© SSeageE eras . ward. “’ Rexwood plant bounces back in northern Ontario After going through some reeling and rocking over the past several years, it looks like a new manage- ment and a new collective agree- ment is making life a little more secure for 60 I.W.A. CANADA Local 1-2995 members at the Rexwood Forest Products Ltd. particle board plant in the northern Ontario com- munity of New Liskheard. In the past year the plant has been operating under a new Toronto- based owner Paul Swarty who sat down to negotiate a new collective agreement last April. That agree- ment saw general wage increases of 3% in all three years of a contract Rotana anuary 1, 1997 and expir- ing on December 81, 1999. ‘We made some major headway in getting the Ee improved and made some breakthroughs in the collective agreement,” said local union President Norm Rivard, who sat on the negotiating committee with Steward John Reece, Kevin Nowry, and Financial Secretary Roland Laurin. “This was done after years of work- ing to keep the plant opera- tional during some very tough times.” “The plant has basically been in re- ceivership for the last five years and had been close to receivership onanumber of ears,” added e new owner has pumped in more money into what is already a very competitive mill and our members have greater job security because of it.” The Rexwood operation is an important employer in the commu- nity of about 6,500. It operates on a rotating shift basis of 12 hours shifts, seven days a week. The plant produces sheets that range from 4’ x7’ to 5’ x 8’- 16’ sheets. On a 24 hour shift the operation can manufacture approximately 240,000 square feet of particle board based on a 5/8” thickness. Most of the pro- duction goes to customers in the furniture industry in Ontario and Quebec. Rivard said that there is even talk of adding another production line to the mill if markets remain strong. At one time the mill, which began operation in 1966, had two lines until it underwent moderniza- Hon to put in a more efficient single ine. One breakthrough that the nego- tiating committee is proud of is that the company will now pay each tradesperson $200 a year as a tool allowance when the tools are approved by the supervisor prior to ase. Concerning hours of work, if Rex- wood equines the workers to work four shift operation, Sundays and statutory holidays will be paid at rate an a half. Should a worker be required to work on his scheduled day(s) of rest, he/she will be paid at rate and one half as well. The shift differential has gone up 14 cents an hour to 41 cents. Seniority protection in the plants has been increased to a maximum of 36 months on layoff, up from 24. Inthe benefits department, weekly A Te ates been boosted to $500.00 effective January 1, 1998. ‘The company will also provide an Extended Health Care Plan (for major medical insurance) for twelve ° Local 1-2995 Pres- ident Norm Rivard months which will continue for another 12 months when a person goes on Long Term Disability Insur- ance. In a major breakthrough for the workers, Rexwood will provide a group RRSP plan, matching employee contibutione dollar for dollar to a maximum of $30 per month. When the contract was ratified, the company agreed to join the Employee and Family Assistance Program. Members of the union and the company will be able to access services at an Assessment Referral Service in the tri-towns of New Lisk- heard, Haleybury and Cobalt. ing in Longlac, Ontario. e National First Vice President Neil Menard spoke to assembly of interested parties at EFAP information meet- Employee and family assistance program reaches out to northern Ontario communities On October 6 there was a kick-off meeting of people who wanted to hear more about setting up an Employee and Family Assistance Program to serve the northern Ontario communities of Nipigon, Longlac, Geraldton and Terrace Bay. At issue is not the need for an EFAP, but rather if there is enough support and commitment to getting one in operation. National First Neil Menard and MacMillan Bloedel’s EFAP special- ist Jim Stimson went to a meeting in Longlac, accompanied by Local 2693 President Will McIntyre, Busi- ness Agent Ken Paquette, executive board members Manny Ranger and Laval Dallaire and local union activist Randy Budge. The request for an EFAP first came from the MacMillan Bloedel plywood and specialty plant in Nip- igon, which employs Local 2693 members. Brothers McIntyre asked Brother Haquatte, who services the Longlac and Geraldton area, to drum up some interest. Paquette was very successful as more than 35 people, representing different unions, man- agement and community interests showed up for the meeting. “We were very encouraged by the turn out,” said Brother Menard. “It was a good first indication that there is a strong interest in EFAP ser- vices in this part of northern Ontario. Currently there are 21 EFAP’s set up across the country which are attached to the Assessment and Resource Service Model. The I.W.A. and MacMillan Bloedel have played a key role in setting up all of them, along with the strong participation of trade unions, employers and com- munity supporters. “We would have liked to see more community care givers out for the first meeting but, all in all, the meeting went very positively,” said Brother McIntyre. Jim Stimson, assisted by Menard, gave a general overview of the EFAP, the history behind it, and what had to be done to get one going. “We have successfully achieved community partnerships in other communities and regions across Canada,” said Stimson. “In our opin- ion, our ARS model of the EFAP provides a much higher level of immediate and direct service to employees and families.” Those I.W.A. members who attended the meeting came from several different workplace includ- ing the MacBlo Nipigon operation, Kimberly Clark’s Longlac Wood- lands Divisions, Kruger Inc.’s ply- wood and waferboard plant in Longlac and Longlac Wood Indus- tries, a logging contractor for Kim- berly-Clark headquartered in Longlac. ere were also pulp mill employ- ers and worker representatives from the United Paperworkers Interna- tional Union in Terrace Bay. Brother Paquette says that there used to be an EFAP that covered the Kimberly-Clark woodlands employees which the union opted out of over two years ago, because of a dispute over the service provider. “We need an EFAP again for every- body, and not just for the K-C employees,” said Paquette. “Hope- fully we can get another meeting soon people will see what the pro- gram is all about and how it can help individual workers and their families out.” Paquette said there have been growing social problems in the region in the 1990’s. There are less employ- ment opportunities for younger peo- ple and many times, workers have to leave their families far behind to seek jobs in far-off regions. There is increasing abuse of alco- hol and drugs as well. “Tf you look at the situation in the north, there are not as many outlets for people, especially the youth, as in the more populated regions of the province. Fishing and hunting are two ways of leading a healthier lifestyle,” he said. “But sometimes there are not a lot of alternatives for people and the unemployment situation is critical.” % LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER 1997/13