THE ALLIED WO VOL 68 NO 3 A AN, Norman Garcia Dave C. Haggard Harvey Arcand Norm Rivard Wilf Mcintyre Joe da Costa Sonny Ghag David Tones IR UST 2003 Workers of Canada RN) Official Publication of the Industrial, ie? (3) kj Wood and Allied e S EDITOR NATIONAL PRESIDENT FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT THIRD VICE-PRESIDENT FOURTH VICE-PRESIDENT FIFTH VICE-PRESIDENT SECRETARY-TREASURER EDITORIAL BOARD Harvey Arcand Joe da Costa Bob Matters FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT FOURTH VICE PRESIDENT PRESIDENT LOCAL 1-405 DIRECTORY OF IWA OFFICES IWA CANADA NATIONAL OFFICE 300-3920 Norland Avenue Burnaby, B.C. V5G 4K7 TEL (604) 683-1117 FAX (604) 688-6416 or FAX (604) 683-1265, For E-mail links check www.iwa.ca IWA CANADA NATIONAL OFFICE EASTERN CANADA 2088 Weston Rd. Toronto, Ont. MSN 1X4 TEL (416) 247-8628 FAX (416) 247-5893 WESTERN LOCALS LOCAL 1-80 351 Brae Rd. Duncan, B.C. VOL 373 ‘TEL (250) 746-6131 FAX (250) 746-1012 LOCAL 1-85 4904 Montrose St. Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 1M3 TEL (250) 724-0171 FAX (250) 724-2800 LOCAL 1-184 Il0 Third Ave., West Prince Albert, Sask. S6V 563 TEL (306) 764-4202 FAX (308) 763-4922 LOCAL 1-207 4262 - SIA Street Edmonton, Alta. T6E 5V2 TEL (780) 463-9070 FAX (780) 461-5020 LOCAL 2171 301- 841 Cliffe Ave. Courtenay, B.C. VSN 28 TEL (250) 334-3329 FAX (250) 334-2662 LOCAL 2171 SUB-LOCAL 2859 Commercial Dr. Vancouver, B.C. VSN 4C7 TEL (604) 874-0274 FAX (604) 874-8137 LOCAL 324 P.O. Box 1886 1416 Gordon Ave. The Pas, Man. R9A IL6 TEL (204) 623-3443 FAX (204) 623-5534 LOCAL 1-3567 202 - 9292 200th St. Langley, B.C. ViM 3A6 TEL (604) 513-1850 FAX (604) 513-1851 LOCAL 363 101, 391 - 4th St. Courtenay, B.C. VON 1G8 TEL (250) 334-3834 FAX (250) 334-2333 LOCAL 1-405 201 - 105 South 9th Ave. Cranbrook, B.C, VIC 2MI TEL (250) 426-4871 FAX (250) 426-2528 LOCAL 1-417 18 Vernon Avenue Kamloops, B.C. V2B 1L7 TEL (250) 554-3167 FAX (250) 554-3499 LOCAL 1-423 2040 Rutland Rd., North Kelowna, B.C. VIX 426 TEL (250) 491-1436 FAX (250) 491-1437 LOCAL 1-424 1777 - 3rd Ave. Prince George, B.C. V2L 3G7 ‘TEL (250) 563-7771 FAX (250) 563-0274 LOCAL 1-425 124€ North 2nd Ave. Williams Lake, B.C. V2G 126 TEL (250) 398-8248 FAX (250) 398-6218 LOCAL 830 10 Bannerman Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R2W OW1 TEL (204) 586-1307 FAX (204) 586-8502 EASTERN LOCALS LOCAL 306 330 Pleasant St. Miramichi, N.B. E1V 1¥9 TEL (506) 624-9916 FAX (506) 622-1211 LOCAL 400 4975 Boulevard St. Charles Room A - 102 Pierrefonds, Que. HSH 3C7 TEL (514) 620-1756 FAX (514) 620-4393 LOCAL 500 405 - 10th Street Hanover, Ont. N4N 1P7 TEL (519) 364-2229 FAX (519) 364-7064 LOCAL 700 2088 Weston Rd. Toronto, Ont. MSN 1X4 TEL (416) 248-6271 FAX (416) 247-5893 LOCAL 1000 P.O. Box 879 Fort Coulongé, Que. JOX 1V0 TEL (819) 683-2143 FAX (819) 683-5653 LOCAL 1000 SUB -LOCAL 658 Boulevard Cecile Hawkesbury, Ont. P6C 529 TEL (613) 636-0014 FAX (613) 636-0014 LOCAL 2693 Lakehead Labour Centre 929 Ft William Rd., Room 6 Thunder Bay, Ont. P7B 3A6 TEL (807) 345-9041 FAX (807-345-5169 LOCAL 2995 20 Riverside Dr. Kapuskasing, Ont. P5N 1A3 TEL (705) 335-2289 FAX (705) 335-5428 “The coming result (of Liberal forest policy) will be union decertification and the introduction of cheap labour.” Liberals forest policy changes will finish off communities and bust the union At the IWA-CEP Town Hall meeting in Pt. McNeill on July 24, I and other concerned workers and communi- ty members had the opportunity to voice our serious concerns on Liberal forest policy. By eliminating mini- mum cut, forest companies will be able to lay our TWA crews off until their seniority runs out. The coming result will be union decertification and the introduc- tion of cheap labour. Without good paying, steady jobs, our communities will go down the tubes. The clawback of tenure will let Premier Campbell’s financial backers become nothing more than market loggers. Existing union crews, both large and small, will be laid off. In the future the government can apply the clawback retroactively. For instance in three years they would be take away 60% of a crew’s annual cut. In places like Pt. McNeill we would see transient workers without capac- ity to support their families and community. Our Liberal mayor and Liberal MLA know it and they have been directed by the meeting to speak out on behalf of the community to repeal forest policy legislation. Now it’s up to every one of us to hold their feet to the fire. SERGE VAILLANCOURT Canfor Englewood Division, IWA Canada Local 2171 Port McNeill, BC Women’s conference a valuable experience This June I had the opportunity to attend the IWA Canada National Women’s Conference in North Bay and I’d like other women to know that attending such a conference can be'a valuable experience. I participated in two workshops: Effective Speaking and Harassment and Discrimination. I learned some techniques about how to be more comfortable speaking in front of a group of people, such as in the workplace or at a union meeting. Our instructor suggested we identify our fears if we have them, organize our thoughts and speak on subjects that we know. It’s also important to practice, take a deep breath and go for it! At the other workshop I learned how harassment not only exists between man- agers and workers but how it exists between workers ourselves, both men and women. And discrimination, pointed out our instructor, is not something you always have to see or hear — it can be what you don’t see and hear as well. I came away from the course with more sensitivity for the people around me. We also talked about the need for the Women’s Committee and con- ference and the goal is to bring women up to speed, therefore putting men and women on an equal playing field in union positions throughout the IWA. MAXINE PETTINGER Recording Sec. and Steward, TDS, IWA Canada Local 500 Tillsonburg, ON Good to see coverage of Weyco testing The article in the June issue of The Allied Worker on Weyerhaeuser’s new drug testing policy was well received by our members. The company, however con- tinues to take people off for testing even after minor safety violations. We're keeping track of the instances for our legal case. The company ignores the fact that our people are struggling with the policy, the way it invades their privacy and impacts on their families. Other IWA members out there should keep their eyes open for a policy that this company wants to expand. ALBERT DIGNESS First Vice President, IWA Canada Local 1-184. Hudson Bay, SK TusT WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WiTH “THESE AMERICANOS, EH? TRY To NEGOTIATE A DEAL WITH THESE Guys AND THEY TRY To BUSHWHACK us! VS \ Li REPORTING BACK ON THE FAILED CANADA/U.S. SOFTWOOD LUMBER TALKS? In Williams Lake we've affiliated to the district Chamber of Commerce Up here in Cariboo country, our local made a deci- sion to become an official member of the Williams Lake District Chamber of Commerce. In mid-June we attended our first meeting and got a standing ovation from local business people. Most of them mow and understand the role that the IWA has played in fighting for good wages and benefits and economic stability in the community and surround- ing areas. As chamber members, we can engage in debate on important issues like softwood lumber. We've made an educational presentation to mem- bers on this very issue and have people on side with us. We can also stand for election to the B.C. Chamber of Commerce convention, where some far-right business people routinely trash trade unions in this province, and promote anti-worker policies like strikebreaking. The IWA has a great reputation in this province and country and we hope to make a difference in the chamber by calling for progressive policies towards workers and counter- balancing the sometimes anti-union slant that is pedaled there. A lot of business people realize that they directly benefit from the hard-earned wages of IWA members and support our membership. WADE FISHER, President TERRY TATE, Financial Secretary IWA Canada Local 1-425 Williams Lake, BC Weyco manager treated with respect I would like to thank the IWA Canada for inviting me to its recent national health and safety confer- ence in Thunder Bay, Ontario. I signed up for the Disability Management course and was not disap- pointed by the depth of the material offered and the level of instruction and participation. Even though I was the only manager in the class of trade unionists, I was able to take away a good deal of information which was shared openly by the group. I’ve always believed safety is the number one thing we need to focus on in the industry. I felt the passion that the IWA national membership has in conveying a strong safety message throughout the conference and which was reiterated by your national president Dave Haggard’s speech. I hope the union will be able to bottle and deliver that passion to its mem- bership about peer-to-peer roles in safety interven- tion. At the conference I was treated with dignity and respect. I’d like to see more employers at the next safety conference and will be spreading the word to make this happen. JOHN LUND Operations Team Manager, Weyerhaeuser OSB Slave Lake, AB Send us an e-mail (ngarcia@iwa.ca) or snail mail. Try to keep your letters to 75-100 words or less so we can fit more in. Tell us about what’s happening in your part of the country. We reserve the right to edit for brevity or omit submissions. 4 ] THE ALLIED WORKER AUGUST 2003