Dar ey Se eh

* Local 1000 President Joe da Costa conducted a workshop on the I.W.A.’s
education policy and strategy. See summary below.

Workshop delegates discuss
policy directions for |.W.A.

Bie elowine, is a summary of the workshop proceedings which
took place at the national staff conference on March 1 and 2, 1998.

WORKSHOP #1 - BUILDING OUR
UNION’S IMAGE

PURPOSE: To answer two ques-
tions: (1) How can we change/
improve our image?; and, (2) How
can we increase our profile. To
answer these overall questions, par-
ticipants need to consider and dis-
cuss our image from three perspec-
tives: the membership; the labour
movement; and the general public.

Delegates in this workshop
stressed the need for more and bet-
ter communication, both with our
members and to the general public.
This includes information about our

union, its policies, events and the
activities of the staff.

Some specific recommendations
on the issue of communicating to
the membership include:

* regular newsletters to the mem-
bership,

* more education for stewards and
activists, and

© more focus on involving and edu-
cating younger workers.

In terms of public image, the union
has to highlight our diversity, both
ethnic and gender, as well as the
fact that the I.W.A. represents all
workers, not just forest workers.
There are recommendations to
change the name of the “Lumber-
worker.”

Some specific recommendations
to increase our profile include:
© greater involvement in commu-
nity events,

° media training for officers and
staff,

publicity around organizing and
events like the Women’s Confer-
ence,

* getting into high schools to talk
about unions and the I.W.A., and

* using the full & proper name of
the union.

WORKSHOP #2 - EDUCATION POLICY &
STRATEGY

PURPOSE: To challenge the par-
ticipants to discuss and evaluate
our National Education Policy. To
determine how the different educa-
tional functions will be carried out
and how the funding will be distrib-
uted between the national and local

Delegates believe the National
Education Policy is good, but the
details need to be worked out. Specif-
ieally, decisions need to be made
about the role of the National and
Local Unions in membership educa-
tion.

Like all programs, the education
policy needs to be flexible to accom-
modate the different needs of the
Local Unions. However, core course,
programs and materials need to be
developed on a national scale.

There is agreement that the
National Union should be responsi-
ble for development of core courses
and materials. These include, but
are not limited to:

° steward training,
© new member orientation,
* social and political activism, and

paid education fund a priority.

It is also suggested that local
union, employer-paid education
funds should be used to support the
development of programs at the
national union level.

There was some uncertainty about
how much is currently allotted for
education at the national level and
how much is needed for course, pro-
gram and instructor development.
Some delegates suggested a per-
centage of the new BC education
fund (10%) be used to start course
and instructor development and
other locals should contribute when
they establish similar funds.

The union should not forget the
CLC and its education services; this
is a cost-effective method of deliver-
ing certain training.

WORKSHOP #3 - ORGANIZING POLICY &
STRATEGY

PURPOSE: To challenge the par-
ticipants to discuss and evaluate
our National Organizing and Growth
Program and determine how orga-
nizing and the organizing fund can
be implemented to get the best
results. To define the roles and
responsibilities of the national and
local unions, discuss the “pitfalls”
around organizing and to start to
develop an “organizing strategy.”

There is general support among
the delegates around the new direc-
tions the union is taking in organiz-
ing, however, there is some uncer-
tainty about funding guidelines,
targeting non-traditional work-
places, servicing new certifications
and full-time organizing staff.

In terms of funding, delegates
want clearer guidelines around legal
costs and some funding for negotiat-
ing first contracts and potential
first contract disputes.

The fund should continue to go
toward recruiting and training new
organizers, research and targeting
industries and assisting local unions,
particularly those without the funds
to organize.

There is also a desire for the
National to be paying greater than

ay

mane

° National Staff Rey

presentative Rene Brixhe (right) made a point during a

workshop on new member orientation, conducted by Local 1-207 Presi-
dent Mike Pisak (standing) and national staff member Bob Navarretta,

Director, Arbitration and Resources.

¢ diversity training.

It is also suggested that all I.W.A.
courses should include components
or reference to:
¢ history of the I.W.A.,
¢ union ideology,

* union pride, and
© proactive, worker approaches to
issues.

There is also consensus that the
national should be responsible for
training and developing a core group
of educators from among the local
union that can deliver courses across
the country. An education confer-
ence or seminar is suggested.

Delivery of education to the mem-
bers is and should remain the respon-
sibility of the local unions, with the
national providing assistance and
resources as needed.

In terms of funding, there was
agreement with the National Edu-
cation Policy that local unions should
make the negotiation of an employer-

50% of organizing costs.

In terms of targeting, there is
some reluctance from some of the
delegates and resentment from their
membership to organizing outside
of the forest industry. There is defi-
nitely a strong push to focus on orga-
nizing in the forest industry and
expanding the I.W.A.’s traditional
workplaces.

The consensus is that it is the
local union’s responsibility to target
and make decisions about which
workplaces to organize. However,
where necessary and possible the
national should coordinate multi-
local or unique organizing cam-
paigns. This is particularly impor-
tant with large, multinational
corporations and might involve the
national doing more than simply
cost sharing organizers,

In any event, many of the dele-
gates want the national union to
play a leadership and coordination
role in organizing, but ultimately

the local unions would have the
final say in their jurisdiction.

Many delegates suggested more
national organizers. However, there
is also a strong feeling that the local
approach has been successful and
should continue.

It was suggested that the national
union should be responsible for pro-
viding and paying the full cost of
“expertise” where required. This
can be either National staff or expe-
rienced organizers from other Local
Unions.

Some of the areas of potential
identified by the delegates are:
° re-manufacturing,
° value-added wood products,
° logging (e.g., B.C. Interior),
© building supplies,
e Home Depot and Revy retail out-
lets,
¢ hotels, and
¢ retail/wholesale stores.

WORKSHOP #4 - NEW MEMBER ORIEN-
TATION

PURPOSE: To introduce partici-
pants to the New Member Kits. To
challenge participants to discuss
techniques and strategies to edu-
cate new members, both in existing
bargaining units and in newly certi-
fied units.

Delegates like the New Member
Kits and agreed they should be used
for both newly certified members
and new members at existing opera-
tions. It is also widely suggested
that parts of the kit can be used to
help with the organization of poten-
tial members.

Supplemental, local-specific mate-
rials should be included with the
kits, such as:

° a letter from the president,

° acollective agreement, constitu-
tion and local union by-laws,

° health and safety material, and

° badges, pins and decals.

In terms of other ways to reach
new members, the consensus is that
personal contact is best, although
one-on-one contact is not necessary.
The difficulties with this include:
staying current, employer co-opera-
tions, and time constraints on local
union officers and staff.

Suggestions included the develop-
ment of a new member video, nego-
tiation of collective agreement lan-
guage providing for union
orientation and encouraging plant
and camp chairpersons to take the
responsibility to introduce new
members to the union. It is also sug-
gested that the union make use of
membership surveys.

There is agreement that increased
communication and education will
go a long way to motivating all mem-
bers, including new members, to be
active.

NATIONAL STAFF PRIORITIES FOR THE
COMING YEAR

Delegates were asked to list the
five things that they feel should be
the priorities of the Industrial, Wood
and Allied Workers of Canada over
the next year. The results, in order,
were as follows:
¢ Member education (including
training educators)

° Organizing the unorganized &
ep Ubtick "
¢ Publicity & promotion of the I.W.A.
¢ Employment protection & job cre-
ation for our members

° Health & safety

° Improving service & representa-
tion

¢ Communicating with & involving
pera ere j

° Forest industry pension plan

° Staff pension plan

¢ Changing/improving our image

° Improve & increase communica-
tion with governments

Other specific priorities include
changing the name of the Lumber-
worker, hiring full-time National
Organizers, and improving technol-
ogy and coordination with, and
between, local unions.

- compiled by Scott Lunny, Direc-
tor of Policy and Information
Services.

Rn SESE ST SETI EDD II To OS

LUMBERWORKER/JUNE, 1998/9