Solidarity statement between USW and CEP local unions at Resolute Forest Products

Pulp, paper and forestry workers in the United States and Canada are engaged in a common struggle to secure their future while the forest industry continues to consolidate and global corporations like Resolute Forest Products acts strategically to maximize shareholder values regardless of the results for workers and communities. Resolute is the product of a long history of corporate mergers and acquisitions in the North American forest industry. With each new shareholder deal, proud workers and their families and mill communities were sacrificed, while those remaining face more uncertain futures. Underfunded worker pensions became an increasingly larger share of the companys insolvency. AbitibiBowater failed not because of worker productivity but because of market failures and the failure of the financial system to support the real economy. The company failed to respond to changing consumer markets by modernizing and investing in new products. Financial markets and governments failed to make it possible to renew loans and secure capital. After the financial collapse of 2008 there was billions to bail out banks, but little or nothing to save jobs in manufacturing and forestry. Ultimately it was the members of CEP and USW at AbitibiBowater who made the sacrifices necessary to emerge from bankruptcy protection and to become Resolute Forest Products. We remember and honor the thousands of forestry and pulp and paper workers in mill communities who lost their jobs and their mill in this brutal restructuring. We salute the membership of our respective unions who stood together through these difficult times and who gave up wages and benefits in order to protect our retirees. USW and CEP members at Resolute Forest Products today demand respect and fairness. We reject absolutely any form of contrived competition between workers and mills. We insist that the company respect our bargaining caucus, our pattern agreements and ends any form of job blackmail between the local unions. Given all the effort and sacrifice of our members which has allowed Resolute Forest Products to survive to this point, we demand to be consulted and have the right to discuss alternate solutions before more corporate decisions are taken that affect the workforce and the communities. At this meeting of all CEP and USW Resolute Forest Products local unions in Montral, Qubec, we resolve to stand in solidarity and to speak with this company with one voice at the national level in each country, and together on a global basis. We will ensure that our local unions have ongoing information and communications about Resolute Forest Products, its business plans, financial reality and corporate strategy. We will inform each other about developments in our bargaining caucuses and local unions. We will support each other and respond decisively when our solidarity is needed.