SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant [ ]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ x ]
Check the appropriate box:
[ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement
[ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted
by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)
[ ] Definitive Proxy Statement
[ X ] Definitive Additional Materials
[ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to (S) 240.14a-11(c) or (S)
240.14a-12
MAXXAM INC.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
THE COMMITTEE OF CONCERNED MAXXAM SHAREHOLDERS
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement,
if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[ X ] No fee required
[ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-
6(I)(1) and 0-11.
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applies:________________________________________________________
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applies:________________________________________________________
(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction
computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount
on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined):____________________________________________________
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(5) Total fee paid:_______________________________________
[ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by
Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which
the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous
filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule
and the date of its filing.
(1) Amount previously paid:_______________________________
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(4) Date Filed:___________________________________________
<PAGE>
UNITED STEELWORKERS OF AMERICA
c/o COMMITTEE OF CONCERNED MAXXAM SHAREHOLDERS
P.O. BOX 20877
OAKLAND, CA 94620-0877
(510) 655-8248 -- 1-877-634-6546 (TOLL FREE)
May 23, 2000
Dear Fellow Maxxam Shareholder:
You may recently have received a two-page leaflet from the
Alliance for Sustainable Jobs & the Environment entitled "Calling
all Texans! Corporate Raider on the Loose!" that refers to the
annual shareholder meeting of Maxxam Inc. on May 24, 2000. This
leaflet identifies a phone number used by certain members of the
United Steelworkers of America ("USWA") and a USWA local as
sources of further information about that leaflet. The USWA is
presently participating in a solicitation of proxies in
connection with the Maxxam meeting, and it is circulating this
letter because the leaflet makes some statements that require
correction or clarification.
The leaflet erroneously states that Maxxam Chairman Charles
Hurwitz and the Company "stand accused of" certain "crimes,"
including "grossly mismanaging and bankrupting a Texas savings &
loan" at a cost to taxpayers of $1.6 billion, "killing endangered
species while clearcutting the last great ancient redwood forest
in private hands," and "illegally locking out 3000 workers for 16
months and counting."
Neither Maxxam nor Mr. Hurwitz has been charged with any
criminal offense. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Office
of Thrift Supervision have filed civil actions seeking to recover
$821 million against the Company and Mr. Hurwitz based on
allegations that the Company controlled a failed savings and loan
association. Also pending is civil litigation over the adequacy
of environmental practices of Pacific Lumber Co., a Maxxam
subsidiary. Finally, the Office of the General Counsel of the
National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") has ordered the
preparation of a complaint charging Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical
Corp., a Maxxam subsidiary, with unfair labor practices stemming
from its lockout of 2900 steelworkers, who are USWA members. The
USWA has taken the position before the NLRB that the lockout is
illegal, and the leaflet reflects that belief, but that matter
has not been finally adjudicated by the NLRB.
No determination has been made at this time as to the merits
of any of these cases, and in each instance a final determination
will be made by a court of law or by a federal agency, which
determination may then be appealed to a court of law. These
matters are described more fully in proxy materials circulated by
the Committee of Concerned Maxxam Shareholders, of which the USWA
is a member.
The leaflet further erroneously states as fact a belief that
Mr. Hurwitz and Maxxam "are notorious for environmentally
destructive and worker-abusive practices." As noted above, the
USWA has alleged in NLRB proceedings that a Maxxam subsidiary has
violated and is violating federal labor laws, but reputational
statements are inappropriate in a solicitation of proxies, and
the USWA disassociates itself from the statement in the leaflet.
Certain statements in the portion of the leaflet entitled "A
Brief History" require correction or clarification.
-- The leaflet states that Mr. Hurwitz was paid a "$9
million dollar bonus for this historic undermining of the
Endangered Species Act" caused by the Headwaters Agreement." Mr.
Hurwitz was actually awarded a $9 million bonus for his work in
securing the 1999 Headwaters Agreement, not for allegedly
undermining the Endangered Species Act.
- The leaflet states that a July 1999 explosion at a Kaiser
plant in Gramercy, Louisiana, was "due to the unqualified,
untrained scab replacement labor" Kaiser was using at that plant
during the lockout. That is a statement of belief that the USWA
has expressed to the federal Mine Safety and Health
Administration ("MSHA") and elsewhere. MSHA levied $533,000 in
fines against Kaiser for 21 civil violations growing out of that
explosion, including operating the plant beyond its limits, lack
of worker training and "management's failure to identify
hazardous conditions and unsafe practices and to initiate actions
to correct these conditions and practices." Use of replacement
labor was not a factor cited by MSHA.
-- The leaflet describes floods, landslides and other
environmental "destruction" associated with Maxxam's Pacific
Lumber subsidiary, and it predicts that "cut-and-run" harvest
techniques "will leave no jobs for the next generation of
timberworkers." These statements reflect allegations currently
being litigated in several lawsuits, described more fully in the
proxy materials, that seek monetary recovery for damages to
property and challenge Pacific Lumber's Sustained Yield Plan
("SYP"), the Company's comprehensive plan for logging operations
over the next 120 years, on the ground that the SYP violates both
California's Environmental Quality Act and Endangered Species
Act, as well as fails to provide for sustained timber production
and harvesting over time. No court has addressed the merits of
those claims or resolved any of the suits now pending.
If you wish to revoke your proxy, you may do so by voting at
Maxxam's annual meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, May 24,
2000 at 8:30 A.M. at 12401 South Post Oak, Houston, Texas. Only
your latest dated proxy card will count. If your shares are held
for you by a bank or brokerage firm, only your bank or broker may
vote your shares and only after receiving your instructions.
If you have any questions, feel free to call us at one of
the numbers shown above.
Sincerely,
United Steelworkers of America
<PAGE>
CALLING ALL TEXANS!
CORPORATE RAIDER ON THE LOOSE! (drawing of Charles Hurwitz)
CHARLES HURWITZ AND THE MAXXAM CORPORATION STAND ACCUSED OF
THE FOLLOWING CRIMES:
- -- GROSSLY MISMANAGING AND BANKRUPTING A TEXAS SAVINGS & LOAN,
COSTING TAXPAYERS $1.6 BILLION.
- -- KILLING ENDANGERED SPECIES WHILE CLEARCUTTING THE LAST GREAT
ANCIENT REDWOOD FOREST IN PRIVATE HANDS.
- -- ILLEGALLY LOCKING OUT 3000 WORKERS FOR 16 MONTHS AND COUNTING.
AND HE FACES THE PUBLIC JUST ONCE A YEAR!
ON MAY 24TH, CONFRONT CORPORATE GREED AT THE SOURCE!
JOIN JULIA BUTTERFLY HILL, STEELWORKERS AND FOREST
ACTIVISTS AT THE MAXXAM SHAREHOLDERS ROUND UP IT'S
WHERE STOCKHOLDERS MEET STAKEHOLDERS! (drawing of cowboy
with lasso)
CEO CHARLES HURWITZ AND HIS MAXXAM CORPORATION ARE
NOTORIOUS FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY DESTRUCTIVE AND WORKER-
ABUSIVE PRACTICES. MAXXAM CORPORATION'S ANNUAL
SHAREHOLDERS' MEETING WILL ONCE AGAIN BRING TOGETHER
ENVIRONMENTALISTS, LABOR LEADERS, RANK AND FILE WORKERS,
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISTS AND PUBLIC CITIZENS TO A COALITION
GROWING STRONGER AND BROADER.
WE NEED GOOD TEXANS TO STAND TOGETHER WITH ILLEGALLY LOCKED
OUT STEELWORKERS, ANCIENT FOREST DEFENDERS AND PUBLIC
CITIZENS FROM ALL OVER AMERICA.
TUESDAY, MAY 23 IN HOUSTON
-- MARCH AT 4 PM TO THE MAXXAM BUILDING AT 5847 SAN
FELIPE (AT AUGUSTA).
-- RALLY AT 5 PM AT THE MAXXAM BUILDING.
-- CANDLELIGHT VIGIL 8 PM AT HURWITZ'S HOUSE, THE
HOUSTONIAN, 111 NORTH POST OAK LANE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 24
-- RALLY TBA OUTSIDE MAXXAM SHAREHOLDERS' ROUND-UP
12401 SOUTH POST OAK BLVD.
FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL: [email protected] (LOGO)
OR CALL: (713) 664-9976 OR (713) 960-9660 X1000 ALLIANCE FOR
SUSTAINABLE
JOBS AND THE
ENVIRONMENT
<PAGE>
(drawing of moon and stars) (drawing of Charles Hurwitz)
A BRIEF HISTORY:
HURWITZ'S MAXXAM CORPORATION CONTROLS PACIFIC LUMBER, WHICH IN
TURN OWNS THE LAST UNPROTECTED ANCIENT REDWOOD GROVES KNOWN AS
HEADWATERS FOREST. MAXXAM SOLD PIECES OF HEADWATERS TO AMERICAN
TAXPAYERS FOR ALMOST $500 MILLION, LEAVING FRAGMENTED FOREST
STANDS AND ENDANGERED SPECIES VULNERABLE. HURWITZ WAS PAID A $9
MILLION DOLLARS BONUS FOR THIS HISTORIC UNDERMINING OF THE
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.
MAXXAM ALSO OWNS 63 PERCENT KAISER ALUMINUM CORP., WHICH IS
INVOLVED IN ONE OF THE LONGEST AND LARGEST LOCKOUTS IN US LABOR
HISTORY. AFTER A RECORD YEAR OF CORPORATE PROFIT AND
PRODUCTIVITY THE UNION REFUSED ANOTHER CONCESSIONARY CONTRACT AND
WENT OUT ON STRIKE. FOUR MONTHS LATER KAISER'S WORKERS IN THREE
STATES, WHO BELONG TO THE UNITED STEELWORKERS OF AMERICA, OFFERED
TO WORK UNDER THEIR OLD CONTRACT UNCONDITIONALLY WHILE
NEGOTIATIONS PROCEEDED. INSTEAD, THEY WERE LOCKED OUT. 16
MONTHS LATER, THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD HAS CHARGED THAT
MAXXAM'S LOCKOUT WAS ILLEGAL. TOO LITTLE TOO LATE FOR GRAMERCY
LOUISIANA, WHERE DUE TO THE UNQUALIFIED, UNTRAINED SCAB
REPLACEMENT LABOR, A KAISER PLANT BLEW UP ON JULY 5, 1999
INJURING 21 WORKERS.
IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEIGHBORS OF MAXXAM'S PACIFIC LUMBER
LAND HAVE SUFFERED DEVASTATING FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES CAUSED BY
CLEAR-CUT LOGGING ON STEEP HILLSIDES. THESE MUDSLIDES DESTROY
NATIVE SALMON AND STEELHEAD FISHERIES. ENVIRONMENTALISTS HAVE
WAGED A LONG CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE ANCIENT REDWOOD FOREST THAT
MAXXAM IS CLEAR-CUTTING. ONLY 3% OF THE ANCIENT REDWOODS REMAIN
YET MAXXAM CORP. IS ABOUT TO DESTROY ONE OF THE BEST WILD SALMON
RUNS LEFT IN CALIFORNIA THAT IS ENTIRELY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF
THE HEADWATERS RESERVE! THEIR CUT-AND-RUN HARVEST WILL LEAVE NO
JOBS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF TIMBERWORKERS.
JULIA BUTTERFLY HILL LIVED FOR TWO YEARS ON A TINY PLATFORM
NEARLY 200 FEET UP AN ANCIENT REDWOOD TREE ON PACIFIC LUMBER'S
CLEAR-CUT LAND, NEXT TO A PACIFIC LUMBER/MAXXAM LANDSLIDE THAT
FLATTENED SEVEN HOMES DOWNHILL. SHE WILL URGE CEO CHARLES
HURWITZ TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DESTRUCTION AT THE ANNUAL
MAXXAM SHAREHOLDER MEETING. JULIA AND THE ILLEGALLY LOCKED OUT
KAISER WORKERS WILL BE JOINED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ALLIANCE
FOR SUSTAINABLE JOBS AND THE ENVIRONMENT, THE ROSE FOUNDATION FOR
COMMUNITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FRIENDS OF THE EARTH, EARTH
FIRST!, THE BAY AREA COALITION FOR HEADWATERS AND A LARGE
DELEGATION OF STEELWORKERS AT THE SHAREHOLDERS MEETING ON MAY 24,
AND AT A RALLY, MARCH AND CANDLELIGHT VIGIL THE DAY BEFORE THE
MEETING AS WELL.
THE GROUNDBREAKING ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE JOBS AND THE
ENVIRONMENT INCLUDES DIRECTORS FROM THE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF
BOILERMAKERS AND THE SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION, AND
MANY ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE WORK OF OUR NEW MILLENNIUM
HAS JUST BEGUN AND THE ALLIANCE IS DOING CUTTING EDGE ORGANIZING
WORK THAT CHALLENGES ROGUE CORPORATION LIKE MAXXAM.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
(LOGO) (713) 960-9660X1000
ALLIANCE FOR (713) 664-9976
SUSTAINABLE JOBS WWW.JAILHURWITZ.COM
AND THE ENVIRONMENT WWW.ASJE.COM
WWW.USWA329.ORG
WWW.CIRCLEOFLIFEFOUNDATION.ORG
