Canfor cuts shift at Canal Flats Mill; 81 employees hurt by decision
By Nelson Daily Staff
Canfor announced to their Canal Flats employees (Thursday) February 5 that the mill would be going from two shifts to one affecting 81 employees due to lack of economically available fiber effective May 4, 2015.
“This is devastating news for our members, their families, Canal Flats, surrounding communities and the Local Union” said Doug Singer, President of United Steelworkers Local 1-405 in Cranbrook.
“This is not a temporary layoff; this is a permanent layoff affecting 81 members which is more than 50% of the employees, which is very significant,” Singer added.
“It’s going to have a very negative impact on people of Canal Flats and indeed, the entire valley. Many of the members reside in Canal Flats, Kimberley, Cranbrook and Invermere. These are workers with families and mortgages.”
Canfor public affairs director Corinne Stavness told the Columbia Valley Pioneer the company says a lack of economically available fibre in the region as the reason for the cut.
“The Canfor executive and management teams recognize that this decision will involve great personal cost to employees at our Canal Flats mill,” Stavness said.
“Unfortunately the available fibre supply in the region is not sufficient to support the processing capacity and we must make this reduction,” Stavness added.
“Canfor is actively hiring at our other facilities in B.C. and it is our hope that all 81 Canal Flats employees affected in this shift reduction will accept positions at other Canfor divisions.”
Canfor and the United Steelworkers Local 1-405 began meeting Friday to deal with many issues that need to be resolved regarding severance, transfers (especially to Elko & Radium), the impact on the employee’s pension, bumping and moving costs.
A Transition Office has been established at the Canal flats operation which will be staffed by management and union members to assist employees with any information and assistance they will require.
The Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) have been notified so counselors are prepared to deal with issues that arise.
“We will also do crew talks involving the EFAP program once a time is confirmed,” said Singer
“It is very unfortunate that fiber supply and the increased cost of the new market based stumpage system has resulted in the loss of this many members jobs,” said Singer.
“We continue in the province of BC to allow massive amounts of log exports, although there are mills that do not have enough timber to run the operations to full capacity,” he added.
“1st Vice President Doug Wood, along with Financial Secretary/Business Agent Jeff Bromley and myself will do everything we can to reduce the impact from this permanent reduction to our members, their families and communities,” concluded Singer.
The United Steelworkers Local 1-405 is a diverse union representing over 1300 workers in Sawmills, Credit Unions, Insurance Services, Hotels, Ski Resorts and Municipal workers in the East and West Kootenays.
