The Public and Private Workers of Canada and Unifor are holding a joint press conference on Wednesday, September 13, 2017, at 12:00pm at the corner of #4 Highway and Clark Road in Qualicum Beach, B.C.
The Public and Private Workers of Canada represent thousands of workers in British Columbia, many of which are employed in the forestry industry. Unifor is one of the largest Unions in Canada, representing hundreds of thousands of workers across the nation.
Many of our locations on Vancouver Island are facing log and fibre shortages, due to hot dry weather and poor government policies. This has created the temporary layoff of nearly 160 sawmill workers, with more layoff’s to come. With the sawmills not running, it is only a matter of time before this shortage affects secondary users, such as pulp and paper mills, remanufacturing plants, etc. Lost revenue in income taxes and increases in employment insurance claims are not the answer to B.C.’s struggling forestry sector. The NDP have inherited a Liberal problem and now have the chance to act; making changes to better all British Columbians, not only the few hands at the top, keeping more fibre here to be produced locally, and giving people well-paying jobs in the forestry industry.
With ships leaving our coasts full of logs that could be ran through local sawmills during an exceptionally hot and dry summer, this is a crime against all British Columbians and shows the flaws in the system. While our sawmills and manufacturing plants are shut down due to lack of fibre, the overseas mills are running at full capacity on B.C.’s wood. Industry leaders are calling for change, labour is calling for change, First Nations are calling for change, and environmental groups are calling for change; the only ones not on board or acting quickly is our government!
Come and attend the media address at 12:00 pm on #4 Highway and Clark Road in Qualicum Beach B.C.
Please call Cam Shiell, PPWC Forestry Officer for any questions and comments at (250) 701-9387
