Archives West Finding Aid

Interviewer: Kelly Huffman Restrictions: Yes - see repository for details. Transcribed: No. A former Georgia-Pacific employee recalls his experiences during his 31 years at the mill site. This individual worked in the chemical lab, analytical lab, special projects, chlorine questions/complaint department, pulp lab customer complaints, ISO program, and finished his career in research supervising 15 employees. His position as the head of the national analysis lab, located in Bellingham, led him to deal with customer complaints both domestic and abroad. He discusses some of the customers and the many different uses of the alcohol and lignin made at the Bellingham site. He also discusses the public fear of chlorine. The closure of the Georgia-Pacific mill in Bellingham led him to enter into retirement, but he discusses the efforts to find jobs for his employees. He also discusses the support the company gave after he suffered a stroke. He also discusses why he believes the mill closed – once the chlorine plant was closed, the company gave up. In the tough economic climate, lignin still had a market, but the pulp mill would not make money, he contends. However, the energy crisis was the final straw. He also touches on the misinformed environmentalists and their misunderstanding of the company. He is very positive regarding the impact Georgia-Pacific on the local community.

Interviewer: James Hillegas Restrictions: Yes - see repository for details. Transcribed: No. Description: This individual's main role at the Georgia-Pacific mill site was general oversight of operations. The closure of the chemical plant, generator issues (during the energy crisis), and pulp mill closure all occurred while he was employed there. He discusses community reaction to these issues as well as the effect of the mill closure. He believes the global market played a larger role in the closure than local opinion/pressure. He also touches on the possible future of the mill site.

Interviewer: Kelly Huffman Restrictions: No. Transcribed: Yes. Garth Arneson, former employee of Georgia-Pacific. Garth Arneson discussed his 34-year career at Georgia-Pacific’s Pulp Mill in Bellingham, WA. He described various jobs at the mill and what an average workday consisted of. He discussed the Barking Plant and the processing of logs. He also talked about the change in the “society of industry”. Mr. Arneson discussed his reaction to the news of the mill closing. He told various anecdotes about work. He talked about the reasons he believed were behind the mill closing. He described the difficulty of being laid-off after having seniority. Mr. Arneson talked about his job transitions within the mill before the layoff. He discussed Georgia-Pacific’s modernization of equipment as compared to other mills in the country. He also discussed the effects of having the mill ownership based out of Atlanta.

Interviewer: Kelly Huffman Restrictions: No. Transcribed: Yes. Bill Busby, former employee of Georgia-Pacific. Bill Busby talked about his grandfather and father who both worked at the mill before him. He related anecdotes about his grandfather and father. Mr. Busby worked at the Georgia-Pacific mill for 29 years. He described the dedication of Georgia-Pacific employees to good work. He also discussed various jobs at the mill. Mr. Busby discussed the worker’s specificity of knowledge regarding their respective jobs. He talked about the polarization of community opinion over the mill. He also talked about the pride he had in his work. He discussed reasons for the mill closure. He described the transformation of Bellingham over the past 20 years. Mr. Busby discussed the wage changes at Georgia-Pacific over a 29-year period. He discussed his children. He also discussed what he misses about Georgia-Pacific. He discussed traveling around the country. Mr. Busby talked about leaving the Navy and becoming employed at Georgia-Pacific. He discussed the benefits of his employment and labor union activities.

Interviewer: James Hillegas Restrictions: No. Transcribed: Yes. Ken Christiansen, former employee of Georgia-Pacific. Ken Christiansen started as a summer worker at Georgia-Pacific while a student at Western Washington University. He discussed various jobs at the mill and described a typical day as an employee of GP. He discussed his progression through jobs. He talked about working with chemicals and about job safety. Mr. Christiansen discussed the effect of shift-work on his family. He discussed employee camaraderie at work as well as job satisfaction. He talked about the benefits of his job for his family. He described the options afforded workers by Georgia-Pacific upon the mill closing. He discussed his educational path after leaving Georgia-Pacific. He also discussed his feelings over knowing that the mill would be closing. Mr. Christiansen talked about the community controversy regarding Georgia-Pacific. He discussed the Bellingham Herald’s attitude change regarding the mill over a 25-year period. He discussed the owner’s handling of the mill closure. He also discussed the role of the union during the closure. He described his dissatisfaction with the mill owners. Mr. Christiansen talked about the quality of pay relative to the work. He discussed employee interactions. He also discussed the lack of corporate concern for the Bellingham employees.

Interviewer: Kelly Huffman Restrictions: Yes -see repository for details. Transcribed: No. Noel Collamer discussed kayaking in Ross Lake and the Barkley Sound. He discussed what he loves about kayaking. He described various animal encounters. He also talked about overcoming a long-time fear of kayaking. He discussed his reasons for moving to Bellingham. He also discussed living a simple life. The interviewer, Kelly Huffman, described the interview as being preparation for a play she was writing. She also discussed the framework of the play.

Interviewer: Kelly Huffman Restrictions: Yes - see repository for details. Transcribed: No.

Interviewer: Kelly Huffman and James Hillegas Restrictions: No. Transcribed: No. Dale Haaland, a Georgia-Pacific employee since 1971, discusses his experiences at the Bellingham mill site along with community interaction. Mr. Haaland illustrates his frustrations with local environmentalists who accused GP of ecological damage, the local community’s apathy and lack of support for the mill and the displaced workers, and his frustrations with the local media. He also discusses his frustration with Georgia-Pacific’s corporate headquarters regarding the manner in which they handled the closing of the mill. Mr. Haaland also illustrates his own frustrating experiences attempting to find work after the closure including transferring within the company. Following the interview Kelly gives some personal thoughts Mr. Haaland’s interview and notes for further interviews.

Interviewer: James Hillegas Restrictions: No. Transcribed: No. Jonathan Roebuck began his career at the Georgia-Pacific Bellingham mill in March 1974. He discusses his relationship with coworkers recalling the “GP Experience” as a large family atmosphere. Mr. Roebuck recalls how the strike affected he and his family as newlyweds. Following the closure of Georgia-Pacific, he discusses his view of the mill closure with sadness and relief. He misses his Georgia-Pacific family but is relieved to end the speculation and countless rumors regarding the mill’s status. After the closure, Mr. Roebuck went back to school as part of the displaced worker’s program. At the end of the discussion he and Mr. Hillegas stray from the topic of Georgia-Pacific to discuss Mr. Roebuck’s Grandfather, an African American, experiencing “Jim Crow” life in the early part of the century.

Interviewer: Kelly Huffman Restrictions: No. Transcribed: No. Erika Shepard, a lignin sulfate sales representative, describes her experiences at Georgia-Pacific. Her main responsibilities included customer satisfaction, timely delivery of products, and expansion of lignin sulfate markets into the mining industry. She describes the attitude within Georgia-Pacific as a 1970s mentality in regards to the treatment of women. Women within Georgia-Pacific were subject to a male dominated workplace whereas women were scarce in management positions. The closure of the plant is also discussed along with her business she and her partner began, Cascade Organics. Ms. Shepard also discusses being transgender at Georgia-Pacific, the struggle she faced with coworkers, and the surprising support from Georgia-Pacific.

Interviewer: Kelly Huffman Restrictions: Yes - see repository for details. Transcribed: No.

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