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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 18, 2015)
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | September 18 , 2015 | PAGE 7 Longview mill workers end strike without a contract The strike is over at the Kap- Stone paper mill and box plant in Longview, Washington. Asso- ciation of Western Pulp and Pa- per Workers (AWPPW) Local 153 made an unconditional offer to return to work on Sept. 3 — Day 7 of the strike — and the company accepted the following day. Union President Kurt Gal- low said members began return- ing to work on Labor Day. All 775 were back on the job by Sept. 10, except five who the company accuses of picket-line misconduct. If KapStone had rejected the return-to-work offer, the strike would have become a lockout, making workers eligible for un- employment insurance benefits. KapStone Paper and Packag- ing, headquartered in Illinois, has four paper mills and 6,200 em- ployees. It’s the largest kraft pa- per producer in the United States. After acquiring Longview Fibre in 2013, it proposed concessions from Local 153, a division of United Brotherhood of Carpen- ters. Union members gave up their defined benefit pension and retiree health benefits in their last contract with Longview Fibre, and were in no mood to accept further cuts. KapStone declared an impasse in bargaining, and on Aug. 10 imposed its final contract offer. That offer includes raises of 2 percent a year for eight years, but also cuts in health benefits, re- placing its current full-family health plans with high-deductible versions as of Jan. 1. On Aug. 27, union workers walked off the job. The strike initially shut down operations. KapStone said it would use the time to perform maintenance. But on Aug. 31 it restarted the largest of five paper machines using scabs. A second machine started on Sept. 4. The company brought in se- curity guards to video the picket line. Cowlitz County sheriff’s deputies maintained a presence at the mill entrance during shift changes. On Aug. 30, a scab drove his SUV into a picketer. The picketer was taken to a hos- pital but was unhurt. [See the video at http://bit.ly/1fTukYQ ] Gallow said the strike was called to protest unfair labor practices—violations of the Na- tional Labor Relations Act. It’s unlawful to hire permanent re- placements in an unfair labor practice strike. On Aug. 30, the National Labor Relations Board found merit to several charges filed by the union, including re- fusal to bargain in good faith and making unilateral changes to working conditions without talk- ing to the union. The charges are scheduled to go before a federal administrative law judge Dec. 8. The return to work doesn’t mean workers have agreed to the company offer. They still have the right to strike again later. ... Locked-out Steelworkers seek support From Page 1 Sept. 4, in a convoy of five 18- passenger vans with tinted win- dows. Trucks are also arriving at the plant from ATI’s other Al- bany facility, though not driven by union members. As the lockout lengthens, USW Local 7150 has begun to reach out to other Oregon unions asking for support. Locked-out workers are entitled to unem- ployment benefits, but that’s far below the income they earn on the job. The international union is providing strike/lockout ben- efits that amount to $200 per member per week; those funds are pooled by the local and dis- tributed on the basis of need. Leading up to the start of the school year, donations from union and community members provided backpacks and school supplies to 67 children of locked-out workers. Local elected officials have also been turning up at the picket line to show support, including Congressman Peter DeFazio, Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, State Sen. Sara Gelser, and Albany Mayor Sharon Konopa (who’s married to Teamsters Local 305 business agent Steve Konopa). Konopa also asked Albany City Council to pass a resolution of support for the workers, but the other council members preferred a neutral statement urging both sides to resolve the dispute. Rodgers said one of the biggest things supporters can do is just stop by the picket line and say hello. “We appreciate all the support we’ve been getting,” Rodgers said. “That means a lot to the members, and helps keep them inspired.” HOW TO HELP ■ Drop by the picket line at 530 SW 34th Ave., Albany. ■ Send a check for any amount to the USW 7150 Strike and Defense Fund, 1400 Salem Ave., Albany, Oregon, 97321. WASHINGTON Union coalition reaches agreements at Clark County VANCOUVER, Wash.—Clark County has reached agreement on contracts with four unions covering 700 workers. The three- year agreements provide for across-the-board wage increases of 1.75, 2, and 2 percent and run from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018. The contracts largely maintain existing terms, including health insurance, for which workers pay 7 percent of premiums, a com- posite rate that covers employees and dependents. The four unions bargained in a coalition. Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 11 represents 298 members at several agencies; AF- SCME Local 307 represents 200 employees in public works; Pro- fessional & Technical Employees Local 17 represents 155 engi- neers; and Laborers Local 335 represents 54 workers in the county health department. OPEIU Local 11 representa- tive Maureen Colvin says the Lo- cal 11 contract also fixed a source of inequity between new hires and more senior employees over paid time off. Clark County’s sometimes po- larized politics played little role in the negotiations. There was an early push to make bargaining sessions open to the public, something Colvin said would have been unproductive, but that was scuttled. Members of all the unions have ratified the deals. They now await approval of the Board of County Councilors, which could vote on them as early as Sept. 29. Apprenticeship Opening GLAZIERS The Oregon & SW Washington Glaziers Joint Apprenticeship & Journeyman Training Program will be open to accept applications to create a pool of eligible applicants. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Must apply in person and furnish a copy of a high school diploma and grade transcript or GED and test scores at time of application. Applications will be taken Oct. 19 thru Oct. 30, 2015 Monday thru Friday, 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Glaziers Training Center Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark St., Gresham, OR Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Veterans GI Benefits may apply
