RESIDENT'S MESSAGE

We should fear
FTA with Mexico

by Jack Munro

WA -CANADA members should be con-
cerned about Federal Government pro-
posals to join a “Free Trade” arrange-
ment with Mexico. There would be a
direct threat to Canadian forest industry
jobs.

Louisiana-Pacific already has a large mill
near Ensenada, Mexico, to cut redwood from
California. Pulpworkers should be at least
equally concerned.

Stone (the U.S. company that last year
bought Consolidated-Bathurst) is establish-
ing plantations of hardwood from India that
can be cropped six years after planting. Sim-
ilar plantations that could be established in
Mexico, and there is already talk of extending
the “Free Trade” arrangement to Central
America,and even perhaps the entire hemis-
phere.

Louisiana-Pacific wages might be about
$1.10 to $1.50 U.S. per hour. The New York

Times Magazine,July
1, 1990, reports a min-
imum wage in Mexico
of $5.40 per day. Gua-
temalan and Bolivian
wages are even lower,
and working condi-
tions are worse than
Mexico.

Growth of industry
along the Mexican-
USS. border has meant
that the tens of thou-
sands of workers have
relocated to cardboard
shanty towns without
sewage, sanitation, or
running water.

Corporations are
dumping toxic chemi-

r-

—_—

ical programs that are
intended to destroy
our ability to protect
ourselves from such
conditions.

We have to bear in
mind that these work-
ers and their families
go to these jobs and
places from lives that
are even more impov-
erished, and it is nota
responsible labour at-
titude just to aban-
don these people to
those conditions.

One possibility we
should be exploring is
insisting on a “social
clause” to govern the

cals into the sewers of
such towns as Nogales.
Foreign companies thrive on the exploitation
of cheap labour and the blood, sweat and
tears of the poor.

For some workers life means 90-hour work
weeks for little in return, to live in squalor and
feed the parasitic bank accounts of corpora-
tions.

But it isn’t good enough for us just to

descry these awful conditions, and resist polit-

working conditions of
people that want to
trade with us, such as the European Labour
and Social Democratic movements have suc-
ceeded in getting into the E.E.C. negotiations.

Another, and equally necessary element in
a labour policy is a much more active role that
we have played in the past on the interna-
tional scene. At our Annual Convention in
September, we will have a speaker, and, I
hope, proposals along these lines.

ad

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. |

Action phase next |
for forest policy

by Claire Dansereau

UR forest policy must shift from theory
to action and the way to do that is to
establish forest-environment committees
in every one of our operations. Therefore,
’ the National Executive Board has ap-
proved guidelines for these committees.

STRUCTURE

It will be preferable for forest-environment com-
mittees to be at the operations, rather that the
Local Union, level.

In order to be effective at creating change, the
committees would ideally be joint Union-
Management. It is expected, however, that Union
representatives will caucus separately from man-
agement on a regular basis. We have much experi-
ence to draw on from health and safety commit-
tees. In those situations where a joint committee
would not be effective, Local Unions could choose
to have a unilateral structure.

One elected official or a staff member at the
Local Union level should be responsible for coordi-
nation between the Operations’ Committees and
environment issues. This person should work
closely with the National Committee and Depart-
ment on Land-Use and the Environment and
would be responsible for implementing environ-
mental regulations as established either through
the National Executive Board or the National
Committee on Forests and the Environment.

Once a year a regional or National Conference,
to coordinate and educate Operations’ Committee
representatives, should take place. The purpose
would be to exchange information and to allow
committee members to become trained in environ-
mental studies as well as in communication with
community groups.

OPERATIONS LEVEL

There are going to be differences between these
committees and Health and Safety Committees
because Environment Committees to date have
no legislation to guide them. Each operation then
will be slightly different from the other depending
on the structure within the corporation that is
being dealt with. For example, the two divisions
of MacMillan Bloedel may have identical or very
different structures and expectations from their
Operations-level-Environment committee depend-
ing on whether Head Office at MacMillan Bloedel
has established guidelines for the establishment
and functioning of the environment committees

or not.

FORESTRY
OPERATIONS

Responsibilities — It
would be preferable that
at least two members of
this level participate in
the preparation of the
development plan for the
division.

Members should un-
_ | derstand and be party

‘|! to the planning for cut-
ting permits and silvi-
culture plans for the cut
blocks thus ensuring that they will be trained
enough to be able to monitor implementation of
the plans.

Committee members should have an under-
standing and be party to road building planning
so that they can monitor compliance when con-
struction is underway.

LOCAL LEVEL — OFFICER OR STAFF

Responsibilities — We see this level as provid-
ing coordination between the operations commit-
tees. Thus, each operation could be kept up-to-
date on the needs, concerns and problems of the
| other operations. For example, levels of waste
could be compared, or corporate adherence to
development plans could be measured against an
| overall standard as established in the manage-
ment and work plan. The natural environment is
complex and inter-active and requires coordina-
tion amongst its users.

The officers or staff could either participate in
the overall planning for the TFL or TSA Manage-
ment and Work Plan or choose representative
form operations-level committees to do so. As
well, there will be direct input from this level to
the Forest Service in their preparation Manage-
ment and Work Plan policy frameworks might be
useful.

The officers or staff could coordinate activities

The use of chemicals
in forestry operations
should be jointly checked
by this committee and
the health and safety
committee. The areas of
expertise are different
since the health and
safety members will gen-

Theory, such

policy, will not protect our
jobs and communities,
but actions will.

with local environment-
al groups, speaking en-
gagements, etc.
Education — Ad-
vanced levels of plan-
ning education, silvicul-
ture and public partici-
pation should be avail-
able for these officers or

as our forest

erally monitor worker
equipment and safety while the environment com-
mittee members would concentrate on quantities,
qualities and sites of application. That is, the en-
vironment committee member would check the use
around waterways and would ensure that the
amounts and types of chemicals used are in
accordance with the stipulations of the licenses
and the development plan.

Education — A general understanding of the
following will be useful: planning techniques;
silviculture techniques and their implications;
basic biology and ecology; group facilitation and
public participation leadership; and environmen-
tal statutes and regulations.

MILL OPERATIONS

Responsibilities — Examples of the differences
between health and safety and forest environment
committees (FEC) could be as follows:

FEC would monitor the on and off-site use and
transportation of chemicals whereas health and
safety committees assist workers.

FEC would keep a close eye on the utilization of
timber so as to ensure that government grading
schemes are properly followed.

FEC would coordinate between operations so
as to ensure that wood waste is minimized.

Education — Understanding of: basic biology
and ecology; proper handling of chemicals; envi-
ronmental laws and regulations, i.e. waste regula-
tion, licensing requirements for chemicals and
their use; will be useful; basic government struc-
tures, i.e. understanding of governing bodies
responsible for enforcement of environmental

staff. As well, Environ-

nent Impact Assessment could be studied
ere,

REGIONAL LEVEL CONFERENCES

The primary purpose of these conferences would
be to ensure enhanced communication between
the Locals. This is required because of the interre-
lationships between the ecosystems which are
affected by forestry and manufacturing decisions.
For example, one company’s waste might turn out
to be just what another division needs to keep
open a little longer, or, a contested valley might be
the responsibility of one local yet have severe
consequences on its neighbour. As well waterways
usually cross the borders between locals thus the
activity of one environment committee could seri-
ously affect the well-being of its neighbouring
community.

NATIONAL STAFF

The National Staff could assist the environ-
ment committees in their research and analysis
and in the preparation of National and Regional
confejences and education programs among other
tasks.

National Staff will also assist Locals in the
preparation of Briefs and analysis of Environmen-
tal Impact Statements as required for public
hearings.

Claire Dansereau is IWA-CANADAs
Forest and Environment Planner.

regulations.

4/LUMBERWORKER/JULY, 1990