The United Steelworkers union is calling Canfor Corp.B次元官网网址檚 decision to shutter two northern British Columbia sawmills a B次元官网网址渒ick in the gutB次元官网网址� for workers who will lose their jobs, calling for the company to lose its forest tenure rights in the province.
The unionB次元官网网址檚 local chapter in Prince George, B.C., says in a statement that about 325 of the 500 workers at the Plateau mill in Vanderhoof and CanforB次元官网网址檚 Fort St. John operation belong to United Steelworkers.
The statement says the union membership was B次元官网网址渄evastatedB次元官网网址� to hear CanforB次元官网网址檚 announcement on Wednesday that the mills would close by the end of this year, removing 670 million board feet of annual production capacity.
The company blamed the closures on the challenge of accessing economically viable timber, as well as ongoing financial losses and weak lumber markets, but said the final blow was the big increase last month in U.S. tariffs that Canfor called B次元官网网址減unitive.B次元官网网址�
Brian OB次元官网网址橰ourke, president of the USW local in Prince George, says in the unionB次元官网网址檚 statement that while the union will fight for B次元官网网址渆very benefit and right afforded to members by the collective agreement,B次元官网网址� the province must stand up for the beleaguered sector and rural communities.
He asks when B次元官网网址渢enure and timber rights held by CanforB次元官网网址� will be taken away B次元官网网址渋f they canB次元官网网址檛 mill that timber in those communities.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭here used to be accountability and a social contract for the forest industry to provide good-paying jobs to these communities in exchange for the right to harvest the timber. When is the government going to stand up for the publicB次元官网网址檚 resource and the communities it supports?B次元官网网址�
According to the USW release, Canfor has closed 10 mills in the province since November 2011, including nine in northern B.C.
B次元官网网址淚f Canfor wants out of B.C., and it sure looks like it does, then we need to find someone who will provide high-paying, community-supporting jobs for the right to harvest the timber,B次元官网网址� says Scott Lunny, the unionB次元官网网址檚 director for Western Canada.
B.C. Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said in a statement the province would fight against B次元官网网址渦nfair duties and stand up for forestry workersB次元官网网址� and agreed with Canfor that the U.S. Department of CommerceB次元官网网址檚 decision to increase softwood lumber duties on top of low prices for lumber was hurting forestry communities.
Ralston said the forest sector was a B次元官网网址渇oundational partB次元官网网址� of the province and the government would work to support local jobs.
He said the province was focused on supporting the workers impacted by the closures, and is also working to increase access to fibre and support made-in-B.C. wood manufacturing.
In a written statement, B.C. Council of Forest Industries president Linda Coady said while B次元官网网址済lobal market challenges persist,B次元官网网址� the province must do more to mitigate those impacts such as B次元官网网址渟etting a target for a consistently available level of harvest.B次元官网网址�
Coady said in her statement that there was a B次元官网网址渘eed for immediate government action to address the root causesB次元官网网址� of the threat facing B.C.B次元官网网址檚 forestry sector, with predictable access to fibre being the most pressing.
B次元官网网址淯rgent action is required to defend B.C. producers, workers, and communities from the disruptive impacts of these unfair and unwarranted tariffs,B次元官网网址� Coady said.
B次元官网网址淲ithout decisive intervention, the viability of this foundational industry is at risk.B次元官网网址�
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