-MacBlo, IWA, and CPU

plan trial program
for disabled workers

The interests of disabled forest
workers took a step forward here in
April, at Independence ’92, an
International Congress and
Exposition when the Executives
from the Disabled Forestry Workers
foundation of Canada announced a
joint initiative involying MacMillan
Bloedel, IWA-CANADA, and the
Canadian Paperworkers Union.

The initiative, which is in its very
early stages, intends to develop a
Case Management Model For
Workplace reintegration. In other
words both unions and the company
are working out some plans at test-
ing out how to get currently dis-
abled workers back on the job.

There’s a lot of work to do before
an injured worker will be able to get
back on the job. Right now some
basic outlines for the project have
been made.

But if all goes smoothly, MB,
IWA-CANADA, and the CPU want
to get a trial program on the road
hopefully before the end of next
year.

According to retired Local 1-85

resident Earl Foxcroft, now IWA-

ANADA’s National Disabled
Workers representative said the
trial program will be put together to
see if it can work in the forest
ga aie :
The IWA hopes that, if all goes as
planned, two MacMillan Bloedel
operations will be setting up a joint
Jabour-management committee to

monitor a disabled worker’s

progress.

Foxcroft says there is a similar
program already in mining and
auto industry and that, in absence

Little has been done
in the past to effec-
tively reintegrate
disabled workers in
the forest industry

of legislation, the parties have to
work together to find a solution.
Basically the case management
Program will focus on workers who
are injured in the future. It will not

deal with those who have been
eg predin the pest,
rother Foxcroft explains: “We

have to get this t underway and
we're to crawl] with it before
e’re going to run on a

we

trial and error program which we

__ have to know will eventually work.”
_ “If there is success down th

e road,
that’s what were hoping, the
7am could possibly be expanded
we're really in the initial stages

now.
Independence ’92, representa-
om 3 ies were present at
Force presentation.
Lawrie, MacMillan
caine a es
nce "92 audie:

Bias “one of hope, good

and slow progress.”

“There is no legislation applying
to our industry with respect to reha-
bilitation and reintegration,” said
Mr. Lawrie. “Our presentation is a
voluntary initiative spawned from a
mutual concern for people with dis-
abilities. Our activities are charac-
terized by partnership and a deter-
mination to remove artificial barri-
ers that are blocking the path for
people to participate.

Lawrie said that, historically, we
have done little to rehabilitate and
reintegrate people with disabilities.

“As the toll mounts, people are
simply ratcheted into the system,”
he said. “Only a few manage to slip
out from within its grasp and
return to productive employment.”

He said that its a myth that costs
of accommodating disabled worker
are prohibitive and there are pro-
ductivity losses.

“Many managers and fellow
workers view people who have been
out of the work place for extended
periods of time to be malingerers.
Injured workers often become angry
and disillusioned. This can be car-
ried into potential work situations
as an ‘attitude’ problem.”

Lawrie also said that often both
unions and management feel their
responsibilities are covered by nego-
tiations or paying disabled premi-
ums.

The speaker noted that there aré.
structural problems created by
Labour Agreements, including those
of seniority applications. (e.g. In
some work places jobs suited to the
disabled may be high paid, techno-
logically advanced senior jobs).

In addition there are many physi-
cal and technological limitations
that will contain the forest industry
capacity to reintegrate workers.

Lawrie said the advancement of
applied ergonomics will have to be
encouraged to overcome these barri-
ers.

The background research into
putting a joint disabled workers
reintegration program goes back a
ways. Most significantly however in
the fall of 1990 a Joint Task Force
was formed between MB, IWA-
CANADA, the CPU, the Federal
Secretary of State, and the DFWFC.

The Task Force has met numer-
ous times, despite many interrup-
tions, to develop elements of a con-
structive model. .

The Task Force has examined
other models within Canada and
internationally it has also held
meetings with private carrier com-
panies, WCB representative and
government resources.

Some members of the Task Force
travelled to Germany, Australia,
and the U.S. to examine alternative
models of worker reintegration and
all along the way aS a
ment groups have been brought
together by the Task Force to dis-
cover core elements which may be
included in a new B.C. disabled
workers program.

The Joint Union/Management
plan will be totally run at the indi-
vidual operations closer in the
future.

To get the test case plan running
workers and their supervisors are
going to have to increase their
awareness around disability issues.

There will be a “Case Manager”
appointed who must be neutral in
administrating the back to work
plan for the disabled.

° Retired Local 1-85 President Earl Foxcroft, now IWA-CANADA’s
National Disabled Workers Representative, says trial program will take

some time yet to be implemented.

Coalitions needed to assist
disabled workers — Minister

VANCOUVER, B.C. - One of Brian
Mulroney’s top cabinet members
was here on April 23, to spread
some heavy duty rhetoric at an
International Congress_ and
Exposition on Disability. Robert
DeCotré, Federal Minister of State
was in attendance at a workshop on
disabilities to say that the federal
government is committed to “con-
crete long term measures to offer
greater opportunities for people
with disabilities.”

Mr. DeCotré said that reintegra-
tion of disabled workers is one of
the most important issues facing
the disabled today.

He said that besides the human
suffering caused, injury and disabil-
ity costs the Canadian economy
over $20 billion per year in lost pro-
ductivity and support payments.
That, according to DeCotré, is a
“staggering and intolerable assault
on our economy.”

DeCotré said that our country has
a Constitution which prohibits dis-
crimination on the basis on mental
and physical disability and which
affords persons with disabilities
protection under the law.

He then said his government has,
by striking a Standing Committee
on Human Rights and the Status of
Disabled Persons in 1987, has pro-
vided “political debate at the high-
est level.”

In September of 1991, Mulroney
upon advise of the Standin
Committee, announced a “Nation:
Strategy for the Reintegration of

ersons with Disabilities,” which
Becotré said involves the “coordi-
nated efforts of Federal
Government department and agen-
cies.”
The process which involves 3

° Robert DeCotré

major initiatives (1) Equality of
Access (2) Economic Integration,
and (3) Full participation.

DeCotré said “no institute or
organization can, on its own, elimi-
nate the obstacles” of the disabled.

“We can reach this goal only by
mobilizing all levels of government,
the public and private sector, trade
unions and business community,
charitable organizations, ordinary
citizens and the media.”

DeCotré gave no hint of federal
legislation but rather said that
“remaining barriers will be contin-
ued to be broken down by deter-
mined alliances, individual organi-
zations and other progressive advo-
cates of change.”

He said more (unspecified)
resources must be directed to the
training of all employees, particu-
larly for the training of people with
disabilities.

LUMBERWORKER/JUNE, 1992/15