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
U.S. Housing Starts Hit A High Note
U.S. housing starts soared in March 2021, with both single-family and multi-family starts contributing to the boom, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S….
BID Will Upgrade Carolina Facility
BID Group has announced it will invest more than $2.5 million in state-of-the-art technology at its South Carolina operations in St. George. The acquisition of the…
Hood Appoints Mann To Drive Culture
Hood Industries, Inc. announced the promotion of April Mann to Vice President of People Operations and Culture. She replaces Terry Lawhead, who earlier this year…
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.