~ Woodworkers protest (Continued from page 1) IWA-CANADA President Jack Mun- ro told the crowd that woodworkers are sick and tired of being a shock absorber in the ongoing battle about forest management. “The provincial government doesn’t have a clue about what it is doing with our public forests, and the general public has lost confidence in its abil- ity to manage,” said Munro. “Now it is woodworkers who are paying the price and we resent being pitted against environmentalists because we are environmentalists too.” Ken Georgetti, President of the B.C. Federation of Labour, told the audi- ence that the provincial government has fostered confrontation between workers and environmentalists through their mismanagement of the public resource. He criticized the media for lack of coverage of the IWA’s efforts to seek common sense solutions. Georgetti also pointed out that employers sim- ply have slick public relations pro- grams for forest management while labour has been the only consistent voice in demanding responsible forest administration. Brother Munro said that “good gov- ernment” would not have allowed high-grading of logging settings, mas- sive log exports, tree farm licence Earl Foxcroft mergers, and large cuts to forest ser- vice staff. The National President slammed the provincial government for allow- ing chipping of sawlogs and subsidi- zation of pulp mills with low chip prices. He said that sawmill workers have been losing employment, and plant closures have caused communi- ties to fold and the people of the province to scrap amongst each other. Munro shouted out the union’s posi- tion that the government establish a sensible commercial thinning pro- gram, a value-added sector that pays decent wages, an adequate research and development program, and a “real” sustained-yield policy with a solid commitment to jobs. In direct reference to the Carmanah, Brother Munro said that the valley bottom can be left untouched but that careful logging of the rest of the val- ley should be allowed. “Certain areas of the province should be logged more carefully than others and some areas have to be preserved for their unique historical values.” Munro told the crowd that the [WA is calling for a strategic planning coali- tion of environmentalists, government, industry and the union to supervise the utilization of the Carmanah. © Ontario Fed. of Labour Executive Vice- President Ken Signoretti (left) joined with Jack Munro, CLC President Shirley Carr, Alberta Fed. President Don Aitken, Local 1-207 (Alberta) President Mike Pisak and others to pledge additional support for the Zeidler Boycott movement. Labour supports boycott EDMONTON, ALTA. — High rank- ing labour leaders from across Cana- da met on June 8 at a protest rally outside the Zeidler plywood plant in Edmonton. The labour leaders, joined by a crowd of more than 250 support- ers, vowed to step up the boycott of Zeidler products and increase pres- sure on an uncaring employer. Nearly 180 IWA members remain on strike at the Zeidler sawmill in Slave Lake, Alberta and plywood plant in Edmonton. Shirley Carr, President of the Cana- dian Labour Congress, informed the rally that the organization is calling a meeting of C.L.C. building and con- struction trade affiliates to plan a more effective boycott. Emphasis was placed for affiliate support from Que- bec and Ontario where most of the scab products are being sold. Vair Clendenning, president of the Alberta and Northwest Territories Building Trade Council pledged that his fellow members will refuse to han- dle any scab made product. Also pres- ent was Len Werden, vice-president of the B.C. Federation of Labour and head of the B.C. and Yukon Building Trades Council, to pledge support. Letters of support from Barb Byers, president of the Saskatchewan Feder- ation of Labour and Wilf Hudson, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour were read at the rally. Girard Rowe, Zeidler Boycott co- ordinator from the Quebec Federation of Labour, was also in attendance. IWA-CANADA President, Jack Munro, slammed the Don Getty gov- ernment for lack of involvement in the labour disputes. Munro said the gov- ernment has done nothing to fight labour unrest in the province. Also present were Don Aitken, pres- ident of the Alberta Federation of Labour and Ken Signoretti, vice- president of the Ontario Federation of Labour. Alberta New Democratic leader Ray Martin was on hand with party labour critic Tom Sigurdson who told the audience that he is introducing a bill to the legislature to outlaw scab labour in the province. IWA national second vice-president. Neil Menard and third vice-president Fernie Viala were also present to lend support to the strikers. The rally was organized by former AFL president Dave Werlin, who has been recently hired by the IWA to help in the boycott and strike set- tlement. Jack Munro Ken Georgetti Dave Parker Local President talks about the Carmanah “Because of the intensity of the rally in Victoria the preservationist groups understand that there is a large working force out there that is not only interested in their jobs but is keenly interested in how areas are going to be logged and how areas are going to be preserved,” says Earl Foxcroft, president of Local 1-85. “Tt’s very unfortunate that the pub- lic media is getting a picture that we want to go in there and destroy the forests when that is not our intention. “We have an intention to press the government and the forest companies to look after our forests,” says Brother Foxcroft. The Port Alberni local endorses a MacMillan Bloedel management plan submitted to the provincial Ministry of Forests in early January of this year. The plan is an improvement on the company’s previous proposal extend- ing the timber reserve area to nearly 540 hectares of large old growth spruce groves. Included in the pro- posal is an additional “Special Man- agement” area, surrounding the tim- ber reserve, covering an additional 1,912 hectares. Foxcroft says that MB has been much more careful in its approach to the Carmanah than it has been in other areas of the province. “Tn fact, I think it’s becoming uni- versally accepted that all companies CARMANAH GIANT in this province must be extremely careful and utilize our forest resources in a responsible manner,” added Foxcroft. MB's logging plan, according to the local president, should sustain a continuation of logging jobs over the long term. The company plans to use various environmentally sensitive log- ging techniques including “long line’ @ harvesting. The Carmanah wood is essential for employment in the Albernis. Produc- tion in two sawmills, one plywood mill, and one pulp mill is partially conuingeny on the long term logging plan. Some higher quality timber should be shipped to MB's hi-tech mill in Chemainus. The Carmanah has main- ly stands of hemlock and balsam with patches of Douglas fir and western red cedar in various locations. Says Foxcroft: “I believe that the preservationist groups in the area will insist on a special committee to go in and check up on the logging. We do require knowledgeable people to analyze logging plans and processes in the valley.” The IWA is calling for acommunity- based committee to supervise and oversee logging and reforestation in the Carmanah once a management plan has been endorsed by the govern- ment. { existing ROAD \ iA = > VALLEY BOUNDARIES © The management plan for the Carmanah Valley includes a 1,912 hectare “special management area” in addition to a 538 hectare reserve area which will include large spruce groves. The area has been one of concern for union workers, MacMillan Bloedel management, and preservationist groups alike. [WA-Canada is calling for a community based coalition to oversee logging and reforestation in the valley. a 16/LUMBERWORKER/JUNE, 1989