STRIKES HIT CONSOLIDATED-BATHURST <cb.to> MILLS
Consolidated-Bathurst Inc said three of
its Quebec newsprint mills have been shut down by strikes which
began over the weekend.
    The company said about 2,000 workers, members of the
Canadian Paperworkers Union and another, independent union,
walked out at its Wayagamack mill at Trois-Rivieres, its
Laurentide mill at Grand-Mere and its Belgo mill at Shawinigan.
    Their contract expired April 30.
    The Laurentide mill has an annual capacity of 200,000 
tonnes, the Belgo mill 350,000 tonnes, and the Wayagamack mill
70,000 tonnes.
    The strikes are the first at Consolidated-Bathurst mills
since an industry-wide walkout in 1976, company spokeswoman
Denise Dallaire said.
    "As far as management is concerned, negotiations are going
on right now," Dallaire said, adding she could not elaborate.
Union officials were not immediately available for comment.
Company officials had said at the annual meeting in April they
expected no labor problems this year.
 reuter
