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represented by the I.W.A.

Building on its reputation as one of
the most diverse local unions in I.W.A.
CANADA, over four years ago Local
1000 organized a senior citizens facili-
ty in Hawkesbury Ontario. That opera-
tion, known as the Place Mont Roc re-
tirement residence employs over 40
union members today.

The facility, which has over 90 resi-
dents, is unique in that it offers senior
citizens a home away from home. Situ-
ated in the city of Hawkesbury, about
100 km. east of Ottawa, it is the fifth
1.W.A. operation in that community.

Local 1000 business agent Mike Mc-
Carter says the union was contacted
in July of 1992 by workers who want-
ed representation as they were con-
fronted with low wages and poor
working conditions. I.W.A. National
Organizer Rene Brixhe was put to
work and signed up almost 100% of
the workers within a 24 hour period.

Since the first collective agreement,
workers have seen considerable im-
provements in wages, scheduling of
work and benefits and are looking at
further improvements in the future.

The union is now negotiating a third
collective agreement following the ex-
piry of a two year contract on July 31.

“Basically when we looked at Place
Mont Roe, although we didn’t have ex-
perience in this service sector, we said
that we would represent the workers,
as they were some time in searching
for a union to represent their inter-
ests,” says Brother McCarter.

Today, because of the union’s pres-
ence, some workers are now receiving
hourly wages which are over $4.00/hr.
higher than they were in 1992. Top
pay rate is $14.95 for Registered Nurs-
ing Assistants and base rate is set at
$9.10/hr.

One major area of contention, that
of seniority, is now linked to the day
that workers started and not to total
hours worked. There are 25 full-time
members and the remaining ones are
either part-time or casual, depending
upon the workforce needed at any
one time.

Job categories at Place Mont Roc
are nursing, kitchen staff, housekeep-
ing and reception.

Joanne Taillon, chairperson and
cook, says the union’s presence has
made a world of difference and that
before the workers joined the I.W.A.,
they had a non-union association.

ties throughout the day.

“We've achieved a lot in the time
the union has been here,” she says.

Despite regular meetings with man-
agement and promises of wage in-
creases and better working condi-
tions, changes were slow in coming or
never came. That’s why the workers
went union.

Most of the workers and the resi-
dents at Place Mont Roc speak both
French and English as in common in
Hawkesbury. All of the residents are of-
fered a number of recreational and arts
and crafts activities through the day.

It is a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week
residence which houses senior citi-
zens with a variety of needs. Some are
long-term residents, some are staying
as they await admission to nursing
homes, and some are temporary resi-
dents who stay a few days or weeks
while their families are unable to at-
tend to their needs.

Heather Sheffield, one of three Reg-
ister Practical Nurses on staff 24
hours a day, says some residents can
completely take care of themselves
and others need higher levels of assis-
tance. If medications are required,
they are dispensed with the residents’
doctors approval.

Personal Service Attendants are
available to take care of hygienic
needs and attend to housekeeping du-
ties.

Some of the residents are from such
locations as Montreal, Cornwall and
the Ottawa area. Many move into
Place Mont Roc to be closer to their
families.

It is a first-rate facility that is very
modern and clean. Residents are of-
fered a choice of two meals, in a din-
ing room setting, three times a day.

Lina Letouzel, vice chairperson,
says that even though most residents
are now independent, that may
change in the future if Place Mont Roc
receives people who need heavier
care.

“When they built this facility six
years ago it was with the intention
that all patients could take care of
themselves,” says Sister Letouzel.
“But economic pressures have seen
some families take care of their pa-
tients at home and we are seeing
more residents who need a higher lev-
el of care.”

Suite and room rates range from
$1000 - $2000 per month. Some resi-

Place Mont Roc offers a full range of recreational and arts and crafts activi-

=

HISTORY OF THE L.W.A.

Readers of the Lumberworker will have to wait until the next issue of the
newspaper to read Part V of Clay Perry’s series on the History of the W.A.

Clay went to the cottage this summer and took some well-deserved time
off. We hope you will tune in next issue.

¢ Local 1000 members (1. to r.) Doloris Bellefeuille, Nicole Gaudreau, Lise Dig-
nard, and Louise Gervais are part of the kitchen staff which is now fully unionized.

dents are fully privately funded and
others are admitted with a degree of
social assistance.

Sister Taillon points out some addi-
tional benefits of having I.W.A. mem-
bership. She says that workers never
had sick day benefits before. In addi-
tion the union ensured that a former su-
pervisor was removed as a kitchen staff
member and is now a supervisor only.

Taillon also says that the union has
worked to educate the members by

negotiating an education fund paid for
by the employer. In fact, Taillon has
been trained as a certified job steward
at a Canadian Labour Congress
school.

Place Mont Roc is owned by Bea-
con Hill Lodges Inc. which has retire-
ment facilities across Canada. They
are located in Barrie, Bradford, Hamil-
ton, Newmarket, Ottawa, and Thun-
der Bay, Winnipeg, Victoria and West
Vancouver.

Arsonists’ attempts threaten
mill in community of Slocan

Back in July, Local 1-405 members
at the Slocan Forest Products mill in
the community of Slocan in the East
Kootenays experienced a close call
when arsonists set four fires at vari-
ous parts of the operation. Volunteer
firefighters were called in at 2:20 a.m.
in the morning on July 21 to put out
the blazes.

The firefighting crew worked for
over two hours to put out the fires
which threatened to burn down the
mill and storage sheds. Two of the
fires were started with gasoline and
another two incidenary devices were
detected around electrical control
panels.

Bob Matters, President of Local 1-
405, says that “it is unthinkable that
any one person or group believes that
torching the worksite of so many fam-
ilies, putting their livelihoods and
lives at risk, is a noble thing.”

“To whomever is responsible for
this act I ask one question,” says
Brother Matters. “What issue do you
have that is so critical that is worth
putting at risk the lives of women and
men who are working to support their
families and communities?”

The local union believes that the ar-
son is the work of some extreme
fringe environmentalists who want all
logging to stop in the Slocan Valley.
About three years ago a similar at-
tempt at arson took place at the mill
and no one was ever prosecuted.

The mill employs 190 I.W.A. mem-
bers who live in or near the communi-
ty of 1,500 people. In addition to the
millworkers, Slocan directly employs
another 300 people in logging opera-
tions and management staff.

“Tt is the major employer in Slocan
so the mill’s loss would have meant
incredible hardship for the communi-
ty,” says Matters.

“This is an absolute outrage,” says
Matters. “It’s one thing to try and get
your point across through protests
and political action. But when this ex-

treme type of action takes place it en-
dangers the working people who
come in to put the fires out.”

Matters also says that there are re-
sponsible environmentalists in the area
and that is is important “not to paint
them with the same brush.” He says
that many environmentalists simply
want to see that logging is done in a
sustainable matter which will not ruin
the many watersheds in the valley.

The radical environment group
Earth First! has recently moved into
the valley and Matters says that the
arson attempt is very coincidental
with its presence.

On July 15 a noisy parade of pro-
testers blocked off traffic in down-
town Nelson. A group of them went
on to occupy the contituency offices
of MLA Corky Evans. They refused to
leave until speaking with Evans, when
they demanded that logging plans be
stopped.

Brother Matters says that the union
if fed up with these antics, especially
after so much time has been spent on
land-use planning in the region and
that there has been large-scale reform
in the industry.

“We have worked with others at the
CORE (Commission on Environment
and Resources) table around the
province to support the concept of a
planned transition from industrial
forestry to a new system where log-
ging is done at truly sustainable lev-
els,” he says.

Recently an environmental group
has proposed that there be a 90% re-
duction in timber harvesting in the re-
gion. Matters says that this position is
incredible in light of the fact that, in
the Nelson region alone, the Forest
Practices Code will see at least a 10%
cut reduction.

After a Timber Supply Review in
the Kootenay Lake TSA, there is to be
a 23% cut reduction. Already 23% of
the land base is designated for park
Jands.

ea A TT
16/LUMBERWORKER/SEPTEMBER, 1996