Passersby sounded horns and waved in solidarity to several dozen pickets at five entrances to the plant here where 681 workers walked out May 8. Nurses were among the first visitors to the picket lines. Bill, a union picket, said, "We supported the nurses when they were on strike, and now they are coming to support us." Longshoremen and sawmill workers are honoring the picket lines set up by members of the Association of Western Paper and Pulp Workers (AWPPW), bringing the Weyerhaeuser company further troubles in an area with strong union traditions.

The company is trying to force the union to agree to contract changes that would allow the contracting out of much of the work currently done by union members. "I've worked down there for nearly 39 years," said Ron Rice, a journeyman technician. "I've been through every strike since the AWPPW was formed and I have never seen Weyerhaeuser try to stink up a negotiation like this by trying to outsource or subcontract or contract these other jobs out. They're basically trying to break the union, and the rest of the unions better take note in the area because it could happen to them next."

Other stumbling blocks to a contract are the pension and health plans. "We are going backwards because we have to pay so much for medical," Bill explained. "They've been bullying us into a little pittance," said electrician Rob Wallin. "People are looking toward retirement, saying, 'Hey, we got nothing to retire on.' I guess you could work until you're 75, but I don't want to."

"As long as it takes" chimed in several pickets when asked how long they were willing to stay out. "We're getting real good support from the people," said mill worker Michael Mayfield. His wife Christy propped up a sign reading, "the greed is growing," a parody of the company's slogan, "the future is growing."

Rick Walker, who has worked at the mill for 34 years, said workers were ready to strike. "We made the signs Saturday," he said. "A hundred or so people showed up at the union hall just to prepare. Everyone's pretty up for this."  
 
 
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