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Steelworkers - IWA Council looking for rank-and-file organizers

THE UNION HAS SENT a call to
Steelworkers-IWA Council affiliated
locals to spread the word. The
a want you! If you fit the
[uirements, and are a member in good
standing, our union is looking for your
Possible assistance in the most important
of jobs in the entire union — organizing!
You can contact your local union
office (see page four for directory) or
Phone/e-mail IWA Council officer Wilf
McIntyre for an application. Brother
McIntyre can be reached at (604) 683-
1177 Ext. 234 or at wmcintryre@uswa.ca
“We're looking far and wide to find
new people to help us out on organizing

projects right across this country,” he
says. “We want all members who are
interested to apply, regardless of their
background, gender or race, or where
they work.”

The Steelworkers’ motto “We're
Everybody’s Union” is reflected in the
fact that our organizing campaign reach-
es out to all workers in the Canadian
workforce.

The union is looking for “project-
based” organizers — that is, those who
will assist in specific jobs. That may
include running campaigns to bring in
non-union members into the
Steelworkers, building support for col-

lective goals, assist-
ing in legal prepara-
tions, and educat-
ing workers about
their rights.
“There’s no doubt
about it, organizing
is a tough but
rewardin; job,”
Wilf Mcintyre says e eat
McIntyre. “It most often involves a lot a
travel and the long hours that come with
it. And our organizers have to be moti-
vated, self-starters, who can work under
pressure.”

Some necessary skills for the job include

demonstrating leadership abilities, good
verbal and communication skills, and a
good overall knowledge of the labour
movement and the Steelworkers. You
don’t have to have experience in an elected
position within the union. A driver's
license and vehicle ownership are other
requirements.

For more details on how salaries and
expenses will be covered for those selected,
contact your local union or Brother
McIntyre. “Of course, not everybody is
right for the job or will be chosen,” he says.
“At the same time we'd like to have as
many applicants as possible in order that
we can have a selection of candidates.”

© IWA Council works
to set its agenda

Ambitious strategies are taking
shape to strengthen the Council
its affiliated local unions

DEVELOP A NATIONAL bargain-
ing agenda...build political and legislative
capacity...identify targets and develop our
organizing strategy... These are just some
of the challenges facing the newly created
Steelworkers — IWA Council.
The Merger Agreement identifies four
areas of activity for the Council: safety and
_ health, organiz-
| ing, collective
bargaining and
political action.
While the former
IWA national did
all of the above in
the past, the
merger has put a
renewed focus on
developing,
implementing
and maintaining
a strategic focus in these critical areas.
Take organizing, for example. In 1997,
the former IWA implemented a national
organizing program, setup a fund and
trained some organizers. The program had
some success. Between 1998 and 2004, the
national union organized approximately
12,000 new members. But it was hit and
miss program, with locals moving from
campaign-to-campaign with no strategic
plan or clear’ direction. Today, the Council is
ing strategically at organizing and reor-
izing in the forest sector. The Council
and locals are able to link to the vast orga-
nizing resources and experience of the

Norm Rivard

teelworkers.
, “with this focus and these new tools, the

Council hopes to bring the non-union
competition into the union fold. This not

horizon, the District and locals are devel-

oping a parallel campaign. Brother David
“THERE IS A LOT OF
EXCITEMENT AND ENERGY
ABOUT WHAT IS TAKING
PLACE IN THE UNION ”
- NORM RIVARD,
STEELWORKERS - IWA
COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON

Tones, Assistant to the District 3 Director
notes there is the added challenge of maxi-
mizing the combined forces of Steelworker
local unions, both “new” and “old.”

“We hope to use the new, stronger
Union to put forward issues, engage the
membership and make sure BC
Steelworkers are heard like never before on

PHOTO BY NORMAN GARCIA

= At the Steelworkers - IWA Council in September Local 1-2171’s Jim Mag hands out
materials to Local 1-405 president Bob Matters (second from left) and delegates.

May 17,” added
Tones.

In addition, the
Counail is tapping
into the Union’s
legislative
resources in
Ottawa and
Washington, DC.
Brother Rivard
has met with a
number of politi-
cians on the softwood issue since the merg-
er. But he says he isn’t just asking the
Union’s Legislative Director Dennis
Deveau to set-up meetings, Brother
Deveau is asking the Council to put for-
ward positions for a strategic campaign to

David Tones

On the B.C. Coast and in the Interior

Following the merger with the Steelworkers,
former IWA Canada vice-president and now
IWA Council officer Wade Fisher has been
assigned the job of assisting council-affiliat-
ed locals in the B.C,
coastal and northern
| Interior regions.
| Brother Fisher is work-
ing with five coastal
locals (Locals 1-80, 1-
| 85, 1-274, 1-363 and
L bes 1-3567) and two
northern locals (Local
Wade Fisher réz&and41-625), the
latter of which covers his old stomping
grounds as a local officer and business agent.
Brother Fisher says there is a major focus on

last May, by mediator Don Munroe.

“We have to deal with major issues like pen-
sion plan trusteeship and the ROCE (Return
on Capital Employed) bonus system,” he
says. “FIR and several companies are drag-
ging their feet on these issues.” Coast locals
are also confronted by a bombardment of
contracting out cases, right of reference
cases and interpretation issues - the latter of
which the companies are using to “clog the
system” says Fisher.

In the north, there are not as many pressing
issues to deal with as processes to resolve
disputes are working with less difficulty.
Nonetheless the Steelworkers are faced with
negotiating alternative shifting arrange-
ments and dealing with issues related to
mergers between Canfor and Slocan, West
Fraser and Weldwood Canada and Tolko
Industries and Riverside Forest Products.

resolve to this dispute that works for work-
ing people. “This is a big challenge, but
with the resources and experience of the
Steelworkers Union it is one that we can
now take on,” said Rivard.

Similar examples of the hard work the
Council has ahead of it abound: from safe-
ty and health in the forest sector (fatalities
and serious accidents are up), to collective
bargaining (industry bargaining is uncer-
tain with big companies seeking to pull out
of associations), to increasing education
and improving communication for the
membership.

It has only been a few months since the
Steelworkers-IWA merger took effect. The
leadership and local unions understand
thatitis a learning process for them, as well
as the rank-and-file members. “It is no
secret that there is some skepticism about
whether the merger will deliver all that it
promised,” said Rivard. “But there is also a
lot of excitement and energy about what is
taking place in the union.”

Canadian Director Ken Neumann agrees.
“People are tak-
ing notice of the
biggest, most pro-
gressive industri-
al union in
Canada. We are
working hard and
we are making
progress for
working women
and men across
the country, in
every sector, and
in particular in the forest industry,” he said.
- by Scott Lunny, Steelworkers Staff Representative

Ken Neumann

DECEMBER 2004 THE ALLIED WORKER | 3