NO 5S DECEMBER 2003 VOL 68 ee Norman Garcia EDITOR Dave C. Haggard NATIONAL PRESIDENT Norm Rivard FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Wilf Mcintyre SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT Joe da Costa THIRD VICE-PRESIDENT Sonny Ghag FOURTH VICE-PRESIDENT David Tones SECRETARY-TREASURER EDITORIAL BOARD Joe da Costa THIRD VICE-PRESIDENT Bob Matters PRESIDENT LOCAL 1-405 DIRECTORY OF IWA OFFICES IWA CANADA LOCAL 1-417 NATIONAL OFFICE 18] Vernon Avenue 300-3920 Norland 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 Burnaby, B.C. V5G 4K7 TEL (604) 683-1117 FAX (604) 688-6416 or FAX (604) 683-1265 For E-mail links check SA is TEL (250) 491-1436 IWA CANADA FAX (250) 491-1437 NATIONAL OFFICE EASTERN CANADA LOCAL 1-424 2088 Weston Rd. 1777 - 3rd Ave. Prince George, B.C. V2L 367 TEL (250) 563-7771 Toronto, Ont. MSN 1X4 TEL (416) 247-8628 FAX (416) 247-5893 FAX (250) 563-0274 LOCAL 1-425 WES TERNCOCALS 124C North 2nd Ave. LOCAL 1-80 Williams Lake, B.C. V2G 126 35] Brae Rd. TEL (250) 398-8248 Duncan, B.C. VL 313 FAX (250) 398-6218 TEL (250) 746-6131 FAX (250) 746-1012 TOCAL 830 10 Bannerman Ave., LOCAL 1-85 Winnipeg, Man. R2W OW1 4904 Montrose St. TEL (204) 586-1307 Port Alberni, B.C. VSY 1M3 FAX (204) 586-8502 TEL (250) 724-0171 FAX (250) 724-2800 LOCAL 1-184 EASTERN LOCALS Il0 Third Ave., West Prince Albert, Sask. S6V 563 TEL (306) 764-4202 FAX (308) 763-4922 LOCAL 306 330 Pleasant St. Miramichi, N.B. E1V 1Y9 TEL (506) 624-9916 FAX (506) 622-1211 LOCAL 1-207 4262 - SIA Street LOCAL 400 Edmonton, Alta. T6E 5V2 4975 Boulevard St. Charles TEL (780) 463-9070 Room A - 102 FAX (780) 461-5020 LOCAL 2171 301- 841 Cliffe Ave. Courtenay, B.C. VON 2J8 TEL (250) 334-3329 FAX (250) 334-2662 Pierrefonds, Que. HSH 3C7 TEL (514) 620-1756 FAX (514) 620-4393, LOCAL 500 405 - 10th Street Hanover, Ont. N4N 1P7 TEL (519) 364- LOCAL2171 SUB-LOCAL FAX Be abe 2859 Commercial Dr. Vancouver, B.C. VSN 4C7 LOCAL 700 TEL (604) 874-0274 2088 Weston Rd. FAX (604) 874-8137 Toronto, Ont. M9N 1X4 TEL (416) 248-6271 ae ae is FAX (416) 247-5893 2.0. Box LOCAL 1000 141 416 Gordon Ave. P.O. Box 873 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 IGB 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 TEL (250) 334-3834 Thunder Bay, Ont. P7B 3AG FAX (250) 334-2333 TEL (807) 345-9041 mae FAX (807-345-5169 20|- 105 South Sth Ave. a ee Dr Cranbrook, B.C, VIC 2MI Kapuskasing, Ont. PSN 143 TEL (250) 426-4871 TEL (705) 335-2289 FAX (250) 426-2528 FAX (705) 335-5428 We’ve never seen anything like it before I’ve lived and worked in the Queen Charlotte Islands for the last twenty-five years and have never seen the indus- try care so little about its workers. What FIR has tried to pull off, by trying to force concessions, is unprecedent- ed. Fourth generation loggers, who live here, have never seen anything like it either. Sure, we are willing to talk about reducing costs, but that should be across the entire company. The government has let these multi- nationals, who pay their CEO’s millions of dollars, run all over us. Up here, about 90 per cent of the economy is tied into the logging industry. If the strike we had been forced to take went on, it would have our local communities. Things have been made unstable enough already, with delays in cutting permits and the elimina- tion of cut controls by the Liberals. I think the big forest companies want to force even their larger contractors out of business and then do like has been done in the United States — invite gyppo contractors in for next to nothing. On the travel time issue alone, I would lose about $600 per month over what FIR is trying to force. Some workers here would lose $1200 a month or more. It’s time to stop blaming workers and have a close look at how government and large multinationals like Weyerhaeuser are mismanaging the economy. DEBORAH MANTIC Edwards and Associates, IWA Canada Local 2171 Queen Charlotte Islands, BC We thank trade unionists for their support We've been on a picket line at the end of a dirt road for the last sixteen months and it can get very isolating. Fortunately we've had a lot of support in our fight back against the Bowater company, which forced us to take job action and refuses to negotiate a decent contract. We want a fair agreement that is in lead with industry stan- dards. Instead the company wants to pay us less than at their non-union mill in Thunder Bay. There are a lot of experienced workers on our picket line which the com- pany should be working with rather than trying to punish for standing up for our rights. On behalf of our members on the picket line, I’d like to say thanks to IWA members in the local and elsewhere who have stood in solidarity with us. CEP members, teachers and CUPE members have stopped by too and it has been greatly appreciated. CLAY DEFEO Plant Chair, Bowater, IWA Canada Local 2693 Ignace, ON Liberals don’t really care about workers In a November news release our local MLA, Walt Cobb, expressed concern about environmentalists’ calls for boycotts against our wood products. I thinkit’s high time that he also show some concern over the effects that Liberal policies are having on our commu- nities. Many of our members’ and their families were devastated by the fire in Barriere. Now Liberal policies allow Tolko to keep their licence in the burnt out area and then ship the logs out for processing. The Liberals showed no concern for working families who were left stranded. The Liberals have also allowed a huge rise in log exports from B.C. to assist our competitors in the U.S. It’s time for the Liberals to pay attention to work- ers and communities and not only to companies that abandon communities and export logs. TERRY TATE, Financial Secretary TWA Canada Local 1-425 Williams Lake, BC “What FIR has tried to pull off, by trying to force concessions, is unprecedented.” WE FINALLY CAME UP WITHA LUMBER DEAL: LESS OH, AND THE US. NEGOTIATORS. CONVINCED Us ITS IN The battle to save BC Rail is still on The fight against the government breaking its elec tion promise not to sell or privitize BC Rail rages on. It is not a signed or done deal as the Campbell goy- ernment would have us believe. The federal compe- tition bureau still has to approve this deal and that process could take 3-6 months. The provincial audi- tor general is also to look into complaints of how the deal was handled and if conflict of interests were present. The government is spinning the deal to look good for British Columbians. Don't be fooled by lies and deceit, as North Vancouver stands to loose 500 jobs, and the province will loose billions of dollars in revenue over the go-year lease. Remember, Campbell won the 2001 election on the promise not to sell or privitize B.C Rail. He should be judged on his broken promise in the next elec- tion. Political leaders should not be rewarded for lies and deception. RANDY HOLUBOSH Second Vice-President, IWA Canada Local 1-424 Prince George, BC These three amigos are irresponsible We all know the forest industry is struggling as these “three amigos” Weyco, Interfor and TimberWest claim. But the public doesn’t see beyond the rhetoric of these employers to see they have acted irresponsibly. They don’t say where they are going to eliminate IWA jobs or how the IWA’s proposals would add to the industry's labour costs. They don’t reveal that poor busi- ness decisions have jeopardized themselves, workers and communities. Take Interfor. Up in the Kingcome TSA it has targeted high value wood to reap huge short- S) term profits. The company is high grading at unsus- tainable rates and relied heavily on grade setting to set low stumpage rates on high value wood. According toa TLA study, fir and cedar represent about 47 per cent of the coast harvest, even though those species make up about 30 per cent of standing timber. Hemlock/balsam make up 62 per cent of standing timber, yet only about 47 per cent of the harvest. These harvesting rates are unsustainable and cost cutting will not compensate for the higher value timber downfall in the future. Weyerhaeuser bought MacMillan Bloedel and then took over Willamette for $2.45 billion and $8.0 billion USD respectively. With $13 billion USD in debts, ithas been downgraded to junk bond status. So why should workers bear the cost? TimberWest is exporting logs at historic levels, feeding the U.S. industry, helping drive down lumber prices for everybody. Between 2000- 2002 the three amigos’ CEO’s were collectively given over $10 million in salaries and bonuses. Not bad work for how they managed their companies! SONNY RIOUX Organizer and Business Agent, IWA Local 2171 Powell River, BC 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 DECEMBER 2003