From: Bob Reilly <Koba@cybersurfers.net>
Date: Sunday, December 19, 1999 3:17 PM

Subject: Call for immediate action!

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The following is a plea for help. Their company, Gaylord Container Corporation, is attacking PACE local 968 in Phoenix (Glendale), Arizona. Please read the description by PACE International Jack Hammond and help this local to fight this contract battle through an E-mail campaign.

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Local 968 in Phoenix AZ is an amalgamated local representing employees at three companies: S&G Bag, Stone Container, and Gaylord Container.

We have been without a contract at Gaylord container since June 1999. The issues that are keeping us from getting a contract are the company's insistence on not having rehabilitation for employees with substance abuse problems. We have always in the past had one chance at rehab. Also, the company refuses to offer anything on the pension, which is currently at $632.00.

The biggest issue is however the company proposal that would allow them to unilaterally change or delete any or all of or insurance benefits at the beginning of any contract year. The company is using every dirty tactic in the book to try and force their proposals on the local including **terminating the negotiating committee.**

Three of the four committee members have been terminated for allegedly telling other employees to slow down and supposedly intimidating them. The only reason the fourth committee member has not been terminated is because he is out of work on disability. The company is refusing to meet with the union regarding these terminations because they say that the union committee has to be employees from the plant and they do not consider them employees because they fired them.

We will be filing NLRB charges against the company shortly for their refusal to meet and will no doubt be successful. The local union has been picketing the company and it's customers on a weekly basis. They also have signs in the windows of their automobiles at work everyday stating that "Gaylord is unfair to employees". I know that if the local remains strong, they will be successful in obtaining the fair contract they deserve.

Wishing you and the members of local 52 and their families a very merry and happy holiday season.

In solidarity,
Jack Hammond.

I am asking for union members and friends of unions to help in this cause by emailing as often as possible the following:

• marysue-coleman@uiowa.edu She is president of Univ. of Iowa and sits on the board of Gaylord Container. Might mention to her that recent reports have profits up fourfold. Also please encourage her to help get the negotiating team back to work before Christmas.
• www.gaylordcontainer.com is the corporate web site. You can go there and leave messages about your feelings concerning this company's treatment of their employees.