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Retired employees of Fraser Papers demonstrate in Gatineau

At a demonstration organized by retired employees of the Fraser Papers mill in Thurso, Dave Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, said the union will “take all possible legal and political actions to…

At a demonstration organized by retired employees of the Fraser Papers mill in Thurso, Dave Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, said the union will “take all possible legal and political actions to ensure that there is justice for Fraser Papers retirees.” Coles said that the union’s lawyers are examining grounds for a civil suit against the company over the administration of the pension plan.

“We believe that our retirees who lost 35% of their pensions are victims of mismanagement by this company, and we fully intend to ensure that they are held accountable for their actions,” said Coles.

Fraser Papers, which is owned by Brookfield Asset Management, placed itself under the protection of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) last year. According to CEP, it was not obliged to pay into the pension plan to return it to solvency. From the outset, the union has denounced the fact that Fraser Papers has been “casting off all its obligations.”

Fortress Paper purchased the Thurso mill while Fraser Papers was under creditor protection, and Fraser’s Edmundston, N.B. mill was sold to Twin Rivers Paper Co.

In total, over 800 retired employees were affected when ownership of the kraft pulp mill in Thurso passed from MacLaren, to Noranda Forest and then to Fraser Papers.