THE ALLIED RIK VOL 69 NO 3 SEPTEMBER 2004 Official Publication of the |WA Council of the United Steelworkers of America tee Norman Garcia EDITOR The Allied Worker 300-3920 Norland Ave DE RES V5G Burnaby, B.C. 4K7 EDITORIAL BOARD Joe da Costa USWA -IWA COUNCIL OFFICER Bob Matters PRESIDENT LOCAL 1-405 DIRECTORY OF IWA COUNCIL-AFFILATED USWA OFFICES USWA —IWA COUNCIL 300-3920 Norland Avenue Burnaby, B.C. VSG 4K7 TEL (604) 683-1117 FAX (604) 688-6416 or FAX (604) 683-1265 For E-mail links check www.iwa.ca USWA OFFICE EASTERN CANADA 2088 Weston Rd. Toronto, Ont. M9N 1X4 TEL (416) 247-8628 FAX (416) 247-5893 WESTERN LOCALS LOCAL 1-80 351 Brae Rd. Duncan, B.C. V9L 39 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 5G3 ‘TEL (306) 764-4202 FAX (306) 763-4922 LOCAL 1-207 4262 - SIA Street Edmonton, Alta. T6E 5V2 TEL (780) 463-9070 FAX (780) 461-5020 LOCAL 1-2171 301- 841 Cliffe Ave. Courtenay, B.C. VON 2J8 TEL (250) 334-3329 FAX (250) 334-2662 LOCAL 1-2171 SUB-LOCAL 2859 Commercial Dr. Vancouver, B.C. VSN 4C7 TEL (604) 874-0274 FAX (604) 874-8137, LOCAL 1-324 P.O. Box 1886 1416 Gordon Ave. The Pas, Man. RSA IL6 TEL (204) 623-3443 FAX (204) 623-5534 LOCAL 1-3567 202 - 9292 200th St. Langley, B.C. V1M 3A6 TEL (604) 513-1850 FAX (604) 513-1851 LOCAL 1-363 101, 391 - 4th St. Courtenay, B.C. VON IG8 TEL (250) 334-3834 FAX (250) 334-2333 LOCAL 1-405 20! - 105 South Sth Ave. Cranbrook, B.C. VIC 2M TeL (250) 426-4871 FAX (250) 426-2528. LOCAL 1-417 181 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) 563-771 FAX (250) 563-0274 LOCAL 1-425 124C North 2nd Ave. Williams Lake, B.C. V2G 126 TEL (250) 398-8248 FAX (250) 398-6218 LOCAL 1-830 10 Bannerman Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R2W OW1 TEL (204) 586-1307 FAX (204) 586-8502 EASTERN LOCALS LOCAL 1-306 330 Pleasant St. Miramichi, N.B. E1V 1Y9 TEL (506) 624-9916 FAX (506) 622-1211 LOCAL 1-500 405 - 10th Street Hanover, Ont. N4N 1P7 TEL (519) 364-2229 FAX (519) 364-7064 LOCAL 1-700 2088 Weston Rd. Toronto, Ont. MON 1X4 TEL (416) 248-6271 FAX (416) 247-5893 LOCAL 1-1000 P.O. Box 879 Fort Coulongé, Que. JOX 1VO TEL (819) 683-2143 FAX (819) 683-5653 LOCAL 1-1000 SUB -LOCAL 658 Boulevard Cecile Hawkesbury, Ont. P6C 529 TEL (613) 636-0014 FAX (613) 636-0014 LOCAL 1-2693 Lakehead Labour Centre 929 Ft. William Rd., Room 6 Thunder Bay, Ont. P7B 3A6 TEL (807) 345-9041 FAX (807-345-5169 LOCAL 1-2995 20 Riverside Dr. Kapuskasing, Ont. PSN 1A3 TEL (705) 335-2289 FAX (705) 335-5428 Interfor’s pull-out from our community is indication of future direction for industry Interfor has finally informed their employees at the Squamish Lumber Division that the mill in our town will not be reopened. It is major blow, both economically and emotionally, for most of those employees. Good paying jobs in the forest sector are evaporating at an astounding rate and it is abundantly clear the loss of those jobs in the resource-based communities of the province will have a profoundly negative impact on local economies. Within days of the announcement of the Squamish mill closure, Interfor announced the pur- chase of three sawmills in the states of Washington and Oregon. Interfor denies it is their intention to supply raw logs from B.C. to these newly-acquired mills, how- ever, one can only imagine where the fibre supply will come from. In my 35 years of working in the forest industry, it is certainly apparent to me that, never before, have the conditions been more favourable for forest corporations to do as they want, aided by a binding master agree- ment in 2004 and government changes to the Forest Act. On the logging side of the industry, the sustainability of our union operations is being threatened by the gov- emment’s clawbacks of our AAC and through the con- tracting out of our operations. With the help of an aggressively anti-union provincial government, the industry has dealt some punishing blows to our once for- midable union. If the unionized forest sector is to sur- vive, we will need the might of a much larger union and the resources it has to offer. It is my opinion that the merger with the USWA is a necessity. The merger will allow us to remain unified and help us to force our politi- cians to govern for the people and not just corporations. It will enable us to continue to fight for safety, sustain- able jobs and workers’ rights. ROB OTTO Executive Board Member, Local 1-2171 Time to create new chapter as part of USWA As of September 1, 2004, the Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers of Canada no longer exists. However our local unions carry on under under the [WA Council of the United Steelworkers of America. The democratic process we are part of in our union has decided on a new path for our union. To me it is sad to see the end of the IWA as we knew it, the end of an era. Now we must close ranks as union mem- bers and, for the greater good of our union, embrace this change. This is a new beginning; we are now turning the page and will begin to create a new chap- ter as a new, merged union. I know that with the strength and commitment of our membership, the Steelworkers union will become a better, stronger union because our Local 1-80 mem- bership will be a vital part. We intend to work within the structure of the IWA Council to ensure our mem- bers have access to all of the services we know have available with the Steelworkers. The Steelworkers have already met with local unions who have Weyerhauser operations, and with PACE. I look forward to working with our strategic partners to plan real actions to get at Weyerhaeuser, which has treated our union and members with disdain. It’s time to join together to strenghten our union. BILL ROUTLEY President, Local 1-80 Duncan, BC “if the unionized forest sector is to survive, we will need the might of a much larger union and the resources it has to offer.” Make sure that you put it in writing! The age-old saying “put in in writing” rings truer than ever. Recently on the coast of B.C. I repre- sented the union in an arbitration case which ruled that one of our members could not exercise their seniority to a job because they had not previously informed the employer, in writing, that they could do the job. The grievor stated that, after he hired on, he ver- bally told a supervisor that he could do a hooktend- ing job. When a layoff came, he tried to bump to the job but was turned down. It turned out thathe had not filled out a form stating his work experi- ence and that he could do the work. Whether or not he could do the job — and we argued he had the experience — it didn’t matter to the arbitrator, who said the sole document in the employer's possession was the application for employment. Most large and medium-size employers make you fill out an application form when you hire on. They can use it to check out your background and contact the companies you used to work for. Take the time to carefully fill out proper appli- cation forms with all of your work experience. Ask for a copy for your records. If you get hired on by a small contractor that doesn’t use a form, make sure you submit your own work history in writing and keep a record. It may get you a shot at a post- ed job some day. That’s important — with so much change and upheaval in the industry, it’s neces- sary to take action to protect your seniority. SONNY RIOUX Organizer, IWA Canada Powell River, B.C. After BC Rail sell-off we're trying to get the best deal possible for our members On July 15 BC Rail changed hands. Despite a heck of a fight back campaign to prevent this needless sell-out of our heritage to CN, the Campbell government did. Now we have to live with the consequences. I’d like to thank our local members, our local union and sup- porters throughout the IWA and labour movement who stood with us during our struggles. Now our local union, as part of the Council of Trade Unions, is involved in the merger between the two companies. As a council we set some universal priorities for bargain- ing with CN. They include adequate severance pay for all workers forced to leave and maintenance of benefits for our members who stay. In early August the Council met with CN officials and more meetings are planned in September. In the meantime, I'd like to say let’s keep safety as our top priority during the transition. RANDY HOLUBOSH, Second Vice-President Northern B.C. Local 1-424 Prince George, 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 SEPTEMBER 2004