CONVENTION

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HIGHLIGHTS 9®

¢ National First Vice President Neil Menard gave a report detailing the progress of union organizing.

Organizing report shows growth in |.W.A.

The numbers this year are looking better. In
the past fiscal year, the I.W.A. brought in 2,925
new members, 670 more than were brought into
the union during the previous year, which means
a 30% increase.

If 1,000 new members under New Forest
Opportunities in B.C. are added in, the numbers
approach 4,000.

In a report to the convention, Neil Menard,
first national vice president and officer respon-
sible for organizing, said that, more important

than the simple numbers, is the fact that the
organizing and growth program are heading in
the right direction.

“This year there has been organizing activity
in every region of the national union and new
members in 16 of our 20 locals. Not only has
there been an increase in overall activity, the
number of newly certified members is up, while
the numbers of unsucessful campaigns is down,”
said Menard. “One indication of our success is a
number of key victories at long-time non-union
operations. This past year, certification was
achieved at Louisiana Pacific in Swan River,
Nagaard Sawmill in Port Alberni, three opera-
tions of Ainsworth Lumber in Abottsford, Chasm
and 100 Mile House (B.C), and a MacMillan-

Bloedel mill in northern Ontario.

Menard specifically mentioned Ainsworth as
an example of the increased coordination
between locals. There were 509 workers orga-
nized in a poly-party union certification involv-
ing locals 1-3567, 1-417 and 1-425.

The report also mentioned that the union is
making headway into the agricultural sector.
Local 2171 and 1-3567 have close to 500 new
members in greenhouses and growing opera-
tions, and there is a major drive underway to
sign up over 300 workers at the region’s major
distributor, B.C. Hot House.

In B.C. every local reported new membership,
said Brother Menard. The union ranked second
in certification applications filed in the province.
There were 50 successful certs granted as of the
convention date.

Among the many certifications in the province,
Local 1-417 brought in over 300 members at
Ainsworth Lumber in Chasm and Local 1-423
brought in 160 new members at K&C Silvicul-
ture Farms Ltd. in Oliver.

In Alberta, although no new members were
reported up to the convention, the local’s orga-
nizing program remained active, with contacts
in place and sign-up campaigns at three forest

IX

¢ Local 1000 financial secretary Mike McCarter gave striking Lafarge workers sourvenir prints. Left

to right are Rod Ceasor, Paul Chalat, Brian Sippola and Barry Dejardine.

industry operations.

In Saskatchewan, Local 1-184 picked up a vol-
untary certification with 34 new members at
Wapawekka Lumber Ltd, outside of Prince
Albert, while in the city the union achieved a vol-
untary certification at the upcoming MacMillan
Bloedel (now Weyerhaeuser) oriented strand-
board plant. The agreement was reach out of a
negotiated partnership arrangement between
the I.W.A. and the employer.

In Manitoba, Local 830 continues surveying
for organizing possibilities. In the northwest,
Local 324 certified the L-P operation on the
fourth attempt, bringing in 112 new members.

“Anti-union laws and anti-union companies
have not stopped I.W.A. locals from organizing
over 500 members in Ontario,” said Menard.
“Organizers in Ontario are reporting positive
feedback on our organizing efforts, encountering
greater recognition of the 1.W.A. and even get-
ting leads passed on by other unions and central
labour bodies.”

Toronto Local 700 brought in 87 new members
at Sauder Industries and Roma Mouldings. _

Local 1000 got 106 new members, including
two more certs in the health care field.

Local 2693 organized over 200 workers and
Local 2995 brought in 84 new members.

“All the organizers, staff and members work-
ing on campaigns in Ontario should be proud of
our success,” said Menard. “However with the:
the re-election of the Mike Harris government
this past summer, we will have to work even
harder as the Tories and their businesses friends
step up the anti-union agenda in Ontario.”

In Quebec the union continues to survey for
leads and was successful in bringing in 24 mem-
bers at a finger-jointing plant while in New
Brunswick the union ran into employer inter-
ference during two separate campaigns.

A local organizing office has been set up in
Miramichi (see story pages 8-9) to create a solid
presence in the province.

In the past year, two long-time organizers
Brothers Harold Sachs and Brother Rene
Brixhe, retired.

Brother Wade Fisher served as organizii
coordinator in western Canada until he ret
to Local 1-425 as president in August and Mike
Hunter continues as the organizing coordinator
for Eastern Canada.

Tn all, the LW.A. called on many of the 130
trained organizers across the week durii
various campaigns. The national office hired
part-time organizers as required.

In all, Menard reported that the union
about $1.1 million on izing, about 80% of
which went to cover costs associated with local
and national organizing staff.

16/LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER, 1999