Dear Minister Joan Burke,
You are hereby invited to hold a public meeting in Stephenville - before Christmas - to deal with concerns surrounding the closure of the paper mill.
Please contact anybody on the Port au Port Peninsula to set up a time and place.
Sue's Blog has received hundreds of letters phone-calls and emails regarding this most urgent manner and I think it's time - you did your job and address the people directly in an open forum.
If it makes you feel more comfortable I would be happy to show up and debate the issues and potentials with you.
Minister these people deserve answers - they deserve more than a twisty turn in the House of Assembly where you just grin and ignore the request for provincial assistance in hiring a consultant the CEP Local 1093believes can help.
The people of the region need you to do some ribbon cutting at a new industrial enterprise for them.
Best Regards,
Sue Kelland-Dyer
22 comments:
I think its about time she gave an account of herself. Way to go Sue keep up the good work.
And along with Minister Burke being held accountable I'd like to see the CEP union executive up there with her to take questions from those who were affected by the closure.
Sue there is much to this story that has not been told and it's not just the government who is responsible!!
Although if you talk to anyone still in Stephenville they'll tell you there hasn't been that "devastating blow" that was anticipated.
"hundreds"?
yes
Probably letters from the same union exec who were more interested in their severance then the benefit to their own members or the community.
Exec who are now still in Stephenville waiting for the "promised" operator.
Severance AND your job back sounds pretty tempting.
But where is the person who promised this too you? No longer an MHA ironically.
If I sound mad it's because I am. I'm on of the ones who don't live in that wonderful community anymore. And I think the fault lies squarely with the union and a former MHA - Like I said the truth has not come out yet. I wish it would.
It seems to me that there is always someone out there blaming the union for the mill being closed when it was ABITIBI that wanted the mill closed all along. The CEP union executive did their best to keep it open and they're doing their best now to get a operator for the mill with the hiring of a consultant that the government will not finance. I think it's very sad that a rep from Corner Brook stood up for us in Question Period and not our own rep from Stephenville. I have to thank Eddie Joyce for his questions that he directed towards Joan Burke and I am disappointed with the answers that she gave him.
I doubt you will get many people in Stephenville supporting getting another operator for the mill until the contract for the Union has run out.
Nobody wants to see that union exec get there jobs back.
That comment is not helpful - but in fairness I will post it. I believe everyobdy wants another operator for that industrial facility.
Sue
Hi again Sue, Once again thanks for your vocal support thru your Blog and other media venues.
Just logged into your site and felt the urge to respond to some of those voices from the shadows of annonimity!
Firstly... this executive is eager to be up there with Minister Burke and take questions....after she answers ours!! As for questions for us... all documents have been available for months on our website. WE are hiding NOTHING..unlike Abitibi and Government!!
Secondly, to "more interested in our severance"......Severance pay was thankfully a previously negotiated part of our Collective Agreement for ALL emplyees and if you don't want yours you can send it back to Abitibi c/o your pal Gord Oldford ! How IDIOTIC to think I'd give up a $100,000/yr job for a severance cheque and NO PENSION after 25 years service at age 51!!??? See what crap we have to put up with Sue from our so called "townspeople"!!!
Thirdly...to "Nobody wants to see that union exec get their jobs back"...... yet another prime example of the backstabbing jealousy in this community!! We have worked tirelessly on a VOLUNTEER basis to try and revive the full mill site as a potential for renewed prosperity for the whole region,knowing full well that any potential operator would probably frown on hiring us because of our vocal involvement with our union!!
I attended the Tekoil infosession here Tuesday night and someone asked in a round about way what the members of the CDC committee(from which I just resigned) were being paid.... in case they didn't hear the answer.... It's ZERO!! the same as my union salary!!!!!!!
So people ... unless you change your vile attitude of blame, we will all spend New Year's in ALBERTA!!!!!!!!!
Minister Burke,
In there some hidden agenda. Is there some reason why you and your party refuse to address the concerns and inititive of local 1093 to restart the mill in Stephenville. Rest assured, just as your promise to protect the Abitibi assests in Stephenville got you elected, your apathy on this matter will lead to your political demise. Just as former workers at abitibi have been denied a pension, so will you. How can you hold your head up in this community.
There seems to be a stone that the government does not want to turn, could it be that they are afraid that an operator can be found to operate our mill. The government had no intention to help the Strphenville mill, they only wanted to cover their ass, and put the blame on the union. The Williams Government was in power for 20 months when Abitibi announced the shutdown of the Stephenville mill. I heard Paul Gallant on open line shows many times, long before this closure announcement, along with others, fighting for a power deal to keep our mill open. Our saviour, Danny Williams, Finally made a deal, but it was too late; Two months after the announcement. Wasn't the deal portrayed to the public to save our mill, supposed to save 300 jobs. Abitibi then came looking for 30 jobs. The government put it on the unions shoulders to approve a giveaway of 30 jobs as a way to deflect blame from themselves.
There are a couple of reasons why the government would shut us down. There is a shortage of excess power on the island. Where are they getting the power to run the smelter in Long Harbour and the new mine in central newfoundland. Also, the Grand Falls mill will double its production if they end up with our paper machine and other equipment, making their mill profitable at Stephenville's expense.
Joan, I challenge you to prove me wrong by convinceing your collegues to put up the money for the consulting fee and to disclose all other information on this file. Afterall, $150,000 is a small price to pay to satisfy your constituents that you did turn this latest stone.
Ken:
Some questions I like to put to you are:
Why was there a show of hands at the first vote when it was in the union's consitition that it had to be a secret ballot? (The national union ruled that it should have been a secret ballot - about 2 days too late)
And why did the union "punish or charge" members for voting and taking a stance in support of keeping the mill open???? (all of which was overturned by the nation union by the way...) That kind of bullying sounds like the UNION didn't want the mill open to me....
If Abitibi were so interested in closing why did they invest upwards of $200,000 in Nov of last year for new computer equipment to run the new Peoplesoft platform that had previously been cancelled when the closure announcement was made in July? (I know the answer - becuase they knew they were close to a deal and thought there would be one!)
Where were Doucette and the other exec on that fateful day when EVERYONE was trying to find them because the final decision was being made? Why were their cell phones off? Why weren't they in the union office when even the mayor came looking for them for goodness sake?? Why didn't they respond to the radio announcements that were broadcasted for them?????
Why wasn't it made known to the membership that Abitibi was willing to pay $1000 a week to the employees back in Dec until the mill got was up again. To be paid over a period of time once they were back to work? (Doesn't sound like a company that wants to close...) My understanding from a reliable source is that the comment was made among two union exec in front of another person that "we better get the by's to vote no to the deal before the get a chance to think about this". Truth???
You say that who would give up a $100,000 salary for a severance cheque but aren't you contradicting yourself there??? Didn't it all come out in the Georgian that the union was getting advice from Mr. Byrnes - advise that turned out to be false. That's why I say serverance and your job back looked pretty tempting when you thought there was another operator.
My last comment is about the 30 jobs - my understanding from local mgmt is that no one would have "left" the mill. Some guys would have gone back to the labour pool. Plus there was enough retirements on the horizon to bring most of them back into full time positions in short order.
Given the state of the newsprint industry at the time and now I think you were silly not to take the deal. It's obvious that sales were down across the board not just with Abitibi but other companies too and that cost were skyrocketing (wood and power).
I guess ultimately what were you REALLY THINKING would happen the day after or the weeks after the offical shut decision? If everything had gone to plan back last December what would it look like today? Let me try to understand the local's thinking and maybe garner some respect for it. Because now there is none. But I certainly don't agree with the comment about opening after the contract runs out - that's just nasty. There were a lot of members that really didn't want this fate.
These are just some thoughts I have in my head that need answers. Whether I'll get the truth remains to be seen.
I agree with former mill employee that there were a number of reasons why this government would want the Stephenville Mill to shut down. In particular, the reference that was made to the shortage of excess power and the need for such power to run the smelter in Long Harbour. Is it possible this government would sacrifice a 'renewable' resource industry for a 'nonrenewable' resource industry.
I also believe that those people who thought the greedy union workers shut the mill down were wrong then and wrong now if they still hold that opinion. These mill workers would prefer to have jobs not pensions. What they are guilty of is being naïve and believing that the Danny Williams’ government wanted to help. However, it’s very plain to see that not only were the workers and union naïve but so was this community to think that Joan Burke or Jim Hodder would help. If nodding heads could save jobs, then we would all be ‘genies’.
In addition, the residents of this area should demand some answers with regard to the government’s refusal to deal with the consulting firm wanting to look at the mill. There was a government (and company) agenda to shut the mill down. Is there now another hidden agenda to keep it shut down? If government could find one operator for the mill, why then would they look at slicing it up to various businesses or agencies? And who exactly is getting a slice of the pie?
It’s already been noted Joan Burke should resign. I would repeat that request for her resignation and that of Jim Hodder if he hasn’t already done so. If we had someone like Anna Thistle in our corner, we would have a mill today.
anonymous
not the unions fault.All info on website,nothing to hide.May I say this,no talks of concessions in the 1st agreement(the M.O.U.)that fell apart.Concessions only came about in the so-called 15 year agreement.WHY??????????.
The same ones who now are posting comments about the Union being responsible for the mill closing are the same ones who undermined us when the talks were ongoing. They haven't got the faintest idea what they are talking about. They still believe in Gord Oldford.....maybe he has openings in Grand Falls for these cowardly people who run and hide when the crunch is on.
One thing i would like to know the answer to is;how the SECURITY contract at the former S'VILLE mill was awarded.That would be nice to hear the TRUTH about.
I am the wife of one of the unionized workers who took his "severance" pay. What a joke! If the ignorant ones out there are still believing that the guys took this paltry sum of money instead of their jobs, then show up at my house on Christmas morning and see how many presents are there for my kids!!!
Only the ones who blamed the union for this carved in stone decision by John Weaver could posibly still believe this. I always said that Nl. ends in Corner Brook, and I still believe it. Case in point; Grand Falls got to stay and they got to keep okd #7. They also got a few of the good suckholes.....good luck with that boys!
Susan
Hey Sue,
My name is Brian and I would like to answer some of the questions put forth by anonymous on Dec.2, 2006 at 1:01pm.
The show of hands at the first vote was something that our constitution provided for, even though it was over ruled by the National Union, who have never supported us in our battle with Abitibi first or last!
The charges that were laid against some members was not because of their vote or stance, but because they went against the constitution and the collective agreement! They know what they did wrong and if I have to print it at a later date, I will!
As for the $200,000 investment, maybe that is true! We'll never know that one for sure but what we do know is that YES, they did feel that they were close to a deal, that is, until the splinter group of 8 or 9 union members tried to negotiate a separate deal from the one on the table by the union executive! Then everything was back to square one!
As for Mr. Doucette and the other executive on that fateful day, you'll have to ask them! Drop down to the union hall sometime when they're there and ask them! Don't be shy!
Now for the funny one! The $1000 a week loan that Abitibi negotiated with the splinter group! Again, it was not on the table for the union executive to see but handed in three days later, from one of the splinter group members! There was no signature attached, by the way, so we have no idea who actually typed it up!
The reliable source who made that comment was not very reliable after all, considering he was one of the splinter group and would say anything to drum up support!
As for Mr Byrne's and his advice! What advice are you referring to that was false? I can't answer your question until I know what you are talking about.
Now the 30 jobs which shouldn't have been on the table anyway because the company had the right to cut any jobs they wanted anytime! There was an arbitration case won by Abitibi that gave them the right to do it! They already cut 10 jobs earlier in the year, then snuck in the 11th one and there was nothing we could do about it, and now they were asking us for our blessing to cut the rest! What a joke! The only reason they put those jobs on the line was so that they could haul it off the table later to look good! They knew they had the right to cut them after, no big deal! It was eye candy, nothing more!
Ahhhh, now the state of the newsprint industry which you say sales were down across the board, not just with Abitibi but other companies too! Companies like Stora Enso maybe who also cried wolf until they got their deal from the unions and who then went out and spent $425 million to purchase a paper mill and sawmill in Brazil this past September! Is this one of the companies you're referring too! I hope not!
Well that's it for now but I do have some more to post! Seeya soon!
Sincerely,
Brian Prosper
To Brian,
Thanks for the post.
I assume you are a union member. So let me ask you this - did you ask these same questions of your executive? Are you on the exec? Do you feel that the union membership had enough say through the whole thing last year? Or was the "show of hands" mandate back in Nov (I believe) enough to let the exec continue to make decisions on behalf of the members or do you think things should have been brought back to a new vote?
My own personal opionion from talking to some members is that at first they were solid behind the exec. But as things went on they began to question but by that time it was too little too late. I guess with something as important as the future of my job and family's life in such a great town, I wouldn't have been content to leave it up to anyone but myself. Even if that meant 1 vote out of 200.
On the other side of the coin if I was a member of that executive I would have wanted to bring back final decisions like taking the last deal to the membership themselves. I would not have been comfortable with the lives of 250 plus families in my own hands.
I got and still get the impression that the union exec took the stance like it was a strike negotiation rather then a closure negotiation. So in the back of their minds they didn't believe that the place would really close.
Things changed so much since the show of hands vote that I just can't see how the exec didn't see fit to go to another vote.
I understand the anonymous mill wife's frustration. I wonder if there had been another vote (secret ballot) this time last year would the guys still be working at the mill? Who knows?
I think there is a lesson here and it is that we should never put our lives blindly in other people's hands - the governements'or a unions'. We really should question things for ourselves and not be told how to think. Sounds like a mantra for Sue's blog!!
Just for clarification:
Bryne's advice was what was in the newspaper article. That he was reassuring the union that there would be another operator when in fact there was nothing.
Do you know where Mr. Doucette was that day? How come that answer isn't on the CEP 1093 website? Can you confirm that they were up on a road behind cold brook? That's what I heard - waiting for the time to expire so severance would have to be paid out.
I guess in my own mind I just can't reconcile why on earth the exec wouldn't go to another vote on the final offer. Maybe it would have been a good deal for most of the guys given the alberta or no work alternative? I really just think that something as serious as loss of livelihood was not handled properly by the union as they were the ones with the most to lose.
That's enough on this issue for me. I was affected by the closure and don't live in Stephenville anymore. My family and I are doing well and we really can't complain. Things turned out alright. But I have let this issue drag on too long in my mind and I realize I am searching for answers that are just not forthcoming.
For those workers still not working - I hope the next 12 months are better for you then that last 12.
Merry Christmas to all.
dec.5,2006
in your response to brian;i would like to know who would of said that union exec. members were hiding out in back of cold brook.The only way back there at that time of year,probably would of been by snowmobile or as a reindeer.
There were lots of exec. members at the union office that day,contrary to the BULL out there.
Hey anonymous! What's with all this mumble,jumble you are posting here on the blog......Brian are you a union member?... Are you on the executive?..."I heard this"..."I heard that"... "I would have done this"..."I wouldn't have done that" ...Your mouth seems to be in fast forward and your marbles appear to be contained somewhere south of the Norm...... Avoid inhaling whatever your sniffing...
To anonymous
Hey, it's Brian again! Yes I am a union member and a member of the executive! I also worked for Abitibi for 16 years! If you're the same anonymous that I responded to and you're referring to the questions that I answered yesterday, then yes, I did ask some of these questions to the executive! The only one I didn't was the $200,000 investment because truthfully, the first I heard of that was when I read it here in the Blog!
The union membership had every chance to speak at the meetings or at the union hall. The first meeting with the show of hands was enough for our elected executive to go back to the company for clarification on the issues they put forward to us! Our next meeting, the same thing happened! The companies' proposal was put forward to us and again we voted no with a show of hands! The 3rd meeting never came because the company pulled the plug on that fateful day! Had we of had the meeting, would the vote have been different? I don't know! If we had given in to the companies demands, would they have opened up the mill? I don't know! Hindsight is a wonderful thing but even then it wouldn't answer these questions!
In the companies final offer, one of their staements read and I quote,
"Upon ratification of this agreement AND the signing of an agreement respecting the continued operation of the Abitibi Newsprint mill at Stephenville between the Company and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the company will resume papermaking operations within 30 days."
What this meant was that even if we gave into their demands, they still had to go back to the Government to reach a deal with them! The $150 million offered wasn't enough! Gord Oldford said that they had the framework of an agreement! Can you imagine, that's some framework! The bottom line is that negotiations between the government and the company could have dragged out for weeks or even months! I doubt it would have mattered! Abitibi wanted out and they needed someone else to blame! It just happened to be us!
One thing that really cracks me up is the fuss everyone is still making over our severance pay! Not one person however, gave a care about the fact that we were unemployed for about 6 weeks then with no money coming in and christmas was days away! The company wanted us to forget about the severance pay, accept the deal and then wait it out until they finished negotiating with the government and then wait another 30 days before they started up operations! What were we supposed to live on until that time?
As for the severance, let me tell you first hand, it wasn't that great after government took 48% in income tax! On top of that, UI penalized me with having that money(48%) to live on and so, delayed my unemployment insurance for another 6 weeks because the same government legislated them to work it out on the gross amount and not the net amount! Go figure!!
I can't believe how some people like to start rumours such as hiding out on a road in the back of Cold Brook! Is that the way it's going to be from now on? We're gone from a paper mill to a rumour mill! That statement is so far from the truth, it's not fit!
You say that you are searching for answers that are just not forthcoming but if you don't ask the right questions of the right people, you'll always be searching and starting rumours! If you have any other questions, feel free to post them here or contact me by email at
b.prosper@nf.sympatico.ca
If I don't have the answers amongst the tons of paperwork here, I will do my best to get them for you! The bottom line is that the truth has to come out and for anybody willing, go to the CEP website and read the documents! You'll find alot of your answers there!
Seeya soon,
Brian Prosper
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