DISABLED WORKERS GET
RENEWED COMMITMENT
FROM INDUSTRY AND UNION
In Port Alberni IWA-CANADA
and MacMillan Bloedel are
increasing their efforts to
accommodate disabled
workers back on the job as
the issue rises to forefront.

FEATURE PAGES 8-10

° B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt explains government's new strategy to commit to forests of the future. To his left
is Forests Minister Andrew Petter and IWA-CANADA President Gerry Stoney. On his right is Peter Bentley,
Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Forest Products.

B.C. forest renewal fund vows
jobs, environmental protection

$2 billion to be spent on new plan over next 5 years

fter decades of neglecting
the forests, there is now a
new plan to plough some
money back into them. In
mid-April the B.C. govern-
ment announced a brand new pro-
gram to help assure that the
province's forests will be managed in
a sustainable way in the future, both
ecologically and economically.

On April 14 B.C. Premier Mike Har-
court joined with representatives of
the provincial Forest Sector Strategy
Committee (FSSC) to announce that
the government is setting up a new
permanent agency to oversee the re-
newal of the province’s forests. The
new, independent agency will be
called Forest Renewal B.C. and all
major stakeholders including unions,
forest companies, communities, First
Nations, and environmentalists will be
overseeing its operation.

Premier Harcourt announced that
over $2 billion of new money will be

administered by the agency over the
next five years. That new money will
come from increases in stumpage fees
that are coming as lumber prices re-
main high.

The stated goals of the plan are to
renew the land and keep the forests
healthy, invest in the forest lands, en-
sure sustainable use and enjoyment of
our forests, created the continued
availability of good new forest jobs,
and ensure the long term stability of
communities that are dependent on
forest jobs.

The announcement comes at a good
time for the New Democratic govern-
ment which is in power at a time
when the industry is facing tough
pressures in a number of areas. The
government is reviewing annual al-
lowable cuts, has been faced with the
CORE report on Vancouver Island, is
faced with growing environmental
pressures, and is confronted with a
public cry to maintain and create new

jobs in the industry.

The Forest Renewal Plan assists in
a number of areas and takes a long
term approach to forest land-use is-
sues. The top priorities of the plan are
to replenish the forests with better re-
forestation and intensive silviculture
practices and do an extensive envi-
ronmental clean-up. The plan also in-
tends to get more value out of the
forest by creating new value-added
opportunities and worker retraining.
The participation of First Nations peo-
ple is demanded in the new plan
which will strive to strengthen B.C.
communities.

Premier Harcourt said the Forest
Renewal Plan will ensure forests for
“hard working British Columbians to
earn decent wages and raise a family.”
Early government estimates are that
the program will create about 5-6,000
direct new jobs in the industry.

Continued on page two

Contract talks
moving slowly
at the table

Contract talks with major employ-
ers in the B.C. forest industry are tak-
ing place as of press time. To date
IWA-CANADA’s Provincial Negotiat-
ing Committee has been to the bar-
gaining table to present the union’s
demands to employers from the Coast
and Interior regions of the province.

The union also received proposals
from the companies which, among
other things, demands that union
members pay for any new increased
in benefits.

At this point, the union is optimistic
that agreements can be reached if the
industry shows a better attitude at the
bargaining table.

The forest industry is reaping
record profits as negotiations are tak-
ing place. Lumber prices have sky-
rocketed and are expected to
fluctuate around an average of about
$400-450 U.S. for the next few years.
That is a considerable hike from his-
toric levels of $200-250.

The union is surprised that industry
negotiators are being extremely tight-
fisted at and have positions that do
not reflect the reality of the economi-
cally buoyant industry.

“At a time when profits are reaching
new records we find it astonishing
that the industry has the nerve to ask
our members to pay, themselves, for
any increase in their basic benefit
package,” says IWA-CANADA Nation-
al President Gerry Stoney.

“The employers have the ability to
reach a settlement without an con-
frontations, but the attitude the Indus-
try has displayed so far could make a
settlement difficult.”

“Our members have high expecta-
tions this year as they rightfully
should,” adds the union president.
“The industry should not misjudge our
resolve to negotiate a fair agreement.”

There is no doubt that the Indus-
try’s ability to pay substantial increas-
es in wages and benefits to its
workers.

In 1993 lumber and plywood profits
in the profits reached $1.23 billion in
the province in 1993, a six-fold in-
crease over 1992.

All indications are that strong de-
mand for lumber and plywood will
continue. The demand for wood is
high in the U.S. where producers can-
not get enough logs to meet demands.
In addition the Canadian dollar is low,
providing the Industry with an impor-
tant advantage over U.S. competitors.

The union wants a one year con-
tract with a substantial wage improve-
ment and more funding for the
pension and Long-term disability pro-
grams. There are a multitude of other
issues to address including job securi-
ty, job creation and training, and se-
niority.

“We have some new ground to
break in negotiations,” adds Brother
Stoney. “Our members have been pa-
tient for several years as they have as-
sisted the Industry in some tough

Continued on page two