RECENT TRENDS IN COLLECTIVE-BARGAINING IN THE QUEBEC PAPER-INDUSTRY

The paper industry plays a leading role in the Canadian economy, both because of the number of persons it employs and the value of exports i t generates. This industry is often the source of the only major econo mic activity in small remote communities, particularly in Quebec. Whil e it has maintained its leading role in the Canadian economy, the pape r industry faced severe financial difficulties in the 1980's due to an accelerated rate of technological change, more restrictive environmen tal regulations and increased international competition. These changes have influenced industrial relations policies and practices in the in dustry. Many recent agreements introducing significant changes in the traditional organization of work have been concluded by unions affilia ted with the Federation of Pulp and Paper Workers (FTPF-CSN) represent ing about one third of the unionized employees in the industry in Queb ec. In most cases, the agreements were negotiated under difficult cond itions due to the economic and financial crisis affecting major employ ers in the industry. Those agreements involved substantial modificatio ns in work rules and important reductions in the work forces of severa l mills. These latter were achieved through early retirements and attr ition. An analysis of recent collective negotiations conducted by unio ns affiliated with the CNTU in the Quebec paper industry reveals the i mportance of job flexibility for employers and of job security for uni ons. Functional flexibility associated with work reorganization has be en the focus of negotiations concluded in this industry since the mid- 1980's. Employers were looking for a means of improving the efficiency of production through job reductions and the rationalization of work practices. Current changes in work organization have directly affected both the nature and content of tasks performed by workers as well as the traditional role of unions. In a few cases, the reorganization ind uced a renewal of collective action through the involvement of workers and their union representatives in plant management. Craft workers we re the first to be affected by this reorganization that was later exte nded to production employees. However, these changes did not lead to a deskilling of craft workers since the transfer of marginal maintenanc e tasks to production operators did not affect core tasks in the craft s. The acceptance by unions of flexibility in return for early retirem ent plans, training programs and protection against technological chan ge, reflects a readiness on their part to tie work effort to job secur ity. This compromise is considered by unions to be a more acceptable s olution to current economic problems than are salary reductions or red uced job security.