Local logger passes on after courageous cancer battle He was a union Brother whom every one greatly appreciated. On March 27, 2003 retired Local 2995 member André Tourigny passed away follow- ing a courageous battle with cancer. Brother Tourigny who retired from the Spruce Falls’ Inc. wood- lands operation in 1998, was a local aaSN” aS executive board . member for over 32 years. André worked at Spruce Falls for an aston- ishing 42 years, witnessing : )| changes from André in 1998 hand legging end horse powered hauling to the modern feller bunch- ers and chipper-delimbers of today. National second vice president Norm Rivard, who knew André since the mid-70s, said he was always one to lend a hand and remained upbeat and positive, even in difficult times. “André had a passion for the union and it was a central part of this life. He is fondly remembered,” says Rivard. Local union president Guy Bourgouin shares the sense of loss with many others and extends the local’s condolences to André’s fami- ly in recognition of his years of dedi- cated service. He says that, even after he retired, André would often assist the local union by sharing information on how things were done at Spruce Falls in times past. One distinction André was noted for were his recipes and skills as a baker. Often he’d bring in fresh bread, and other pastries including tourtiere for his local union cohorts. Bruno Payant, a colleague of André’s from Spruce Falls, and a local executive board member, said André was “straightforward, honest and a good listener — he made a great contribution to the union.” André is survived by his wife Antoinette, daughter Sylvie and son Stephane. OSB 1000 crew wins Stan Parker Memorial Award Weyerhaeuser’s OSB 1000 crew were the recipients of the Stan Parker Memorial Award at IWA Local 1-184's biennial convention on April 12. The award recognizes out- standing contribu- tions to the local iY } union. Local presi- dent Paul Hallen Stan Parker sid the WAis proud of the members that worked the final days before the plant's clo- sure in May of 2002, and that workers. exceeded every challenge before them in attempts to keep the mill run- ning, even exceeding production records. He added the decision to close the mill was the company’s and no way a reflection on the workers. Stan Parker, who passed away in 1978 was a former Region One officer of the IWA, who was widely respect- ed for his dedicated work in 1-184. PHOTO BY NORMAN GARCIA = Atthe SAFER 2003 conference, former national first v. p. Brother Menard (middle) assists a delegate with registration. FORMER NATIONAL OFFICER NEIL MENARD CONTINUES DEDICATION Retired? Not this Cowboy! FOR A GUY WHOSE IS SUPPOSED to be retired, Brother Menard sure fools ‘em. The soon-to-be sixty year-old former first national vice president of IWA Canada is out and about these days, involved in a series of activities which are, in some regards, a continuance of his decades of dedicated service to the union. Officially he’s retired, but you wouldn’t know it by asking. Neil is working for the upstart Centre for Workplace and- Community Wellbeing which, under agreement with the IWA, has allowed him to continue his duties as the union’s national representative in overseeing involve- ment in the Employee and Family Assistance Program. He will continue in that role for the rest of 2003 and pos- sibly longer. He also sits on the Board of the Lower Mainland Assessment and Resource Society. He remains on the tripartite Board of the Industrial Musculoskeletal Injury Reduction Program which coordi- nates prevention programs in the province’s forest sector and is a member of the union’s Occupational Health and Safety Task Force, which is currently pushing for a health and safety association in the forest industry. Neil sits as an IWA rep on the Stop, Check and Correct program a Faller and Bucker Supervisor Training Program and is an alternate for the union in the provin- cial Faller and Bucker certification program. Meanwhile he is standing in, on behalf of national IWA first vice pres- ident Harvey Arcand, as a co-chair of the Safety Advisory Foundation for Education and Research SAFER, until Brother Arcand is able to assume those duties. All of those “retirement” activities, link to a common theme in Neil’s life: caring about people! He is a born and bred trade unionist, who originates from Nipawin, Saskatchewan. His late father, Oscar, was an early union pioneer who, working closely with the late Glenn Thompson, helped get the IWA going in the province of Saskatchewan when mills and IWA opera- tions where tied to the Saskatchewan Timber Board. Neil started in the bush in 1958 at the tender age of 15, working through late fall and winter months for contrac- tors logging for'the Timber Board. In 1962 he joined a friend in enlisting with the Royal Canadian Navy and would spend four years going from basic training, to precision drill teams, to sailing all over the world as a signal man with a communications unit. That early work experience and stint in the Navy had lasting effects on Neil. “As a worker I could see something my grandfather told me — that it is important to belong to a union and to help people who don’t have the skills or confidence to help themselves,” said Brother Menard, in an interview with The Allied Worker. “Then in the Navy, which was an overall experience I enjoyed, I could clearly see the lines drawn between management, who were the officers, and the rest of the workers, who were the rank and file sailors. I didn’t like it one bit.” Upon his discharge from the Navy, Neil worked as an Iron Worker and endured a life threatening accident at the age of 25 when he was crushed beneath a conyeyor in a Potash Mine in Colonsay, Saskatchewan. It took several years to recover and Neil never forgot the impact the accident had on his family, lifestyle and finances. Later, he would turn those sentiments into action as the IWA’s regional and nation- al officer for health and safety. Hired on as a business agent in 1972, he rapidly rose to president of Saskatchewan Local 1-184 two years later, during a period of strong growth for the local. By August of 1976 then Region One president Jack Munro appointed him as national third vice president. He toured with mentor Bob Blanchard through B.C. and _ eventually assumed duties for the prairies, and = Neilinhis 20’s the northern and southern B.C. Interior regions, participating as a negotiator and service rep. In the early years he worked with IWA’ers including 1-424’s Frank Everitt and Larry Dockendorff and then Local 1-425 president Harvey Arcand, in unifying standards of collective agreements and their expiry dates. Neil also had the task, until recent years, of being the regional and then national union’s representative in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Starting in 1978, Neil working with Brother Blanchard and others to pilot the Troubled Employees Assistance program, which would evolve into the EAP and then the EFAP we know today. “We had the right people to push the program. Bob Blanchard really helped as did Jack Munro, (MacMillian Bloedel president and CEO) Ray Smith, and Jim Stimson. They, and many others, were the right people in the right place at the right time.” Neil oversaw many advances in the union’s national safety program as it evolved from regional safety confer- ences to today’s annual three day conference and worked with national and local safety directors and members of the National Safety Council. Negotiator, organizer, health and safety advocate and EFAP pioneer — Neil Menard did it all! During those years he went through many ups and downs and survived the rough and tumble world of trade unionism. “I have no regrets and am very thankful that my wife Olga has stood beside me for so many years,” he says. “There were more times away from home than at home and I’m thankful that our family is united.” Neil is the proud father of adult sons Derry and Doneau and daughter Darci. He also is proud of grand- daughters Hayley and Hannah. The IWA wishes them all much happiness in the years ahead! 24 | THE ALLIED WORKER JUNE 2003