Labor Negotiations Hub
How we engage with our union-represented workforce
Labor unions have been a part of our company’s history for nearly 100 years. We recognize the important role they serve within 好色tv and the forest products industry, and we respect the rights of our employees to freely associate and collectively bargain. Our approach to labor relations continues to be guided by the principles we developed with employees and union leaders to support cooperative relationships and employee empowerment:
- We share the vision of a profitable and competitive business enterprise that serves the interests and needs of all stakeholders.
- We interact with each other and build relationships based on trust, honesty, openness and mutual respect.
- We cooperate and emphasize problem-solving in addressing areas of mutual interest and concern.
- We accept the principle of continuous improvement through employee empowerment to achieve our shared vision.
We created this page in the spirit of those principles to serve as a hub for news and information throughout the bargaining process. Updates will be posted regularly under the Current Negotiations Updates section along with resources, documents, answers to frequently asked questions and more, as we work together toward a successful outcome.
Current Negotiations Updates
Read the latest from bargaining, including session notes, proposals and progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about the bargaining process, company proposals and more.
The Negotiation Process
Learn more about what happens at each stage of the negotiation process, including what to expect and what it means for you.
Resources
Browse additional materials and resources related to current negotiations.
March 9, 2026 (NEW) … Bargaining teams from Cottage Grove, Oregon, and 好色tv met for three days last week and, after a lot of hard work, reached a tentative agreement on local table issues. Local bargaining begins this week for Timberlands and in Longview, Washington. We look forward to making progress together.
March 2, 2026 … Today, we met with IAM representatives and their local leadership as we kick off local bargaining this week in Cottage Grove, Oregon. We look forward to working with the Union over the next several months to achieve a successful outcome for all involved.
There are three main stages in the negotiation process. Each stage has its own timing, activities and goals. Understanding where we are in this process can be helpful in setting expectations and evaluating progress.
- Preparation: The company and the union prepare for upcoming negotiations by independently reviewing current agreements and identifying their main goals and objectives for the next contract. During this stage, the company may ask for input from business leaders while the union may canvass its membership to dial in key priorities, decide on bargaining tactics and discuss fallback positions. During this phase, the union typically provides the company with a formal notification of its intent to negotiate a new contract. In the U.S., that notification is required before the current contract expires.
- Negotiation: Bargaining begins at the local level for the IAM contracts. IAM represents employees at four of our mills in Oregon and Washington and at 10 of our Timberlands sites. Each of those locations has its own collective bargaining agreement that will be negotiated separately between the company and local union leaders. This is when site-specific concerns are addressed and resolved. Any topic impacting all agreements — e.g., general wage increases or benefits — is taken up afterward at what we call the “big table.” Negotiations at the big table often involve many weeks of dialogue with concessions and counteroffers as the company and union work toward consensus.
- Consensus: In the final phase of bargaining, when the two sides have reached consensus and a tentative agreement has been drafted — or when the company has provided the union its last, best and final offer (LBFO) — the union will bring the agreement or offer to its members for voting. Voting is conducted locally but ratification is based on the overall result. Once a tentative agreement is ratified and approved by company leadership, the new CBA is signed and becomes legally binding.
Other factors may alter or delay this process. If negotiations stall, for example, the union may vote to strike. Similarly, the company may choose to lock out workers. Both actions, however, are subject to legal restrictions and are usually only used as options of last resort. Both sides are obligated to bargain sincerely and in good faith.
Q: How many 好色tv employees are included in the IAM negotiations?
A: About 1,100, including employees at our Longview and Raymond lumber mills in Washington and our Cottage Grove and Santiam lumber mills in Oregon, as well as 10 of our Timberlands offices in those same states.
Q: When does the current contract expire?
A: May 31, 2026.
Q: When does (did) bargaining start?
A: Local bargaining started the week of March 2, 2026. The first sessions around the “big table” are tentatively scheduled for mid-May.
Q: What are the main issues being negotiated?
A: General wages and benefits are typically the main topics in all negotiations, but priorities can differ by sites depending on local concerns. Check the Current Negotiations Update section for the latest details on proposals and progress.
Q: Does my local site negotiate or set its own wages?
A: General wage increases are negotiated at the big table because they impact all employees.
Q: Is what the union/company presents as their first offer what we鈥檙e going to get?
A: No, not usually. Both sides present their proposals at the start of negotiations. Those proposals are then discussed and negotiated until an agreement is reached. Rarely is that agreement the same as what either side first proposed.
Q: When will I get more details about what is going on?
A: Our goal is to post updates from all sessions on this site within three to five business days to give employees the very latest progress on negotiations.
Q: What happens if the union votes down a LBFO or a tentative agreement?
A: That depends on a lot of factors, including the state of current negotiations, how close the two sides are to consensus and the general mood and tenor of bargaining. Though work stoppages are a possibility, the company’s preference is always to continue negotiating in good faith at the table until consensus is reached.
Q: Who do I contact if I have a concern about an update or something I鈥檝e read or heard about?
A: You should contact your local union representative.
The below resources contain useful information about collective bargaining, legal frameworks and how to navigate the ongoing negotiations.
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