Union renews support
for all levels of the
New Democratic Party

Once again the topic of supporting the New De-
mocratic Party came up at an I.W.A. National Con-
vention and once again the union threw its sup-
port behind the party of labour in Canada. Even
though the party is low in the polls federally, has
lost a provincial election in Ontario and is trailing
in the polls in British Columbia, support from the
union is still there, even though things have not al-
ways gone the way the I.W.A. wanted them to.

Dave Haggard, President of Port Alberni Local
1-85, said that the local union is very concerned
over the land-use decisions made by the NDP gov-
ernment in B.C. He said the NDP has made deci-
sions in his local union which may affect up to 50%
of jobs in the local.

“In think we have to have the opportunity and
have the ability to sit down and tell our friends in
the NDP that they ain’t the great and glorious
things that they claim to be for all people for all
times. And they have to come to the realization
that to continue to be the governing party in this
province and in other provinces in this country
that they have to realize that all working prople
have to be supported by them, not just their cho-
sen few.”

Vancouver Local 1-217 President Gary
Kobayashi said the NDP has not always listened to
the union.

“But I know by the same token that the govern- ©

ment we have today is better that any party that’s
in existence in British Columbia. I know that if
you think this party doesn’t listen to us then wait
‘until Gordon Campbell or Jack Weisgerber be-
come Premier of this province.”

Kobayashi said that when Gordon Campbell was
Mayor of Vancouver, environmentalists convinced
him that logging should be shut down in the water-
sheds of the Vancouver Regional District.

“There’s no question for me to believe that he
would act any differently as the Premier of this
province,” said Kobayashi. The local union presi-
dent added that the forest industry is waiting for a
change in government so they can shut down
some manufacturing operations.

“Right now those companies ...tell me...that they
are afraid of losing tenure if they close down a
manufacturing operation.” He also said “... that is
one thing he (Forests Minister Andrew Petter) will
do. He will take away timber that no other forest
minister in this province has ever had the courage
to do.

° B.C.’s Premier Mike Harcourt (middle) made his last appearance as party leader at the I.W.A. conven-
tion, here greeted by National President Gerry Stoney and Financial Secretary Terry Smith.

° Gary Kobayashi e Saul Marques

“As soon as we get a Socred or get a Liberal or
we get a Reformer as a Minister of Forests they
will cave in to the industry and industry will start
closing down plants and laying off our mem-

ers.”

Darrel Wong, President of Loggers Local 1-71
said that “there are real problems out there and it’s
real people and real members that are getting laid
Off c=)

“It means that we've got a hell of a lot of work
to do in that party. Our members have got to get
involved in that party and change some of the poli-
cies to make sure that our members continue to
work in the forest industy in British Columbia.”

Bill Routley, President of Duncan B.C. Local 1-
80 said that “we are letting our membership down
if we don’t go back into the lunchrooms and de-
fend the NDP, as much as we can be upset at the
things that they do wrong, and we need to talk
about those things. But we also need to talk about
the things that they do right, because if we aren’t
defending them and if we sit on our hands when
those criticisms come, then we're going to deserve
exactly what we're going to get.”

“We know what the Liberals would do to us in
the Labour Code. How many examples do we need
to look at, whether it’s the Reform Party or any
other right-wing party, on what they do to working
people?”

Larry Rewakowsky of Local 1-85 said that “we
have to able to converse with the government
that’s in power. And if it’s anything other than the
NDP we'll be back to where we were after (NDP
leader Dave) Barrett left.”

Wilf McIntyre, President of Thunder Bay, On-
tario Local 2693 highlighted some of the former
NDP Ontario government’s achievements for the
forest industry. Fred Miron, the I.W.A. Second Na-
tional Vice President, was appointed to a forest
policy panel that restructured the policy for
forestry in the province. The input of the I.W.A.
was heard loud and clear.

The Rae government also set up a trust fund in
Ontario for silviculture and reforestation.

Dave Tones, President of Local 1-3567 said that
“we don't always like what's happening and we're
not always going to get our way but we're there at
the table and they're listening to us. And at the end
of the day there's going to be a forest industry in
British Columbia where there's going to be an
1.W.A. presence and I.W.A. workers there.”

° Dave Tones

e Paul Hallen

Paul Hallen of Local 1-184 in Saskatchewan said
the NDP government there has listened to the
union.

“Today I can probably say that our local union
has had many opportunities and they’ve (the NDP)
never denied once to meet with us upon our re-
quest, whether it be forestry issues, to participate
in labour standards or towards the Forest Manage-
ment Licence agreement in the northern part of
the province in which we hope to see a new plant
go up.”

He also said that “whenever the province gets in
rough shape and we're on our bellies, we look for
the NDP...”

Saul Marques of Hanover, Ontario Local 500
said that the I.W.A. has to do a better jobs in in-
forming its members about the NDP.

“Go back into the plants and educate your mem-
bers so they make the right decision when the vote
takes place,” he said.

Legislative resolutions

Continued from previous page

penalty or threatened penalites to seasonal or
short-term workers.

RIGHT TO WORK - the federal government will
be lobbied by the union to not introduce this so-

called right-to-work legislation now or in the fu-
ture.

ANTI-SCAB LEGISLATION - the I.W.A. demands
that all provincial governments enact and en-
trench anti-scab legislation.

FEDERAL SENATE - the union, through the fed-
erations of labour the CLC and the federal NDP,

will lobby the federal government to dissove the
federal Senate.

FEDERAL TRANSFER PAYMENTS - the union
will lobby the federal governmnet to maintain the

transfer payments in order to meet the social and
economic needs of the provinces.

MEDICAL CERTIFICATES - all provincial gov-
ernments will be lobbied for the enactment of leg-
islation that will guarantee the payment of medical
certificates by the parties requesting them.

LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER, 1995/11