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Premier Hamm Urged To Save Forestry Jobs, Not Kill Them |
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Written by Wire Services
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Monday, 21 November 2005 |
The Nova Scotia Government needs to "urgently and openly" send a signal to the province's forest based industries that it will not raise electricity rates by 17%, says the head of the largest union of forestry workers in Atlantic Canada.
"Their plan to increase electricity rates is putting upwards of 2,000 jobs on the chopping block. Premier Hamm and his government need to urgently clarify their position on this issue," said Max Michaud, Atlantic Region Vice President of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP).
Mr. Michaud added that mill workers across the Atlantic and across Canada in recent months have been facing a "perfect storm" of economic hardship from an over valued dollar to shrinking markets which have already put thousands of people out of work because of mill closures and cutbacks. One of the key reasons given for closures has been the cost of energy, typically the biggest single cost item for companies without their own source of electricity.
"CEP is fighting for policies to revitalize this industry across the Atlantic. An increase in energy costs of the magnitude proposed by Nova Scotia would set it back significantly," he added. At stake are the health of mills in Port Hawkesbury, Liverpool, New Glasgow and Hantsport. All told, more than 2,000 people are employed in those locations.
"The consequences of such an energy price increase will extend beyond the mills," Mr. Michaud said. "I think jobs at companies like ABT Building Products and CKF where they make paper plates and drinking cups will also be affected.
"This has the potential for a major upheaval across the province. On behalf of all CEP members, I am urging Mr. Hamm and his government to re-think this proposition and focus on how to save jobs in the forestry sector instead of killing them."
CEP is one of Canada's largest unions representing 160,000 workers in the pulp and paper mills, telephone companies, oil, gas, chemical and mining industries.
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