeguard that union-represented workers have that nonunion workers do not.
The right of employees to have union representation at investigatory interviews was announced by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 1975 case (NLRB vs. Weingarten, Inc.) These are known as the Weingarten rights.
Employees have Weingarten rights only during investigatory interviews, when a supervisor questions an employee to get information which could be used as a basis for discipline or asks an employee to defend his or her conduct.
If a union worker has a reasonable belief that discipline or other adverse consequences may result from what he or she says, they have the right to request union representation. Management is not required to inform the employee of his/her Weingarten rights; it is the employee’s responsibility to know and request.
When an employee makes the request for a union representative to be present management has three options: (I) stop questioning until the representative arrives, (2) call off the interview or, (3) tell the employee that it will call off the interview unless they voluntarily gives up his/her rights to a union representative (an option employees should refuse.)
Management often tries to say that the only role a union representative has in an investigatory interview is to observe the discussion. The Supreme Court, however, clearly says a representative can assist and counsel workers during the interview.
The Supreme Court also ruled that during an investigatory interview management must inform the union representative of the subject of the interrogation. The representative must also be allowed to speak privately with the employee before the interview. During the questioning, the representative can interrupt to clarify a question or to object to confusing or intimidating tactics.
While the interview is in progress the representative can not tell the employee what to say but he may advise them on how to answer a question. At the end of the interview the union representative can add information to support the employee's case.
Right now, employees who work in a non-union workplace are not entitled to have a coworker accompany them to an interview with their employer, even if they thinks that the interview might result in discipline.
Our Weingarten rights are one more important reason why it pays to be a union member!
GP Union News February 2009
A Fung-y Situation in Wheatfield
Mold cleanup is close to being finished at the Georgia-Pacific Gypsum facility in Wheatfield, Indiana. Black mold is a chronic concern for USW members there, who are still without a union contract two years after voting USW. They’ve been diligently working to resolve the exposure problem. They are breathing a little easier as clean-up of the ceilings and walls moves forward.
One type of mold that may be cause for concern is Stachybotrys: Stachybotrys chartarum (also known as Stachybotrys atra) is a greenish-black mold that grows on materials with high cellulose content (drywall, wood and paper, and dropped ceiling tiles.) This mold, like some others, produces chemicals called mycotoxins under certain conditions. Health effects of breathing
mycotoxins are not well understood.
Here are some important facts about this problem:
• Not all black molds are Stachybotrys, and not all Stachybotrys produces mycotoxins.
• While still alive, Stachybotrys is slimy and does not release many spores or mycotoxins.
• Exposure is low unless it dries up, when spores and mycotoxins are released into the air.
• All indoor molds are potential health hazards and need to be cleaned up.
Allergic reactions, similar to pollen or animal allergies, are the most common health effects of molds. Some workers have symptoms like hay fever and the common cold, but they can last for longer periods. Allergic and toxic illnesses can be treated by getting rid of the mold exposure. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to control symptoms. In addition, some people in wet or moldy buildings may have flu-like symptoms according to the study Molds in Indoor Workplaces by the California Department of Health Services.
If your local has had a similar problem in the past, we’d like to know how it was handled in your facility. There are several ways to address workplace mold and remediation can be a long, drawn out process. We need to keep each other informed about the safety and health risks we experience in our facilities in order to address future problems that may occur. Please email District 7 Sub-District 4 Director Mike O’Brien mobrien@usw.org with updates on safety and health risks you have encountered within Georgia Pacific.
CORRECTION - Mark Cook, Business
Representative for Local 1861-U in Dubuque, Iowa reports that the labor agreement for 87 converting plant workers in Dubuque expires October 31, 2009, and wasn’t listed in the last issue with other USW-GP contract expirations this year.
There’s solidarity in safety!
Sharing Information: Power in Knowledge
USW staff are preparing a new booklet for GP local union members to help get up and running on the SharePoint system on the internet. This password-protected system is available so GP union officers can review union contracts at other locations, phone numbers and email addresses for other GP locals, educational and training material for members and much more. So keep your eyes open for the “SharePoint Users Manual.”
Mold cleanup is close to being finished at the Georgia-Pacific Gypsum facility in Wheatfield, Indiana. Black mold is a chronic concern for USW members there, who are still without a union contract two years after voting USW. They’ve been diligently working to resolve the exposure problem. They are breathing a little easier as clean-up of the ceilings and walls moves forward.
One type of mold that may be cause for concern is Stachybotrys: Stachybotrys chartarum (also known as Stachybotrys atra) is a greenish-black mold that grows on materials with high cellulose content (drywall, wood and paper, and dropped ceiling tiles.) This mold, like some others, produces chemicals called mycotoxins under certain conditions. Health effects of breathing
mycotoxins are not well understood.
Here are some important facts about this problem:
• Not all black molds are Stachybotrys, and not all Stachybotrys produces mycotoxins.
• While still alive, Stachybotrys is slimy and does not release many spores or mycotoxins.
• Exposure is low unless it dries up, when spores and mycotoxins are released into the air.
• All indoor molds are potential health hazards and need to be cleaned up.
Allergic reactions, similar to pollen or animal allergies, are the most common health effects of molds. Some workers have symptoms like hay fever and the common cold, but they can last for longer periods. Allergic and toxic illnesses can be treated by getting rid of the mold exposure. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to control symptoms. In addition, some people in wet or moldy buildings may have flu-like symptoms according to the study Molds in Indoor Workplaces by the California Department of Health Services.
If your local has had a similar problem in the past, we’d like to know how it was handled in your facility. There are several ways to address workplace mold and remediation can be a long, drawn out process. We need to keep each other informed about the safety and health risks we experience in our facilities in order to address future problems that may occur. Please email District 7 Sub-District 4 Director Mike O’Brien mobrien@usw.org with updates on safety and health risks you have encountered within Georgia Pacific.
CORRECTION - Mark Cook, Business
Representative for Local 1861-U in Dubuque, Iowa reports that the labor agreement for 87 converting plant workers in Dubuque expires October 31, 2009, and wasn’t listed in the last issue with other USW-GP contract expirations this year.
There’s solidarity in safety!
Sharing Information: Power in Knowledge
USW staff are preparing a new booklet for GP local union members to help get up and running on the SharePoint system on the internet. This password-protected system is available so GP union officers can review union contracts at other locations, phone numbers and email addresses for other GP locals, educational and training material for members and much more. So keep your eyes open for the “SharePoint Users Manual.”
Thursday, January 22, 2009
GP Union News
Pulp Market Update
The USW has obtained a January 15 report to Deutsche Bank by the TerraChoice Market Service, Inc. entitled “Pulp Market Update.” The report reflects the current drop in prices, but also anticipates a recovery beyond previous price levels in the next few years.
The USW has obtained a January 15 report to Deutsche Bank by the TerraChoice Market Service, Inc. entitled “Pulp Market Update.” The report reflects the current drop in prices, but also anticipates a recovery beyond previous price levels in the next few years.
Here are some of the points made in this industry/financial report:
- World market pulp demand was down 2.8% in 2008, dropping to a low of -9% during the second half of last year.
- Despite many discouraging statistics about the pulp market today, the report predicts that demand will stabilize in the second half of 2009.
- The report says despite supply cuts in 2009, there will be a solid recovery in the years 2010-2012.
USW/GP Contract Expirations for 2009
USW Local Union Location Expiration Date Product
654 West Monroe, LA 1/28/2009 Corrugated Boxes
786 Sterlington, LA 2/28/2009 Nitrogen Fertilizer
1703 Cedar Springs, GA 3/30/2009 Paper
1864 Cedar Springs, GA 3/30/2009 Paper
9-1865 Cedar Springs, GA 3/30/2009 Paper
2-148 Neenah, WI 5/1/2009 Pilot Products
1077 Milan, MI 5/2/2009 Corrugated Boxes
1334 Zachary, LA 6/5/2009 Uncoated Finished Paper, Tissue, Towel
335 Zachary, LA 6/6/2009 Fine Paper/Tissue and Towel
503 Fort Dodge, IA 6/19/2009 Gypsum and Wallboard
776 Duluth, MN 6/30/2009 Hardboard
1522 Talladega, AL 7/31/2009 Plywood
9-530 Hawthorne, FL 8/1/2009 Plywood/Fence Post
13-0174 Pryor, OK 8/17/2009 Board & Felt
140 Plattsburgh, NY 9/30/2009 Tissue/Napkins
387 Plattsburgh, NY 9/30/2009 Tissue, Towel & Napkin
13-0656 Fort Smith, AR 10/5/2009 Cups & Plates
527 Sterling, GA 10/31/2009 Lumber & Chips
1703 Cedar Springs, GA 11/30/2009 Railroad
Thursday, September 18, 2008
GP Union News September 9, 2008
GP Health Care Issues in Spotlight
The USW continues to monitor the health care situation at GP and met with management in August to review renewal rates for 2009. Technicians from the USW Pension & Insurance Dept. were in attendance and will follow up with GP as we move forward. The network issues were also discussed with the following issues reported on:
Regarding the networks, the group reviewed some UHC recruitment issues, including: Albany GA, -- 2 hospitals that are not in UHC network will be treated as in-network; Mt. Olive, IL -- Litchfield family practice, now in-network; Plattsburgh, NY – one hospital at issue now fully in network; Bradford, PA – primary hospital there now in network; Fort Dodge, IA – Trimark primary physicians – negotiations ongoing with UHC to bring them into network; Big Island, VA – lack of specialists and pediatricians in network, some are joining using network gap exception if there are no similar providers within 30 miles.
The company committed to work with UHC for proactive notification of network coverage issues before yearly renewal so that work can be done at the local level if issues arise.
Preventive care was also discussed and how use of the plan benefits in this area might be maximized along with ways to identify health issues and address them before they arise. Also, many doctors are charging some preventive care as surgery rather than preventive care so the 100% coverage for preventive care is not being applied. Members should work with their providers to make sure they bill such procedures as preventive care.
The USW has asked for regular meetings on the health care issues and the company has expressed interest in that as well. Please advise your staff representative of any issues as they arise with the health care and they can be in touch with Leeann Anderson, who is assigned to the GP Conference in this regard.
No Labor Agreement Yet for Wheatfield GP Workers
USW-represented workers at Georgia Pacific’s Wheatfield, Indiana wallboard plant continue to get the runaround from management as they struggle for their first union contract.
A large majority of the men and women at the Wheatfield plant voted in the Spring of 2007 to join fellow GP workers as members of the United Steelworkers. They particularly wanted to eliminate favoritism in the workplace and have the added security of a collective bargaining agreement, as do thousands of other USW members at GP.
Workers there have had more than 14 months of negotiations with the GP management, and still no deal. Instead, the USW members rallying for Wheatfield workerscompany wants wage cuts, fewer vacation days for workers, cuts in funeral leave and other give-backs.
Steelworkers District 7 members are steadily picking up the pace of public demonstrations in support of the Wheatfield GP workers, and will continue to do so until a fair agreement is achieved. Members of the GP Union Conference, representing thousands of GP workers around the country, want the workers in Wheatfield to know that you’re not alone. If progress is not made at the negotiating table soon, we will be looking at more ways to urge GP to do right by the workers in Wheatfield, get off the concessions in contract talks and offer workers a deal they can live with.
AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!
The USW continues to monitor the health care situation at GP and met with management in August to review renewal rates for 2009. Technicians from the USW Pension & Insurance Dept. were in attendance and will follow up with GP as we move forward. The network issues were also discussed with the following issues reported on:
Regarding the networks, the group reviewed some UHC recruitment issues, including: Albany GA, -- 2 hospitals that are not in UHC network will be treated as in-network; Mt. Olive, IL -- Litchfield family practice, now in-network; Plattsburgh, NY – one hospital at issue now fully in network; Bradford, PA – primary hospital there now in network; Fort Dodge, IA – Trimark primary physicians – negotiations ongoing with UHC to bring them into network; Big Island, VA – lack of specialists and pediatricians in network, some are joining using network gap exception if there are no similar providers within 30 miles.
The company committed to work with UHC for proactive notification of network coverage issues before yearly renewal so that work can be done at the local level if issues arise.
Preventive care was also discussed and how use of the plan benefits in this area might be maximized along with ways to identify health issues and address them before they arise. Also, many doctors are charging some preventive care as surgery rather than preventive care so the 100% coverage for preventive care is not being applied. Members should work with their providers to make sure they bill such procedures as preventive care.
The USW has asked for regular meetings on the health care issues and the company has expressed interest in that as well. Please advise your staff representative of any issues as they arise with the health care and they can be in touch with Leeann Anderson, who is assigned to the GP Conference in this regard.
No Labor Agreement Yet for Wheatfield GP Workers
USW-represented workers at Georgia Pacific’s Wheatfield, Indiana wallboard plant continue to get the runaround from management as they struggle for their first union contract.
A large majority of the men and women at the Wheatfield plant voted in the Spring of 2007 to join fellow GP workers as members of the United Steelworkers. They particularly wanted to eliminate favoritism in the workplace and have the added security of a collective bargaining agreement, as do thousands of other USW members at GP.
Workers there have had more than 14 months of negotiations with the GP management, and still no deal. Instead, the USW members rallying for Wheatfield workerscompany wants wage cuts, fewer vacation days for workers, cuts in funeral leave and other give-backs.
Steelworkers District 7 members are steadily picking up the pace of public demonstrations in support of the Wheatfield GP workers, and will continue to do so until a fair agreement is achieved. Members of the GP Union Conference, representing thousands of GP workers around the country, want the workers in Wheatfield to know that you’re not alone. If progress is not made at the negotiating table soon, we will be looking at more ways to urge GP to do right by the workers in Wheatfield, get off the concessions in contract talks and offer workers a deal they can live with.
AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Pulp Truth -- Issue 16
Unsafe Working Conditions Caught Up to Workers in July
In Pulp Truth issue 15, we reported that Peter Conley of Local 449 in Waterville, Maine, suffered a massive stroke at the Huhtamaki plant where he worked. Brother Conley, 44, died July 23 at Maine Medical Center and left behind three children ages 19, 12 and 5.
In addition to the three July accidents reported in Pulp Truth issue 15, four more incidents occurred in July.
Shortly before midnight on July 18, Local 1017 member Shawn Sharrow was injured when his arm and shoulder were caught in a winder machine at Dunn Paper in Port Huron, Mich.
Sharrow, who was 20 at the time of the incident, was airlifted to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, where he was listed as critical but stable for four days. He suffered broken bones in his shoulder and neck, cracked ribs, internal injuries and corneal abrasions in both eyes. There was concern about permanent nerve damage to his arm and neck.
Sharrow’s mother, Kim, said doctors at the medical center called his survival a miracle and attributed it to his age and general condition. Sharrow is now back home in Port Huron.
USW Emergency Response Team (ERT) representative Hilary Chiz assisted the family and those who helped with Sharrow’s rescue. USW Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Assistant Director Dave Ortlieb conducted the investigation and provided the company with changes that could be done to prevent a repeat of the incident.
At the NewPage facility in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Local Union 2-94 member Kurt Resheske, 33, was severely burned July 29 while working near a washer inspection door. He sustained second and third-degree burns over 60 percent of his body. ERT representative Duronda Pope assisted the family and HSE representative Steve Sallman responded to the incident.
On July 29, 2008 a high density recycling fiber storage tank explosion at Packaging Corporation of America’s paper mill in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, fatally injured three employees. The tank that exploded was used to store recycled fiber storage, and the three individuals were engaged in maintenance activities which included welding on the top of the tank’s high density spreader when the explosion occurred. A fourth employee, who was standing on the tank’s catwalk was also injured, but he was treated and released and is recovering from his injuries.
Two of the employees fatally injured in the explosion, Steven C. Voermans, 52, and Randy J. Hoegger, 55, were local union members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 1713. The third fatally injured employee was Don Snyder, 46, a salaried employee. The fourth injured employee was a college student and member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 1713. ERT representative Duronda Popeand HSE representative Steve Sallman responded to the incident.
After reportedly having a dispute with a supervisor, Edmund Giasson of Local 900 at the NewPage mill in Rumford, Maine, died from a heart attack July 28. Giasson, 53, had worked at the mill close to 30 years and was known to be “very, very serious about his job,” according to local president Gary Hemingway. Giasson had a history of heart problems.
These incidents point to the need for paper mill locals (and later those with converting operations) to fill out the Paper RAP survey they received in mid-August. See story on the next page.
Contracts that Reopened in August
If the re-opener date for your local contract is not listed here, please contact PT editor Lynne Baker at lbaker@usw.org to have your contract listed. Not listed last month was the Temple-Inland Orange, TX contract that expired July 31.
Georgia-Pacific, Monticello, MS, Aug. 1
Georgia-Pacific, Akron, OH, Aug. 1
Georgia-Pacific, Monticello, GA, Aug. 1
International Paper, Geneva, NY, Aug. 1
Corrugated Carton, Newark, NJ, Aug. 1
Schiffenhause Pkg. Corp. North, Suffern, NY, Aug. 1
Pactiv Corporation, Red Bluff, CA, Aug. 1
Schiffenhause Pkg. Corp. South, Newark, NJ, Aug. 1
Schweitzer-Maudit, Ancram, NY, Aug. 1
RTS Packaging, Merced, CA, Aug. 1
Smurfit-Stone Cont., St. Cloud, MN, Aug. 1
Temple-Inland, Gilroy, CA, Aug. 1
Weyerhaeuser Co., Anaheim, CA, Aug. 1
Precision Products, College Park, MD, Aug. 6
Sonoco, Hutchinson, KS, Aug. 6
Shelby Co., Westlake, OH, Aug. 6
International Paper/Shorewood Pkg., Waterbury, CT, Aug. 7
International Paper (div), Pineville, LA, Aug. 10
Rand Whitney, Worcester, MA, Aug. 11
Georgia-Pacific, Memphis, TN, Aug. 15
Mill Leaders Must Complete Paper RAP Health & Safety Survey
“The time for after-the-fact investigation is over. We must take a proactive approach to ensure paper workers don’t lose their life or get injured when they go to work,” said International Vice President Jon Geenen.
Around August 19, each local union president of a mill received the Paper RAP health and safety survey that VP Geenen’s comment refers to. The survey’s success depends on a very high response rate. So:
• If you are paper mill leadership, please prioritize completing the survey.
• If you work in a paper mill, please offer to assist the local leadership to accomplish this important task.
• If you work in a converter within a council that has mills, encourage mill leadership to get this done. (FYI: We’ll later focus on converters.)
A few things about the survey:
• Complete one survey per mill
• Get input from key members as needed
•Make the September 12, 2008 deadline
• For another copy, contact Joyce Russotto (920-722-1085; jrussotto@usw.org) or your international representative.
Together, we will use the survey’s results to leverage change at the local, industry and national policy levels to protect our brothers and sisters.
A Model in Coordinated Bargaining: U.S. Steel Agreement
The new tentative, four-year agreement at U.S. Steel shows what is possible when collective bargaining evolves and we coordinate our strength.
Workers obtained very significant wage hikes and substantial bonus and pension increases. Benefit programs were improved for active and retired employees, and health care premiums were reduced for retirees.
Job security was improved by a requirement in the tentative agreement that U.S. Steel make capital investments in its plants so that they can compete in the world economy. The contract also looks toward the future by creating an “Energy Efficiency and Carbon Emissions Task Force” to address the threat of global warming and its impact on the steel industry.
Another job security provision in the agreement is that the outsourcing of work will return to the jurisdiction of USW members.
The tentative agreement covers some 16,000 workers employed at 14 U.S. Steel locations.
PCA Mill Global Agreement Secures Workers’ Future
A new five-year global agreement negotiated with Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) contains wage increases totaling 13.75 percent, increases pension and other benefits, maintains existing health care plans and premiums, offers job security and makes it easier to organize nonunion PCA facilities.
The agreement covers about 1,200 workers at four PCA mills in Valdosta, Ga., Counce, Tenn., Filer City, Mich., and Tomahawk, Wisc. USW members at the four mills overwhelmingly approved the contract in a vote on Aug. 14.
Items not covered in the master agreement are negotiated at local union bargaining tables upon renewal of the local union’s contract. If an agreement is not reached on these items, the renewal contract remains unchanged. This prevents management from imposing contract terms on the local union. The local union renewal contracts are also five years in length.
Health care benefits and employees’ 20 percent contribution toward health care premiums were locked in immediately after ratification of the global agreement for the period of the local union contract. Also enacted upon ratification was a contract and job protection clause in case a PCA facility is sold; a restriction to work force reductions unless a facility is partially or completely shut down; and a ban on negative attacks during organizing campaigns.
Increases in wages, pensions, short-term disability benefits, life/accidental death and dismemberment benefits and retiree life insurance benefits will occur the day after the expiration of the current local union agreements. The monthly service multiplier for mill workers’ pensions will be increased by $6 to $46.62, which is one of the highest flat dollar pension benefits in the industry. Short-term disability benefits will be increased $70 over the term of the renewal contracts. Life/accidental death and dismemberment benefits will increase a total of $9,000. Retiree life insurance benefits will be secured at $10,250.
In Pulp Truth issue 15, we reported that Peter Conley of Local 449 in Waterville, Maine, suffered a massive stroke at the Huhtamaki plant where he worked. Brother Conley, 44, died July 23 at Maine Medical Center and left behind three children ages 19, 12 and 5.
In addition to the three July accidents reported in Pulp Truth issue 15, four more incidents occurred in July.
Shortly before midnight on July 18, Local 1017 member Shawn Sharrow was injured when his arm and shoulder were caught in a winder machine at Dunn Paper in Port Huron, Mich.
Sharrow, who was 20 at the time of the incident, was airlifted to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, where he was listed as critical but stable for four days. He suffered broken bones in his shoulder and neck, cracked ribs, internal injuries and corneal abrasions in both eyes. There was concern about permanent nerve damage to his arm and neck.
Sharrow’s mother, Kim, said doctors at the medical center called his survival a miracle and attributed it to his age and general condition. Sharrow is now back home in Port Huron.
USW Emergency Response Team (ERT) representative Hilary Chiz assisted the family and those who helped with Sharrow’s rescue. USW Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Assistant Director Dave Ortlieb conducted the investigation and provided the company with changes that could be done to prevent a repeat of the incident.
At the NewPage facility in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Local Union 2-94 member Kurt Resheske, 33, was severely burned July 29 while working near a washer inspection door. He sustained second and third-degree burns over 60 percent of his body. ERT representative Duronda Pope assisted the family and HSE representative Steve Sallman responded to the incident.
On July 29, 2008 a high density recycling fiber storage tank explosion at Packaging Corporation of America’s paper mill in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, fatally injured three employees. The tank that exploded was used to store recycled fiber storage, and the three individuals were engaged in maintenance activities which included welding on the top of the tank’s high density spreader when the explosion occurred. A fourth employee, who was standing on the tank’s catwalk was also injured, but he was treated and released and is recovering from his injuries.
Two of the employees fatally injured in the explosion, Steven C. Voermans, 52, and Randy J. Hoegger, 55, were local union members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 1713. The third fatally injured employee was Don Snyder, 46, a salaried employee. The fourth injured employee was a college student and member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 1713. ERT representative Duronda Popeand HSE representative Steve Sallman responded to the incident.
After reportedly having a dispute with a supervisor, Edmund Giasson of Local 900 at the NewPage mill in Rumford, Maine, died from a heart attack July 28. Giasson, 53, had worked at the mill close to 30 years and was known to be “very, very serious about his job,” according to local president Gary Hemingway. Giasson had a history of heart problems.
These incidents point to the need for paper mill locals (and later those with converting operations) to fill out the Paper RAP survey they received in mid-August. See story on the next page.
Contracts that Reopened in August
If the re-opener date for your local contract is not listed here, please contact PT editor Lynne Baker at lbaker@usw.org to have your contract listed. Not listed last month was the Temple-Inland Orange, TX contract that expired July 31.
Georgia-Pacific, Monticello, MS, Aug. 1
Georgia-Pacific, Akron, OH, Aug. 1
Georgia-Pacific, Monticello, GA, Aug. 1
International Paper, Geneva, NY, Aug. 1
Corrugated Carton, Newark, NJ, Aug. 1
Schiffenhause Pkg. Corp. North, Suffern, NY, Aug. 1
Pactiv Corporation, Red Bluff, CA, Aug. 1
Schiffenhause Pkg. Corp. South, Newark, NJ, Aug. 1
Schweitzer-Maudit, Ancram, NY, Aug. 1
RTS Packaging, Merced, CA, Aug. 1
Smurfit-Stone Cont., St. Cloud, MN, Aug. 1
Temple-Inland, Gilroy, CA, Aug. 1
Weyerhaeuser Co., Anaheim, CA, Aug. 1
Precision Products, College Park, MD, Aug. 6
Sonoco, Hutchinson, KS, Aug. 6
Shelby Co., Westlake, OH, Aug. 6
International Paper/Shorewood Pkg., Waterbury, CT, Aug. 7
International Paper (div), Pineville, LA, Aug. 10
Rand Whitney, Worcester, MA, Aug. 11
Georgia-Pacific, Memphis, TN, Aug. 15
Mill Leaders Must Complete Paper RAP Health & Safety Survey
“The time for after-the-fact investigation is over. We must take a proactive approach to ensure paper workers don’t lose their life or get injured when they go to work,” said International Vice President Jon Geenen.
Around August 19, each local union president of a mill received the Paper RAP health and safety survey that VP Geenen’s comment refers to. The survey’s success depends on a very high response rate. So:
• If you are paper mill leadership, please prioritize completing the survey.
• If you work in a paper mill, please offer to assist the local leadership to accomplish this important task.
• If you work in a converter within a council that has mills, encourage mill leadership to get this done. (FYI: We’ll later focus on converters.)
A few things about the survey:
• Complete one survey per mill
• Get input from key members as needed
•Make the September 12, 2008 deadline
• For another copy, contact Joyce Russotto (920-722-1085; jrussotto@usw.org) or your international representative.
Together, we will use the survey’s results to leverage change at the local, industry and national policy levels to protect our brothers and sisters.
A Model in Coordinated Bargaining: U.S. Steel Agreement
The new tentative, four-year agreement at U.S. Steel shows what is possible when collective bargaining evolves and we coordinate our strength.
Workers obtained very significant wage hikes and substantial bonus and pension increases. Benefit programs were improved for active and retired employees, and health care premiums were reduced for retirees.
Job security was improved by a requirement in the tentative agreement that U.S. Steel make capital investments in its plants so that they can compete in the world economy. The contract also looks toward the future by creating an “Energy Efficiency and Carbon Emissions Task Force” to address the threat of global warming and its impact on the steel industry.
Another job security provision in the agreement is that the outsourcing of work will return to the jurisdiction of USW members.
The tentative agreement covers some 16,000 workers employed at 14 U.S. Steel locations.
PCA Mill Global Agreement Secures Workers’ Future
A new five-year global agreement negotiated with Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) contains wage increases totaling 13.75 percent, increases pension and other benefits, maintains existing health care plans and premiums, offers job security and makes it easier to organize nonunion PCA facilities.
The agreement covers about 1,200 workers at four PCA mills in Valdosta, Ga., Counce, Tenn., Filer City, Mich., and Tomahawk, Wisc. USW members at the four mills overwhelmingly approved the contract in a vote on Aug. 14.
Items not covered in the master agreement are negotiated at local union bargaining tables upon renewal of the local union’s contract. If an agreement is not reached on these items, the renewal contract remains unchanged. This prevents management from imposing contract terms on the local union. The local union renewal contracts are also five years in length.
Health care benefits and employees’ 20 percent contribution toward health care premiums were locked in immediately after ratification of the global agreement for the period of the local union contract. Also enacted upon ratification was a contract and job protection clause in case a PCA facility is sold; a restriction to work force reductions unless a facility is partially or completely shut down; and a ban on negative attacks during organizing campaigns.
Increases in wages, pensions, short-term disability benefits, life/accidental death and dismemberment benefits and retiree life insurance benefits will occur the day after the expiration of the current local union agreements. The monthly service multiplier for mill workers’ pensions will be increased by $6 to $46.62, which is one of the highest flat dollar pension benefits in the industry. Short-term disability benefits will be increased $70 over the term of the renewal contracts. Life/accidental death and dismemberment benefits will increase a total of $9,000. Retiree life insurance benefits will be secured at $10,250.
Friday, August 1, 2008
PULP TRUTH -- INDUSTRY WIDE NEWS
Contracts that Reopened in July
If your local is not listed here, please contact PT editor Lynne Baker at lbaker@usw.org to have your contract listed.
Appleton Papers, Appleton, WI., July 2
International Paper, Statesville, NC, July 2
Mid-Atlantic, Montgomerville, Pa., July 2
New York Folding Box, Stanhope, NJ, July 2
Georgia-Pacific, Blue Rapids, KS, July 3
Monadnock Paper, Bennington, NH, July 3
Newark Group, Mobile, AL, July 3
Georgia-Pacific, St. Marys, GA, July 8
Art Kraft Container, Tullytown, PA, July 8
Island Container, Wheatley Heights, NY, July 17
Heritage Container, Brooklyn, NY, July 17
Delta Corrugated, Palisades Park, NJ, July 17
Norampac, Maspeth, NY, July 17
P.C.A., Valdosta, GA, July 17
Rock-Tenn, Lynchburg, VA, July 17
Smurfit-Stone Cont., West Point, VA, July 17
Green Bay Packaging, Ft. Worth, TX, July 18
Smurfit-Stone Cont., Philadelphia, PA, July 18
SCA Tissue, Cherokee, AL, July 23
USW Assists Graphic Packaging in Getting Tax Credits
Our union assisted Graphic Packaging International, Inc. in obtaining economic development tax credits from the State of Michigan and the City of Kalamazoo for a $27 million planned expansion of the company’s Kalamazoo operations.
More than 500 employees work at the site. Our union represents the hourly workers. The expansion is expected to add up to 160 local jobs.
The Kalamazoo operations include a coated-recycled paperboard mill and a production facility where folding cartons are manufactured for a wide variety of food, beverage and consumer products packaging.
This is another example of how a union can help a company succeed in today’s tough global marketplace.
Rising Price of Crude Oil Prompts Temporary Shutdown
As of Aug. 1, Graphic Packaging is shutting down its No. 2 machine, which produces coated unbleached kraft paper generally used in the production of beverage cartons, at its West Monroe, La., mill. The rising price of crude oil has caused higher costs for key mill production inputs like fiber, natural gas and petro-based chemicals. To compensate, the company is idling certain older, higher-cost assets. Whether or not the machine is started up in January will depend on the company’s assessment.
Producing about 100,000 tons of paper annually, the machine is operated by a 24-person crew. Local 364 President Al Hamby told The News Star, “As of now, they’re not laying anybody off, but they aren’t guaranteeing anything in the future. If they lay off the employees, they would be hard to replace because they are skilled, experienced workers. It’s hard to just go out on the street and find 24 people who can operate one of these machines. So if they plan to restart the machine, they’ll probably need to keep them.”
Canadian Government Gives Energy Rebates to Paper Companies
To help paper companies compete, the Canadian government gives quarterly energy rebates to pulp and paper mills in Ontario that purchase a minimum of 50,000 megawatt hours annually and commit to increased energy efficiency.
Companies participating in the $140-million, three-year Northern Pulp and Paper Electricity Transition program have already received over $51 million in total. Nine mills are currently participating. The rebates are designed to help lower a company’s energy costs by 15 percent.
In June, Domtar’s Ontario pulp and paper mills in Espanola and Dryden received C$4.3 million in electricity rebates to help lower their energy costs.
Other steps the Canadian government has taken to address electricity costs include encouraging large power consumers in the forest sector to undertake self-generation power projects through the Forest Sector Prosperity Fund and Loan Guarantee program; extending the rate cap on Ontario Power Generation’s non-prescribed supply; having a co-generation power procurement program under the Ontario Power Authority; and having an Ontario Power Authority program to compensate companies for load shedding and shifting during high cost power peaks.
Latest Health & Safety Incidents in the Paper Industry
Unfortunately, this is turning out to be a record year for health and safety incidents. It could be because U.S. manufacturers are emphasizing production at all costs in order to compete with other manufacturers in low-wage nations like China.
One of our members had a fatal accident at around 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 22 at Haverhill Paperboard in Haverhill, Massachusetts. According to The Eagle-Tribune, the victim, Lloyd “Butch” Benjamin, 49, a member of Local 204, fell about 25 feet from a ladder and struck his head. He was working inside the plant at the time of the incident and was taken by ambulance to the local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Kim Nibarger from the USW Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Department is conducting an investigation of the incident. Al McDougall, coordinator of the USW Emergency Response Team (ERT) program is assisting the family. Haverhill Paperboard is part of the Newark Group, which has USW members at 11 of its mills.
Local 2-21 members Trudy Broman and Paul Nelson, who work at the NewPage mill in Escanaba, Mich., were on top of a tank that once had sodium chlorate in it that they were assigned to wash out with water. An explosion occurred—the cause is unknown at this time—and Broman sustained severe third degree burns on 50 to 60 percent of her body. She was in critical condition and was transported to a hospital in Milwaukee. Her doctors were concerned about the condition of her lungs and she has a long road of recovery ahead of her. Nelson sustained second-degree burns on his hands and is recovering from his injuries. HSE representative Kim Nibarger is investigating the incident, which occurred July 8, and ERT representative Duronda Pope is assisting the family.
USW member Grady Olson of Local 2-469 was seriously injured when his right arm was caught between a roll of paper and a powered “paster roll” in a paper coating machine at the Appleton Paper facility in Appleton,Wisconsin. Brother Olson is recovering from the July 11, 2008, accident at Appleton Medical Center’s intensive care unit.
Around 1:30 p.m. on July 15, Local 449 member Peter Conley, who works at the Huhtamaki Paper facility in Waterville, Maine, became dizzy and ultimately lost consciousness while he was at work. After a protracted rescue effort, he was taken to a local hospital and later was transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. Conley is in the cardiac intensive care unit and his family has been told he suffered massive damage, probably due to a stroke, with ancillary heart damage. HSE assistant director Dave Ortlieb is conducting the investigation and ERT representative Hilary Chiz is assisting the family.
Don’t Forget to Register for Health & Safety Conference
It’s not too late to register for the USW Health & Safety conference being held in Pittsburgh Aug. 18-22 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and Westin Convention Center hotel.
There will be over 42 workshops covering such topics as Permit Required Confined Space, Introduction to Systems of Safety, Hazards of Noise Exposure, Introduction to USW’s Triangle of Prevention Program, Hazard Mapping Your Workplace and Hours of Work.
Besides the workshops there will be plenary speakers and time for union-only and joint company meetings. This is a joint labor-management conference, so you are encouraged to invite management representatives from your workplace to attend. On Aug. 18 there will be a union-only session. The joint labor-management sessions start Aug. 19. The conference adjourns at noon on Aug. 22.
The deadline to register for the conference is Friday, Aug. 1. To register on-line and for more information on hotel reservations, flight arrangements and the conference fee, go to http://www.usw.org/.
Increased Energy Costs Force 106-year-old Mill to Close
Increased costs for natural gas and electricity to run machinery and excess industry capacity for 100% recycled paperboard prompted The Newark Group Inc. to decide to shut down the 106-year-old Haverhill Paperboard Corp. in Haverhill, Mass., Aug. 29.
Cost of raw materials, such as waste paper, have doubled for the mill because China continues to import greater amounts of paper for its new mills; the increased demand causes the cost to rise ever higher.
Plant officials are moving the Haverhill operation to a facility in South Carolina that powers machinery by burning coal, which is substantially cheaper.
The plant closing affects 174 full- and part-time employees. Plant managers have said that even if the employees worked for free they still could not keep the plant running.
Dennis Clifton, president of Local 4-204, which represents about 140 workers, told The Eagle Tribune the mill closing is a “bad situation all the way around. It’s not a good feeling, and like everyone else, I have house and car payments and the bills keep coming in. It’s a bad situation for our employees and for the city, which stands to lose a lot of tax money.”
Clifton said he understands the reasons for closing the plant. “I’ve heard it spends $35,000 a day on fuel. The union has programs that might help, unless the company has this closing etched in stone.”
Haverhill takes recycled paper and turns it into solid multilayer products, such as book covers and foldable cartons for the food and gift industries.
If your local is not listed here, please contact PT editor Lynne Baker at lbaker@usw.org to have your contract listed.
Appleton Papers, Appleton, WI., July 2
International Paper, Statesville, NC, July 2
Mid-Atlantic, Montgomerville, Pa., July 2
New York Folding Box, Stanhope, NJ, July 2
Georgia-Pacific, Blue Rapids, KS, July 3
Monadnock Paper, Bennington, NH, July 3
Newark Group, Mobile, AL, July 3
Georgia-Pacific, St. Marys, GA, July 8
Art Kraft Container, Tullytown, PA, July 8
Island Container, Wheatley Heights, NY, July 17
Heritage Container, Brooklyn, NY, July 17
Delta Corrugated, Palisades Park, NJ, July 17
Norampac, Maspeth, NY, July 17
P.C.A., Valdosta, GA, July 17
Rock-Tenn, Lynchburg, VA, July 17
Smurfit-Stone Cont., West Point, VA, July 17
Green Bay Packaging, Ft. Worth, TX, July 18
Smurfit-Stone Cont., Philadelphia, PA, July 18
SCA Tissue, Cherokee, AL, July 23
USW Assists Graphic Packaging in Getting Tax Credits
Our union assisted Graphic Packaging International, Inc. in obtaining economic development tax credits from the State of Michigan and the City of Kalamazoo for a $27 million planned expansion of the company’s Kalamazoo operations.
More than 500 employees work at the site. Our union represents the hourly workers. The expansion is expected to add up to 160 local jobs.
The Kalamazoo operations include a coated-recycled paperboard mill and a production facility where folding cartons are manufactured for a wide variety of food, beverage and consumer products packaging.
This is another example of how a union can help a company succeed in today’s tough global marketplace.
Rising Price of Crude Oil Prompts Temporary Shutdown
As of Aug. 1, Graphic Packaging is shutting down its No. 2 machine, which produces coated unbleached kraft paper generally used in the production of beverage cartons, at its West Monroe, La., mill. The rising price of crude oil has caused higher costs for key mill production inputs like fiber, natural gas and petro-based chemicals. To compensate, the company is idling certain older, higher-cost assets. Whether or not the machine is started up in January will depend on the company’s assessment.
Producing about 100,000 tons of paper annually, the machine is operated by a 24-person crew. Local 364 President Al Hamby told The News Star, “As of now, they’re not laying anybody off, but they aren’t guaranteeing anything in the future. If they lay off the employees, they would be hard to replace because they are skilled, experienced workers. It’s hard to just go out on the street and find 24 people who can operate one of these machines. So if they plan to restart the machine, they’ll probably need to keep them.”
Canadian Government Gives Energy Rebates to Paper Companies
To help paper companies compete, the Canadian government gives quarterly energy rebates to pulp and paper mills in Ontario that purchase a minimum of 50,000 megawatt hours annually and commit to increased energy efficiency.
Companies participating in the $140-million, three-year Northern Pulp and Paper Electricity Transition program have already received over $51 million in total. Nine mills are currently participating. The rebates are designed to help lower a company’s energy costs by 15 percent.
In June, Domtar’s Ontario pulp and paper mills in Espanola and Dryden received C$4.3 million in electricity rebates to help lower their energy costs.
Other steps the Canadian government has taken to address electricity costs include encouraging large power consumers in the forest sector to undertake self-generation power projects through the Forest Sector Prosperity Fund and Loan Guarantee program; extending the rate cap on Ontario Power Generation’s non-prescribed supply; having a co-generation power procurement program under the Ontario Power Authority; and having an Ontario Power Authority program to compensate companies for load shedding and shifting during high cost power peaks.
Latest Health & Safety Incidents in the Paper Industry
Unfortunately, this is turning out to be a record year for health and safety incidents. It could be because U.S. manufacturers are emphasizing production at all costs in order to compete with other manufacturers in low-wage nations like China.
One of our members had a fatal accident at around 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 22 at Haverhill Paperboard in Haverhill, Massachusetts. According to The Eagle-Tribune, the victim, Lloyd “Butch” Benjamin, 49, a member of Local 204, fell about 25 feet from a ladder and struck his head. He was working inside the plant at the time of the incident and was taken by ambulance to the local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Kim Nibarger from the USW Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Department is conducting an investigation of the incident. Al McDougall, coordinator of the USW Emergency Response Team (ERT) program is assisting the family. Haverhill Paperboard is part of the Newark Group, which has USW members at 11 of its mills.
Local 2-21 members Trudy Broman and Paul Nelson, who work at the NewPage mill in Escanaba, Mich., were on top of a tank that once had sodium chlorate in it that they were assigned to wash out with water. An explosion occurred—the cause is unknown at this time—and Broman sustained severe third degree burns on 50 to 60 percent of her body. She was in critical condition and was transported to a hospital in Milwaukee. Her doctors were concerned about the condition of her lungs and she has a long road of recovery ahead of her. Nelson sustained second-degree burns on his hands and is recovering from his injuries. HSE representative Kim Nibarger is investigating the incident, which occurred July 8, and ERT representative Duronda Pope is assisting the family.
USW member Grady Olson of Local 2-469 was seriously injured when his right arm was caught between a roll of paper and a powered “paster roll” in a paper coating machine at the Appleton Paper facility in Appleton,Wisconsin. Brother Olson is recovering from the July 11, 2008, accident at Appleton Medical Center’s intensive care unit.
Around 1:30 p.m. on July 15, Local 449 member Peter Conley, who works at the Huhtamaki Paper facility in Waterville, Maine, became dizzy and ultimately lost consciousness while he was at work. After a protracted rescue effort, he was taken to a local hospital and later was transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. Conley is in the cardiac intensive care unit and his family has been told he suffered massive damage, probably due to a stroke, with ancillary heart damage. HSE assistant director Dave Ortlieb is conducting the investigation and ERT representative Hilary Chiz is assisting the family.
Don’t Forget to Register for Health & Safety Conference
It’s not too late to register for the USW Health & Safety conference being held in Pittsburgh Aug. 18-22 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and Westin Convention Center hotel.
There will be over 42 workshops covering such topics as Permit Required Confined Space, Introduction to Systems of Safety, Hazards of Noise Exposure, Introduction to USW’s Triangle of Prevention Program, Hazard Mapping Your Workplace and Hours of Work.
Besides the workshops there will be plenary speakers and time for union-only and joint company meetings. This is a joint labor-management conference, so you are encouraged to invite management representatives from your workplace to attend. On Aug. 18 there will be a union-only session. The joint labor-management sessions start Aug. 19. The conference adjourns at noon on Aug. 22.
The deadline to register for the conference is Friday, Aug. 1. To register on-line and for more information on hotel reservations, flight arrangements and the conference fee, go to http://www.usw.org/.
Increased Energy Costs Force 106-year-old Mill to Close
Increased costs for natural gas and electricity to run machinery and excess industry capacity for 100% recycled paperboard prompted The Newark Group Inc. to decide to shut down the 106-year-old Haverhill Paperboard Corp. in Haverhill, Mass., Aug. 29.
Cost of raw materials, such as waste paper, have doubled for the mill because China continues to import greater amounts of paper for its new mills; the increased demand causes the cost to rise ever higher.
Plant officials are moving the Haverhill operation to a facility in South Carolina that powers machinery by burning coal, which is substantially cheaper.
The plant closing affects 174 full- and part-time employees. Plant managers have said that even if the employees worked for free they still could not keep the plant running.
Dennis Clifton, president of Local 4-204, which represents about 140 workers, told The Eagle Tribune the mill closing is a “bad situation all the way around. It’s not a good feeling, and like everyone else, I have house and car payments and the bills keep coming in. It’s a bad situation for our employees and for the city, which stands to lose a lot of tax money.”
Clifton said he understands the reasons for closing the plant. “I’ve heard it spends $35,000 a day on fuel. The union has programs that might help, unless the company has this closing etched in stone.”
Haverhill takes recycled paper and turns it into solid multilayer products, such as book covers and foldable cartons for the food and gift industries.
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