Pickets remain outside the Nippon Paper Industries USA mill in Port Angeles late this afternoon. They had not been told at that time of an apparent agreement to return to work Monday. Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News

Pickets remain outside the Nippon Paper Industries USA mill in Port Angeles late this afternoon. They had not been told at that time of an apparent agreement to return to work Monday. Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News

BREAKING NEWS: Strike against Nippon Paper appears over

PORT ANGELES — A strike by 130 Nippon Paper Industries USA employees may be over.

Mill Manager Harold Norlund sent Peninsula Daily News the following email shortly after 4 p.m.:

“We are pleased to report that the [Association of Western Pulp & Paper Workers] Local 155 has offered to unconditionally return to work on Monday, March 25, 2013.

“We look forward to welcoming our union-represented employees back to work.

“We also look forward to continued negotiations with the AWPPW to conclude an agreement.”

Norlund said union members may “technically” stay on strike until Monday morning, before they return to work.

He would not make any further comment.

Union Vice President Greg Pallesen could not immediately be reached for comment.

The workers walked off the job at 11 a.m. Wednesday, shutting down the mill after 22 months of unsuccessful contract talks.

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