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Joseph Kruger II
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Kruger Inc.
3285 chemin Bedford, Montreal, QC, H3S 1G5
Dear Mr. Kruger,
I am writing to seek clarity on the future of the Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Mill, and to request an urgent meeting.
As you know, workers at the Kruger Inc.-owned Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. are members of Unifor Locals 64, 242, 96, 57N, 60N and workers at Deer Lake Power are members of Unifor Local 495. Last September, the mill celebrated its 100th anniversary, an incredible milestone for the mill, its unionized workforce, and the community of Corner Brook.
Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, with more than 320,000 members across the country, working in every major sector of the Canadian economy. Unifor is also Canada’s forestry union, with 24,000 members spread across 10 Canadian provinces. Unifor’s members work in a variety of forestry, logging and firefighting occupations as well as wood product, bioenergy, and pulp and paper manufacturing facilities.
Our union, its rank-and-file membership, and elected leaders from the forestry sector have been advocating and organizing to forge a new, sustainable future for Canada’s forestry industry, its workers, and forestry-dependent communities across the country.
In addition, I sit as the sole labour representative on the recently-convened Federal Forestry Sector Transformation Task Force, a group convened by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson with the mandate of strengthening the forestry sector’s long-term competitiveness and sustainability.
Unifor is concerned by the lack of clarity surrounding future plans for the Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Mill, and the outlook for the roughly 300 people who work at the mill.
More specifically, I would like to know:
- What is Kruger’s business plan for the Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Mill?
- What operations and products, if any, does Kruger plan to permanently cease at the mill, and how many workers will be permanently laid off?
- What new operations, products, or services does Kruger or its subsidiaries or related companies plan on introducing at the mill, if any?
- Is Kruger committed to remaining a forestry-first employer in Corner Brook, or does the company envision a transition to energy production as a primary activity at the site?
- What is Kruger’s plan to support workers at the mill and the surrounding community of Corner Brook as these transitions take place?
It is critical that Kruger engages with mill workers and their union, the community of Corner Brook, and the provincial government with clarity and transparency. Unifor will continue to engage with the government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and we also respectfully request an urgent meeting with you to discuss these important matters.
Sincerely,
Lana Payne
National President
