Redwood And Custorn Milling

venture against the retail yards.

When the organizational step was announced several weeks ago, the objective was said to be signing up an estimated 8,000 non-union employes in the wood handling and processing industries in Sonoma and other northern counties. The first move was placing "confidential enlistment" coupons in the area newspapers.

The second move was when "picket"-bannered men began patrolling in front of the Yaeger & Kirk yard this week, merely "inviting" employes to join the unions. Then other pickets followed the yard's lumber trucks to jobsites; then union carpenters refused to handle the "picketed" lumber.

Steve Yaeger admitted that the pickets have hurt business but reported that the retail yard's 15 employes would

"rather not join" the union. He said he had sent a registered letter to the unions inviting a vote by the state conciliator's office.

Later in the week, the carpenter-teamster pickets appeared before the Sterling Lumber Co. yard. Manager Herbert Lateel said union officials had contacted none of his seven employes, and added that he had been assured his employes "do not want the union."

E. A. Brown, business manager for the North Coast Counties District Council of Carpenters, said the union this week had signed a contract with the small R & J Company in Santa Rosa. The pickets weren't set up to force anyone to leave his job, Brorvn said, "T1tey're just dramatic invitational pickets."