Interfor Announces Completion of Pope & Talbot Transaction

I cannot see Interfor keeping this mill down for very long, even if they open with one shift or a 2 shift 4 day work week. The union must be flexible and agree to changes that work for Castlegar. Once Interfor decides what wood product will sell into the construction market the mill will re-open.

Planerboy...you sound like you have first hand knowledge of what's going on...you wouldn't happen to be a ex superintendent would you :)

Why not share what you really know?

USW Boy wrote:

Planerboy...you sound like you have first hand knowledge of what's going on...you wouldn't happen to be a ex superintendent would you :)
Why not share what you really know?

You're right, I am an "Ex". We are all "Ex's". We are all Ex-P&T employee's. I just want to go back to work, just like the rest of you. Like the rest of you I do not want to relocate. I love it here, and to stay here I am willing to be patient with Interfor and give them the benefit of the doubt.
We all should try to make them feel welcome, and do our best to work together with management to make the mills profitable again, and to make sure we all can be here for a long time. Let's face it, where the hell are we all gonna work?
Just remember, it doesn't matter who I am, or who you think I am. What matters is we all have to put the BS aside and help get the mills up and running, and be able to give a little.

Thu, 2008-05-08 16:12.
Local News
BC forestry workers who still have jobs are becoming increasingly rare as the industry copes with a devastating downturn and now those workers are being asked to make a sacrifice.

Bob Matters with the United Steelworkers Union says Interior Forest Labour Relations has asked the union to defer a three per cent wage increase.

The hike was due to take effect July 1st. Local Plant Chairperson for the Union in Grand Forks John Maximenko says that wouldn't be fair.

Union spokesman Bob Matters isn't saying if the Steelworkers will approve the request but he says it's not surprising and the union will do what's best for its members.

Meanwhile, some workers are going into their four month off the job, and it's still not clear when mills in Grand Forks and Castlegar will back up and running.

Chris Carr - Astral Media Radio News
http://www.kbsradio.ca/node/715379

Lumberbaron, you are well informed of our situation here for a guy from mid province. What about this for a theory, all be it far fetched.
Fox Lumber......What if Fox fired up Midway? Plenty of experienced guys around. EI running out. Already employed USW guys at reduced wages. Purchase logs off of Westfor to defer their shutdown costs. All production work for 3rd. world wages. PB will go there so he doesn't have to move.
Everyone knows Midway had the lowest unit costs of the three Poop & Toilet mills. In this day, THAT mill has the most potential for profit.
Call me nuts.........

WESTAR REINCARNATED wrote:

Lumberbaron, you are well informed of our situation here for a guy from mid province. What about this for a theory, all be it far fetched.
Fox Lumber......What if Fox fired up Midway? Plenty of experienced guys around. EI running out. Already employed USW guys at reduced wages. Purchase logs off of Westfor to defer their shutdown costs. All production work for 3rd. world wages. PB will go there so he doesn't have to move.
Everyone knows Midway had the lowest unit costs of the three Poop & Toilet mills. In this day, THAT mill has the most potential for profit.
Call me nuts.........

Sounds good! Can I get that in writing! LOL!!!
If I was going to insult you I wouldn't call you "nuts". I would call you "iff,s", or "the wolf"! LMAO!!!!

WESTAR REINCARNATED wrote:

Lumberbaron, you are well informed of our situation here for a guy from mid province. What about this for a theory, all be it far fetched.
Fox Lumber......What if Fox fired up Midway? Plenty of experienced guys around. EI running out. Already employed USW guys at reduced wages. Purchase logs off of Westfor to defer their shutdown costs. All production work for 3rd. world wages. PB will go there so he doesn't have to move.
Everyone knows Midway had the lowest unit costs of the three Poop & Toilet mills. In this day, THAT mill has the most potential for profit.
Call me nuts.........

I think your theory sounds a lot like Kalesnikoff Lumber out in Thrums actually.

I think Midway could run, nothing fancy though. Something along the lines of a stud mill, one shift, cranking out PET 2x3 or 2x4 would fit along Fox's product line.

The only downside would be a timber supply, which would be straight purchase wood. Wood up here is cheap, cheap and cheaper.

But, like you say, MW was cheap to run, and with no holiday pay obligations, a bit cheaper. So you can shell out a bit more for wood at a MoF auction.

Planerboy wrote:

<quoted text>
Sounds good! Can I get that in writing! LOL!!!
If I was going to insult you I wouldn't call you "nuts". I would call you "iff,s", or "the wolf"! LMAO!!!!

Hey planerboy, you think midway would pay more than 711? I just might join you..

Western Forest Products sure upset the apple cart this week closing their Duke Point mill and their logging operations until the end of August. I think they only have one of their 8 sawmills running full out, maybe 3 closed and the others running one shift at most. Their outlook for lumber sales into the USA was very bearish. I don't see any chance of the Interfor's Castlegar or Grand Forks mills opening anytime soon unless they run only one shift 4 days a week or something like that in order to cover their overhead. BC Lumber Companies seem determined to starve the lumber supply into the USA in order to bring some pricing power back.

I am from from one of the mills in the United States. We were bought out several years ago by Interfor. In the aftermath it is always turbulent, but in the end I believe that the survivors of the buy out, in both mills, will find that this change will be to the benefit of all involved. There were a lot of misgivings, and a lot of changeovers, in the first couple of years. There always is in these circumstances. Hang in there though, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I agree...I worked in the Midway mill and went through that shut down, I have worked in Williams lake for the past three years at Tolko...which is now shut down. There is hope though. I dont see the point in buying a mill to leave it shut down but why open an ice cream shop in the dead of winter?