It appears labor negotiations between Sappi Fine Paper and the union representing the mill’s workers has reached a stalemate.
Neither side has returned to the bargaining table following the union’s June 19 strike authorization vote. Despite the vote, workers have not chosen to strike.
No negotiations have taken place since the union authorized the strike in response to what it sees as an inadequate labor package offered by Sappi in March, as well as unfair labor practices at the mill, according to Local 1069 President Brian Wade. Wade wouldn’t comment on what the unfair labor practices at the mill were.
“At this point we’re waiting,” he said. “We’d like to get them back to the table and get a decent offer, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
For its part, Sappi has offered what it thinks is a competitive labor package and was disappointed by the strike authorization vote in Westbrook, according to Sappi spokesperson Brooke Carey.
“The steelworkers have still not allowed our employees to vote on our final packages, which have been on the table at the (mill) since March,” she said.
Wade countered that the company’s assertion wasn’t true and that all members know the terms of the labor agreement.
Carey said if the workers strike, the company would use every legal means to continue operations. The company has also increased security at the mill.
Carey said the company is acting to protect its interests. Wade believes the company is attempting to intimidate the workers. He said when the new security details arrived, they made a show of walking around on the roofs of the buildings and also inside the mill. This week, he said he hasn’t seen the security guards much lately except for in the cafeteria.
Although Carey disagreed, Wade said he believes the company is attempting to intimidate the workers by not renegotiating the labor agreement.
“It’s unsettling for some of the members, but they know what’s going on. The company’s trying to scare us,” said Wade. “Morale (at the mill) is not good. People are unhappy with the way the company is treating us.”
Carey said in no way is the company attempting to intimidate the union. She said if the union hadn’t authorized a strike it wouldn’t have had to hire extra security, nor would it have had to take measures to protect its investments and ensure the operation of its mill to continue to provide serve its customers.
According to Wade, the workers at the Westbrook mill and Sappi have been working on a new contract since the old one expired in 2002.
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