Canada’s Paper and Forest Workers’ Federation (FTPF) of Quebec’s Confederation of National Unions in Canada (CSN) held its 58th Congress last week in Quebec City under the banner of “More than Ever, We Continue Our Action.” ICEM affiliated FTPF-CSN is part of the Quebec-based CSN labour umbrella organisation representing 300,000 workers from 1,700 trade unions in 4,394 workplaces.

Following the opening of the triennial Congress, the President of FTPF-CSN, Sylvain Parent, presented the report of the executive committee before an address by the President of CSN, Claudette Carbonneau.

The ICEM’s Kemal Özkan delivered a speech at the Congress, which ran from 8-12 June, and presented the Global Union Federation’s work plan for the pulp and paper sector, as well as union actions of late. Some 200 delegates attended the Congress.

FTPF-CSN, which last year celebrated its 100th anniversary, rallied its members to have a forward-looking vision for the timber, pulp, and paper industries of Quebec. According to the 13,000-member union, since the onset of Canada’s forest crisis in 2003, plant closures have taken place “at a rate of hell.”

Over 15,000 workers, including 3,200 FTPF members, have lost their jobs. It is estimated that out of 250 communities dependent on the forestry sector, 31 were severely strained by the job loss. Several experts spoke on new products derived from forestlands, as well as on environmental issues and an overall global portrait of the sector and in Canada.

On 10 June, the future of Quebec’s forestry industry was discussed through different panels.

FTPF has 185 local branch unions, and is structured around three sectors: forestry (sawmills, golf clubs, and transportation), pulp and paper (25 unions), and wood processing (doors, windows, counters, furniture, woodworking, and printing. According to union officials, 3,500 members are in the pulp and paper sector.

Its umbrella federation, the CSN, covers nine national sectors, including commerce, white-collar workers, health and social services, metal, pulp/paper/forestry, communications, education, public services, and construction.