Finnish forest product company UPM is considering using management and foremen to run its Miramichi paper mill in Canada, while workers continue their strike over articles in their collective labour agreement.
"The test run was successful, and running the machines five days a week manned by foremen and management is a realistic alternative", states mill manager Timo Suutarla.
The Miramichi paper mill in eastern Canada has been at a standstill for over six months and there seems to be no end to the industrial action. Suutarla estimates the strike will continue at least over the summer.
The Miramichi staff downed tools over the labour contract articles that dealt with the abolishment of the seniority system. In Canada it is customary that workers advance in their career based on years with the company, and not necessarily on their competence.
The seniority system is also applied when staff members are being made redundant. The most junior workers are the first ones to leave.
In the autumn of 2004, UPM closed down its pulp mill adjacent to the Miramichi paper mill, and because of the seniority system some of the paper mill's younger workers also had to go. Among them was the chairman of the trade union local A. J. Dowling, who represents the workers in the labour negotiations.
According to Suutarla, Dowling is the only one who is benefiting from the prolonged negotiations.
UPM is the world's largest producer of lightweight coated (LWC) paper for magazines. Most of this paper is manufactured in Finland, where the plants have also been shut down for almost a month because of industrial action.
