Federal Government Ignores Plight of Forestry
May 27, 2009 - 3:22pm
CEP President Dave Coles's Letter to the Prime Minister
Despite what our local reporting Newspaper trying to imply, there has been no response to the issues set out by the letter from our CEP National President Dave Coles. Why was it necessary to take it to a local level?
(Click on Image for Larger Version)
(Click on Image for Larger Version)
Contrary to what is being reported here, the answers to the points of view expressed by our CEP National are not being answer. In this reporting, there is a flagrant disregard for the efforts that the CEP National and the locals to what they have been doing to get the Federal Governments to Listen and respond.
(Click on Image for larger Viewing)
(Click on Image for larger Viewing)
Members of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada are inside the offices of Jay Hill (Prince-George-Peace River); John Duncan (Vancouver Island North); Jim Flaherty (Whitby-Oshawa); Lawrence Cannon (Pontiac); Josée Verner (Louis-Saint-Laurent); Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Jonquiere-Alma); and Mike Allen (Tobique-Mactaquac).
“The federal government’s aloof attitude toward forest community’s borders on contempt,” says CEP President Dave Coles. “In the face of the pain and suffering created by 55,000 job losses in the last two years, the government has done nothing.
“Today we are taking a stand -- we are fighting for the future of our families, our communities and our industry.”
The forestry workers are demanding that the MPs meet with them to discuss CEP’s proposals for solutions to the forest industry crisis, and that they pressure Prime Minister Stephen Harper to meet with a union delegation who will be part of a protest by thousands of forest workers in Ottawa on June 2nd.
CEP President Coles says his union “will do whatever it takes to get MPs to take this crisis seriously.”
CEP is demanding that the federal government:
• Provide loan guarantees to forest companies facing financial difficulty so that they can keep operating.
• Protect workers’ pensions. The federal government must proclaim into law the part of the protection against creditors’ act (passed by Parliament in Dec. ‘07) that makes paying off workers pensions and wages a priority.
• Level the playing field. Match U.S. tax credits to the industry for the use of alternative fuel – so that Canadian forest companies can compete fairly.
• Set up a national adjustment fund for workers, their families and communities impacted by mill closures, and income support for older workers.
• Hold a national summit of key stakeholders on the future of the forest industry that includes employment stabilization and forest regeneration measures.
Local Unions Occupy Jay Hills Office in Prince George
Despite the reporting in our local newspaper of the Prince George Citizen the message delivered to the Prime Minister is talking about issues that have not been dealt with. Any appearance by the Prince George Newspaper to imply that there has been no effort to speak to Jay Hill is lost in that reporting as this letter had been sent to all Federal Ministers.
Involved are the Northwood Cep 603 Local, Local 1133-Canfor Speciality Paper, Local 298 Kitimat. There are many "local members in the forestry industry" while these few demonstrating, are representing those who have lost their jobs, those who are concerned about their pensions and those concerned about their futures.
The letter to the Prime Minister also helps to elucidate the concerns our forestry members have about their futures in face of Federal work to ensure other industries are being taken care of, there has been a great effort lacking by our Federal Government, to what is being reported.
Can you imagine if one were to say we are wiping out Government Pensions how quickly they would see this in different light? Maybe we should roll back Federal Minister wages and reduce their pension benefits so they can understand what the CEP National and local have been doing in their own survival contracts for the last five years.
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But CAW wants a taxpayer bailout for their pensions!
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has agreed to meet with representatives of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union in Ottawa on June 2nd – the day thousands of forestry workers will join in a march to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office.
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Josée Verner also agreed to hold a regional forum on the future of the forest industry.
“This a good first step toward waking up Stephen Harper’s government,” says CEP President Dave Coles, who says his union “will continue to push for action to protect forest jobs, pensions and communities, as well as the future of Canada’s forest industry.”
Coles praised the courage and determination of the CEP members who took matters into their own hands yesterday garnering widespread media attention and immediate reaction from politicians.
Other MPs -- Mike Allen (Tobique-Mactaquac) and John Duncan (Vancouver Island North) – provided letters outlining their position which can be viewed at www.cep.ca.
Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, agreed to meet with CEP Ontario VP Bob Huget. Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon refused to meet with or acknowledge the concerns of the forestry workers. Revenue Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn conceded to a meeting, but stressed that he would not consider any of their demands. Jay Hill (Prince George-Peace River) refused to speak or meet with the workers.
Bold added for Emphasis by me
But CAW wants a taxpayer bailout for their pensions!
Hi Remind,
Abitibi pension decision forces workers to back of lineThe company won approval for an order under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) to suspend pension payments towards its unfunded liabilities for workers.
“This decision is regrettable and profoundly unfair,” said Mr. Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union. “Failure to make pension payments will only make a company’s unfunded liability grow, setting the stage for larger pension plan deficits.
“With the economy spiraling downward this is a scenario we can expect to see repeated over and over as more companies -- and not just in the forest sector -- file for bankruptcy protection, and courts decide who gets a share of the spoils.”
“There is something seriously wrong with a system that puts workers’ pensions in the same category as banks and hedge fund credit,” adds Gaétan Ménard, CEP Secretary-Treasurer.
“When workers go to work to earn a living and a pension, they certainly don’t see themselves as venture capitalists making a risky investment. It is simply wrong and profoundly unfair that at a time of economic crisis, pension payments come after banks and hedge fund loans,” says Mr. Ménard. “Workers are forced to the back of the line.”
“`Private pension plans all over Canada – be they in the forest, automobile or transportation sectors -- are in trouble,” notes Dave Coles. “The federal government must ensure that the shortfalls of the system are addressed in a way that helps the industry restructure and protects workers.”
The 150,000-member CEP represents more than 60,000 forestry workers, including about 8,000 AbitibiBowater employees. There are 300,000 direct and indirect jobs in the forest sector and over 300 forest-dependent communities in Canada.
CAW take note in your survival contracts.
Thousands of forest workers tell Ottawa to "wake up"
Laid off forestry workers, worried pensioners, mayors and officials from “mill towns”, and hundreds of forest-industry supporters joined the workers in a noisy march through the streets of Ottawa from Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt's office to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office at the Langevin block.