Munvo retires Continued from page one Negotiating Committee, helped nego- tiate a 3 year collective agreement which is currently being ratified. The Apresment has been negotiated during the industry's worst recessions and downturn in the past 30 years. Munro, who became president of the International Woodworkers of America Western Canada Regional Council No. 1, in 1973, came upon the scene when the union was a some- times divided and factionalized organization. His unique leadership style, which can be both blunt and conciliatory at the same time, helped bring the IWA together into forming the one of the most powerful and respected trade unions in the country. © On his last day in office outgoing president Jack Munro answered questions on his long career in the union movement. Jack Munro’s union biography in brief Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, 1931. Completed apprenticeship as a mach- inist on the CPR in 1954 and worked for the railway until 1959. Hired as a welder at Kootenay Forest Products, Nelson, B.C. Commenced work with the IWA in 1962 as a business agent. In 1968 was elected IWA Regional 8rd Vice President; moved through IWA as 2nd and Ist Vice President; and_ moved to President of IWA- CANADA (formerly Regional Council No. 1) in 1973 which position he held until March 1992. Held Officers positions with the Canadian Labour Congress since 1974 and most recently was a General Vice President. For many years a Vice President of the B.C. Federation of Labour. Co-Chairman of Federal Forest Sec- tor Advisory Council. é Member of British Columbia For- est Resources Commission (1989-92). Received Honourary Doctorate of Laws from the University of British Columbia May 1985. Member of Federal Commission on Redundancies and Layoffs (1978). Member of Provincial Fact Finding Enquiry regarding B.C. Rail (1980). Member of Federal Commission on Judges’ Pensions (1982). Member of Federal Commission on Unemployment Insurance (1985-86). Co-authored autobiography “Union Jack” with Jane O’Hara, Douglas & McIntyre, 1989. Vote passes Continued from page one e PROTECTION AGAINST JOB LOSS - increased pension protection for mem- bers who break service by involun- tary job loss (1983 or later). : Brother Munro says that the improvements were made on the direc- tion of the membership who made pensions a top priority at the Wage and Contract Conference held in March of 1991. The pension plan was taking a beat- ing due to the shortfall of millions of dollars in contributions. In the past decade, the plan has lost over 40 million hours (annually) of contribu- tions as technological change, down- sizing, and layoffs have hit the membership. During the negotiations, the em- ployers who have been suffering severe losses in 1991, asked for numerous concessions including the unfettered, unilateral right to put workers in log- ging and manufacturing operation on any shift they dreamed up. The IWA said no to this unfettered right and the membership retains the ultimate veto power. With regards to alternative shift scheduling the principal, the local union and the company must reach an agreement before any shift is put into place is maintained and either party may cancel a new shift schedule upon 30 days notice. In addition the tentative contract provides for new rate revisions in saw- mills at the end of the first year to reflect technological changes under the current Sawmill Rate Determina- tion program. Other proposed changes are in- creases in contributions to the Long- Term Disability Plan and Health and Welfare Plan. Also included in the proposed con- tract language are new provisions for the establishment of Forestry Envi- ronmental Committee in logging with details about the structure, operation and terms of reference to be agreed upon by the Licence Holder and the Local Union prior to implementation. This is a major break-through for IWA members, who have been trying toimplement the union’s forest policy. To date, many employers have resisted working with union members on for- est environment committees. reson: Second vee-fres Fount Wee.Pres Sa MeO NL wexaso f SaNVER Fret Veo Pres Ted View Mes: Each GA stoNey PVA MON Secretan-Peasurer T SMITH oo. 1205 west ENDER STREET VANCOUVER, B.C. Vor 402 /TELEPHONE:(008) 003-1117 1 Atfhated with CLC ~ FAX: (604) 600-0410 March 23, 1992 Mr. Gerry Stoney 1st Vice President IWA-CANADA National Office #500, Vancouver, 1285 W. Pender B.C. Dear Sir and Brother: During the past years and particularly since the 1986 negotiations when we established full pension benefits at age 60, it has become the normal practice to retire at age 60. As you know, I turned 60 years of age March 28, 1991 but in discussions with the Officers, it was decided that I should remain as President of IWA-CANADA until we completed negotiations for a collective agreement for the three major areas in British Columbia. Well, we are now nearing that objective with all Coast Local Unions recommending acceptance, and with the Northern and Southern Interior Locals having accepted the terms of the propo: agreement, I feel now is an appropriate time for me to retire as President of IWA-CANADA. In view of this, please accept this letter as my retirement letter to you effective March 24, 1992 at our National Board prior to our Board going into its regular busin Gerry, who knows what words are appropriate at this point in time other than to say that we have an organization that is second to none in the Trade Union movement. We have maintained our local union autonomy; resisted any shortcuts to democracy by cutting the membership out of decisions that truly do belong in the hands of the membership by secret ballot, such as constitutional issues and money questions, i.e. per capita, and most important, the election of our Officers by referendum ballot rather than the shortcut of elections at Conventions. The Trade Union movement has many difficult challenges ahead and I am pleased that you and your Officers are united in meeting those challenges straight up and head on. The IWA has been a significant part of my life. I loved the involvement and the honour and privilege organization. I love the of representing our members and our Union in so many different places and situations. for it is a great union. To all Local Union Officers and members, I say thank you. I always did so with a great deal of pride, We may have had some disagreements over the years but I believe we all had the best intentions for our membership. I wish you and your Officers all the very, very best in the days ahead. ‘Thank you. JIM/ib oteu 15 cc: T. Smith All Local Unions Fraternally yours, Mulroney supporters admit to bad trade agreement It’s hard to believe, but even the right-wing negotiators of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States are now threatening to termi- nate the pact signed in January of 1989. According to Canada’s chief negoti- ator in the deal, Simon Reisman, and Gordie Ritchie, a former trade negoti- ator during the deal making, punitive US. actions against Canada are close to outright violations of the FTA. Upset concerning the Bush admin- istration’s countervailing duties against Canadian softwood timber and treatment of Honda automobiles manufactured in Ontario, Reisman said in a mid-January interview. “The Americans are bastards. They’re behaving like real thugs these day in protecting their interests.” Both Reisman and Ritchie are saying that Canada may have to ter- minate the Agreement unless the harassment stops. Said Ritchie in an interview: “One of the basic assump- tions I made was that the Americans, having signed (the deal), would not behave in an aggressive and unwar- ranted way towards its largest trad- ing partner... If the Americans don’t abide by the ......rules in the lumber dispute, Canada will have no option but to terminate the agreement.” Such words from Mulroneyites are welcome words for the labour move- ment which said long ago that the FTA would be a complete catastrophe for Canada. The deal offers us nothing, no guar- anteed access to American market; no present or future exemptions from U.S. Trade law; and no idea of what will be termed a subsidy in future trade disputes. National New Democratic Party Leader Audrey McLaughlin seized upon the recent upheaval over the deal. “Within the last month we’ve seen three main architects of the FTA- Gordon Ritchie, Derek Burney, and Simon Reisman say in no uncertain terms that the American's are violat- ing the spirit if not the letter of the free trade agreement. They admit the deal has failed to enhance access to the American market and combat American protectionism,” said Mc- Laughlin. “This is not exactly a news flash for the hundreds of thousands of Canadi- ans who have lost their jobs since the Agreements signing, but maybe, given the sources, the government might sit up and listen.” 2/LUMBERWORKER/APRIL, 1992