ESIDENT’S MESSAGE New anti-scab laws are long overdue By Gerry Stoney t long last workers in British Colum- bia and Ontario have protection ' 4 against other people stealing their - jobs from them. Both provincial gov- —J ‘ernments have enacted new legisla- tion that bans the use of scabs during strikes. We in IWA-CANADA welcome those actions and hope that every other provincial govern- ment will adopt similar rules. Up until Ontario and B.C. made the changes, only Quebec had anti-scab laws. Employers have historically used scabs to smash strikes and break up organized labour since before the days when unions even had legal recognition. They have in many in- stances to this day, used strike breaking scabs to undermine the collective security of work- ing people. Many critics of the new legislative change say that anti-scab laws tip the scale in favour of the labour movement. Nothing could be further from the truth. Without protection against scabbing a com- pany is completely free to operate during a strike situation, ignoring its employees on the picket line. This can only lead to a sense of betrayal that employees feel as they see their jobs stolen from them. And there are few things that are as provocative as stealing someone's job from them. So if a company can fully operate during a strike, what fairness is there? The purpose of a strike is to put economic pressure on an em- ployer. Without the right to effectively strike, then the scales of balance are tipped entirely on the employers’ sides. Traditionally em- ployers have used the courts and the police to enforce in- junctions against picketers, in order to clear the way for scabs. But if a strike is prolonged or an employer's lock-out is sustained the courts and the cops never come to the aid of workers who are outside the plant gate. The system just doesn’t care about workers. / Z Anti-scab leg tion will put an enc to these ugly scen for good. The em ployer has no moral right and we soon | hope legal right, to use scabs to unde! mine the solidarity of working people. Witness what hap- pened at the Giant Yellowknife mine this past September when 9 people were killed in a mine ex: plosion and there has been repeated incidences of vio- lence between pick- t 7 4 Pe. eters and scabs. Labour laws with-- out anti-scab provisions are simply anti-work- er and don’t recognize that strikes are often the only effective measure that organized workers have to use against their employer to reach a settlement. Our members have been on strike against the Zeidler veneer plant in Slave Lake, Alberta and plywood plant in Edmonton for over 6 and 4 years respectively. During those years they have watched helplessly as scabs have crossed their picket line to steal their jobs. The company kept on operating under the protection of the courts and the RCMP and continues to use scabs to undermine the union. In late 1988 and early 1989, the IWA was in- volved in a strike against Leyland Industries in Pitt Meadows, B.C., when the employer scabbed its plastic container plant for over 8 months while workers were seeking a first contract. The strike finally came to an end af- ter the IWA organized a massive support rally in defiance of an injunction limiting the num- ber of picketers allowed at the plant gate. Although some tried to blame the death on the union at strike, there is absolutely no evi- | dence to support that fact. Had there been anti-scab laws in place it is doubtful that these ugly and provocative scenes would have ever come about. Anti-scab laws work to build better labour relations as well. Such is the case in Quebec where, since they were introduced in 1977, Anti-scab laws have helped the province to record low numbers in terms of labour dis- utes. s If it can work in Quebec, it can work in On- tario and B.C. Employers and government should all real- ize that for improved labour relations, strike breaking must be prohibited. The governments in all provinces should have the courage to do the right thing. The right thing to do is include the outright ban- ning of scabs from any job site. People who take striking workers’ jobs away from them are not “replacement work- ers.” They are job thieves. It’s time for industry to return co-operation by Bill Routley I aN uring the past decade our union has nN \ been trying its best in working with in- | dustry and various government bodies to } find common ground solutions to prob- rf lems that effect us and our communities. —~ We have been especially active on count- less committees that deal with forestry and land use issues. In British Columbia and across Canada IWA members are respected for their pragmatic and re- alistic methods of dealing with concrete issues. Most often our sincere efforts to lessen confronta- tion and find answers to problems are well re- ceived. However, in many instances some companies have a two faced approach to the con- sultative processes that they try to purport. In order for the IWA, the industry and the public to move ahead we have to solve some problems of the past. For example to this day, the legitimate right of the union to exist is still being challenged by some major employers out there. In British Columbia we are constantly fighting a rearguard action from companies who try to systematically undermine the security of our bargaining units by contracting out and contracting in work that is ours. Companies like Fletcher Challenge, Canadian Pacific Forest Products and MacMillan Bloedel are constantly trying to chisel away at long standing agreements in the logging sectors and contract out our jobs. Because they are challenging our right as aunion to work on the land, it’s getting more diffi- cult to cooperate with them in areas outside of the collective agreement. So long as these problems exist it’s almost im- possible in my mind to envision a day where we can have more trust in the industry and that the in- dustry is willing to listen to our needs in good faith. Not all employers, including major employers, are challenging our right to exist. Some companies treat their employees with real dignity and there are some examples around where employers are allowing us to participate more in decision-mak- ing. Personally I wel- come those initiatives, such as the joint envi- ronmental initiative be- tween the IWA and Inter- for. It is Interfor’s inten- tion to allow workers full and equal participa- tion in the planning of all phases of forest oper- ) ations whether it be roadbuilding, harvesting, L or silvicultural planning. This is a positive move that recognizes the legit macy of the IWA. Unfortunately Interfor operates several non-union logging camps and a non-union sawmill in the province's interior. We still have dinosaurs in the forest industry who believe that unions are redundant and in fact I can think of compa- role to play in their business and in the communi- During the introduction of new technology the company took workers into account and put in a finger-joint line and laminated beam section to create jobs, not unemployment! Rather than throw their union workers out on the street the company worked with members of the Swedish Wood In- dustry. Workers’ Union to create employment op- portunities. In Sweden, corporations and unions work to- gether in defending the nation’s social security structure and that includes the maintenance of employment levels. In Canada we are a far cry from where the Swedes are at. In the IWA we are being continually asked by the industry to help fight for the preservation of the land base to preserve the industry’s rate of cut. Out of necessity we have joined the industry to prevent withdrawals from the working forest. We do so in a great nies that are presently on the course of de- unionizing the union logging sector on the B.C. coast. I can fore- see a return to some large confrontations in the future unless these moves are stopped. The industry as a whole has to come to There are still some dinosaurs in the industry who are constantly trying to undermine our union deal of good faith. But almost every time we turn around the indus- try is doing its damnest to eliminate our jobs and has no plan to cre- ate additional jobs. This has to change. When I look at the vast tracts of forest lands in this province I a consensus that the IWA is here to stay, and is a legitimate partner in maintaining the forest economy. Together we have to look at creating employment opportunites, and putting a halt to the devestating job losses that are threatening to flatten our communities. Just earlier this year as the B.C. Ministry of Forests reduced Fletcher Challenge Canada’s an- nual allowable cut by 29% on southern Vancouver Island the company slashed its logging crew by over 50% without even batting an eyelash. These kinds of actions don’t give us any reason to believe that a company like Fletcher Challenge is con- cerned about the employment of our members. There is a better way though. When I travelled to Sweden in 1989, I saw with my own eyes that the industry there accepts Labour as a true part- ner. This especially became apparent to me when I toured a sawmill in Langshytte. When Langshytte- Travary introduced new Link mill technology in 1985 it looked for new ways to maintain employ- ment. It looked at the people that work for them not as just a commodity or a tool of industry but as people who have an important and legitimate wonder why they are not being intensively managed. There is a tremen- dous potential for job creation by putting intensive silviculture programs into place. As far as a high value-added industry goes, our high quality old growth timber has enormous potential to create more profits and jobs right-here in Canada. We shouldn't be shipping it out in raw or semi-pro- cessed forms without doing the most to it in our | country, thereby putting our people to work. In my eyes the IWA should continue to partici- pate with the industry and with governments who will honestly listen to us. Industry has to stop its attack on our bargaining units and has to stop eliminating jobs without any alternative strategies in place. And because industry operates almost entirely on public lands, the government should work with us to ensure that there is fair play on both sides. Bill Routley is president of Duncan Local 1-80. on Vancouver Island and a member of IWA-CANA- DA's National Executive Board. Lyre yeep semseeee ee EEE 4/LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER, 1992