a

“The IWA Council will be challenging locals to prepare strategically for collective bargaining.”
— Norm Rivard, Chairman, Steelworkers - IWA Council.

in the former IWA’s core sector — the forest industry. As this issue goes to press,

the union has put out a call for rank and file members to send in applications to

become organizers. Steelworker organizers not only work to bring non-members

into the union — they also get involved in campaigns to educate workers about their
tS, support the union in reaching collective goals, and assist in building legal
arations,

International president Leo Gerard spoke to delegates about the importance of
building solidarity and unity for collective bargaining, organizing, political action
and other collective actions. “We spend a lot of time in the Steelworkers union,
making sure that we are continuously relating to our members.” He added that the
union is always evaluating its direction in these areas. He said that, as union den-
sity drops in North America, the union’s organizing efforts have to be under con-
tinuous review.

On the Political Action front, Rivard said that former IWA locals will now have
the clout of the United Steelworkers in Ottawa and Washington. That is especially
important for lobbying politicians on both sides of the border on the Canada - U.S.
softwood lumber dispute.

The Steelworkers have also launched a campaign to push for reform of Canada’s
bankruptcy laws (see article page one and fifteen). The union is supporting NDP
Member of Parliament Pat Martin’s private members bill, coined the “Workers
«&, Bill which was introduced to the House of Commons on December 3, 2004.

e have to unite as workers to force our government to put in place laws that
apply in every province, that put workers on the top of the list, not the bottom, dur-
ing a bankruptcy,” said Rivard.

One legislative area that the Steeworkers have made great progress was in push-
ing for getting the “Westray Bill” (Bill C-45) passed. The legislation, which provides
for prosecution of corporate directors and CEOs if found criminally responsbile for
workplace accidents, was a direct result of Steelworker lobbying.

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5 ee
PHOTO BY NORMAN GARCIA

= Former IWA Canada national president Jack Munro (third from left)
spoke and was greated with a standing ovation. Left to r, are council
officers Wade Fisher, Wilf Mcintyre, USWA International president Leo
Gerard and IWA Council chairperson Norm Rivard.

IWA Council conference delegates heard about the Steelworkers Health,
Safety and Environment Department which supports the three Canadian
Districts’ activities and resolutions from the Steelworkers National Policy
Conference. Among other duties, the department works to make submis-
sions to boards and commissions, etc., develops education and training
programs, assists in accident investigations and inquests, and conducts
national campaigns (i.e. Westray).

The council will maintain its own safety council and safety department
to concentrate on forest industry OH&S issues and assist in other sectors.

the future in front of us

Principles first for union Council adopts reports

At the Steelworkers - WA Council's first
conference, the union's national direc-
tor, Ken Neumann, thanked local unions
and their members for participating in
the merger process. Brother Neumann,
the former director of District 3
(Western Canada) said the merger with
{WA is a big change for the Steelworkers
itself. He said a key to success is that

take the best from both our proud
traditions and move ahead.”

Neumann spoke on the underlying
principles the organization has adopted.
He said that the Steelworkers is
“Everybody's Union”.

“We are Steelworkers and we are in
wood, but we are also health care, credit
unions and service industries. We are in
universities, malls, mines and mills. We
are truly ‘Everybody's Union’ and we are

Neumann says the union practices
what it preaches.

he added. He also said the Steelworkers
will take action in the political arena on
topics like the softwood lumber dispute.
Brother Neumann said the union will
provide the education, skills training and
resources to strengthen the activism of
its members. The union is undergoing a
review of its educational programs to
make them more effective. He also said
the Steelworkers are going to puta
major emphasis on organizing within the

_ Other major priorities are pushing for

Delegates to the first Steelworkers-IWA
Council conference adopted three
important policy reports in addition to
reports adopted on Occupational
Health and Safety (see page sixteen) and
the IWA Council’s Women’s
Committee (see page fourteen).

Those reports were on developing
Strategic Approaches to Collective
Bargaining, | Community-Based
Unionism for Political and
Legislative Action; and Building the
Union’s Future (Organizing).

In the area of Collective
Bargaining, the report acknowl-
edged the IWA’s great historical con-
tributions to the betterment of work-
ing people and mentioned that today
the challenges are just as formida-
ble. Today the union is more
engaged with struggles against
multinational corporations which
are demanding concessions. To fight
back the union will capitalize on its
ability to coordinate corporate and
industrial strategies on a national,
hemispheric and global basis. The
first target is Weyerhaeuser as part
of a cooperative effort between the
Steelworkers (now including former
IWA locals) and the PACE union.

The Council will develop a nation-
al bargaining agenda for the forest
sector and in other sectors, work
with the Canadian National Office,
Districts and Local Unions to pro-
vide research and information for

committees, target specific employ-
ers and enforce collective agree-
ments. Bargaining will be coordinat-
ed by company, industry and region.

On organizing, the Council will
work with the Canadian office to
train and develop existing and new
organizers, strategically identify
new organizing targets and the con-
centration of workers employed in
industry sectors and/or with specif-
ic employers, and promote cost-
effective opportunities to promote
the Steelworkers at the community,
provincial and national level.

On the political and legislative
fronts, the report points out that
right-wing parties are ever-more
aggressive in pushing their agenda,
and that corporations are trying to
divide and isolate unions. By working
within the Steelworkers, other
unions and labour centrals, as well as
in the community and political are-
nas, the Council will form a Political
Action Committee with local union
reps to lead community-based
actions; form local political action
committees to coordinate and lead
actions at local regional and national
levels: assist committees in educating
union members for involvement in
campaigns and encourage work with
political allies. On the national and
international stage, the Council will
work with Steelworker lobbyists and
allies in Ottawa and Washington.

DECEMBER 2004 THE ALLIED WORKER | 11