Greenwood Forest Products

Things are getting tense around the Greenwood Forest Products lumber mill in Penticton.

Employers are asking for a wage concession to combat increasing freight and energy costs, according to a news release issued last week by Vice President Wade Walker.

Steelworkers Union 1-423 President Ben Landis says that employees are not willing to take what are being called 'significant' wage rollbacks.

"About six weeks ago, the employer met with the union and said they were in serious trouble and needed cost reductions, three weeks ago they gave us the details of the cost reductions they wanted. We met with the crew a couple of weeks ago and they said 'absolutely no concessions' to the employer," says Landis.

Landis says he is not sure if Greenwood considered any other ways to reduce costs.

"We did not get into where the employer could do other things, their goal was to see the workers make concessions in regards to lessening their costs," says Landis.

Landis says they will be presenting the employee's proposal on Tuesday at the beginning of the negotiations.

"They want modest wage increases and some changes in the agreement, and we will wait to see what the employer offers us in negotiations," says Landis.