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