(Editor's note: After this article was published, the three unions that have been on strike at the Woodland Pulp mill voted on November 22 to accept the company's latest contract offer, and the approximately 80 union members will return to work on Monday, November 27.)
      In an escalation of the tensions in the Woodland Pulp mill strike, now in its sixth week, four union members were arrested on misdemeanor charges on Monday, November 20, after allegedly blocking trucks from entering and leaving the mill. The local union members who have been on the picket line were joined by 25 to 30 union workers from Bath Iron Works (BIW) that day. With reports that more union members from other parts of Maine might come up the next day, which turned out not to be true, several Maine state troopers were seen outside the mill that following morning.
      Brendan Wolf, spokesman for Woodland Pulp, says he directed his department to call the police the morning of November 20 because he says those on the picket line were blocking vehicles, including tractor trailers, at the entrance to the mill, "creating unsafe conditions." He comments, "They can peacefully picket, but they are not allowed to stop vehicles coming on and off private property."
      A total of 12 officers, from the Baileyville Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff's Office, responded, with approximately 50 union members present on the scene, according to Baileyville Police Chief Bob Fitzsimmons. He says that when trucks were stopped from going into the mill, even for a short period of time, Main Street was being blocked. "They were stopping trucks from between 30 seconds to five minutes," he says.
      However, Dan Loudermilk, the District 4 business representative for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), asserts that union members were not blocking the entrances to the mill. Although the picket line crosses the entrance, he says those on strike maintain their walk and ask the truck drivers to honk their horns and then let them through. Loudermilk says the police at first "were threatening to arrest everybody for walking in the roadway."
      Devin Ragnar, the communications director for the machinists union at BIW, says, "We believe we were well within the law."
      Of the four who were arrested, one was charged with disorderly conduct, one with trespassing and two with obstructing a public way. The man arrested for disorderly conduct was from one of the local unions and was summoned and released. The three others who were arrested were from the BIW unions and were taken to the Washington County Jail, where they were released after bail was posted.
      Concerning the trespass charge, Fitzsimmons says that Robert Granger, the district attorney for Washington and Hancock counties, was contacted about state law concerning public ways, and he told the police that the public way does not extend beyond the roadway.
      However, Josh Kinney, the president of Local 1490, the machinists' union, says that the unions have measured off the distance that he believes the public right-of-way covers, which he says is 32 feet from the center of the road. "We were all within that distance," he says.
      Although the action was not a surprise, Kinney says, "I didn't expect quite so many cops." He adds, "But we're not giving up. We know the games the company plays. Nothing surprises us." Kinney says the union members are "still walking the line. It was just a show of force to try to break us up." Fitzsimmons says the local unions "have done everything they can do" to obey the law and have not been obstructing the public way or acting in a disruptive manner. "It was when the other unions came up" that problems developed, he says. "Very few in the local unions took part in what happened" that morning. Concerning the labor dispute, he adds, "An agreement can't come soon enough.

Company's offer rejected
      Following a meeting on November 15, the three unions that are on strike again rejected the company's contract offer. The approximately 80 union members have been on strike for over a month, and they recently became the first striking workers in Maine to become eligible for unemployment benefits. The next meeting between union and company representatives was scheduled for Tuesday, November 21.
      Following the November 15 meeting, the three unions "overwhelmingly rejected" the latest proposal, says Loudermilk. He says there was "very little change" in the company's offer. "They are adamant about putting a tier system in place," he says. Commenting that the best word to describe the company's position is "arrogance," he adds, "They're not moving off their dime."
      Josh Kinney says those on strike "are very united and strong" about protecting their core trades. He says the vote on the company's latest offer was 63 against and four in favor, with seven not voting. The strike is primarily driven by the workers' desire for job security and for protecting their core trades. They are objecting to the company's proposal to replace millwright, pipefitter machinist and auto mechanic positions with a general mechanic classification. With the reclassification, any employee could work as a different specialist, and the unions believe the restructuring could be a move to eliminate jobs.
      While not getting into the details of the contract offers, Wolf says, "The overall concept is work flexibility in order to complete the work needed in a more efficient manner." He says the strike has not affected mill operations. As for the meeting on November 21, Wolf says it's possible that there either could be a tentative agreement or another offer that the unions would vote on.
      With the unions representing machinists, oilers and steam and water plant operators having been on strike since October 14, and the millwrights joining the picket line on October 25, Kinney says that support for the strikers has remained strong. Local residents have been driving by, honking their horns in support and dropping off coffee and doughnuts and cash for lunches, along with handwarmers on the cold days. The striking workers do have a warming fire and ice fishing shacks with propane heaters to help keep warm. Kinney says he's been on the picket line every weekday from 4:30 a.m. to anywhere from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Concerns raised
      Meanwhile, concerns have recently been raised with allegations about the actions of some of those on strike, after an anonymous letter included accusations about bad behavior, including intoxication, vandalizing the property of those suspected of crossing the picket line and negative references to local businesses that service the mill. In response, Loudermilk says, "We know who wrote the letter. They offer no proof. They're just adding fuel to the fire."
      In addition, speculation has been swirling about whether any striking workers were involved with the slashing of tires on vehicles with out-of-state plates that were at local motels where temporary replacement workers have been staying. According to the Calais Police Department, on November 7 three vehicles with Texas, Nova Scotia and Maine license plates parked at the Calais Motor Inn each had two tires slashed and one vehicle with Florida plates at the International Motel had two tires slashed. The incidents are currently under investigation. Woodland Pulp has been hiring out-of-state workers to replace those on strike through Strom Engineering Corporation in Minnesota at first, although other companies have since been involved. Wolf declines to say how many temporary replacement workers have been hired by the mill.
      As for the tire slashing, Loudermilk says that there is no proof that union workers were involved. "Our members are not doing that," he says. Anyone who alleges that is "misinformed," he says. "It's easy to cast blame."
      While some may have spread the rumor that the tires were slashed by those on strike, Kinney says, "Slashing tires is not going to get us anywhere further ahead with what we're fighting for. And it wouldn't help with public support."
      Wolf says he doesn't want to attribute any blame for the incidents but does note that "none of this occurred before they went on strike." He adds, "There's been an uptick in unusual activity in the local area," referencing both the tire slashing and activity outside the mill. However, he has not seen or heard of any confrontations on the picket line.
      William Barnwell, a representative of the IAM woodworkers department, points to the level of support that the unions have been receiving from the community, including the providing of food and support from local businesses. "If they were the hellions that's been alleged, you wouldn't see that level of support," he says.
      Barnwell says that, from the unions' perspective, the members are not doing anything but "exercising our rights" to strike.
      As for the announcement about unemployment benefits for those on strike, IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan says, "Paying unemployment benefits to strikers helps to level the playing field between workers and employers. They are standing up for themselves and the entire community that relies on the stability provided by strong union jobs at Woodland Pulp."
      Loudermilk says, "The overwhelming community support for this strike is a testament to their unwavering dedication to preserving their jobs and the well being of their community." He adds, "We are proud to kick down the door and make history by being the first workers on strike eligible to receive unemployment benefits. This is about more than just a contract; it's about securing a future for our members and the generations to come."