PHOTOS BY NORMAN GARCIA

= Williams Lake, B.C. Local 1-425
delegates were present (above).
Local 363 president Rick Wangler
(left) spoke on the increasing use
of labour contractors. Below,
national fifth vice-president and
Local 1-3567 president Sonny
Ghag spoke on unity during
negotiations.

= Local 1-423’s Ben Landis

= Left, Local 1-405’s Stan
McMaster spoke on
Southern Interior issues
and (below) the national
office’s Gerry Smith gave
an overview on functions
and costs of the union’s
benefits programs.

i

= Local 1-417’s Marty Gibbons

THE IWA’s 2003 COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING DEMANDS

Briefly, here are the programmatic sets of res-
lutions that the IWA provinal negotiating
committee is presenting during this year’s
sets of contract talks with master bargaining
associations on the Coast and Interior regions
of BC. Separate negotiations will also take
place with Canfor's northem operations and
Weldwood Canada’s Interior operations,

= UNIVERSAL DEMANDS (COAST AND
INTERIOR REGIONS)

e TERM OF AGREEMENT - the union
demands a three year deal.

© WAGE INCREASE - the IWA demands a
substantial wage increase for all.

SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL - demand for an
increase from 31 cents to $1.00/hr.

¢ CHARGEHANDS - duties be negotiated
into the agreement.

© EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS - the con-
tract must contain language of the ESA as
of July 1, 2000 — covering hours of work
notices, hours free from work, wage state-
ments, payroll records, entitlement to
annual vacation, parental leave and family
responsiblity leave.

© WEEKLY INDEMNITY - increases in the
rates paid for weekly indemnity.

© MEDICAL CERTIFICATES - payment of
doctors’ notes or forms when required by
the company or Wi plan.

© EXTENDED HEALTH BENEFITS <an
increase in Vision Care to $400 per year.

INSURANCE COVERAGE - the $50,000
lifetime limit be increased to unlimited.

° EXTENDED HEALTH - all employees to be
covered by “Blue Net” or equivalent cover-
age system.

‘ MEDICAL TRAVEL ALLOWANCE - the plan
must pay for travel in excess of a 250 km
round trip.

© UNFUNDED LIABILITY - the joint funding
of the WALTD plan must achieve an amor-

tization of eight (8) years.

e PENSION IMPROVEMENTS ~ adoption of
the Hybrid Plan developed by IWA pension
plan trustees - which includes an increase
for current pensioners, an increase for active
members’ past service, future increases
and the creation of personal retirement
accounts, be implemented ASAP; an
increase in future service benefit levels by a
minimum of $20 over the life of the con-
‘tract with cost split equally by employers
and workers; and future service benefit
increases to be implemented by plan
trustees when valuations indicate the plan
will remain funded in according with the B.
C. Pension Benefit Standards Act.

e SENIORITY RETENTION - retention of sen-
lority be extended from a maximum of 18
months to 48 months.

© ENHANCED SEVERANCE PAY - the WA
will demand improvement in severance pay
for those affected by layoffs or in the case
of tech change.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE - the company shall
grant LOA for workers elected or appointed
to union activities, joint union/industry
activities, or organization activities the
union is affiliated to.

APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING -a series of
eight provisions will be demanded to
enhance training allowance guidelines for

apprentices.
EDUCATION FUND ~an increase in the
Education Fund to 5 cents per hour.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION - the union
demands the presence of a committee
member of shop steward at any meeting
involving discipline.

© WCB REGS - incorporation of WCB lan-
guage on joint committees and the right to
refuse unsafe work into thecontract.

¢ COMPANY SENIORITY - additional provi-
sions covering transfer rights.

= COAST DEMANDS (ADDITIONAL).

® LOGGING WAGE RATES -a new mulit-
stage wage rate setting process.

¢ HIRING PREFERENCE - new protective
provisions for seniority in the case of per-
manent or partial closures.

© CONTRACTORS AND SUB-CONTRACTORS
~ language re-established to protect the
integrity of the bargaining unit.

= SOUTHERN INTERIOR (ADDITIONAL)

© REDUCTION IN FORCES - improvements in
language.

© JOB POSTING ~ a demand that Weyco OK
Falls withdraw letter canceling job posting
supplement.

¢ BANKED OVERTIME -a provision to
establish an agreement in this area.

© SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL ~ademand at Weyoo
Princeton, that all hours outside the regular day
shall indude shift differential.

© TEMBEC POSTING - the union will
demand job posting “down bidding” at
Tembec Inc.

Note: For CONIFER, Canfor and Weldwood
negotiations, the union demands contract
changes so “all earned vacations must be
taken.”

For more details on demands and up-to-
date information on negotiations, visit
www.iwa.ca and link to “2003 IWA

APRIL 2003 THE ALLIED WORKER | 23