MESSAGE FROM JACK MUNRO

THE LAVIGNE CASE —
A RARE VICTORY

By Jack Munro

Over the past few years, we in
the B.C. Labour movement have
had a tough time just keeping our
heads above water. Just as one
crisis begins to subside, another
appears. Bill Bennett's assault of
1983, then Vander Zalm’s Bill 19
and 20, then Mulroney’s program
of privatization, deregulation and
“Free Trade” (which turned out to
be the opposite of free trade in the
forest industry). And, just to make
sure we don’t get bored, the indus-
try weighs in once in a while with
things like their “contracting out”,
and Fletcher Challenge’s campaign
to rid B.C. of sawlogs, sawmills,
sawmill workers and loggers.

So it is a good thing that now
and then something happens to
shift our attention from the latest
crisis to a more general, underly-
ing, theme. Such an event was the

recent decision of the Ontario
Court of Appeals, overturning a
Lower Court Award, and confirm-
ing the right of Labour to partici-
pate in Canadian politics, and to
do so, where necessary, by using
union dues.

It is aremarkable thing that the
matter even comes before the
courts. The opposing view is that
it is O.K. for a union to seek wage
increases, but somehow illegiti-
mate for it to object, for example,
when Tree Farm Licencees shut
down sawmills; O.K. to press an
employer to construct better safety
lock-outs, but illegitimate to raise
hell when Workers’ Compensation
Boards consistently act against
workers. It makes no sense.

Employers fully understand the
value of political action, and of
spending lots of money on their

Gerry Stoney Steps Down After
17 yrsas Labour Council President

cl

men’s Union.

PASSING THE GAVEL to Joe Leclair, new President of the New
Westminster and District Labour Council, is outgoing President Gerry
Stoney. Brother Stoney, now first vice-president of IWA-CANADA, has
held that position since 1971, the longest Labour Council Presidency in
Canadian history. The Council meeting, held on February 22, recognized
Stoney’s achievement in building up the Council from its infancy to its
present day status. Brother Stoney helped develop a united, active and
well educated membership. Onlooking is Don Garcia, President of the
Canadian Area of the International Longshoremen’s and Warehouse-

TFL INVESTIGATION
REQUIRED NOW

IWA-CANADA, in a submission to
the BC. Ministry of Forests’ public
information sessions on proposed pol-
icy and procedures for the replace-
ment of Major Volume Based Tenures
with Tree Farm Licences, has made
an urgent request for a full inquiry
into the B.C. forest industry.

The submission suggests that a
three-person board with full powers of
subpoena be immediately established
to examine the deteriorating adminis-
tration of the forest industry.

Although IWA-CANADA supports
TFLs as a superior form of tenure,
present day administration of the
licences are suspect.

Within the TFLs companies have
been concentrating their Annual
Allowable Cuts in jpame timber areas,
Jogging the best shows only. This has

left a shortage of good saw logs for
future harvesting.

The union submission also cites
evidence that TFL holders are chip-
ping good sawlogs for pulp produc-
tion. Industry is reported by the [WA
as to having a bias for pulp produc-
tion and not job creation.

“.,. Our greatest concern is occa-
sioned by the fact that the govern-
ment seems to join the industry in
this, at best, general lack of concern
about the provision of jobs. . .” states
the submission.

“Before any more TFLs are issued,
or renewed, some device has to be
built into those agreements assuring
that the stability of supply to giant
corporations is somehow translated
into securities for employees and con-
tractors and communities.”

political friends, and on their pet
Political projects. In the recent
Federal election, the Business
Council on National issues, the
blue-ribbon, big business lobby
group that operates out of Ottawa,
spent millions. And they do so in
every election, making handsome
donations to their friends in the
PC., Liberal and Social Credit
Parties. 5

And that isn’t something new.
In our industry, for example, from.
the day that it was created in 1902,
the B.C. Loggers’ Association was
deeply immersed in politics. AndI
am sure that is true for every
industry association across the
country.

Politics is at the root of every
problem we have. We are frus-
trated when we try to organize,
because we have a lousy Labour

Relations Act, and a lousy Labour
Relations Council. And when we
do manage to overcome all the
legislative impediments and get a
half-decent wage increase, the cor-
rupt tax system takes half of it
away.

And politics is certainly at the
root of our problem with Fletcher
Challenge. It was a provincial goy-
ernment (Social Credit), that gave
them the TFL, that accepted their
assurances that there would be no
layoffs.

So three cheers for the Ontario
Court of Appeals. For once, they
were right.

ED BROADBENT

RETIRES FROM
NDP LEADERSHIP

At an emotionally charged meeting
of the Federal Council of the N.D.P. in
Toronto on March 4th, Ed Broadbent
delivered an optimistic speech about
the future of the Federal Party. Broad-
bent also announced he would not be
seeking re-election at the next Party
Convention. Although many of the
delegates instinctively felt this would
happen, most were hoping the deci-
sion would be that Ed would stay on
as Federal Leader.

Ed was leader of the Federal Party
for fourteen years, and during that
period rose from an almost unknown
Federal Member of Parliament to the
most popular Federal Leader in Can-
ada. His honest forthright manner of
presenting himself and the arguments
of the N.D.P. made his name a house-
hold word.

The last Federal Election under
Ed’s leadership resulted in the high-
est number of New Democrat Federal
Members of Parliament elected in the
history of the party and much of the
credit for this belongs to Ed Broad-
nt.

Up until the last two minutes of
Ed’s speech to the Federal Council,
the only other person in the room who
knew what his decision would be was
his wife Lucille, who sat patiently
beside him during the announcement.

A lot of tears were shed during the
remainder of the morning of the meet-
ing, and a great deal of sadness is
going to prevail amongst the party
membership and supporters as the
realization of what has taken place
sinks in during the weeks and months
ahead.

No doubt the Leadership Conven-
tion later this year will pay tribute to
Ed and Lucille. The Federal Council
has moved the date for the leadership
race to late November to allow candi-
dates time to get their campaigns
together.

Ed will be missed by IWA-
CANADA members across the coun-
try, as a friend, as well as a great
political leader. With few exceptions
in his fourteen years as leader, Ed
took the time to attend and bring a
message to IWA Conventions from
the time he was elected leader in 1975.

Ed will be missed by millions of
Canadians, but especially by trade
unionists across the country whom
Ed was never bashful about declaring
his affinity with.

The pleasant fact that has been
stated by Ed about his future is that
he will not be stepping down as a
Federal Member .of Parliament.

; us yal be missed by all of us as
leader but respected for years to come
for the contribution he made in the
Canadian Political scene.

— Gerry Stoney

IIE

4/LUMBERWORKER/MARCH, 1989