Saskatchewan truss operation
keeps Local members busy

The economic recession of the past
few years has taken its toll on all
phases of the home building, repair
and reparation industry. When hous-
ing starts are down it’s a sure sign that
the economy is down too.

Fortunately for IWA-CANADA Local
1-184 members in Saskatoon Sas-
katchewan, there has been enough
work available at a truss factory and
lumber yard to keep most workers
employed during the recession.

At the B.W. Baerg Truss Manufac-

turing plant up to 30 workers have
been employed in various phases of
truss building and pre-fabricated
products. The plant operates almost
entirely on orders from the Beaver
Lumber Co. Ltd. home improvement
chain, which has over 170 retail out-
lets across Canada.

Right nearby the truss building
operation in Saskatoon is a Beaver
Lumber retail outlet and lumber yard.
The lumber yard, which employs 3-5
workers has been organized by Local
1-184 since 1979.

Although both the truss building
and Beaver Lumber operations are
owned separately, they are both inte-
grated. B.W. Baerg’s trusses are
shipped all over Canada to Beaver
Lumber stores and compete against
many non-union truss manufacturers
in the tough economic times.

The addition to truss manufactur-
ing, B.W. Baerg also makes other pre-
finished products such as recreation
(centres), gazebos, picnic tables, gar-

den sheds, swing and slide sets for
sale throughout the Beaver Lumber
retail network.

The plant is a busy operation
where workers are trained on the job
in a number of areas. The main ones
are cut-off saws, multi-cut saws, and
truss machines, both large and small.

Truss components are pre-cut to
building code specifications and are
systematically assembled. A “C-
clamp” system presses nailer plates
into the trusses during the assembly
process.

The trusses are used in different
applications such as prefab housing,

stick-built housing units and some
commercial applications.

As the housing market has been
flat during the recession in the plant
had to look to other lines of products
as well.

“We just don’t do trusses in here
anymore for the reason that there isn’t
always enough of a housing market to
keep us busy,” says Local 1-184 Sub-
Local Chairman, Ben Friesen.

In addition, according to Brother
Friesen, there have been non-union
framers operating in the province for
less than $1.00 a square foot. In the
mid 1970's framers were getting over
$2.00 a square foot.

“If there is low wage labour in the
non-union work place, then we can
definitely feel its effects here,” says
Friesen.

Top job rate at Baerg is $12.43/hour
with a 30¢/hour premium on night
shift.

Thirty IWA members are now in the
second year of a 2 year agreement
which saw a 3% increase in wages in
January.

Despite wage increases Brother
Friesen says that the workers are los-
ing ground when it comes down to it.
He says that since 1986 wage increas-
es have stagnated in relation to
increased taxes and other costs of liv-
ing in Saskatchewan. In 1991 the GST
only added to the woes of workers.

In addition to the wage increases
negotiated in 1992 the IWA also gained
improvements in language covering

technological change, health and safe-
ty, health and welfare benefits, and

statutory holidays.

Now if technological change is
introduced which will effect a signifi-
cant number of employees, the
employer must give three months
notice to establish an adjustment peri-
od. If a member loses his/her job due
to technological change then the
employer must pay out severance pay;
one week for every year of seniority
up to thirty weeks.

There are four basic job categories
in the plant; helper, stock cutter and

* i’

¢ Sub-local chairman Rod Ursu at work at Beaver Lumber yard.

© Local 1-184 member Kelly Doell operating “C” clamp during truss assembly.

truss assembler, forklift driver, and
truss operator.

BEAVER LUMBER WORKERS

Along with representing the work-
ers at B.W. Baerg, the IWA has kept
itself busy looking out for the inter-
ests of a small group of workers at the

back end of Beaver Lumber. The
union represents 3-5 workers who

work on filling orders for house build-
ing contractors, and the public as
well.

In the tail end of the operation
there is a wood working shop where
workers pre-cut portions such as
stringers for stairs, and shed parts.

The workers also custom plane
(kiln-dried) lumber and plywood.

They use such equipment such as a
table saw, cut-off saw and planter.

Also on the job site is a powerful
hydraulic saw which is used to cut
timbers for potash mines in the

province. The timber’s measure 12” x
12” and 8” x 8”.

Sub-Local IWA Chairman Rod Ursu
says wages are better than most non-
union places and that the workers
have much better benefits and control
over vacations.

During the past year Beaver Lum-
ber has been slashing its work force
and closing some retail operations,
mostly in the Toronto, Ontario area as
new competition has appeared in the
market.

Local 1-184 Financial Secretary,
Ted Becker said he expects the Saska-
toon operation to continue as normal
although the employer asked the
workers to forgo a wage increase this
year. The workers said no to that
request.

“We don’t have any real indication
that the Beaver Lumber operation is
in trouble at this point,” says Brother
Becker.

Manitoba local gets Repap

deal after 8 months of talks

It has taken over eight months of
tough slugging for the IWA to get a
collective agreement in Manitoba with
Repap Enterprises, the province’s
largest forest company.

In mid-April nearly 300 IWA-CANA-
DA, Local 1-324 members employed in
Repap’s sawmill and bush operations
voted 86.5% in favour of a three year
agreement.

For the union, which began negotia-
tions in August of 1992, a major victo-
ry was won by beating back Repap’s
demands for contract concessions.
Over the months of negotiations, the
company had continually pressed to
take away contract language that cov-
ers contractors.

In the end the IWA has fought suc-
cessfully to ensure that Repap will
abide by contract language that the
union negotiates on behalf of contrac-
tors that work on the company
claims.

It was a make or break issue that
was finally realized by the employer
during a conciliation process, where
the IWA restated its position.

“We took a very solid position with
the conciliator there,” says Local 1-
324 president Jim Anderson, who lead
the negotiating team. “We basically
told them (Repap) to go to hell. We
were not about to go backwards and
our membership wasn't for sale.”

The three year collective agreement
which covers about 145 millworkers
in The Pas and 150 bush workers will
see a 35¢/hour increase in the second
year of the contract due September 1,
1993. On September 1, 1994 the work-
ers will get another 60¢/hour.

To get the agreement a strike voc
backed up by a work force deter-
mined to succeed was necessary.
Brother Anderson says that the soli-
darity shown in the mills and logging
operation was excellent.

“The message was sent out loud
and clear,” says Brother Anderson,
“That if Repap wanted to maintain
production, they had to do something
with our contract.”

Continued on page sixteen

10/LUMBERWORKERJJUNE, 1993