Port Hawkesbury workers vote ‘yes’ to contract offer
April 17th, 2012 | Posted in Labour Negotiations | 2 comments »
The unionized workers of the idled Port Hawkesbury paper mill in Nova Scotia have voted 85% in favour of their contract offer from Pacific West Commercial Corp.
This ‘yes’ vote brings the mill one step closer to reopening under its new owner.
Marc Dube, spokesman for Pacific West Commercial Corp. said he would now turn his attention to working with Nova Scotia Power regarding energy supply and costs and with government regarding fibre supply and a forest management plan.
Dube said they are facing a Nova Scotia Utilities and Review Board hearing in late June or early July, with the possibility that the mill could reopen in August if all outstanding matters are settled.
About 400 people were eligible to vote on the contract offer. 300 placed a vote, with 85.6% of voters in favour of the new 10-year contract.
“Our members did a lot of soul searching over the past couple of weeks,” said union spokesman Steve MacDougall. “Now that this is passed I hope people realize that the mill workers are not a greedy bunch and that we have taken this responsibility seriously.”
Read more:
NewPage workers vote to accept Stern offer (CBC)
Mill workers vote to accept contract ultimatum (Chronicle Herald)
Majority of workers vote to accept contract deal with pulp and paper company (Canadian Press)
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Can someone please explain to me how you can buy a company and take ownership of the assets but not be responsible for the debts and liabilities of the compnay that was purchased. Stern seems more than happy to take ownership of the $1 billion in tax credits that he will turn over to Nova Scotia Power in return for a power deal, but he is not willing to take responsibility for the $140 million shortfall in the workers pension plan. Why isn’t anything being reported in the news about the $1 billion in tax credits that Stern has inherited through the purchase of the mill in Port Hawkesbury.
And the $1 billion in tax credits that NSP will receive will mean that they will be able to avoid or dodge having to pay $1 billion in taxes. So the Province will receive $1 billion less in taxes. Thank you very much Darrell Dexter for increasing the provincial debt by $1 billion.
Yes,we are very proud of Mr Dexter here on the south shore as well.
NOT