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Document: "Timber Workers Join A.F.L. Organization" The Cottage Grove Sentinel, 6 June 1935 Organization here of a timber workers’ accomplish at a mass meeting held Friday, has caused fear among operators and business interests that employees of he lumber industry here may be asked to help pull chestnuts out of the fire when employees of the industry at other points are called out on strike. Operators have put forth no argument against organization of the workers in a local which they would themselves govern and in which they would handle only their own troubles, but operators see danger to employees, to operators and to business interests when the organization is one that might be asked to participate in a sympathetic strike in which they would have no direct interest. While a large number of employees here seem to favor the organization that has been effected a number have the same fear as employers. One hundred fifty signatures were secured by four organizers from the American Federation of Labor who were here Thursday and Friday. At the mass meeting these organizers berated the Four-L and sawmill operators. Two or three employees took exception to some statements made and opposed organization. Organization here came just as the strike was petering out in the Portland and Seattle Areas, so that workers here won’t be drawn into the present trouble. Some of the workers here have expressed the opinion that mills are making no money at present. Others believe a demand should be made for higher wages. Operators claim to have been operating in the red for several years and declare they will be forced to close down should a demand for higher wages be made. Temporary officers were elected as follows: Fred Stewart, chairman; Alvis Wicks, secretary; Joe McCargar, financial secretary. Mills have continued to operate as usual during the past week with reduced crews. Two mills have gone into operation since the strike was called on the Columbia.
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