= Workers at Days Inn in Merritt
have gone union. a. sowerman

Hotel workers certify to BC
Steelworker local unions

This past summer workers at
two BC interior hotels joined
the union. In July organizer
Leslie McNabb ran a four-day
campaign to sign-up workers
at the Marriott Residence
Crickle Creek
Inn near the

| Kimberley
Alpine Ski
Resort.
Cranbrook
Local 1-405
president Bob
Matters wel-
comes the
workers. “We look forward to
working with our new mem-
bers to bring the standards
up in this industry,” he said.
Many of the workers have
earned a little more than min-
imum wage. In late June,
Local 1-417 was granted certi-
fication to the Day Inn Hotel
and Pub in Merritt. The com-
pany that owns the hotel is
controlled by five Nicola
Valley Indian bands. Local
president Joe Davies worked
on the organizing campaign
with union officer Dan Huva.
“This employer has to start to
treat its workers better and
recognize the contributions
they make,” said Brother
Davies. The hotel's
Grasslands Cantina pub is a
pit stop for local union mem-
bers who live and work in
Merritt.

Leslie McNabb

= Log hauler in the Prince George area proudly flies the Steelworkers’ flag. usw Loca. 1-424

BC INTERIOR LOG HAULERS ALIGN WITH STEELWORKERS IN DROVES

Owner/operators get Steel support

IWA COUNCIL LOCAL unions have been
making significant gains in B.C.’s northem
and southern Interior regions where log-
ging truck owner/operators have been
aligning themselves with the Steelworkers.

Since late winter of this year, over Goo
truckers have affiliated themselves with
Prince George Local 1-424, Williams Lake
Local 1-425, and Cranbrook Local 1-405. The
union has negotiated better
conditions for the
owner/operators on areas
including: off and on-highway
(per tonne/hour) hauling
rates, turnaround times, lay-

off/recall and seniority rights,
Wade Fisher posted cycle times and their
dispute mechanisms, payment for increased
fuel costs and administration fees.

In mid-July, members of the Prince
George Trucking Association (PGTA) rati-
fied an agreement which the union negotiat-
ed with 11 stump-to-dump contractors in the
Prince George area.

“We are taking actions to correct some of
the wrongs that have been comitted against

these drivers over the past three decades,”
says Local 1-424 president Frank Everitt, who
has been working with IWA Council officer
Wade Fisher, in anchoring the campaign. In
== February and March, the

_| union's Strategic Campaigns
Department help kick-start the
organizing program.

Prior to the Canfor agree-
ment the union reached five-
year agreements for truckers
prank Everitt eee for Winton Global
and Lakeland mills.

Local 1-425 is negotiating for a new
group of owner/operators hauling to
West Fraser sawmill in 100 Mile House
and Chasm. Meanwhile, Local 1-405 is
representing a new group of owner/oper-
ators hauling for Pope and Talbot in
Arrow Lakes area.

In August PGTA members set up
information pickets in Houston and
Burns Lake to put pressure on Canfor
and West Fraser to begin to negotiate
with the union, which is the representa-
tive of haulers in the area.

1% T DECEMBER 2005 THE ALLIED WORKER