CATALYST WALKS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2010

VANCOUVER – Catalyst representatives walked away from talks with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union representatives yesterday. The union had asked for 3 days of meetings with the employer due to the ever-deepening crisis in the forest industry in British Columbia.

“I am very surprised that this employer would walk away from a meeting where workers from 4 different mills had offered more than 15 ½ percent reduction in wages and continuing discussions to find further potential cost savings within the benefits structure,” stated CEP Vice President Jim Britton. “In my more than 40 years of collective bargaining, I have never witnessed a more unexpected turn of events.”

CEP had asked to meet with the senior management of Catalyst in Nanaimo in an effort to provide assistance to the company who has been very public about its financial challenges. “We know the challenges that our industry faces all across the country,” continues Britton. “This meeting was called in good faith by our union with the intention of working cooperatively to find solutions.”

“We were just trying to be proactive here.” said Britton, “We have heard very clearly the concerns that Catalyst has raised and we are prepared to have serious discussions with them even though there are more than two years left in the current collective agreement.”

“We are also extremely concerned about the communities where our members live,” concludes Britton. “These have been family-supporting and community-supporting jobs and we intend to be part of a healthy pulp and paper sector well into the future.”
CEP represents 7 local unions employed by Catalyst at four locations: Campbell River, Port Alberni, Crofton and Powell River. The Campbell River mill has been shut down for more than a year.

CEP represents 30,000 forest workers across Canada.

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For more information contact:
Jim Britton, Vice President 604 992-6625