USW Convention | April 7-10, 2025 Get registration information here
Monday Morning Minute – USW Paper Sector
Union Work – Collective Bargaining, Organizing, Arbitration, Worker Rights, Community Work, Political Work, Labor History
SCA Locals (324, 2-1279, 1478, 1535, 1-112, 12-8850 and 12-8850-1) Ratify Master Agreement – Congratulations to our members at the SCA locations of Neenah, WI; Menasha, WI; South Glens Falls, NY; Barton, AL; Bellemont, AZ; and Flagstaff, AZ whose patience and tenacity has led to a new master agreement ratified by a large margin. We commend all of the locals for their hard work and dedication during the two years it took to bring the agreement to a conclusion. The payoff was an agreement that ensures that SCA members will continue to have some of the best manufacturing jobs in America. While there were plenty of challenges, SCA workers emerged with a strong benefit package and wage increases that exceed that of other tissue industry players and the industry in general. This deal also should create a path to new organizing opportunities. Well done to the staff, locals and members at SCA.
SCA Americas is Hiring – SCA is looking for qualified Applicants to fill positions, particularly at its Barton, AL and South Glens Falls, NY facilities. Copy and paste the following link into your browser to view current job openings: www.zao.com/JTMgTb.
Safety
Two Workers Die After Accident at Korean UWF Mill – In South Korea, two workers have died and one is in a coma following an industrial accident at Daechang Paper in Gyeongsangbuk province in early June. The plant was being cleaned by the victims when they collapsed, apparently due to toxic gas in a mixing tank. While this accident did not occur in the U.S., it could serve as a warning for all paperworkers.
Unions Win Safer Jobs for Working People – For centuries, unions have been at the forefront of fighting for and winning safer protections for working people. Horrific workplace tragedies such as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory and the Hawks Nest Tunnel disasters are reminders of the need for unions. Unions fought for the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Over the past 45 years, unions have won national and state safety and health protections for all working people, including key standards such as asbestos, benzene, lead, confined spaces and fall protection; and now more than 532,000 working people can say their lives have been saved through this law. These protections benefit every worker on the job, not just union members.
Unions also win strong collective bargaining contracts in their workplaces, establishing key safety protections such as safety representatives and labor management committees, as well as other labor protections such as higher wages, retirement security, work autonomy, job security, paid time off and predictable scheduling.
Unions are still winning important protections for all people by advocating for and defending safety and health standards. In March, OSHA issued the most important health rule in 30 years. These comprehensive silica standards will save more than 600 lives and prevent more than 900 cases of silicosis (and other chronic diseases) each year, by using common sense controls like water and vacuums to reduce exposure in construction, maritime and general industries.
Just a few weeks ago, OSHA updated its injury and illness recordkeeping requirements, requiring companies to electronically submit their injury and illness logs to an online OSHA database regularly. Because of this record-keeping update, working people and employers can better identify workplace hazards causing injury and illness in their industries and at their worksites. Importantly, this rule increases anti-retaliation protections to help workers report injuries and illnesses without fear of employer repercussions.
While these protections are success stories for working people, we still have work to do. The new OSHA rules, as well as other new labor protections, are under attack from wealthy big business lobbyists and right-wing politicians. Additionally, more states have “right to work” laws, which weaken safety and health working conditions, than ever before. Workers in states with right to work laws are at a 49% greater risk of dying on the job, and states with greater union density also tend to have lower job fatality rates.
Unions are critical in the push for stronger safety and health protections and to keep the protections workers have—making sure that profits are not put ahead of working people’s right to provide for their families and return home alive, in one piece and not burdened with lifelong illness. Unions will keep winning for working people.
Industry Update
Georgia-Pacific Corrugated acquires Southern California-based Reliable Container – Georgia-Pacific continues to expand its corrugated packaging business with the acquisition of Southern California-based Reliable Container. The acquisition includes converting plants in Santa Fe Springs, California, and Tijuana, Mexico. Terms of the deal are not disclosed. Reliable Container offers a variety of custom corrugated containers and point-of-purchase displays, in addition to offering consultation, design and inventory services. Their diverse customer base includes furniture, food and beverage, consumer products, auto, electronics, fabricated metal products and services industries. The approximately 250 employees are now part of Georgia-Pacific.
US Bankruptcy Court Approves Verso’s Plan of Reorganization and Clears Way for Emergence from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in July with Debt Cut by $2.4 billion –Verso wants to exit bankruptcy next month with $371 million of debt after entering Ch. 11 bankruptcy proceedings in January with $2.785 billion in debt. Verso plans to issue new common stock after exiting Chapter 11 and will change top leadership. The coated printing and paper producer seeks to run its $3 billion/yr in revenue business post-Ch. 11 counting on reduced costs from on-site pulp integration to paper machines at seven mills, continuing to develop cost reductions in operations, and trying to drive “product mix to more profitable grades (such as) specialty papers, CFS (coated freesheet paper), etc.”
It also restated what has become topical the last four years among US printing and writing paper companies — that it will “explore machine conversions to higher-growth, higher-profit product areas.” Since 2011, nine North American newsprint and uncoated freesheet machines from four companies converted to containerboard, packaging paper, tissue, fluff pulp, and thermal base paper.
Remember to share Monday Morning Minute in your work place and share your stories with us. Send your information to Laura Donovan at ldonovan@usw.org.
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