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Union says Trump bullying threatens hundreds of B.C. pulp mill jobs

Fear mounts that new U.S. anti-dumping duties could price Catalyst mills out of business
11521296_web1_CatalystPaper-FILEPIC-2016-18apr18_7873
Catalyst Paper香蕉视频直播檚 plant in Port Alberni, 2016. SUSAN QUINN PHOTO

A union representing hundreds of B.C. pulp mill workers is asking for the federal government to intervene in a trade war it says is threatening to close three B.C. pulp mills and two others across Canada.

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced this week a new 22 per cent anti-dumping duty on products produced by Catalyst, which operates coastal B.C. pulp mills in Port Alberni, Crofton and Powell River, as well as two more in Newfoundland and Quebec, employing approximately 1,500 workers.

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Unifor, which represents many of those workers, fears the duties could lead to hundreds of job losses and has released a video urging the federal government to take immediate action to end the tariffs.

香蕉视频直播淚 never ever would香蕉视频直播檝e dreamed that Donald Trump would be affecting my livelihood,香蕉视频直播 Powel River Catalyst worker Brett Vizzuti said in the posted to social media.

Unifor president Jerry Dias said U.S. President Trump is introducing 香蕉视频直播渃haos香蕉视频直播 into trade relations with Canada, with his latest attack on Canadian workers putting five pulp and paper mills across the nation in jeopardy of closure.

香蕉视频直播淯nfair tariffs aren香蕉视频直播檛 just political theatre, they香蕉视频直播檙e reckless policies that will close down mills and throw hundreds of Canadians out of work,香蕉视频直播 Dias said. 香蕉视频直播淭his is completely unacceptable and Ottawa needs to push back hard against these heavy-handed tactics.香蕉视频直播

Dias said the tariffs have one goal in mind, to weaken Canadian paper manufactures for the benefit of U.S. producers.

香蕉视频直播淯nifor has responded with a high profile campaign to fight back against Trump the bully,香蕉视频直播 he said. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e asking people to write to the federal Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr to tell him that Canada has to hit back hard to protect our jobs.香蕉视频直播

Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns said he has been working behind the scenes with Catalyst Paper and the Prime Minister香蕉视频直播檚 office to find a way to help the beleaguered paper company. He said the framework for the federal government香蕉视频直播檚 softwood lumber aid package should be set within the month.

香蕉视频直播淭his is an issue we need government to be fighting very aggressively over,香蕉视频直播 Johns said from Ottawa. 香蕉视频直播淭his affects 600,000 jobs in the U.S. right now; it香蕉视频直播檚 not just Canadian jobs that (trade tariffs) affect. These challenges don香蕉视频直播檛 make sense. We need the prime minister to fight for us.香蕉视频直播

He said people don香蕉视频直播檛 understand the seriousness of the situations and defended Unifor香蕉视频直播檚 public campaign, saying it香蕉视频直播檚 not alarmist to think that Catalyst may have to close its Vancouver Island plants.

香蕉视频直播淚t is challenging right now. This is a company that can香蕉视频直播檛 carry these heavy punitive duties, these penalties,香蕉视频直播 he said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey can香蕉视频直播檛 sustain it forever.香蕉视频直播

In a statement released in March, Ned Dwyer, Catalysts香蕉视频直播檚 president and CEO called the U.S. trade action unwarranted and without merit.

香蕉视频直播淓ven with the exemption of directory paper, the remaining anti-dumping and countervailing duties are onerous and a critical cost challenge for Catalyst,香蕉视频直播 Dwyer said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey pose a threat to our competitiveness and the sustainability of our business and we will continue to vigorously defend ourselves against them.香蕉视频直播

Jon Lefebure, mayor the Municipality of North Cowichan where the Crofton mill is located, said increasing costs could drastically hamper Crofton香蕉视频直播檚 profitability, leading to layoffs and even its complete closure.

香蕉视频直播淚 think the mill can withstand these increased costs for awhile, but the fear is that if these punitive tariffs continue, the mill will be priced out of business,香蕉视频直播 Lefebure said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 a major concern because the Crofton mill is the biggest employer in the region outside of School District 79.香蕉视频直播

Lefebure said the Crofton mill is such a big operation, running it full-time, even if it is taking financial losses, might be cheaper than shutting it down until its products are more financially viable in the marketplace.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 certainly a difficult economic situation for our mill,香蕉视频直播 he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not a fair tariff and is not justified. It香蕉视频直播檚 really just a bully tactic. Catalyst has fought similar battles with unfair tariffs in the past, and we hope the company is successful again.香蕉视频直播

香蕉视频直播 with a file from Susie Quinn, Alberni Valley News



robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

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11521296_web1_CatalystPaper-FILEPIC2013_5732
Paper on the roll at Catalyst Paper香蕉视频直播檚 Port Alberni division. SUSAN QUINN PHOTO


Robert Barron

About the Author: Robert Barron

Since 2016, I've had had the pleasure of working with our dedicated staff and community in the Cowichan Valley.
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