Mill workers stage pre-shift protest

Workers at Corner Brook Pulp and Paper held a brief demonstration Thursday morning against the company's decision to hire contract workers for maintenance duties.

About 40 trades workers delayed vehicles that were heading to the newsprint mill.

Dwayne Avery, vice-president of the union representing millwrights and machinists, said workers are upset that Kruger Inc. is not hiring displaced mill employees first.

"As our numbers go down, their numbers go up of course, because maintenance has to be done," he told CBC News.

"The work's got to be done (and we have) guys retiring and that they are not replacing them ,and all our members that were laid off are currently heading to Alberta of Labrador for work," Avery said.

The protest ended when the workers headed into the mill for the start of their 8 a.m. shift.