CEP Welcomes Nova Scotia’s Forestry Move
The president of Canada’s largest forestry union says the announcement of the agreement with Resolute Forest Products and the Washington Post Company made by the Nova Scotia government is “great news for the forest industry”. “This is extremely beneficial to retirees as it will have a very positive impact on the health of the pension plan for workers at the former Bowater mill,” said Dave Coles, National President of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP). Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter made the announcement today in Halifax stating that the government was gaining control of the company’s assets and taking over the its liabilities, including the former employee’s pension plan.
“It is encouraging to see that the government has acquired assets that hold sufficient value to cover the liabilities of the pension plan.” added Coles. “We have here an exciting opportunity for those who are interested in community forest control”. “We have always believed that forestry is not a sunset industry,” added Coles in closing. “Industry renewal takes vision and political will, both of which the Nova Scotia government has demonstrated today.”
CEP National President Dave Coles is available for media interviews. The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada is the largest union in several key sectors of Canada’s economy, including forestry, energy, telecommunications and media. The union’s 110,000 members work at a wide variety of jobs in hundreds of different workplaces across the country.