NewPage voting underway in Port Hawkesbury

Voting started Monday on a contract offer from a company that wants to buy the idle NewPage Port Hawkesbury paper mill, with the union executive recommending the deal be accepted.

The executive of the Communications Energy and Paperworkers union Local 972 had previously taken no position on the offer, which is a key hurdle in getting the Cape Breton mill back in operation.

The executive's position appears to have changed after Pacific West Commercial Corporation provided new information to the union. 

Union vice-president Archie MacLachlan says the new information included clarification on seniority and recall rights. He spoke to CBC about his view on the offer.

The union's membership decided at a meeting last night to put the offer to a vote, starting today and ending Tuesday. 

Stern Group, parent company of Pacific West Commercial, made an original offer that would have laid off about 320 of the 550-member workforce. Marc Dube spoke to CBC about why he thinks workers should accept the new offer.

MacLachlan says those numbers are still accurate because Pacific West Commercial would only operate one of two papermaking machines at the mill in Point Tupper.

Port Hawkesbury Mayor Billy Joe MacLean spoke to CBC's Information Morning about the impact the deal would have on the community.

The financially troubled mill closed in September.