Prince George, B.C. – One week after the devastating fire at North Central Plywood and Interior Warehousing, fire fighters moved into the "site safety stage" of the mop up.

Meantime, laid off workers have had a chance to meet with some employment agencies, Service Canada reps, educational and grief counsellors.

The special meeting at the Civic Centre yesterday drew about 200 of the workers who are now without work because of the fires.

PPW Union local 25 President Jymm Kennedy says he has been so busy trying to do the union business, he has yet to take a good close look at his own financial situation.

While there are efforts by the City to explore avenues to offer Canfor incentives to rebuild the mill, Kennedy doesn’t believe union concessions will be part of any package. “I can’t really speak on that, because it will up to the membership to decide, but I know the Steelworkers took a pay roll cut in Ft. Nelson, but I have to ask you, did the price of gas go down, or did groceries get cheaper? I would bet everyone in B.C. would be willing to take a 10% roll back if everything else in the province drops 12 %. If the insurance company is going to pay for a rebuild why would we have to take a pay cut?”

There is cause for concern for the union local. Kennedy says   there will be an effort to make sure the membership knows there is a hall to go to, that the local is there for them but, as much as he is working to see the mill rebuilt, there is also a concern about the future of the local. “We maintain our certification for two years, regardless.” Canfor Vice President, Manufacturing Mark Feldinger estimated it would take 18 months to build a plant, but that decision wouldn’t be made until after months of discussions and analysis. That would make the time frame longer than the two years of certification. Kennedy is certain the PPW will still be representing the workers if there is a rebuild “There is arbitrational law out there that says if you open up something, the bargaining agent that was there, has the right to work there.”