363 COURTENAY BC Interfor crew looks at shift and local in contract talks Ocal 363 reports that the crew at Interfor’s Fields sawmill in Courtenay is looking at an altemate shift proposal that would see the Plant run Monday to Friday on ten hour shifts, Workers would be on 10 hour shifts with a day off through the week. Training is akey issue for workers and the local says full employment must be provided. The mill has been up and down — Interfor daims due to log shortages. Elsewhere negotiating Committees have been struck at both the Comox Valley Sports complex and at Strathcona Gardens in Campbell River. At the Weyerhaeuser North Island Timberland the crew has accepted a 4 x 4 shift, which is seeing some local loggers return to work after extensive layoff periods. () 1-425 | WILLIAMS LAKE BC Agreements reached with Soda Creek truckers and Parallel mill The Williams Lake, B.C. local reports that two agreements have recently been completed. In mid-May the local settled a deal representing 52 truckers who haul to the Riverside Forest Products Soda Creek mill. The truckers get improvements to their ton/hour hauling rates and have their fuel covered, which is key as diesel prices are on the upswing. In Williams Lake the local has settled with Parallel Wood Products. A five year agreement will see across-the-board wage increases of two per cent in each of the first four years and 30 cents an hour in the fifth. The union was also able to bargain a fixed Category 3 rate up to $15.00 an hour from $14.50. © 41-3567 | FRASER VALLEY BC Local holds annual convention Local 1-3567 held its annual meeting on June 19. Guest speakers included Steelworkers’ Region 3 Director Steve Hunt and IWA national third vice presi- dent Wade Fisher who talked about the many benefits of the merger agrement between the IWA and Steel. Local presi- dent Sonny Ghag gave a report on the binding coast agreement rendered by mediator Don Munroe (see page three). Brother Ghag said Munroe clearly sided with FIR on several issuses, including the issue of flex shifts and the elimination of Sunday overtime. National secretary-trea- surer David Tones spoke on the impor- tance of political action and the local recon- stituted its Political Action Committee which scheduled a meeting for June 26. 630 WINNIPEG MB jes of grievances fold seven workers they have not met stan- dards on filling orders. At the same time management won't say what the standards are tt think they are trying to bust the local with arbitration costs,” says Alexander. 400 QUEBEC Three year deal reached at Simmons Local 1000 reports that an agreementhas been reached at the Simmons mattress plant in Kirkland, Quebec. Financial secretary Yvon. Rochon, who headed the negotiating team, says the crew will get wage increases of $1.80 per hour over the term of the agreement Progress was also made on OH&S representation and coverage. Several issues related to the bonus system, which is jointly administered, were resolved. Brother Rochon. says that the committee also negotiated significant increases to the education fund and achieved increases in guaranteed hours when workers are called in for just-in-time orders. © 2693 THUNDER BAY ON Local holds combines education conference with annual meeting Local 2693 held a day and a half education conference in Thunder Bay on May 6 and 7. National second vice president Joe Costa instructed a dlass titled “Responsibilities” while IWA national health and safety director Ron Corbeil instructed a class on IWA policy. In addition, Local 2995's Louise Dionne instructed a French language class on assertivness training. The keynote speakers included Ontario NDP leader Howie Hampton and IWA Canada national first vice-president Wilf McIntyre. The local unanimously passed a resolution to give its political support to both the provincial and federal New Democrats. A resolution was passed, calling on the local to preserve its autonomy in any merger arrangement and for the protection and enhancement of services to the membership. There was also discussion on the issue of protecting strike pay levels in any merger. TORONTO ON Agreement reached at Hy and Zel’s Local president Ron Diotte reports that locked out workers at the Hy and Zel’s outlets in Hamilton went back to work after a settlement on May 27. A pattern agreement was reached for Hy and Zel’s stores in New Market and Niagara Falls as well. Elsewhere workers at Allin Cable reels in Ajax accepted a three-year deal with wage and benefit improvements. A three year collective agreement was reached at Hanford Lumber in Etobicoke recently. The deal included wage increases of 3 per centin the first, and 2 percent plus one per cent for RRSP’s in each of the final two years and an improved safety boot allowance. 1000 Strike vote backs up settlement at open pit operation in Quebec Local 1000 president Michael McCarter informs The Allied Worker that a strong strike vote by 30 workers at the Dolomex open pit mine near Fort Coulonge, Quebec resulted in pressuring the employer for a three-year settlement with wage increases 8.5 per cent over the terms of the deal. Increases in shift differential pay was also bargained. The workers mine dolomite which is used in a number of applications induding glass and fertilizer manufacturi- ing. Elsewhere the local is in negotiations with Canusa in Huntsville, Ontario. The workers’ issues include achieving better wages, benefits, and dealing with lead hands working as foremen. The plant pro- duces shrink plastic, pipeline coating and adhesive products. NORTHCENTRAL ON HANOVER ON Workforce numbers hit a surge upwards at Tilsonburg TDS plant Local 500 president Bruce Weber reports that TDS automotive in Tilsonburg, soutwestern Ontario, has nearly doubled to more than 400 workers. TDS packages GM autoparts, most of which are being shipped off to assembly plants in Venezuela and China. Brother Weber notes that it is a cyclical industry that has hit a boom period. In other news, the local union’s Woodworkers Hall in Hanover was the site of this year’s Day of Mourning event for union’s of the Grey- Bruce Labour Council. Reps from the IWA, OPSEU, CEP and Ontario People Labour Union were present. The IWA flag flew at half-mast and Kay's Country Girls sang “The Working Man” on the front steps of the hall. Former IWA national officer Bill Pointon was present. FILE PHOTO BY NORMAN GARCIA = Local 700 members at Allin Cable Reels in Ajax accepted new contract. © 2995 KAPUSKASING ON Local holds biennial convention Local 2995 held its bienniel convention in Timmins on May 27 and 28. Sixty-five delegates attended. Speakers included TWA national president Norm Rivard, Ontario NDP leader Howie Hampton, Local NDP MPP Gilles Bison and Local 2693 president Joe Hanlon. The top issue discussed was the merger talks with the Steelworkers. “We have been getting information on the merger into our members’ hands and they are open-minded to hear more details,” says Jocal union president Guy Bourgouin. “The IWA negotiating committee has done a good job on the merger agreement.” In other news, negotiations are complete at the Roman Catholic School Board in Hornepayne, where the employer agreed to a three year deal with wage adjustment and percent increases for education assistant, custodian and secretary jobs. In June, the Tembec Kirkland Lake operation returned as the local is hoping for two shifts. At the Columbia Forest Products in Hearst, about 40 of 140 laid-off workers have been recalled as veneer and plywood prices have risen. DARYL HARKNESS e LOCAL 324 ° THE PAS, MB Se tary Daryl Harkness, who be sworn in as a six-year trustee this 1 Daryl Harkness is the IWA‘s north- ern Manitoba financial-secretary. coming September, underwent a unique path to leadership in the IWA. Only about a year after hiring on at the Tolko sawmill as a general labourer in ‘97, Harkness got involved as a record- ing secretary. He began to put his communications and people skills to work for the northern local. Following elections in financial secretary — someone who donates much volunteer time to help oversee the local’s busi- ness. But Daryl wasn’t always a union man. He worked in management for the Metropolitan Store chain, starting in Steinbach, Manitoba in 1983 at the age of 20. He took a busi- 2002, he became a working Former store manager and now union officer says it boils down to dignity Like many other ness accountant course of Assiniboine College in Brandon Manitobans, he was _prior to that. By age 25, he became the top manager at the raised in farmcom- Metropolitan Store in The Pas. From there he was trans- munities (Grand ferred to Portage La Prairie, then back to The Pas. Then it View and Gilbert 5 was off to Grande Prairie, Plains) and went to "WE HAVE A LARGE Alberta for a short spell prior work at an early AREATOCOVERWITH ‘@ his return to The Pas. As age. Current Local manager, Daryl saw the other 324 financial-secre- ARELATIVELY SMALL side of the labour relations MEMBERSHIP...” equation and experienced being the manager during a - DARYL HARKNESS decertification campaign. “I look back now and realize FIN-SEC LOCAL 32: pia ay what the workers were going through and the pressure we were under as management,” he says. “It all boils down to dignity and treating people with respect.” Today he finds union activities to be a challenge. “We have a large area to cover with a relatively small mem- bership,” he says. “To do that you have to be innovative.” He notes that it takes support from family and IWA members. JUNE 2004 THE ALLIED WORKER T 7