_ Manitoba loggers __ continued from page thirty-two. a ae eDelP, eney were Ene deeper into _ debt, unable to pay their workers proper wages and benefits. a ae . Since then, with the I.W.A.’s assistance, there has been a long struggle for justice to get a full wage and benefits package, including a pension plan. Just this past summer the I.W.A. assisted a crew in avoiding having its equipment repossessed. ‘Now there is more support and stability for us — we have a voice with the union on our side,” said Ehman. “For too long I think companies have been playing with people that live and work in the North.” Brother Arcand said that the system that Tolko uses today to calibrate rates has been insufficient to allow contractors to survive. In Moose Lake, the contractors have an obligation to train local people, some who have not worked on or maintained equipment before. “The company has never recognized the restraints that Moose Lake Logging faces and that lack of recognition is shown in the rates they give the contractors,” said Arcand. “In our view, Tolko has taken advantage of the situation and we have actually seen very productive logging crews nearly go broke in recent times.” “Now we're out to put Moose Lake on a good footing and there is a real serious reluctance that Tolko is showing at the table,” said Arcand, who also acknowledged that the company has put better supervision and coordination in the £ Mercredi. bush and is showing some willingness to work with the union to keep the crews working in the current economic downturn. “In Manitoba, however, we are seeing what happens when one employer has got a lock on what goes in an area,” said Operator Ernest Bercier. 2 With over 20 years of bush experience is feller buncher Arcand. “The rates it pays for wood are basically what it dictates. Even if a contractor can take ona legal fight with the company over rates, they have to pay for it out of their pocket. Even if they win, Tolko can withhold work, withhold monies and eventually the issues go away.” “At one time the company let the crew at Moose Lake sit and be forced into submission by an agreement that was sub- standard,” added Arcand. “Tt didn’t work out because of the tenacity of the Moose Lake Logging company and its contractors, who suffered a lot of financial hardship while the dispute was going on.” Local union president Terry Derhousoff said that Tolko’s agreements with its contractors are “too open-ended.” “The company can change the amount of wood that is hauled at any time,” he said. “They (Tolko) basically set all the rules and regulations and try to exercise whatever they see is their right to change them on the go.” Brother Derhousoff said what happening at Moose Lake Logging is very important for the I.W.A.’s future presence in the bush. “What our union achieves there will set the pattern for the rest of the province and other contractors to follow if they want to make progress,” he said. “Now that they (Moose Lake Logging) are working towards full ‘Schedule A’ rates, if one gets it, the other ones (contractors) will be after them too.” LOOKING FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSITY To lessen its dependency on Tolko, the Mosakahiken Cree, which are one of five bands that belong to the Swampy Cree Tribal pane is looking for some e At the Moose Lake Logging office are (l.) forwarder operator Arnold Buck and foreman John i new economic activities for itself and Moose Lake Logging. It is trying to negotiate an agreement with the province, Tolko and other stakeholders, in order to obtain its own quota of both softwoods and hardwoods. “Since Moose Lake is under extreme financial dependence to Tolko because it has no current economic alternatives, it needs other economic activities,” said Arcand. They want to develop at least a primary manufacturing facility for wood and have identified potential markets for hardwood products. Currently, Tolko by-passes hardwoods. “There is a lot a stick-handling to be done to reach some new agreements and we are there to help out,” said Arcand. Other Swampy Cree Tribal Council bands have no formal relationship with the I.W.A., but Arcand hopes that will change. “The council has been somewhat wary of dealing with a big union,” said Arcand. “Many are waiting to see what will happening with the Moose Lake crew.” “We were trying to organize all of the Swampy Cree, but we’ve put that on hold for the time being,” he added. The Swampy Cree has developed its own expertise in assisting bands such as the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in The Pas, develop projects and commercial activities. “We hope that our agreement with Moose Lake Logging will eventually establish us with First Nations Cree all over northern Manitoba,” said Arcand. “There is a ton of work to do and the I.W.A. is committed to taking a long-term approach.” He added that “if we can stick together and work as a group, we can get the rates up and First Nations people will get a better deal on the job.” “Moose Lake has one of the most unique collective agreements in Canada. It has members from the only native band that we know of that has this type of an agreement with a trade union,” said Arcand. “We want to work with them to make it work.” In the realm of resource development, Local 324 has a committee which is advocating a shared resource approach for the province. “We don’t think that any corporation should have total control over our resources,” said Manitoba Federation of Labour vice-president Gordon Landriault, himself a former Moose Lake Logger. “They belong to the people of Manitoba, including the First Nations.” The union is lobbying government decision- makers and community leaders to come on side. At this point in time, it is hoped that Tolko will obtain 200,000 cubic meters of annual cut south of the 58rd parallel in the Swan River Valley in exchange for as much as 200,000 cubic meters in northern Manitoba that can be used for community development opportunities. CHANGES WITH MOOSE LAKE CREW Most of the Moose Lake Logging crew comes from around Moose Lake itself and the isolated community of Crossing Bay, which is located in the 58rd Forest Section. It is about an hour an a half drive northeast of The Pas. ‘ From 1972 to 1992, when jobs were more continued on page thirty-four LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER 2001/33