Tembec will lock out 250 workers: union

Tembec Inc. has told its unions it will lock out 250 workers at its Manitoba newsprint operations in Pine Falls, effective Sept. 1, union leaders said Friday.

They said they received word of the lockout at a contract bargaining session in which they were given more details about the Montreal-based company's concession demands.

In a release, the unions described the move as part of "an all-out effort to take away some 35 per cent in wage-and-benefit concessions from United Steelworkers and [the] Canadian Office and Professional Employee Union."

Steelworkers area supervisor Wayne Skrypnyk said the union is willing to continue to bargain and encourages the company to rethink the lockout plan.

"A lockout on Sept 1, after contract talks just began on Aug. 13, does not send a positive signal to workers or the community," Skrypnyk said. "Tembec has to act responsibly."