a

ae

Union gets support from the IFBWW in its

fight back campaign against Greenpeace

ae

“This position ensures that we
will have a voice in IFBWW deci-
sions and an ability to continue to
influence the organization's direc-
tion in the coming years. It’s impor-
tant that we keep on contributing to
IFBWW as it affects worldwide
developments in the areas such as
certification of wood and forest prod-
ucts,” Haggard noted.

“While many organizations, par-
ticularly in Ren teae Europe, have
historically had close ties to envi-
ronmental groups like Greenpeace,
through IFB' we have a chance
to point out them some of the green
groups’ actions that the green groups
themselves have not necessarily
reported in Europe,” he said. “The
German delegations, for instance,
we quite surprised to learn that
Greenpeace failed to discuss its pro-
gram with us and other unions or
that Greenpeace has completely
refused to take part in public land-
use planning processes in Canada. I
think as a result they will have
some uncomfortable questions to
answer when those union members
return to Germany.”

Haggard noted that many dele-

@ gates to the World Congress also

g took part in the IFB

‘W Forest

5 Committee meeting I.W.A. Canada

e Dave Haggard, National President of the I.W.A. spoke at the 20th Congress of the International Federation of
Building and Woodworkers in Harare, Zimbabwe.

-W.A. CANADA’s influence
was felt strongly in Harare,
Zimbabwe, recently during
the Twentieth World Congress
of the International Feder-
ation of Building and Woodworkers.

The Congress is a once-in-four-
years event that brought together
over 450 trade unionists from 117
countries around the world.

“Tt was an excellent chance to
meet union activists and leaders,
share experiences.and learn from
each other,” said I1.W.A. CANADA
National President Dave Haggard.
“It’s important for our union to be
part of a worldwide organization
whose members face many of the
same challenges, confront many of
the same employers and are equally
subject to forces such as globaliza-
tion and the decline of national gov-
ernments.”

I.W.A. CANADA, which was also
represented at the Harare World
Congress by national director of
environment and land-use Kim
Pollock, was able to influence the
agenda in two important ways.

First, following a powerful speech
by Haggard to delegates and effec-
tive behind-the-scenes lobbying,
Congress passed an I.W.A. - spon-
sored amendment to the IFBWW's
Four Your Action Program that
requires the international organiza-
tion to support affiliates faced with
“unfounded” forest campaigns and
to condemn the groups that support
such campaigns.

Specifically, IFBWW is now com-
mitted to:

e “ensuring the true and accu-
rate reporting and representation of
forestry and forest related practices
worldwide; (and)

¢ the support of affiliates in spe-
cific cases to counteract the effects
of unfounded campaigns which
threaten the livelihood of their mem-
bers and the implementation of

sound forestry practices and the
condemnation of any organization
that undertakes and supports such
unfounded campaigns.”

As a result of this resolution,

Haggard noted, I.W.A. CANADA
has already asked for IFBWW sup-
port against campaigns in British
Columbia by Greenpeace and the
Forest Action Network.

“We believe that workers around
the world must stick together and
support each other,” Haggard told
delegates in Harare. “When we are
under attack, whether it is from
multinational corporations or the
international campaigns of extreme
organizations, we need the support
of our union brothers and sisters in
other countries.”

Haggard noted that many dele-
gates helped I.W.A. CANADA in its
efforts to gain IFBWW recognition
in the struggle the I.W.A. is having

with international anti-logging
groups. In particular, support came
from unions in Australia, New
Zealand, U.S., the Netherlands and
the West African Commonwealth
nation of Ghana.

“We really appreciate the support
and solidarity we have enjoyed with
aire allies within IFBWW,” Haggard
sald.

The other major achievement for
I.W.A. CANADA was Haggard’s elec-
tion to the IFBWW;s executive com-
mittee, which is the policy-setting
body between World Congresses.
Haggard secured the executive posi-
tion left vacant with the retirement
last year of former president Gerry
Stoney.

¢ Taking a break from IFBWW World Congress business, I.W.A. CANADA

§ hosted in Nanaimo, B.C., last April.
“Many of those union representa-
tives went home very impressed
with what they saw and learned in
our country. Those who went on our
tour of Vancouver Island timber

When we are under
attack, whether it is
from multinational
corporations or the
international
campaigns of extreme
organizations, we
need the support of
our union brothers
and sisters in
other countries.

- Dave Haggard

harvesting operations are now par-
ticularly willing to agree that we
are making strides toward sustain-
able forest practices here in
Canada.”

In line with the Congress’ theme
of Modernizing our Unions, IFBWW
also convened a major, one-day
women’s conference — women, in
fact, now make up about 18 percent
of the organization’s 18 million total
members. There were more than 50
women delegates to the Harare
meeting.
The IFBWW Four Your Action
Program encourages all affiliates to
adopt a collective bargaining agen-
da for gender equality and mea-
sures to ensure affirmative action.

The Congress also included a one-
day session on Child Labour.
IFBWW affiliates agreed to pres-
sure local legislators to enforce
rules restricting child labour and to
work to improve parents’ economic

osition. The federation also agreed
to coordinate boycotts of companies
that use child labour to secure mar-

'S ket advantages.

Bie, (47

President Dave Haggard and friend Steinford Hlomayi tour a Zimbabwean

market in Harare.

The IFBWW also agreed to work

= to connect all its affiliates to the

Internet by the year 2000.
- with files from Kim Pollock.

10/LUMBERWORKER/SEPTEMBER 1997