Bas

[> Local 1-500 taking part in
Area Councils Local union presi-
dent Bruce Weber report that offi-
cers and members are participating
in USW rene ae area council meet-
and southwest-
em ONEHO. Those area councils are
in Toronto, Peel, Hamilton,
Cambridge, the Niagara Peninsula,
Oshawa and London. The local
also sent 7 delegates to the District 6
convention in St. John’s
Newfoundland between June 26-28.
[> Big layoffs in Mattawa Local
¥-1000 reports that the Tembec
Mattawa sawmill and planing opera-
tion went down for 7 weeks, begin-
ning on May 12. The company,
which is financial straights, is cut-
ting its workforce from 120 to
between 30-40. It says it will call
back just one shift. The planer will
go down for good and there’s no
word yet on where the rough lumber
will be sent, according to local presi-
dent Michael McCarter. [>
Columbia plywood workers hit
hard Local 1-1000 has seen major
cutbacks to Columbia Forest
Products hardwood veneer workers
in Rutherglen. The workforce has
been lopped-off by nearly 2/3’s. By
April 15, the 270 person workforce
was downsized to one shift and
about 120 people. The major reason
given was the impact of the rising
Canadian dollar on exports to the
United States. [> Negotiations
hit stalemate at Smurfit-MBI
Local 1-500 president Bruce Weber
reports that I
Smurfit MBI plants in Whitby and
Etobicoke, where about 130 and 180
members are employed, respectively,

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closure announcement. norman Garcia

Smurfit MBI closes Pembroke plant

IN EARLY APRIL THE BAD NEWS came to Local 1-1000 members. As

part of its master plan to close 20 per cent of Canadian and US opera-

SPOTLIGHT tions, Smurfit MBI announced the permanent

closure of its Pembroke corrugated plant. ong
ae hundred and thirty production

office aes will lose their jobs this summer. The decision came as

a shock to the workers and community, says local union president
Michael McCarter. “This plant has been a major empee for many
decades,” he says. “It is a good crew that has d I i

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(Oo make

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ting

erance pay took place on Me si Vane the cope refuses to

pay any more tl “This compa-
ny has no heart,” said MeCarter “They are lowers the boom on work-

ers and the community and don’t even flinch when they do it.”

have hit a stalemate. Those joint
negotiations are being headed by

Talks, under concili-
ation, will resume

IWA Council chairperson Norm on July 17 and 18.
Rivard. During negotiations the com- Brother Weber said
pany announced the closure of its the company is
plant in Pembroke, Ontario (see Bruce Weber pushing for a two-

Spotlight this page), which was also

part of the joint bargaining process.

10 T MAY 2006 THE ALLIED WORKER

tiered pension plan, which the union
is against. In addition the employers