Pickets Up Outside PG Mill

PRINCE GEORGE — Picket lines have gone up outside the Prince George sawmill and chip plant.

“We have an overtime on. We put the overtime ban on for a period of time now,” says Brian O’Rourke, President of the Steelworkers Union, Local 1-2017. “It seems to be working quite well in some places and in others, not so much. So we started last week with stage two of rotating strikes. We did one at Lakeview in Williams Lake last week. And, this week, Prince George Sawmill, as of this morning, were behind picket lines as well.”

In a Facebook Post, the union had this to say: “Rotating strikes continue as employers utilize management and chargehands to operate equipment and machine centres during coffee and lunch times amidst the overtime ban that has been issued. The forest industry members want a fair agreement without concessions !!!”

The strike has been prompted by a lack of progress at the bargaining table.