¢ In front of the bunkhouses at the four-day-a-week Abitibi camp are Local 2693 members. L. to r. are feller

buncher operator Tom Canuel, roadbuilder/backhoe operator Paul Gladu, camp cook John Collins and slasher

operator Dennis Nummikoski.

Northern Ontario local finds
solution to camp shutdowns

Before and since the late 1980’s
bushworkers in northern Ontario
have suffered camp closure after
camp closure. Today in the north
there are only four camps in opera-
tion.

In order to slash costs employers
arbitrarily shut down camp facilities
and forced workers into long com-
mutes to and from their worksites.

e Camp facilities are comfortable
and well-kept.

“The changes that we witnessed
by 1990 and since then have marked
virtual elimination of logging camp
facilities in northern Ontario, except
for just a few,” says Local 2693 pres-
ident Wilf McIntyre. “And of course,
today some of the ‘packsackers’ (non-
union contractors) still live in trail-
ers and tents like they always have.”

Today major ecadlandl operators
like Avenor, Abitibi, Bowater, and
Kimberly-Clark run their opera-
tions with fewer workers and, in
cases, they force them to commute.

In 1999 Local 2693 members at
Domtar’s Ramsey Camp near Sud-
bury struck for six months where
one of main issues was the crew’s
determination to keep the main
camp open.

He predicts it the reopening of

camps will be a major issue in con-
tract negotiations next year for some
companies.

“It has been a fight in both of our
local unions (Local 2693 and 2995)
to keep the camps open. In situation
after situation the companies threat-
ened longer and permanent layoffs
to put pressure on our crews,” says
Brother McIntyre. “In the end there
was nothing we could do in many
cases — we didn’t have protection
against them simply shutting the
camps down and laying our mem-
bers off.”

The recession of the early 1990’s
saw the death knell for most camps.

For employees of Abitibi Camp
231, north of Thunder Bay, it wasn’t
until the summer of 1997 before a
camp facilities re-appeared — and
under markedly different circum-
stances.

The company and Local 2693 nego-
tiated the opening of a portable
camp (35-40 workers) about a 2 hour
drive north of the city. The I.W.A.
negotiated four ten hour work days
and a three day weekend. The men
only stay in camp for three nights;
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Two hours of the time they might
spend travelling back and forth to
camp is spent working for the com-
pany. Then they get a three day
weekend.

Also part of the arrangement is
that, aside from a contractor cook
(who is also an I.W.A. member) the
men largely take care of their own
rooms and bunkhouses. The com-
pany only pays one person some
overtime for necessary clean up and
then brings in a retiree to watch
over the camp on weekends.

The workers have worked with
the company to reduce the costs of
operating the camp. Their room and
board rate is up marginally from
the traditional $1.75 per day negoti-
ated decades earlier.

Each worker has their own room.
The camp’s cookshack, common
room (T.V. and rec room) and wash-
ing/drying machines facilities are
all linked together. Each bunkhouse
has its own showers and the men

can leave their belongings behind
on their three days off.

“It’s a good set-up and our mem-
bers are happy they made the deal,”
says Local 2693 first vice president
Joe Hanlon. “The camp has proven
to add some considerable comforts
to their lifestyle. The men don’t get
worn out by those long 14-16 hour
work days (including travelling
times) that they experience in other

parts of the north. Unfor' unatel

we have been nual to that on

across to some employers z
workers

rested workers are happier
and more productive workers.”

When the workers can enjoy week-
ends with their families and not get
all mixed up on rotating shifts
flex-shifts, their lives are more reg-
ular, he adds. ‘

“In some of our operations, the
members commute 3-4 hours a day,
says Brother McIntyre. “Add that
on to a 8-10 work day in the bush.
then factor in your lunch time and
other add-ons and your quality of
work and home life suffers. The
Abitibi Camp offers an alternative
and we think companies out there
should take a close look at what we
are doing and have to put people in
front of profit.”

Local 2693 member Peter Gl:
who has worked at numerous Abi
Camps over the years, says that
prolonged work-travel days are a
safety risk. He says if you can’t sleep
you can’t work safely. ;

He says that commuting in the
winter is even tougher with slippery
road conditions and road closures.

“A lot of our members would be
better off in camps like this,” adds
Brother Hanlon. “When you get
three days off you have time to
recover and you don’t spend all day
trying to catch up on your slots
oe have time to enjoy your fami!

e.”

The entire Camp 231 can be
moved, on flatbeds to another site
within a week. The portable
bunkhouses are insulated for 12
month a year use.

Each week the cook brings in fresh
meats, vegetables and fruit for the
camp. Two hot meals (breakfast and
dinner) are supplied daily while a
lunch table is prepared in the morn-
ing and evening.

The workers help themselves to
the fridge if they want something or
want to heat something up, like
soup or chili.

Slasher operator Dennis Num-
mikoski likes the arrangement.

“It’s made a big difference for a
lot of us,” he says. “We find it is
more relaxing to stay in camp than

to travel so much.”

¢ Local 2693’s Joe Hanlon (left) dropped in to the camp cookshack during
a meeting with workers. The crew helps itself to food or drink when they

want.

36/LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER, 2000