Galloway Lumber, owned by the Nelson family for 75 years, was sold last month and United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1-405 representation continues to work with the new owner in a bid to ensure it’s members remain employed.

USW Local 1-405, which represents the 44 employees of Galloway Lumber, “has been working closely with the company to agree on how to go forward with an emphasis on returning as many employees to work as soon as possible,” said Doug Singer, USW President of Local 1-405 in Cranbrook.

“When the new owner Brian Fehr took ownership on April 1, 25 of 44 employees were working, with plans to retool the mill into a fabricating shop, sawmill timber mill and CLT (Cross Laminated Timber Plant) over the next couple of years. All but a few employees were laid off initially with plans to call back more over a period of months and could increase to 80 employees over the next couple of years,” a USW media release stated.

“It has been very tough for our members that are laid off, not knowing what the future really holds at this point and when they will return to work. The potential for this new operation for our members, their families and the surrounding communities could be very positive, so both parties are working very hard to make this a success,” added Singer.

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a wood panel product made from gluing layers of solid-sawn lumber together. It is similar to plywood but with distinctively thicker laminations, which can be made into many products including large floor and wall panels.

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