Logout
Click here for Pulp & Paper Radio International
The Paperitalo Library
Free Downloads
Search
My Profile
Login
USW and Supporters Protest Oregon Mill Actions of Wayzata Investment Partners Headquarters
Print
Wayzata, Minnesota, USA, 03 September 2008 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) and community supporters will march on the headquarters of a Minnesota investment firm that has purchased a paper mill in Oregon and slashed wages and benefits for workers there.

In June of this year, Wayzata Investment Partners bought the former Pope & Talbot paper mill in Halsey, Oregon, and renamed it Cascade Pacific Pulp. In the change of ownership, longtime workers were fired and then made to reapply for their jobs. Wages were slashed from 12% to 28% and employees forced to pay up to USD 3000 for deductibles and up to USD 10,000 in out-of-pocket expenses to retain family health insurance.

More than 100 union-represented workers at the kraft pulp mill and their allies are demanding that Wayzata Investment Partners bargain fairly with employees over the terms of their labor agreement rather than unilaterally implementing changes.

USW members from the Oregon plant will be joined by union supporters and community allies from Minnesota at the 05 September march and demonstration at Wayzata Investment Partners' offices in Wayzata, Minnesota. The union delegation will seek a meeting with Wayzata boss Patrick Halloran and urge him to halt the company's unfair demands on workers and their community.

Paper mill workers feel this demonstration at the equity firm's offices is justified. "If we have no other way of making contact with absentee owners like Wayzata Investment Partners, we have to go to them," said Jim Gourley, financial secretary for USW Local 1189 in Halsey.

Source: United Steelworkers
Web site: http://www.usw.org/
 

Related Articles:


Powered by Bondware
News Publishing Software

The browser you are using is outdated!

You may not be getting all you can out of your browsing experience
and may be open to security risks!

Consider upgrading to the latest version of your browser or choose on below: