Antioch: Georgia-Pacific claims inaccurate information being put out about labor strike

ANTIOCH — Two weeks after Georgia-Pacific workers walked off the job, union leaders and management of the plant here are still at odds over wage negotiations at the heart of the worker strike.

In a letter addressed to the Antioch City Council, Georgia-Pacific’s Public Affairs and Communications Director Rick Kimble claimed there has been “inaccurate and misleading information” about the dispute. Union leaders, meanwhile, accused the company of fudging the numbers.

An end to the strike that started Sept. 16 doesn’t appear on the horizon at the wallboard facility.

In the letter dated Sept. 24, Georgia-Pacific said the two sides have been negotiating since June and that the company made a “substantial wage offer” that would increase hourly wages by 15% over the next three years, bumping the hourly rates to $38 by the end of the contract.

Kimble said the average hourly wage for International Association of Machinist employees is $47.78, for International Longshoremen Ware Union workers it is $30.79 and the overall average hourly rate is $33.40. He added that the average annual income for IAM employees last year was $123,754; for ILWU employees, it was $95,165.

“In addition to the wages, the company offers a very competitive benefits package for our employees,” he said.

However, business agent Anthony Rives, representing the ILWU Local 6 union in the wage negotiations, disputed the numbers, adding they were nowhere close to what the members earn now. Rives said only a handful of ILWU Local 6 members are paid about $30 an hour.

“A lot of our guys here are under the $30 range. If we take up on their offer (of 15% over three years), only then will we hit the rate they have mentioned, so it’s an inaccurate number,” said Rives.

Steven Noorwood, a negotiation team member, said many of the ILWU workers make an average of $28.50 an hour.

Rives also said the company had only offered the members a 12% wage increase and a three percent market share over a four-year contract.

“We never got that high (of an offer), not even close to that,” Rives said.

He also disputed the annual base salary figures put out by Georgia-Pacific, saying many workers make far less, closer to $60,000 for ILWU workers. Overtime is the only way they can reach the $95,000 wage bracket, he said.

“These guys work tons of overtime. The average is about 12-20 hours,” Rives added.

When asked to clarify the number of workers who make about $30 an hour, Kimble said the company does not disclose personnel information. He said the wages are dependent on the employees’ experience levels.

“The offer on the table is a 6% increase in year one and a 3% increase in years two, three, and four for the ILUW. An increase of 15% is reached in year three,” Kimble said.

Union leadership has not communicated with the company since the Sept. 16 walkout at the gypsum plant on Minaker Drive.

Rives said there were several negotiations with the company and a federal mediator, but the offers were turned down on three occasions — once by Georgia Pacific and twice by the union members.

“That’s why we are on strike because we have not come close to a number (we agree upon),” Rives said.

Kimble said the company offered to continue bargaining with the unions when the employees voted against its initial offer in June.

Kimble added that Georgia-Pacific has also contacted the union members and the mediator, indicating their willingness to meet and resume negotiations.