Vancouver-based Fortress Paper Ltd. announced this morning that construction has resumed at the Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill in Thurso, Quebec, following an employee walkout Monday.
The company announced Tuesday that a walkout had stopped construction work at the mill. (See “Labour unrest halts Quebec Fortress mill construction” – BIV Business Today, October 25).
At the time, the company said the walkout was part of a wider protest movement in Quebec by construction unions opposing proposed legislation that would claw back some of their powers.
In today’s update, the company said it had been experiencing construction worker absenteeism since the evening of October 20.
“While at the time the company did not consider that these actions were likely to materially impact the timing of the conversion project at the mill, the unexpected full walkout by the construction workers on Monday, October 24, 2011, has impacted the critical path of the project,” a company statement reads.
“The company expects construction activity to reach normalized levels once the construction workforce is fully remobilized and construction activities are fully ramped-up. However, it is possible that labour relations could change as a result of ongoing opposition to proposed government legislation.”
The company had planned to start dissolving-pulp production in early November. Today, the company stated it expects production will start “no later than in mid-November.”
Calls to the company were not returned by press deadline.
Jenny Wagler
@JennyWagler_BIV