= The Carrot River mill and other Steelworkers’ operations are to be affected. Proto NORMAN GARCIA

Weyco’s Prince Albert pulp and paper shutdown nears

Weyerhaeuser’s October announcement that its paper mill is going down in January, 2006 and that its pulp mill could go down as early at April, 2006 has Saskatchewan communities upset and worried. Five Steelworkers’ Local 1-184 mills rely on chip sales to the Prince Albert operation. They are: Weyco’s Big River sawmill, Carrot River stud mill and Hudson Bay plywood plant; the Norsask sawmill in Meadow Lakde and the near- by Wapawekka Lumber sawmill, co-owned by Weyco and Woodlands Cree Indians. One of the first mill’s that could be affected is Big River, which moves 100 per cent of its chips and hog fuel to Prince Albert. Local 1-184 president Paul Hallen, who sits on the Premier's task force examining the Weyco mill's future, says it appears the company’s decision to shut down the Prince Albert operation shows little concern for the impacts it would have on other manu- facturing facilities in Saskatchewan, including its own.

Paul Hallen

BR NEW Ss ER OM

[> Wapawekka Mill to Close for two months Wapawekka Lumber Ltd., near Prince Albert, is scheduled to cease production between December 16 of this year and February 17, 2006. Local union business agent Albert Digness says the crew hasn't heard about the longer term plan for the mill, visa-vis the shutdowns at the nearby Weyerhaeuser pulp and paper facilities (see story left). During the Wapawekka layoff period the compa- ny plans to spend $1 million on a new optimizer. [> New Shifts at Big River Local 1-184 president Paul Hallen says that Weyco is in the process of reducing the workforce at its Big River sawmill and planing operations in Big River. Moves to add another shift are being made to drive down production costs. This fall the crew agreed to an

NEWS FROM

{> Deal at Perimeter Lumber Local 1-324 president Chris Parlow reports that there was a 100 per cent acceptance vote for a three-year agreement at Perimeter Lumber near

4 Winnipeg, where 18 Chris Pao workers are employed. In addition to 2.5 per cent per cent per year wage increases, the union negoti- ated a $1200 a year attendance bonus, health and welfare coverage and RRSP contributions, which the employer will match up to $1000 per employee per year. |» Proposals for Log Loader Local 1-324 has been putting forward its demands in contract talks for log loader operators, employees of Stadnick Logging, contract log loader

SASKATCHEWAN

= Brothers Seidel and Ferrero (front row) are seen with fellow workers. sity BAERG

alternate shift of 4 x 10 hours, along with Friday to Sunday shifts, the latter to include a focus on maintenance work.

(> A Tribute at Billy Baerg Truss Local officers joined sub-local members (see photo above) and management at a recent tribute to retiring members Henry Seidel and Victor Ferrero. The employer sponsored a reception for the two broth- ers who worked at the Saskatoon facility.

MANITOBA

operators at the Louisiana Pacific OSB plant in Minitonas. Bargaining demands include wage and benefit increases, better seniority provisions and a pension plan as workers current- ly don’t have one. [> Winnipeg Local Reports Local 1-830 president Jack Alexander reports that the Smurfit- Stone corrugated plant has recently cut 14 jobs. A central deci- sion was made, in the U.S., directing all box | plants to cut jobs. “The company has a right to Jack Almelo fe stupid,” says Alexander. “The jobs cuts are not creat- ing new efficiencies.” Elsewhere, Norampac has put in an automatic slit- ter scorer.

THE ALLIED WORKER DECEMBER 2005 I 9