Share
Honourable Susan Holt
Premier of New Brunswick
Chancery Place
RE: New Brunswick’s $2.4 Million Non-Repayable Contribution to Agropur in Light of the Planned Closure of the Sussex Plant
Dear Premier Holt,
On behalf of Unifor and the workers at Agropur Dairy Cooperative’s Sussex-area plant whose livelihoods are being threatened, we are asking the Government of New Brunswick to immediately re-evaluate its decision to provide Agropur with $2.4 million in public funding.
It has become clear that Agropur’s intentions for the Butternut Valley plant, which has served as a cornerstone of the community and the area’s dairy industry for more than 40 years, were not made apparent when Opportunities NB provided Agropur with a $2.4 million non-repayable contribution for the modernization and expansion of its Miramichi facility.
It is unconscionable that Agropur would accept public funds to support its investments without clearly disclosing the fact that the addition of capacity and jobs in Miramichi would be offset by lay-offs elsewhere in the province. Close to 60 workers at the Sussex plant now confront the loss of their livelihoods and the province will see a net decline of more than 40 dairy processing jobs as a result of Agropur’s decision to restructure its operations with government assistance.
Workers across the province are understandably outraged at this bait and switch. New Brunswickers do not expect public funds to be used to support the elimination of good union jobs in the province and the closure of an economically vital plant in an area that is still reeling from the closure of its potash mine.
Premier, government has a responsibility to ensure that public investments provide genuine, lasting economic benefits to the province. Any business or entity that takes public funding without disclosing pre-existing plans for layoffs or plant closures must face clear consequences. Funding provided by Opportunities NB must come with strict no lay-off conditions and clear clawback provisions for employers who violate those terms.
Unifor is therefore demanding that the Government of New Brunswick make transparent what commitments, if any, Agropur made prior to accepting Opportunities NB funding. The government must halt any disbursements to Agropur from the announced $2.4 million fund until the workers at Sussex have been provided with clarity about their future and what options remain for the plant.
We are also asking the government to pursue immediate discussions with Agropur Diary Cooperative and Unifor to determine whether viable alternatives exist to keep the plant open, while working with the union to develop targeted transition and income protection measures for the plant’s workers should the closure ultimately go ahead.
The workers at the Sussex plant who have helped to build New Brunswick’s dairy industry deserve transparency and a clear plan of action from their government. On behalf of Unifor and Local 506, we are requesting a meeting with your office as soon as possible to discuss how we can chart a path forward.
Sincerely,
Lana Payne
National President
Jennifer Murray
Unifor Atlantic Regional Director
