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VICTORIA — British Columbia`s forest industry has the potential to thrive in the long term, but the federal government needs to take the lead to address major obstacles facing the sector, says the president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada.
"This is not a sunset industry -- it`s anything but," said Dave Coles, who was in Victoria to campaign for initiatives to bolster the industry. "It has potential to be a sunrise industry."
More federal government effort is required immediately to keep mills open and to turn the economic direction of the country`s forest sector, Mr. Coles said at a meeting with the Victoria Times Colonist editorial board.
CEP members have occupied federal government offices to make their point. "We are not going to back off," Mr. Coles said.
The union is calling for federal loan guarantees — not subsidies — at commercial market rates. That would minimize risk and help the industry refinance its debt and reinvest. Companies are paying interest rates of 14% to 17%, Mr. Coles said.
The creation of a national investment pension-plan fund to protect workers whose plans are threatened by companies facing bankruptcy is also a key part of the CEP`s agenda.
Read the full article here.
"This is not a sunset industry -- it`s anything but," said Dave Coles, who was in Victoria to campaign for initiatives to bolster the industry. "It has potential to be a sunrise industry."
More federal government effort is required immediately to keep mills open and to turn the economic direction of the country`s forest sector, Mr. Coles said at a meeting with the Victoria Times Colonist editorial board.
CEP members have occupied federal government offices to make their point. "We are not going to back off," Mr. Coles said.
The union is calling for federal loan guarantees — not subsidies — at commercial market rates. That would minimize risk and help the industry refinance its debt and reinvest. Companies are paying interest rates of 14% to 17%, Mr. Coles said.
The creation of a national investment pension-plan fund to protect workers whose plans are threatened by companies facing bankruptcy is also a key part of the CEP`s agenda.
Read the full article here.