Nackawic mill workers and union push for government action as shutdown looms - BERITAJA

Hundreds of workers astatine the AV Nackawic Mill successful New Brunswick are now little than 3 weeks distant from losing their jobs, and their conflict to prevention the mill has go portion of a nationwide push for authorities action.

AV Group NB Inc. announced successful September it would beryllium temporarily idling its facility, located westbound of Fredericton. That shutdown is slated for Nov. 4.

The institution attributed the determination to “prevailing marketplace conditions” and different challenges.

“We’re devastated astatine the announcement of the idling of the Nackawic Mill. Hundreds of bully paying jobs, hundreds of families surviving successful awesome uncertainty,” said Jennifer Murray, Unifor’s Atlantic location director.

“We will not extremity fighting sloppy of deadlines aliases immoderate happens aft Nov. 4.”

On Friday, forestry workers were joined by Unifor’s nationalist activity astatine a rally successful Nackawic to telephone for authorities involution to protect the industry.

The national says the shutdown will person an effect beyond the mill’s workers.

“It affects about 240 unionized workers and about 300 to 350 wide nonstop jobs positive thousands of spin-off jobs pinch truckers and woods workers and different contractors,” said Grant Charlton, president of Unifor Local 219, which represents immoderate of the mill workers.

Amid waste and acquisition pressures pinch the U.S. and soaring power costs, Unifor is asking for a nationalist forestry strategy.

Locally, it’s pushing for a associated authorities task force. Murray says a provincial reappraisal could thief place what it would costs to modernize the mill, create a semipermanent plan, and make a transportation to imaginable investors.

Lana Payne, Unifor’s nationalist president, says she herself has been approaching imaginable buyers for the mill.

“I, myself, person contacted different players successful the forestry manufacture to say, ‘Look, there’s a awesome mill there, there’s awesome workforce, would you spell person a look astatine it and spot if this is thing that you would beryllium willing successful taking on?'” she said.

The section national is besides asking for the mill to beryllium heated done the wintertime successful bid to sphere the anticipation of reopening.

The state says it is moving pinch AV Nackawic NB Inc. and the municipality connected options, while Working NB helps labor entree national and provincial benefits.

“We’re turning complete each stone to spot what the possibilities are for employment and a different usage of either the facility, the land, each of the pieces. (We’re) engaging pinch the sector,” said Premier Susan Holt.

The state is besides organizing occupation fairs for the workers.

The mill faced a akin business successful 2004, closing its doors for complete a twelvemonth earlier a different usability took over.