— ee Loggers face the highest fatality rates in the entire B.C. economy. Why would companies try to impose hours which could further endanger workers?’ — Rick Wangler, President Local 1-363 shift issues arising from the new Coast Master Agreement. “We have some dif- ferences of opinion as to what the Munroe language means, and all of that has to be ironed out,” says Brother Wangler. “The company’s thinks they can do a hellu- va lot more under the binding agreement than we think they can.” He says that employers including Weyerhaeuser and TimberWest, are trying to impose their will on crews, as it is trying in Local 1-80. “Loggers face the highest fatality rates in the entire B.C. economy. Why would companies try to impose hours which could further endanger workers?” he says. The local union president says that TimberWest is trying to get out of logging altogether and shows no sign of investing on the Coast, as was pledged as part of their “New Vision P.R. gig” with Weyerhaeuser and Interfor. For Local 1-3567 president Sonny Ghag, the industry’s attempt to push longer shifts is “highly unreasonable.” “This industry is trying to push the clock back 50-Go years and we are seeing them try to take every advantage they can out of the Munroe’s binding agreement decision,” say Brother Ghag. “The eight hour a day, five day a week work schedule worked for decades and it can work today if the companies want to work with the RICE REGTOBYNCRAANEARCI union and union membership to seek more productive means.” = Forest companies are trying to force crews to work longer hours. Ghag said he expects Interfor to try alternate shifts in many if not all its oper- tions. “We will be holding this company to the strictest interpretation of the con- Local union officer Bob Freer is trying to work with Canfor to ahere to tract that we are able to,” he adds. a consultation process. In the local union there are already an assortment “As a union we need to keep together, within the Steelworkers and build our _ of shifts in place with a 40 hour averaging period (i.e. 10/4, 15/6 and strength for the next set of negotiations,” he adds. 20/t0). “I think employers will make a serious mistake if they try to ram Local 2171 president Darrel Wong says Interfor and Canfor’s Englewood —_ something through and force our members to work unreasonable hours.” Division are about to impose alternate shifts in the bush. On the Sunshine Coast Brother Wong says the take away of travel time is not sitting well with Interfor sent a letter to the local outlining what the 40 hour averaging and shifting the members. “They are looking at lower pay and the elimination of pre- should be like. “Sending us a letter isn’t consultation,” says Brother Wong. “We — mium pay when they should be getting overtime rates.” say the company has to sit down with us and engage in meaningful consultation.” “There is a lot of frustration among our members out there,” he adds. from binding mediation Log exports are up “This industry is having a banner year when it comes to lumber prices, even with the tariffs in place,” says Local 1- 80 president Bill Routley. “Why are the BC Liberals letting the forest companies export so many logs and jobs to the United States and overseas? It just doesn’t make economic sense.” ‘The Liberals have rolled over and died on the log export issue. Despite Forest Minister Mike de Jong’s stated committ- ment to curb them, raw logs are flowing = prepared for exporti out reprvinee. 2 ipsechihan be Last year about 1.4 million cubic meters the B.C. Ci ‘were oa were exported from Crown lands. On the coast, about 1 in 5 logs harvested were the company is getting. Brother exported, mostly under a mere $1 per Mcintyre says the union is calling for a cubic meter export tax put in place by tax which is just as high as the counter- vailing duties and anti-dumping duties placed on Canadian softwood export to the United States, imposed by the Americans. “That would eliminate com- panies’ current temptation to export logs rather than manufacture lumber or other wood products.” Mcintyre questions what the Liberals are doing with the log export tax. Is it FILE PHOTO BY NORMAN GARCIA = Coastal loggers work in dangerous conditions which will become more dangerous with unreasonably extended shifts. SEPTEMBER 2004 THE ALLIED WORKER le 11