Domtar Staffing Levels Lead to Espanola Pulp Mill Shutdown

Unifor, Toronto, Ont., Canada, reports that it is working with Domtar, Montreal, Que.,  to find solutions to staffing levels that have resulted in the Espanola, Ont., pulp mill's temporary shutdown.

After steam plant staffing levels reached a critical low, some operations could no longer continue. The company later initiated a shutdown, forcing dozens of workers to stop working.

"We're disappointed with Domtar's actions, but we are doing everything we can to ensure that the mill is re-activated with safety in mind," said Scott Doherty, Unifor assistant to the national president. 

Unifor says that a shortage of trained and qualified operators has finally made it impossible to perform many operations safely. Despite these challenges, the union remains optimistic that the mill can be up and running again soon.

"This temporary shutdown is a hiring and training issue, which can be resolved if the employer acts quickly," said Doherty. 

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy.