ASTORIA, OR — Beginning this week, 15 employees from the Georgia-Pacific Corporation's Wauna mill will be laid off for "an extended period of time," according to the Daily Astorian.

Company Public Affairs Manager Kristi Ward says this is the first time in many years the company has imposed involuntary layoffs, the story stated.

A United Steelworkers Local 1097 contract with the mill allows for early retirement incentives for some workers at the mill in January, though it remains unclear how many will accept the terms, the story noted.

According to the story, taking workers off the paper machines and training them for other jobs at the mill instead of laying them off was "not a viable option at this time."

Thad Bodenhamer, a worker at the Wauna mill, said: "I never dreamed this would happen. It's just a crusher. They say I'm going to get hired back. It's a good job, and I don't want to lose it. There aren't a lot of good-paying jobs out there right now. I'm waiting for a phone call."

Some workers have been asked to work overtime in recent weeks, something the union says makes no sense if layoffs are eminent, the story added.

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