Workers at three Sappi paper plants in North America, including the facility in Cloquet, Minn., have authorized a strike if a fair contract offer is not forthcoming from management.

The United Steelworkers, the union representing the paper workers, said the onus is now on the South Africa-based company to make satisfactory offers to employees at its highly lucrative paper plants in the United States.

A majority of USW-represented Sappi paper plant workers in the United States voted to authorize a strike in balloting that took place over the past week. USW locals at Westbrook, Maine; Cloquet, Minnesota; and Muskegon, Michigan; voted to strike if necessary, while employees at Sappi's Skowhegan, Maine; plant voted to hold off for now on strike authorization until further negotiations are pursued. A smaller unit at the Cloquet mill represented by the Service Employees International Union did not authorize a strike among its members yet.

USW Vice President Richard LaCosse said, "This strike vote represents growing dissatisfaction among Sappi workers at the second-rate wages, benefits and working conditions the company wants to force on employees. If Sappi management wants labor peace, they need to significantly improve what they are proposing for paper plant workers at the mills, and soon."

He said the next round of negotiations will be crucial in determining if Sappi is serious about improving relations with paper plant workers.