SAFETY EDUCATION Over 90 union dele- gates from 19 local. unions were in Prince George, B.C. in June at the annual |.W.A. CANADA National OH&S Conference. PAGES 6-7 e |.W.A. NATIONAL WOMEN’S CONVENTION DELEGATES gathered in Winnipeg in June. Pictured are, left to right, dele- gates from Local 1-184 in Saskatchewan, Debbie Moskal, Arlene La Paire, and Shirley St. Louis. See pages 12-13. Union questions impact of MacBlo’s logging strategy on safety and jobs n June 10 MacMillan Bloedel announced that it would be changing its har- vesting practices on the Coast of B.C. It said it is poised to make a five year transi- tion to large scale “variable reten- tion” harvesting systems, leaving behind traditional logging methods. To do this the company has clas- sified its 1.1 million hectares of for- est lands into three zones; on “old growth zone,” a “habitat zone” and a “timber zone.” In each type of zone certain “vari- able retention” harvesting systems will be phased in over the five year period until all logging is done with “variable retention” methods. Like the rest of the industry on the Coast of B.C., MacMillan Bloedel is facing international boycotts of its forest products due to pressure yut on by radical environmentalists Peetied by Greenpeace and is adopt- ing new strategies to get around those boycotts in Europe. Since the company is not allowed tariff-free access to the United States, under the Canada-U.S. soft- wood lumber agreement for the vast. majority of its coastal lumber pro- duction, it has to look offshore. Since Japan and the rest of Asia are in sasecoatmemammmenanaiosonayencinrtia the economic tank, it can’t get the dollar that it wants for the lumber that it is selling. “MacBlo’s new strategy is a ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’ one,” said I.W.A. CANADA National President Dave Haggard. “They have given up the fight to defend forest practices as they have been done in British Columbia over the past several years and are looking at new ways of sell- ing their wood to avoid boycotts.” Haggard is critical of Greenpeace for its strong support of MB’s plan. “We always hear them and other green extremists attacking techno- logical change and job loss in the forest industry,” said Haggard. “Where are they now, when this plan appears to be largely based on job loss through tech change? Let’s face it, if MB and the greens are both grinning, pity the poor worker.” “Greenpeace may have bought (MB president) Tom Stephens a bot- tle of champagne but we’re not sure even if we want to buy the guy a beer yet,” added Haggard. “We’ve really got to have a closer look at what will be happening as their new plans are phased in.” “We're already doing similar work at MB and other forest companies’ operations. There’s really nothing new here,” said Haggard. “But nowhere has it been tried on a scale that MB is suggesting. That’s why we're taking a wait and see atti- tude.” The union will be looking closely at the “variable retention” logging methods with a special focus on the safety of its membership. “First and foremost we categori- cally agree with MB’s stated inten- tion that safety of the workers is absolutely paramount,” said Brother Haggard. “With smaller clearcut openings, falling, bucking and yard- ing can get a helluva lot more dan- gerous. Every single aspect of doing the job without increasing risks to the workers must come before pro- duction.” In smaller openings, fallers are not always falling into completely open felled and bucked areas. More wedging is needed. Trees are more likely to brush against each other. Falling trees could hit trees that are supposed to be left standing, caus- ing tops and limbs to break off, showering the workers with debris. Felled timber can roll, bind and twist into standing trees, causing nightmarish bucking conditions. Harvesting crews could face Continued on page two |.W.A. annual convention set for Vancouver The theme of this year’s twelfth Constitutional Convention of the Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers of Canada is “New Mem- bers, New Ideas.” Over 180 delegates from 20 local unions are expected to be in attendance at what will be the sixty-first annual convention of the I.W.A. in Canada. The welcoming address will be given by Bob Matters, President of ILW.A. CANADA Local 1-425 who will be speaking on behalf of B.C. Interior locals 1-405, 1-417, 1-428, 1-424, and 1-425 which are co-hosting the convention. During his opening speech at the convention, National Presi- dent Dave Haggard will officially release results from organizing campaigns during the last year. “I am encouraged by all of the hard work that the local unions have done, along with the cooper- ation of our national office, to put on effective organizing drives since the last convention,” com- mented Brother Haggard. “We are bringing new members and new ideas into the I.W.A. despite some very hard times for some of our locals and despite the trou- bling times that has hit the for- est industry in B.C.” “We need to continue to expand the scope of our union,” he added. “That means expanding into some new industrial and service sec- tors outside the traditional forest industry. We need to maintain strength in numbers to fight for fairness and dignity in the work- place, stronger communities, and to keep runaway corporate greed in check.” Confirmed speakers who will address this year’s convention include Federal NDP Leader Alexa McDonough, NDP Premier of B.C. Glen Clark, Canadian Labour Congress President Bob White, B.C. Federation of Labour President Ken Georgetti, IAM Administrative Assistant Rod Kelty from Marlborough, Mary- land, Woodworker District Lodge 1 - International Association of Machinists (IAM) President Chuck Macrae from Gladstone, Oregon, and Randall Rice from Memphis, Tennessee who is the Grand Lodge Representative of the Woodworkers Department of the IAM. On the afternoon of September 17, the convention will hear from a panel on the topic of organiz- ing. That panel will consist of Ken Neumann, President of Dis- trict 3 of the United Steelwork- ers of America, Mike MclIsaac, Director of Education and Cam- paigns at the Canadian Labour Congress, IAM Director of Orga- nizing Gary Will and McMaster University’s Charlotte Yates.