Abitibi-Bowater Merger Could Benefit Region

The proposed merger of Bowater and Abitibi-Consolidated will make the
new company one of the largest employers in Northwestern Ontario.
It will have more than 2,000 employees between Thunder Bay and
Fort Frances.
A Lakehead University economist says the merger seems a good fit and
can’t see the new company closing its Northwestern Ontario plants.
But he also says it’s conceivable that not every plant will survive a
review.
Many workers are wondering about their future at nearly 70 pulp and
paper and lumber mills in eastern Canada and the U-S.
The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union says when companies
use words like `synergies’ it’s often bad news for mill workers.