Pacific Northwest Weyerhaeuser Employees Vote On Union Strike Authority
About 1,200 Weyerhaeuser Co. employees in Washington and Oregon voted overwhelmingly to give the regional woodworkers union strike authority, paving the way for a work stoppage if negotiators continue to disagree on terms of a new labor contract.
The final ballot tally was more than 90 percent in favor of strike authority, said Wayne Thompson, district business representative of the International Aerospace and Machinists/Woodworkers Local District W24 Lodge. The vote total included ballots from nearly 400 union sawmill and other workers in Longview-based Woodworkers Local 536. Workers from Coos Bay, Ore., to Aberdeen, Wash., also participated in the vote.
Union members also voted down the most recent version of a proposed contract by roughly the same margin, Thompson said. “I’ve never seen our crews this solid,” he said. Thompson said negotiators are still working with Weyerhaeuser representatives to get back to the bargaining table.
“We are disappointed in this outcome, but optimistic that we can continue to work with union leaders to reach a mutually acceptable agreement,” Weyerhaeuser said in a statement.
No date has been set for a strike, but no further contract talks are scheduled, Thompson said. However, an official at Woodworkers Local 24 in the Raymond area said the union and company have scheduled talks on July 10-11, 2018 the Raymond, Wash.-based Willapa Harbor Herald reported.
From The Daily News: tdn.com.
RELATED ARTICLES
Weyerhaeuser Buys 69,000 Acres
Latest News
Daniels, Pannell Join Potlatch
PotlatchDeltic Corp. has announced that Ryan Daniels and Bobby Pannell have joined the Wood Products division, with Daniels serving as Director of Operations, responsible for leading the manufacturing teams at the six lumber facilities and the St. Maries plywood mill, and Pannell serving as Director of Engineering, responsible for leading the engineering, reliability, and continuous improvement team for the division…
Labor Department Slaps Sawmill Operator
U.S. Dept. of Labor obtained a federal consent order and judgment against a Northern sawmill operator following the death of a child due to an “industrial accident.” The order requires the company to place labels and signage to prevent children under age 18 from using dangerous equipment and entering the company’s sawmill and planer buildings…
U.S. Housing Starts Show Significant Jump In September
U.S. housing starts increased 7% in September from August, coming in at a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.358 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development monthly new residential construction report. Single-family starts were at a rate of 963,000, up 3.2%, and multi-family starts were 383,000, up 17%…
Find Us On Social
Newsletter
The monthly Timber Processing Industry Newsletter reaches over 4,000 mill owners and supervisors.
Subscribe/Renew
Timber Processing is delivered 10 times per year to subscribers who represent sawmill ownership, management and supervisory personnel and corporate executives. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative.