Daniel Cloutier

On March 11, Unifor Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier addressed more than 150 leaders gathered at the Forestry Communities Forum organized by the “Fédération québécoise des municipalités”, bringing forward the voice of the workers who sustain the forestry sector in every region of Quebec. At a time marked by mill closures, layoffs and growing uncertainty, he stressed the need for a decisive shift toward higher value-added production and highlighted the importance of developing the Canadian domestic market to help offset the loss of access to the U.S. market. He also reminded participants that working conditions in the forestry sector … are the result of negotiations led by unions that defend the interests of working people, and the gains achieved through these struggles benefit unionized and non-unionized workers alike. …Unifor maintains that Quebec’s forestry sector is ready for a genuine industrial policy, one that is built in an inclusive way and that integrates the voice and concerns of workers.