Appleton reaches labor agreement for Pa. mill

Appleton and Local 10-0422 of The United Steelworkers Union have reached a tentative agreement on terms for a four-year labor agreement affecting the company’s paper mill at Roaring Spring, Pa.

The agreement includes improvements in wages and benefits and addresses other issues ensuring that Appleton remains competitive as the world leader in carbonless, thermal, and security paper products. The agreement must be ratified by a vote of the mill’s approximately 370 union employees Aug. 8.

The mill’s union employees had been operating without a contract since the previous contract expired November 17, 2007. However mill operations have continued normally since that time.

Mitchell Becker, the mill’s union president, said that the mill’s union-represented workers always believed that an agreement could be reached. “While negotiations are never easy, we believed in our ability to get a fair contract and we did.”

Tony Fago, Roaring Spring mill manager, and Jon Geenen, international vice president for The United Steelworkers, made a joint announcement of the agreement. Fago commended the mill’s union employees for their performance and focus while a contract agreement was being forged. “Our employees have always been dedicated to their work of serving our customers,” Fago said. “We are pleased to have reached a contract agreement and are ready to move forward under terms of that agreement.”

“It’s not unusual to have protracted contract negotiations considering the economic environment," said Geenen. "Ultimately both sides reached agreement on what we consider a fair contract offer. We are pleased with the results of our efforts for our members at the Roaring Spring mill.”

Walter Schonfeld, president of Appleton’s Technical Papers Division, said the contract agreement means both sides can share a victory. “Spring mill employees play a vital role in our Company. I’m happy we reached an agreement that recognizes their contributions and addresses important issues for both parties.”