SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Striking Weyerhaeuser workers held a rally in Springfield as they enter their sixth straight week of striking, with a vote for a tentative agreement with the timber company scheduled for the week of October 24.
Workers from as far as Seattle came down to show their support for each other and their union at a rally in front of the union hall on A Street in Springfield on October 21. Workers told KEZI they were striking to get their fair share after making Weyerhaeuser a large sum of money during the COVID-19 pandemic. Union desires include a livable family wage that keeps up with inflation, lower premiums for health benefits, and for outstanding safety issues to be addressed.
“I do have confidence in the union to get a fair deal, as of last night we have a tentative agreement,” said Terry Carlson, a processor operator at Weyerhaeuser. “I don't know what the tentative agreement is right now. We will be voting on it next week. Throughout the week every lodge has got a day which they will vote for, like always the union will bargain our contract, the fate of it is up to us. It's all in our hands, that's the beauty of being a union worker."
Striking workers say they are prepared to continue striking if they’re not satisfied with the deal. Those involved with the strike, such as Brandon Bryant, the District President of the International Association of Machinists, say they might ask for government intervention if a deal can’t be reached.
"We have called in a federal mediator,” Bryant said. “We've been working with the federal mediator for the last two weeks to help kind of referee our bargaining to make sure that we keep moving in the right direction. He's helped twist our arms, he's helped twist the company's arms and it's helped us come to an agreement."
KEZI reached out to Weyerhaeuser, but did not receive a comment. When the strike began on September 13, the company provided the following statement:
"We have been formally engaged in collective bargaining with IAM [the union] since May, and we have made several offers related to wages and benefits. After we presented our final offer, IAM workers at multiple sites went on strike late last night. While we are very disappointed in their decision to walk out, we are committed to supporting our employees and negotiating in good faith with union representatives. We are prepared to continue discussions to produce a contract that is beneficial for employees and sustainable for the company across business cycles."
