Canadian locals with members covered by contracts with the giant multinational Quebecor met to update each other on situations in their plants and to strengthen coordination.

The meeting, held in Toronto, included 23 International officers and staff and delegates from nine local unions.

GCIU Vice Pres. Duncan K. Brown chairs the Quebecor Council meeting. From left are Brown and Rod Main and Vice Pres. Mike Worobec from Alberta 34M.

GCIU Vice Pres. Duncan K. Brown, who chaired the meeting, said the sessions were "very positive. People reaffirmed their commitment to working together on a broader scale. The ongoing rationalization by Quebecor of its production facilities was a recognition of the need to have meetings with both U.S. and Canadian locals with Quebecor contracts."

Brown said the locals had "a good exchange of information and analysis of information to help determine what is going on. We analyzed patterns in terms of what is going on in plants across the country. We also looked at common objectives and strategies for coordinating with each other."

Sessions covered Quebecor's objectives and strategies that emerged during contract bargaining in recent years and ways to reinforce coordination among locals and their bargaining committee members in different plants in the same regions.

Brown filled in delegates on events at international meetings of unions representing Quebecor employees in North and South America and Europe. He also talked about liaison discussions between GCIU and Quebecor officials aimed at improving dialogue and relations between the company and union. Another topic involved the recently formed Quebecor European Works Council – mandated by European Union rules – that includes representatives from Quebecor and European printing unions.