° Local 1-3567 surrounded the Greenpeace vessel the Arctic Sunrise with boomsticks in New Westminster, and put the union’s message up for all to see. |.W.A. clashes with Greenpeace again You might want to call it “Green- peace Two - The Sequel.” On Sep- tember 5, I.W.A. members took action to once again capture a Green- peace vessel when union activists cordoned off the Arctic Sunrise at the New Westminster Quay. In a spontaneous reaction to the multinational extreme green group’s attempts to disrupt work at Inter- national Forest Products’ Western White Wood mill on Annacis Island, Local 1-3567 secured a log boom around the ship and set up an infor- mation picket to inform passers-by about the impact of Greenpeace’s boycott campaign and the damage it is doing to workers, their families and their communities. Greenpeace sent out four climbers to hang a banner off a chip loading gantry which read “Interfor Stop Destroying our Ancient Rainforests.” Union members confronted a Green- peace zodiac on the water as it pre- pared to hang a banner on a wood chip barge. A worker grabbed the banner from the zodiac before Green- peace could put it up. The local union kept up a picket line on a 24 hour a day basis until September 16. Everyday it held a barbecue and a rally of some 150 supporters was held on September 9. “The union got its message out,” said national union president Dave Haggard. “Greenpeace is as unwel- come in the province in the year 2000 as they were in the summer of 1997. They can stay the hell out of B.C. with their phony environmen- talism and their campaign to shut down logging in the so-called ‘Great Bear Rainforest.” Since 1997 Greenpeace has been trying to stop old growth logging on the mid and north coast of B.C, In dune of that year they blocked log- ging roads and I.W.A. members from going to work on King and Roderick Islands. When the corporation’s Arctic Sunrise and Moby Dick tied up at the Main Street docks in late June, 1997, union activists surrounded both vessels with logs booms. That was “Greenpeace One.” The union held Greenpeace to the dock for 7 days until both vessels fled, one of them illegally without a pilot from the Vancouver Port Authority. “We told Greenpeace then and we are telling them now that when they harass our members we will respond in kind,” adds Brother Haggard. Local 1-3567 president Sonny Ghag said “Greenpeace should stay ¢ Seen grilling up the burgers for union members and supporters was Local 1-3567 president Sonny Ghag. 40/LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER, 2000 away from our mills and leave our members alone. If they come back to harass or bother us they can expect the same treatment from our local union.” “We strive for sustainable forest practices to protect our province and our livelihoods,” says Haggard. “Some 300,000 British Columbia jobs are generated by the forest industry - 14% of the provincial workforce.” “These jobs and the tax revenue, salaries and wages earned by forest workers support communities, social services and the high standard of living we have in B.C.,” he adds. “We don’t need the likes of Green- peace and the international gang of protesters taking that away from us. : On October 21, Greenpeace called on Canfor and Fletcher Challenge Canada to stop buying wood chips from Interfor’s operations on the central coast. Both companies refused to do so and accused Green- peace of breaking a 6 month old truce to find solutions for the cen- tral coast region. In a declaration signed by Canfor, Fletcher Challenge, Weyerhaeuser and Western Forest products, those companies said they don’t support boycotts. ‘Weyco spokesperson Linda Coady responded. “Greenpeace can’t have it both ways,” she said. “They can’t remain at the table and be cam- paigning against us.” Brother Haggard warned the for- est companies of its dealings with Greenpeace and its partners, the Rainforest Action Network, the Sierra Club and the Coastal Rain- forest Coalition. “We are not at all surprised by Greenpeace’s tactics with these companies,” said Haggard. “Green- peaceis and the other groups’ agen- las is to shut down logging and not play by any agreed-upon set ofrules.” Both Interfor and West Fraser Timber, which would be most affected by the curtailment of log- ging operations on the mid and northern coastal areas dropped out of negotiations with the four envi- ronmental groups. German paper makers have been the most responsive to Greenpeace’s attempt to boycott B.C. pulp. How- ever these firms have indicated that they do not support Greenpeace’s latest action and still support the mid-coast discussions, as well as the B.C. government’s Mid-Coast Local Resource Management Plan. Announcing an important new book about your union The LIFE and TIMES of an INDUSTRIAL UNION by Andrew Neufeld and Andrew Parnaby ° Each IWA local’s story is highlighted 250 rare archival images ° Deluxe 321-page 8x10 clothbound book ° Order today and save $20 off cover price! © 0 Published by IWA Canada & New Star Books Retails at $50 Special IW.A. member price of just $30 ptus san Contact your local or national union. A great gift idea for family and friends !!