Union organizers bring in over 2,000 members ° Brian Symmes ° Lyle Pona In this year’s report to the Convention, National Organizing Director Lyle Pona informed delegates that the I.W.A. has brought in 2,019 members since his report last year. Of that total, 1,634 are members from 54 new certifications and 385 are from voluntary certifications in B.C. Locals 1-71 and 1-85. Leading the local unions in the past fiscal year is Local 2693 in Thunder Bay, Ontario which certi- fied 312 new members in 9 bargaining units. The largest unit organized was Leo Sakata Electronics in Thunder Bay with"140 employees. In second place is Local 500 in Hanover, Ontario with 229 members in 4 operations. The leading local in British Columbia is Vancou- ver Local 217 that organized 6 operations with 190 employees. “This past year our union has once again experi- enced a great deal of success in organizing new members,” said Brother Pona. “Aided by fair legislation, our organizers (Local and National) have kept the Labour Boards very busy in dealing with applications and conducting hearings.” He said that in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia the union has been more com- mitted to o1 izing while fairer laws have exist- ed. In Eastern Canada the union brought in 702 new members. In Western Canada, Pona attributed success to local union organizers who sacrificed their social lives to organize. Brother Pona said that unionists must concern themselves for what is down the road, especially in Ontario and B.C. aes He said that Ontario Premier Mike Harris will return the vote in all certification applications, which will invite employer interference. The same promise has been made by Gordon Campbell's Lib- erals in B.C. Pona also noted that in Alberta, the Conserva- tive government of Ralph Klein was studying swork” legislation which does away with rights to negotiate security clauses for ° At the convention hall, the I.W.A. CANADA National Officers pose for photo. Left to right are Fourth Vice President Harvey Arcand, First Vice President Neil Menard, President Gerry Stoney, Second Vice President Fred Miron, Secretary Treasurer Terry Smith and Third Vice President Warren Ulley. compulsory union membership if a majority of workers want to join a union. “Apparently unsatisfied with that province's dis- tinction of having the least organized workforce in Canada, he (Klein) now wishes Alberta to be truly known as ‘Alabama North.” Pona attributed the success of the new certifica- tions in B.C. to the efforts of local organizing ef- forts. He also said that nearly all locals in the province have participated in cost sharing arrange- ments for organizers on specific campaigns. “Although our organizing abilities have been greatly enhanced by the current legislation we have also been frustrated by employers who, through their legal councils, have discovered cracks in the law and processes which have al- lowed them to challenge many of our certification applications,” said Pona. He said that, as a provincial election in B.C. is approaching, employers are looking for ways to defeat the NDP government. During the past year, organizing courses were put on in Local 1-85 and Local 1-3567. The Nation- al Organizing Department offers assistance to lo- cal unions through advice, training, and direct in- volvement where possible. There are currently four full-time organizers. They are Brothers Harold Sachs, Rene Brixhe and Mike Hunter in Ontario and Brother Pona in West- ern Canada. In discussion of the organizing report Vancou- ver Local 1-217 President Gary Kobayashi said the cost sharing formula has allowed the local union to put Brother Bob Turner on to organize for an extended period of time. He also said that the union is having a tougher time organizing younger people as they are more susceptible to intimidation by employers. In addi- tion the local union has experienced some difficul- ty in organizing some plants where there are a high percentage of some ethnic minorities. Dan Clements of Local 1-80 said that the union is doing a good job organizing workers that are non-traditional in the I.W.A. “As a local we're going to organize everything from now on, but as a National Union I think we should have a policy estabished on who we should set as our target for organizing.” Neil Menard, First Vice President of the Nation- al union, said “the lifeblood of this organization is organizing. What's happening to us in the industry, in downsizing with the forest land base that we’re losing, not only in British Columbia but right ac- cross this country, we have to look at organizing. And we have to look at organizing in the Interior and on the Prairies as far as the logging sector is concerned.” Brian Symmes, President of Williams Lake Local 1-425, said that a local union can run into consid- erable costs for an organizing drive which can run from $50,000 to $100,000. The local union has spent over $200,000 to have the right to represent 30 truckers at West Fraser. Alberta Local 1-207 President Mike Pisak said his local union has to go in front of the provincial labour board on every application and that it has spent up to $100,000 on legal bills doing so. In the past year the local union applied for certifications four times and had to withdraw three of them dispite have good majorites. The factor was intimi- dation by employers. “Legal bills are killing us,” said Pisak. “I think they’re killing every local within this organization at it’s something that we have to look seriously at...” More resolutions pass vote with delegates MERGERS WITH OTHER UNIONS - the conven- tion instructed the National Officers to continue to explore merger possibilities with compatible unions. PENSION CONFERENCE - the I.W.A. will call a one-day conference on pensions in B.C. prior to the next provincial wage and contract conference. FUTURE SERVICE PENSION PLAN - the union will direct the I.W.A. Trustees to develop a future service only pension plan for newly certified, non- traditional and non-primary sectors. LUMBER INDUSTRY PURCHASES - the union is on record as being opposed to large conglomer- ates buying small operations for their timber rights and creating job losses. WOOD WASTE - the Saskatchewan government will be asked to conform to practices that elimi- nate wastage of wood and wood fibre and increase utilization to the highest level possible. WOOD RECOVERY - the B.C. government will be lobbied by the union to request that manufacturers with merchantible timber will produce lumber and not just chips for pulp. GASOLINE PRICES - the union will petition the oil companies to instruct their clients to reduce fuel prices in rural areas in comparison to the cities. LAND WITHDRAWALS - I.W.A. CANADA will press the B.C. government to demand that there be no further land withdrawals. CLAYOQUOT PROCESS - the B.C. provincial government will be pressured to revisit the Clay- oquot issue with a view to streamlining the process. MINISTRY OF FORESTS HOTLINE - the union will lobby the Ministry of Forests to institute an 800 hotline to report infringements against the Forest Practices Code. FOREST PRACTICES CODE - an investigation will be done on the feasibility of establishing a toll- free line which union members can contact the LW.A. for legal advice related to the Forest Prac- tices Code. Continued on next page LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER, 1995/13