USW: Steelworkers Pledge Mutual Support, Action With South African Trade Union To Change Sappi’s Anti-Worker Practices

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	Steelworkers Pledge Mutual Support, Action With South African Trade Union To Change Sappi’s Anti-Worker Practices

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 16, 2006

Contact: Lynne Baker, USW communications, 615-831-6782, (cell) 615-828-6169

Pittsburgh, Pa.—The United Steelworkers union (USW) and the South African Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood & Allied Workers union (CEPPWAWU) pledged mutual support in meeting their members’ needs, achieving mutual goals and taking concrete steps to change Sappi’s labor practices.

“We’re bound and determined to change how Sappi treats its workers, and that takes global solidarity among its unions,” said USW President Leo W. Gerard. “Our solidarity will show Sappi that it’s far more beneficial to work with us than against us. Together, we could help the company meet the competitive demands of the paper industry that it’s putting at risk by its anti-worker practices.”

Instead of negotiating fair contracts at each of its US facilities in Westbrook and Skowhegan, Maine, Muskegon, Mich., and Cloquet, Minn., Sappi is resisting the USW’s demands for decent wages and benefits for all Sappi employees. At some locations, Sappi is actually demanding concessions in health care, pensions and pay.

In South Africa, the CEPPWAWU is fighting for greater access to better jobs at Sappi. The company is failing to train blue-collar workers for higher skilled jobs, and is showing an unwillingness to hire black workers for positions requiring greater skill or responsibility. In addition, it has refused to equalize salaries between managers and workers and recognize the union as the bargaining agent for maintenance and white-collar workers.

Sappi also is trying to impose a health and safety model that takes a “blame the worker” approach across all of its facilities in North America, southern Africa and Europe.

“Sappi has a choice to make: It can either work with us to help improve its profit position, or it can continue down the path it’s on and struggle for survival,” said Dick LaCosse, USW international vice president and head of the union’s national paper bargaining program.

The USW represents over 1,300 workers at Sappi’s four mills and a paper converting and distribution facility in Allentown, Pa. Total USW membership numbers 850,000 workers, and the union represents employees in industries ranging from pulp and paper to steel and aluminum, oil, chemical, pharmaceutical and health care.