r ¢ IWA-CANADA President Jack Munro sat down with (I. to r.) B.C. NDP Leader Mike Harcourt, Native Leader George Watts, and Environmental Leader Colleen McCrory in mid-June to endorse the NDP’s “Environment and Jobs Accord.” IWA joins accord with NDP natives, environmentalists VANCOUVER, B.C. — IWA-CANADA has joined with the Nuu Chah Nulth Tribal Council, and environmentalist groups to endorse the New Demo- cratic Party of British Columbia’s “Environment and Jobs Accord” which is designed to resolve the prov- ince’s land-use conflicts. At a news conference held here on June 14, IWA-CANADA’s National President Jack Munro endorsed the new accord which has three major objectives: © creation of economic stability for forest communities and forest work- ers through new job creation in value- added and secondary manufacturing industries and improved intensive silviculture. © a doubling of B.C.’s unique park & wilderness areas from 6 to 12% and legal protection of those areas. © settlement of outstanding Aborigi- nal land claims to benefit all British Columbians. Brother Munro said that doubling the park and wilderness areas will not necessarily mean that an additional 6% of lands set aside will come from working forest lands. “The real problem is that we don’t have proper forest management,” said Brother Munro. “Everybody is get- ting sick and tired of this valley by valley decision-making. You can’t run a forest industry like that.” The union president was referring to the Socred government's decision on splitting the Carmanah Valley, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, to create a park and further study log- ging impacts. The caucus of the NDP has vowed to oppose the Socred’s Carmanah Pacific Park Act (Bill 28) which will be introduced to the provincial legis- lature in the near future. NDP leader Mike Harcourt termed the Carmanah bill as “arbitrary and litical” in nature and said the ocred proposal is not meant to create a park but rather create battles between Aboriginal peoples, environ- mental activists, and woodworkers. George Watts, Nuu Chah Nulth Tribal Council Chairman, said that “we prefer to sit down and negotiate (land-claims) or the only alternative is to use the courts.” Mr. Watts said there is a mistaken assumption that IWA members and pulp workers will lose jobs when they deal with Aboriginal peoples or environmentalists. Colleen McCrory, founding Co-or- dinator of the Canadian Future For- est Alliance, agreed that confronta- tion is being created by the Social Credit government and that land claims, creation of additional wilder- ness areas, value added forest indus try employment generation, and! proper forest management all need to be seriously examined by those who will partake in the Accord should an NDP government come to power. An NDP government would plan to undertake an immediate province- wide inventory of forest resource to recognize their ecological, economic, and cultural values. A time limited system of negotiations would deter- mine what public forest lands should be set aside and what should be dedi- cated to the working forest. A regionally based land-use plan- ning framework would be established which will involve forest users and other affected parties. An environment-job accord will most importantly, provide compensa- tion of forest workers for any job losses and will stimulate local employ- ment initiatives, in new timber trades, intensive silviculture and labour adjustment programs. Mr. Harcourt said that British Columbians are being shortchanged and are not receiving full value for the logs that are being cut now. He also said that an NDP government will link access of companies to forest lands with job creation. Union pays tribute to long-time President ® William Schumaker retires after 30 years of service to the IWA KELOWNA, B.C. — Delegates and speakers to the 18th Annual Dele- gated Meeting on Local 1-423 here on May 4 and 5 took turns in thanking outgoing President Bill Schumaker for his over 30 years of service to the IWA. Brother Schumaker turned the gavel over to Troi Caldwell who will succeed him as president. At the LADM were visitors from various local unions in IWA-CANADA. IWA-CANADA President Jack Munro praised Schumaker for his ded- ication to the betterment of working people. “There isn’t a woodworker in North America today that somehow isn't better off due to the efforts of men like Bill Schumaker,” said Munro. Brother Munro said that Schumaker was a cornerstone of the International Executive Board of the International Woodworkers of America. Brother Schumaker, who served as local president for 30 years, was on staff at Local 1-423 for 28% years. He first joined the Regional Execu- tive Board in 1967 and played a major role in coordinating a major strike that year which resulted in wage par- ity for Interior locals with the B.C. coast. : 2 As a union activist Brother Schu- maker helped organize some 20 opera- tions in local boundaries over the years. Under his leadership the local union never refused once to support a refer- endum ballot calling for more money or help for the IWA. Brother Munro also said that the outgoing local union leader played a key role in the formation of an inde- pendent Canadian Union for the IWA. Also bringing messages of congrat- ulations and thanks to Brother Schumaker were Doug Evans, him- self a retiring union president from Vancouver Local 1-217. Longtime union ally and friend Wayne Nowlin, President of Local 1-405 was on hand along with Local 1-417 President Kevin Kelly to bid © Bill Schumaker accepts gift from Local bash. Brother Schumaker happy retirement and tell some good stories about things that happened over the years. Other guests included Port Alberni Local 1-85 President Earl Foxcroft, Financial Secretary Dan Clements, representing Duncan Local 1-80, Bob 1-405 President Wayne Nowlin at retirement DeLeeuw, Financial Secretary from Alberta Local 1-207, and Edith Skiber from Local 1-405. Several guests, Dell Welder and former Local 1-405 president Art Danstrom were also on hand to wish him all the best. 16/LUMBERWORKER/JULY, 1990