Thursday, December 11, 2008

CEP PRESS RELEASE


RE: RATIFIED LABOUR ADJUSTMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN DOMTAR DRYDEN OPERATIONS AND CEP LOCALS 105-1, 105-3, AND 1323.

Stephen Boon, CEP National Representative for Dryden, confirms the Members of CEP Locals 105-1, 105-3 and 1323 voted to accept a new Labour Adjustment Agreement with Domtar related to the recent Paper Machine/Converting closure at the Dryden operations.
This Labour Adjustment Deal attempts to lessen the impact of the job losses at the facility by offering labour adjustment assistance, early retirement packages in 2009, and the opportunity for enhanced voluntary severance packages. Stephen Boon reports that five information meetings were held in Dryden over the last week with the over 400 CEP Members at the mill before voting took place yesterday. Boon says, “approximately 225 CEP Members will remain at the Dryden Pulp Mill complex after this latest restructuring plan with another 300-400 CEP Members remaining in the woodlands operation.” Boon stated, “with the absolute carnage of mill closures devastating 1000’s of families in community after community across Northern Ontario, it is absolutely critical that both the Federal and Provincial Governments stop the empty rhetoric and start addressing this crisis in the Forest Industry with concrete assistance.” Boon added, “the disturbing reality is Ontario is seeing a disproportionate number of closures because this province continues to have crippling amounts of red tape and the highest wood and energy costs in North America. If the Provincial Liberals don’t finally start addressing these issues, it will remain difficult for Ontario’s forest industry to compete on an equal footing with other North American jurisdictions in order to survive this current downturn.”



For more information, contact Stephen Boon, CEP National Representative-Dryden, at (807)223-3818.