International Paper strike
Encyclopedia
The International Paper strike was a strike
in 1987 by paper mill workers at a number of plants in the United States
owned by the International Paper
(IP) company.
At the time of the strike, International Paper was one of the best-managed and wealthiest of the large international paper manufacturers.
Collective bargaining
negotiations between the union and employer had been stable and uneventful for years. When contract talks with the various locals of the United Paperworkers' International Union (UPIU, now part of the United Steelworkers
) opened, it became clear that International Paper's attitude had changed. The company, which had recently recorded near-record profits, demanded wage givebacks
, high monthly payments for health and other insurance, an end to double-time pay for work on Sundays, and the elimination of all holidays (including Christmas). The company then locked out the strikers.
Although all of UPIU's locals at IP struck, much scholarly research on the labor disagreement has focused on the strike in Maine
.
When paper workers in Jay, Maine
began their talks with IP, the Maine AFL-CIO
assigned staff organizer Peter Kellman
to work with the local.
UPIU Local 14, however, had no history of member activism and little organizational infrastructure. The local community provided little support for the paperworkers' union so long as IP provided well-paying jobs, and citizens were unwilling to take action (such as demand an end to mill pollution of the local waterways) which would anger the company. But within a month of the start of the strike in June 1987, Kellman had radicalized and energized the factory workers and was building a successful "class-based social movement." The strike by IP's 1,200 workers in Jay generated international attention and even provoked the introduction of a bill to ban striker replacement in Congress.
International Paper immediately fired every single union worker who had struck, and hired permanent replacements.
Although the strike lingered until October 1988, Kellman and the union were fighting a losing battle. Kellman convinced the local union leadership to seek assistance from their parent union and the AFL-CIO. Initially, UPIU leaders agreed to begin a comprehensive campaign
against International Paper. But UPIU was unprepared to engage in such a battle. Neither the local nor the international union had had enough lead-time to conduct research, the unions did not have economic or shareholder leverage against IP, and state and local community leaders were ambivalent about supporting the union. The strikers had little bargaining power once they had been replaced.
Many in the labor movement later argued that UPIU and the AFL-CIO
had "sold out" Local 14. In time, some came to moderate this position, arguing that a comprehensive campaign strategy would have worked but that all organizations involved lacked the organizational expertise and infrastructure as well as the political will to successfully implement the tactic.
In August of 2006, the Androscoggin plant was sold by International Paper to Verso Holdings, LLC. The Androscoggin plant remains non-union as of mid 2011.
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in 1987 by paper mill workers at a number of plants in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
owned by the International Paper
International Paper
International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 59,500 employees, and it is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:...
(IP) company.
At the time of the strike, International Paper was one of the best-managed and wealthiest of the large international paper manufacturers.
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
negotiations between the union and employer had been stable and uneventful for years. When contract talks with the various locals of the United Paperworkers' International Union (UPIU, now part of the United Steelworkers
United Steelworkers
The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union is the largest industrial labor union in North America, with 705,000 members. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, U.S., the United Steelworkers represents workers in the United...
) opened, it became clear that International Paper's attitude had changed. The company, which had recently recorded near-record profits, demanded wage givebacks
Givebacks
Givebacks is a Trade union term for the reduction or elimination of previously won benefits.-History:1978: The first known publication of the term giveback in relation to organized labor negotiations was in the New York Times...
, high monthly payments for health and other insurance, an end to double-time pay for work on Sundays, and the elimination of all holidays (including Christmas). The company then locked out the strikers.
Although all of UPIU's locals at IP struck, much scholarly research on the labor disagreement has focused on the strike in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
.
When paper workers in Jay, Maine
Jay, Maine
Jay is a town in Franklin County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,985 at the 2000 census. Jay, which includes the village of Chisholm, is the regional commercial center.-History:...
began their talks with IP, the Maine AFL-CIO
Maine AFL-CIO
The Maine AFL-CIO is a federation of AFL-CIO-affiliated labor unions in the state of Maine.The federation lobbies the state legislature and executive branch on issues important to its members, assists its state and local affiliate unions in organizing new members, conducts training and educational...
assigned staff organizer Peter Kellman
Peter Kellman
Peter Kellman is an anti-war activist, author, and American labor union leader and activist.He is president of the Southern Maine Central Labor Council, and a member of the executive board of the Maine AFL-CIO....
to work with the local.
UPIU Local 14, however, had no history of member activism and little organizational infrastructure. The local community provided little support for the paperworkers' union so long as IP provided well-paying jobs, and citizens were unwilling to take action (such as demand an end to mill pollution of the local waterways) which would anger the company. But within a month of the start of the strike in June 1987, Kellman had radicalized and energized the factory workers and was building a successful "class-based social movement." The strike by IP's 1,200 workers in Jay generated international attention and even provoked the introduction of a bill to ban striker replacement in Congress.
International Paper immediately fired every single union worker who had struck, and hired permanent replacements.
Although the strike lingered until October 1988, Kellman and the union were fighting a losing battle. Kellman convinced the local union leadership to seek assistance from their parent union and the AFL-CIO. Initially, UPIU leaders agreed to begin a comprehensive campaign
Comprehensive campaign
A comprehensive campaign is labor union organizing or a collective bargaining campaign with a heavy focus on research, the use of community coalition-building, publicity and public pressure, political and regulatory pressure, and economic and legal pressure in addition to traditional organizing...
against International Paper. But UPIU was unprepared to engage in such a battle. Neither the local nor the international union had had enough lead-time to conduct research, the unions did not have economic or shareholder leverage against IP, and state and local community leaders were ambivalent about supporting the union. The strikers had little bargaining power once they had been replaced.
Many in the labor movement later argued that UPIU and the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
had "sold out" Local 14. In time, some came to moderate this position, arguing that a comprehensive campaign strategy would have worked but that all organizations involved lacked the organizational expertise and infrastructure as well as the political will to successfully implement the tactic.
In August of 2006, the Androscoggin plant was sold by International Paper to Verso Holdings, LLC. The Androscoggin plant remains non-union as of mid 2011.