eh al

ws ORGANIZING AND GROWTH

= On the North Island are (I. to r.)
Parks, Berkelaar, McIntosh,
McNabb and Rioux.

IWA organizers team up to sign
up fish plant crew on the Island

Starting in December of 2003, union
organizers began to work on signing
up potential IWA members at the
Panfish (Alpha-Omega) fish process-
ing plant near Port Hardy. Local
2171's Sonny Rioux, 1-3567's Gordie
McIntosh, 363's Leslie McNabb, 1-
425's Carla Berkelaar, and 1-417's
Darren Parks teamed up to conduct
the campaign. By late April, over 40
per cent of the crew of about 200
workers had signed IWA cards.
Brother McIntosh told The Allied
Worker that workers, who process
farm and wild salmon and other
species, want to have more regular
hours of work and seniority provi-
sions. There are reports of unfair
treatment in the plant. Job postings
and promotions are big issues as
well as the lack dignity and respect
on the job. Many workers suffer
from repetitive strain injuries. The
organizing campaign continued in
May. Following a month layoff the
employer began to issue, perma-
nent layoff notices in late May and
June, rekindling interest in the IWA‘s
organizing drive.

Thunder Bay Local 2693 signs
up floor joist plant workers
Negotiations are currently underway
for newly organized workers at the
DF Floor Joist operation in Thunder
Bay. Local 2693's Nathalie Belair
worked on the
organizing
campaign

} which can
employ
between 30-40
workers during
busy seasons.
Following a
campaign
which began in February, the local
was granted certification on March
42. Sister Belair says that continuity
of employment (the application of
seniority) and health and safety
issues are at the forefront of work-
ers’ demands. Although the WSIB
has done a safety audit, there are
still numerous outstanding issues to
deal with. There are also wage dis-
parity issues to be narrowed.
Labourer rates run between $9.50 -
$13.50 an hour. Top rates run from
$18.50 - $25.00 an hour for lead
hands. The plant, which does not
sell to local builders, exports much
of its production to markets in the
United States.

_—

PHOTO COURTESY IWA LOCAL 306

= Pictured outside the mill, |. to r., are union supporters Dan Belliveau, Dan Langille and Shane Daley.

IWA LOCAL 306 FIGHTS TO CERTIFY FIRST-EVER OPERATION IN NOVA SCOTIA

Going for a big breakthrough

FOR THE FIRST TIME ever, an IWA local union has
blazed a trail into the Maritime province of Nova Scotia.
Local 306, with its headquarters in Miramichi, New
Brunswick, is attempting to be certified as the legal bar-
gaining agent for 61 workers at the Deniso Lebel Ltd.
(Scotsburn) lumber and planer operation in the rural
community of Scotsburn.

Local 306 president and organizer Mario Fortunato told
The Allied Worker that it was one of the best campaigns
he has worked on. The workers have been well-orga-
nized internally and contacted the IWA, determined to
join the union to better their wages and working condi-
tions.

The campaign, which began in April, was completed
and went to a vote on May 3. All but three workers
showed up to vote. But the ballot box has been closed
following the lay-off of two key supporters and the sus-
pension of another. The IWA is fighting the layoffs as
unfair labour practices. The issue is before legal coun-
sel on both sides.

“We hope to make new inroads into Nova Scotia,”

says IWA Canada president Norm Rivard. “Since the
1950s, the IWA has been working in the Maritimes.
This is definite history in the making. We will continue
to work hard to bring the workers into our union and
consider it of major importance to our organization.”

Brother Fortunato says the employer and employees
already have an employment agreement in place, based
on contract language found in other collective agree-
ments. The company has other unionized operations.

“We're not building from scratch here,” he says.
“There’s some good stuff to build on. Most of all, the
crew wants to be treated with dignity and respect —
issues common when workers join a union.”

A key supporter, Bill McKenzie, was fired after he
exercised his right to refuse unsafe work. After the
WCE reinstated him, the company appealed the deci-
sion. The IWA is taking the case on. The IWA is also
defending one worker who has been assisting in the
drive. The worker was recently demoted in the midst of
the campaign.

Airport security crews join IWA

IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO two
groups of airport security workers have
signed up in strong numbers to join the
IWA. National union organizer Fran
Borsellino reports that workers
employed by Aeroguard Security at the
John C. Munro Intemational Airport in
Mount Hope (near Hamilton) and the
Kitchener-
Waterloo
International air-
port in Breslau,
have been certi-
fied to TWA Local
500 which has its
headquarters in
Hanover. Sister

PHOTO BY SAUL MARQUES,

= At the John. C Munro terminal are I. to r., Robert Dougans, Steward
Diane Skewes, Donna Duggan, Steward Pearl Clark and Ross Wright.

FranBorsellino Borsellino got
her first contacts
for the organizing drive in January of

this year. Because the industry is regu-
lated under Transport Canada, certifica-
tion procedures take place under the
federal labour code.

The certification for more than thir-
ty workers at Mount Hope airport was
granted on April 30 while the Breslau
unit, which employs four workers, was

certified in mid-May. Sister Borsellino and
national organizing coordinator Mike
Hunter worked on the campaign.

Workers at both operations are certified
to search baggage and passengers who
board aircraft. Both airports are seeing
increased traffic in scheduled and char-
tered flights.

Pearl Clark, a negotiating committee
member at John C. Munro, says that work-

ers wanta collective agreement that pro-
vides better wages and benefits and
respects the crew for the jobs they do.
Starting wages are at only $10.32. an hour
for workers who have to go through con-
stant training and upgrading. “We're
there to stop terrorists,” she says. “We
take our responsibility very seriously
and are out there to do our best job to
protect the public.”

JUNE 2006. THE/ALLIED. WORKER: ‘| 96