RE eee
NDP chooses Alexa McDonough as federal leader

by Gerry Stoney

Ina close race in which labour dele-
gates played a key role in the final
outcome, Alexa McDonough was
picked as the federal leader of the
New Democratic Party. The leader-
ship convention, which was held in
Ottawa on October 13-15, 1995, at-
tracted over 1600 delegates from
across the country.

Unlike previous leadership conven-
tions, this convention adopted a new
format which included regional “pri-
maries”. Under this system, all party
members had an opportunity to vote
for prospective leadership candidates
in a series of regional forums. The top
three contenders from those pri-
maries were then eligible for selection
at the national convention.

The regional primaries were de-
signed to renew membership interest
in the leadership selection process.
The labour movement was actively in-
volved in every primary.

For example on the west coast a
leadership forum was held in Septem-
ber to allow labour affiliates to the
NDP to hear and assess prospective
leadership candidates debate policy
issues.

With the last regional primary com-
pleted in late September the run-up to
the national convention showed that
three candidates had emerged as po-
tential leaders. They included Ms. Mc-
Donough, former leader of the provin-
cial N.D.P. in Nova Scotia, former
Saskatchewan M.P. Lorne Nystrom
and B.C. Member of Parliament Svend
Robinson.

All three had significant support
heading into the convention. Through
the course of their convention speech-
es and the question-and - answer de-
bate sessions, each candidate worked
hard to maintain and broaden their
momentum prior to the actual vote on
October 14.

From an IWA perspective, our
greatest concern was countering the
efforts of Mr. Robinson. In our view,
his track record in terms of issues and
support for causes that undermine the
interests of woodworkers made him
an unacceptable candidate for federal
leader.

He had for example, actively sup-
ported logging blocakes in various
parts of'B.C. despite the fact that his
actions were putting woodworker
jobs at risk.

As well, his unwillingness to be an
active and effective team player with-
in the federal caucus only proved that
he just didn’t have the leadership qual-
ities necessary to help the party im-
prove its standings in the next elec-
tion.

The labour
movement was
actively involved in

every primary

Although our initial support went to
Mr. Nystrom, we fully endorsed his
move to support Ms. McDonough on
the second ballot. When it became ob-
vious to Mr. Robinson that full labour
support for him on the second ballot
was not there, he stepped aside and
allowed Ms. McDonough to win by ac-
clamation. a

The leadership convention went a
long way to rebuilding the NDP’s fed-
eral prospects. The primary election
process encouraged an an active and

healthy debate of important issues
such as unemployment, social pro-
grams, the environment and industrial
strategy.

Party members had an opportunity
to directly influence the leadership se-
lection process. Throughout the con-
vention it was obvious that the renew-
al process was building the confi-
dence, profile and momentum that
will be necessary to, once again, be-
come a significant force on the federal
scene.

As labour delegates we were able to
ensure that our issues and our agenda
had the full support of the new leader.
With that support, the party can now
begin to prepare itself for the next
real test - a federal election.

There is much work for the labour
movement to do in building national
support for the Federal NDP.

In the past two years we have seen
that there is no difference between
the Liberals and the Mulroney Conser-
vatives. There is more need than ever
for a strong social democratic voice in
Canada.

Gerry Stoney is President of I.W.A.
CANADA.

Ontario government takes
aim at working people

The Conservative government is
taking aim at working people and it
looks like the union movement in On-
tario will have to get prepared for
some major battles in the months
ahead. Following its election victory
over the New Democratic Party last
June, the new Mike Harris govern-
ment is getting ready to clobber work-
ers.

One of the first things the Harris
has promised to do is rewrite the
labour laws in the province. Bill 40 in-
troduced by the NDP government of
Bob Rae will be totally changed says
Harris.

The new premier has vowed to do
away with anti-scab laws and change
automatic certification procedures
during organizing drives by unions.
Under Bill 40 there has been consider-
able labour peace in the province.
Strikes are down and picket line ten-
sions and violation have been elimi-
nated. In 1993 there were only 81
work stoppages all year long in On-
tario.

So if it ain’t broke why fix it?

L.W.A. National Second Vice Presi-
dent Fred Miron says that the Harris
government will do away with first
contract arbitration and will allow
employer driven petitions back into
the workplace.

“First contract arbitration allows
us, as a union, to at least get estab-
lished when an employer wants to sit
back and resist negotiating a collec-
tive agreement,” says Brother Miron.

As far as employer driven petitions
goes, Miron says that companies use
lawyers and hide behind client/solici-
tor priviledge when they try to collect
signatures against the union, and try
to make it appear that the petitions
are driven by workers.

Mike Harris has openly said that he
does not favour strong unions in the
province and has said the he prefers
weaker company unions and employ-
ee associations. He is going to make it
tougher for unions to organize. By
taking away automatic certifications,
the government will pave the way for
employer interference during organiz-
ing drives.

That will make it tougher for local
unions to organize.

Bruce Weber, president of Local 1-
500 in southwestern Ontario, says his
local has benefitted from labour laws
introduced by the NDP which have
made the playing field more level
while organizing. In the last year end-
ing September the local union has
brought in 229 members in four certi-
fications, which is one of the best
records in the entire union.

Countervailing duty

Continued from page one

however, it is anticipated that most
will increase the size of their invento-
ries. As a result, additional demand
will be generated over and above the
volumes that will be required by the
increase in single-family housing
starts during 1996.

At the same time, U.S. lumber pro-
duction will continue to follow timber
supply downward, particularly in the
U.S. West. And the current cooling of

the recent overheated pulp and paper
markets will eliminate much of the

chip-driven lumber supply that was
generated in every major producing
region in North America.

Although the United States will be-
come more dependent on Canadian

lumber imports during 1996, the cur-
rent countervailing duty threat and

the demands being placed on the
provincial governments will have seri-
ous ramifications for the Canadian in-
dustry. Given the fact that U.S.
stumpage prices swing much more
widely than is the case in Canada, per-
manently raising provincial rates
would not provide a fair and liveable
solution. Nor would it be wise to dis-
pose of British Columbia's restraints
on the export of raw logs from public
lands. Such a move would require the
U.S. West to reciprocate. However,
the vast majority of the U.S. industry
and the trade union movement would
not agree to having B.C. sawmills
compete for their federal and state
timber.

It is clear that other solutions must
be found that can accommodate the
periodic declines in the U.S. softwood
lumber market when interest rate
hikes in the general economy put
downward pressure on U.S. housing
starts.

e The Mike Harris government is intent on changing laws to make it tougher to
organize workers.

Also on the hit list will be occupa-
tional health and safety. Harris has
vowed to overhaul the Workers’ Com-
pensation Board and reduce benefits
for injured workers. Pushed by the
Canadian Manufacturing Association,
Harris plans to cut operating expens-
es and reduced staff at the Board.

One of the first things that Harris
has done is to abolish the Workplace
Health and Safety Agency, the bi-par-
tite organization run by labour and
management which is responsible for
occupational health and safety and ac-
cident prevention.

Both vice-chairs of the Agency, Paul
Forder (labour) and Randy Giroux
(management) have told the Elizabeth
Witmer, the Conservative Minister of
Labour, that the Agency has the sup-
port of both parties. They have told
her not to break up the agency be-
cause it is has cost effective pro-
grams.

But the Minister won't listen.

Brother Miron says that the Harris
government has permitted companies
who have defied having their employ-
ees certified in mandatory health and
safety training, to go past the August
31 deadline set in law by the NDP.

“It pays to break the law, apparent-
ly if you are a big corporation and a

Conservative government gets in,”
says Miron.

“The Harris government is driven
by a wild right-wing ideology which is
a dangerous thing,” says Norm Rivard,
president of Local 1-2995 in Kapuskas-
ing Ontario. “It is absolutely hellbent
on beating up workers and the pro-
grams that benefit middle and lower
class citizens.”

Even though there is not a lot of op-
position from business over employ-
ment equity laws introduced by the
NDP, which set hiring tagets for
‘women, minorities and diabled peple,
Harris is going the eliminate the pro-
gram entirely.

Brother Rivard points out to some
other election promises that Harris
plans to follow up on.

It plans to institute a “workfare”
program which will rollback welfare
rates, cut people off and force them to
go to work, paying a wage subsidy to
employers who hire them. The em-
ployers will then have incentive to fire
regular workers to get the govern-
ment subsidy. Then the fired workers
will wind up on welfare rolls.

Harris plans to eliminate the Em-
ployer Health Tax for business pay-
rolls under $400,000 and will impose
an additional health care tax on those
with over $50,000 in annual income.

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LUMBERWORKER/NOVEMBER, 1995/3