TORIES SET TO JOIN U.S.-MEXICO DEAL e The Mulroney government prepares to sit in on N. American ‘free trade’ talks while George Bush gets ready to ‘fast- track’ the negotiations B4 AMERICAN UNION FEARS TRADE DEAL ¢ Inthe United States the IWA has battled Louisiana-Pacific’s exports ofraw logs and lumber to Mexico. L-P has been the first multinational forest company to exploit Mexican labour conditions ps & HIGHLIGHTS 2. SS cata NEW DEMOCRATIC UNION e IWA-CANADA reaffirms support of NDP pl A CALL FOR W.6.B, REFORM © the union says it’s time for change p13 MANDATE TO ORGANIZE © Delegates call to expand the union p12 STOP ALL RAW LOG EXPORTS Export of cants and logs must cease p.i4 AN ELECTION YEAR © Union Officers win by acclamation po Munro vows IWA fight-back against Mexico trade deal In a tersely worded message to Federal Trade Minister John Crosbie, sent on September 26, during IWA -CANADA’s national convention. Union President Jack Munro advised Crosbie that the IWA will use “every means at our disposal” to counteract the government’s pursuit of trilateral trade talks with the United States and Mexico. On September 25 Crosbie ended months of speculation by stating that Canada would endeavour to become a full partner in the negotiations. Crosbie also said that the nations should try to strike a deal by the end of 1991. In his message to the Trade Minis- ter, Munro said the union “will not stand idly by and watch the importa- Settie the claims! Vancouver Island loggers protest Native court case to prevent logging in Tsitika NANAIMO, B.C. — Well over 1,000 people gathered outside Supreme Court Building here on November 5th, to protest the federal and provincial governments’ inaction on settling native land claim issues. IWA loggers, family members and community sup- port groups listened to union speak- ers and local politicians call for a speedy resolve to the claims, The rally was brought on by a court case which was filed by the Tlowitsis- Mumtagila native Indian band, claim- ing aboriginal title over the lower Tsitika Valley watershed. The band’s writ claimed native rights “to harvest or preserve the forest . . . for cultural or commercial purposes.” IWA-CANADA Local 1-363 loggers at MacMillan Bloedel’s Eve River Division organized the rally to pro- test the court action which also called for a moratorium on logging in a 27 hectare cutback, 5 1/2 kilometres from the Robson Bight ecoreserve, a killer whale sanctuary on the east coast of Vancouver Island. In the previous week several envi- ronmentalists had been arrested for illegal blockades on lopging roads. IWA-CANADA president Jack Mun- ro said that woodworkers are getting caught in a situation which is caused from the neglect of the federal and provincial governments. ae “We are sick and tired of politicians who don’t give a damn about us, our communities or our families,” said Brother Munro. “We have done every- thing in our power to convince the federal government and characters in Victoria that they have to sit down with natives and solve land claims, sensibly, honourably, with a great deal of honesty.” “We understand their (native peo- ple’s) frustrations with governments and we will help them,” said Munro. “There is no justification for native to bein court. They've got some legiti- mate beefs and we'll help solve them.” Dennis Brendeland, a member of the Tsitika Steering Committee which organized the rally, said workers in Eve River support the realistic settle- ment of land claims, but cannot be held as economic hostages waiting for the process to begin. His sentiments were echoed by Local 1-363 president Sy Pederson who said the union would not accept standing on the side lines while land claims are worked out. Local 1-85 first vice-president Dave Haggard told the crowd that the gov- ernment is pitting loggers against environmentalists and natives in tion of (Mexican working) conditions into Canada, which would plainly result from such an agreement.” “Mexican workers toil under appall- ing, inhuman conditions, with some of the lowest wages and worst worker safety and environmental conditions in the world, “ said Munro in the message. Munro noted that during the last Federal election campaign, Canadian workers and their families were prom- ised a full adjustment program for those losing their livelihoods under the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agree- ment. “Your government's reneging on that solemn undertaking was a betrayal of trust and of democratic Continued on page 2 © With clenched fist, IWA-CANADA pre: lent Jack Munro tells protest rally outside Nanaimo court house that the provincial and federal governments must resolve native land claims. ignoring the urgent issues that need addressing. Brother Haggard said that there are enough parks on Vancouver Island already to ensure the needs of all groups. Speaker Bob Hopton, a union rep- resentative on the 13 member Tsitika Follow-up Committee, a watchdog group appointed by the provincial government in 1978 to oversee timber harvesting in the 39,500 hectare val- Industry unemployment rises 7 cecording to the latest results of an IWA-CANADA unemploy- ment survey, tough times in Canada’s wood products industry just got tougher. Across Canada, the survey results show that close to 18% of woodworkers were without work during the sur week of November 12 - 16, 1990. A similar survey done a a showed an unemployment rate amongst woodwork- ley, said that the whole process has been under scrutiny for many years. Brother Hopton said the political decisions on whether or not to log have all long been made and reaffirm- ed. The Tsitika Valley was placed under moratorium from 1972-75. By 1978 43% of the valley had been set aside not to be logged. In 1977 several additional ecoreserves were estab- lished in the lower Tsitika and a mora- torium continued on logging in the lower valley. The recent conflict has been brought about by logging activity in a cut block in the lower valley. Additional cutblocks which will be partially visi- ble from Robson Bight are on hold pending a review by the Ministry of Forests. To date the Supreme Court has ruled that current timber falling does not threaten any native heritage areas. Previous to the demonstration a court appointed archaeologist combed the bushlands in search of “culturally modified trees.” Such trees are evidence that ancient native cul- tures were present in the forest areas at one time. In 1985 the Nuu-Chah-Nulth tribal council was successful in presenting evidence that “culturally modified trees” exist on Meares Island, in Continued on page 2