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11 September, 2007
ICEM-affiliated papermaking union leaders concluded a highly successful set of talks last week in Helsinki and Stockholm. The top leaders, coming from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the US, as well as Norway, Denmark, and the UK, met through invitation of the Nordic Paper Workers’ Union network, and in coordination with the ICEM. The meetings took place 4-7 September.
A definitive plan to form a work group and expedite global paper union issues through the ICEM was agreed to. The work group will include representatives from the Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) Union of Canada, the US’s United Steelworkers (USW), and the Nordic paper unions.
The US and Canadian labour leaders met with senior managers of both UPM (Kymmene) and Stora Enso, and visited the two company’s Finnish mills in Anjalankoski (Stora) and Kymi Mill in Kuusankoski (UPM). A similar visit took place at Stora’s Kvarnsveden mill in Borlänge, Sweden.
From left to right: Jan-Henrik Sandberg, Pappers; Jouko Ahonen, Paperiliitto; Dave Coles, CEP; Jon Geenen, USW; and Marrku Palokangas, Toimihenkilöunioni.
The conference and series of meetings was initiated by ICEM affiliates Paperiliitto in Finland and Svenska Pappers in Sweden. Paperiliitto President Jouko Ahonen and Pappers President Jan-Henrik Sandberg hosted the strategic meetings. The work group will come together in the next few months to undertake an immediate plan of action together with the ICEM.
From Canada, CEP President Dave Coles, Sec.-Treas. Gaetan Menard, and CEP Assistant Fred Wilson attended the meetings. From the US, the meetings included USW Director Jon Geenen, Staff Representative Michael Bolton, and local branch leader and Stora worker Mike Peplinski, who serves as USW’s delegate to Stora Enso’s European Works Council (EWC).
From Finland, ICEM Paper Sector Chairman Ahonen led a Paperiliiito contingent consisting of Petri Vanhala, Esa Mäisti, Sauli Jovanen, Juhani Siira, and Aila Seppälä. Finnish delegates also included Markku Palokangas and Jukka Hämäläinen, from ICEM affiliate Toimihenkilöunioni, the Trade Union of Salaried Employees.
In Finland, the Nordic and North American paper union leaders met also with senior leaders of Kemianliitto, affiliate Chemical Workers’ Trade Union, and heard thorough reports from Paperiliitto on health and safety in the paper sector, the union’s unemployment fund, and capital investment in the industry, in which Finnish shop stewards, safety delegates, and EWC representatives from all companies participated.
From Sweden, Bengt Sjöholm, Christer Larsson, and Mikael Jansson of Pappers participated, while SIF’s Lis-Marie Fondberg also took part. Other Nordic representatives at the network meetings included ones from CO-Industri in Denmark and Fellesforbundet in Norway. The Amicus Section of UK affiliate Unite was also strategically included.
The success of last week’s Nordic tour was expressed in the words of the North Americans.
These meetings, said CEP’s Dave Coles, “exceed our expectations. We have put a work plan forward and there is absolute consensus on moving forward and fast. This is a critical time for paperworkers in many countries.”
USW Director Jon Geenen said economic reports coming from the visit confirm the global pulp and paper sector has no limits when it comes to national or geographic boundaries. “Emerging markets in developing nations are attracting capital for obvious reasons, while short-term, Wall Street mentality punishes corporations that invest badly-needed capital in other nations,” stated Geenen.