JUNE, 1988

At 1:00 p.m., on
May 24 two sepa-
rate groups walked
into @ room in the
Hotel Vancouver
to begin what will

be, along summer |

of hard work.

The two groups are the IWA nego-

tiating committee and FIR repre-
senting coastal employers. It is these
two groups that will set the pace and
the terms for contract negotiations
in 1988. What happens in that room
will be reflected one way or another
in agreements in most sectors of the
forest industry. \

The process started some time
ago, with an exchange of demands
with the industry. At that time, FIR
was given the opportunity to see the
IWA demands and the IWA the

industries proposals for the Coast |

Master Agreement.
Secretary of the Negotiating Com-

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Delegates discussing demands at Wages and Contract Conference.

Sirile Fund Healthy

The IWA is in good shape should
we be facing a strike in 1988 negotia-
tions. The 1986 strike put a great
strain on IWA resources but, it has
strengthened the IWA position, not
weakened it. The IWA built up a lot
of credibility during the last strike,
reports national Secretary-Treasurer
Gerry Stoney. “It could have been a
problem but instead it showed that
the IWA and its membership can be
trusted. We borrowed 10 million dol-
lars from various unions during that
strike. Every penny of it was paid
back by August of 1987. I am proud
of our union for pulling that off.”

It means that no matter what the
industry throws at the IWA in nego-
tiations we are ready to face it. It
also means that the industry will
think twice before forcing a strike.

“We have the entire trade union
movement standing behind us. The
industry knows that all too well,”
says Stoney.

The strike fund itself has seen a
lot of stress over the last two years.
The Ziedler strike, which has now

BARGAINING BEGINS

a ae

VAN SS
expanded from Slave Lake to Ed-
monton and strikes in western
Ontario have put strain on it. None-
theless, the fund has just one million
less than it did prior to the 1986
strike.

The IWA is as strong if not
stronger going into this set of nego-
tiations than ever before.

The IWA can survive another
lengthy strike because of the credi-
bility we have built up throughout
the labour movement.

3rd Vice President
Roger Stanyer and
Secretary Trea-
surer Gerry Ston-
ey, talking just be-
fore negotiations
with FIR.