Workers at AbitibiBowater's Thunder Bay, Ontario, sawmill vote to join Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada

Wendy Lisney

LOS ANGELES , August 15, 2011 (Forestweb) – Workers at AbitibiBowater's Thunder Bay Sawmill in Ontario have voted to join the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), according to national representative Stephen Boon.

The sawmill's 150 maintenance and production workers took the vote after a six-month organizing drive by the CEP, the News Ledger reported.

The workers lodged an application for certification with the Ontario Labour Relations Board on Aug. 5 and Boon said voting took place throughout the day on Friday, Aug. 12, resulting in majority support for the CEP by employees.

Boon described the sawmill as one of the most modern in Eastern Canada, and said the union was extremely pleased to welcome this skilled group of forestry workers. He added that CEP would spend the next few months helping the workers prepare to negotiate a first new agreement with AbitibiBowater.

The primary source of this article is the News Ledger Thunder Bay, Ontario, on Aug. 13, 2011.

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