Ainsworth strike put on hold

News Release

The workers at Ainsworth Engineered LP in Barwick, Ontario have decided to postpone their scheduled strike action for midnight on Sunday for up to 48 hours pending the outcome of renewed talks.
Stephen Boon, CEP National Representative in Dryden, confirms this Sunday’s midnight strike action has been postponed and renewed talks with Ainsworth Engineered LP are scheduled for Tuesday morning in Fort Frances. Boon added, “we met with the 130 Members of Local 324-99 on Friday to inform them of the postponement of planned weekend strike action pending the outcome of Tuesday’s negotiations with Ainsworth Management. However, we also finalized preparations for immediate strike action in the event these talks are unsuccessful.”
The CEP Members overwhelmingly rejected a final offer put fourth by Ainsworth Engineered LP OSB Mill in Barwick and voted for strike action by over 97% at meetings held on Tuesday, July 20. Boon concluded by saying, “We have put forth a gesture of good faith by postponing strike action in order to make one final effort towards reaching a new tentative agreement.”
Boon said, “despite the Membership’s overwhelming rejection of Ainsworth’s final offer, we will continue to work towards reaching a fair settlement while the threat of a mid-August labour dispute looms.”
Boon concluded by saying, “we are well aware of the current economic environment facing much of the forest industry, but I think it is important to stress that other than a small handful of monetary issues, most of the major roadblocks threatening to de-rail this set of negotiations actually centre more around non-monetary issues related to things such as contract language, contracting out, call-ins, term, seniority and scheduling changes.”