Workers vote in favour of strike action at Ainsworth OSB mill in Barwick

Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) Local 324-99 of the Ainsworth Engineered LP facility in Barwick, Ontario have rejected their employer's final offer, and have voted in favour of a strike.

Last week, conciliated negotiations took back in Fort Frances. Stephen Boon, CEP National Representative in Dryden, confirms that the final offer put forward by Ainsworth Engineered LP was overwhelmingly rejected by over 97% of CEP Members at meetings held on Tuesday, July 20.

The 130 Members of CEP Local 324-99 then voted 97% in favour of approving strike action if necessary at the same meeting.

Boon said, “despite the Membership’s overwhelming rejection of Ainsworth’s final offer, we will continue to work towards reaching a fair settlement while the threat of a mid-August labour dispute looms.”

Boon concluded by saying, “we are well aware of the current economic environment facing much of the forest industry, but I think it is important to stress that other than a small handful of monetary issues, most of the major roadblocks threatening to de-rail this set of negotiations actually centre more around non-monetary issues related to things such as contract language, contracting out, call-ins, term, seniority and scheduling changes.”

Source: CEP