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Gov’t policies highlighted by lobby and town halls

THE STEELWORKERS spring lobby to Victoria and subse-
quent Stop the Killing Town Hall meetings, which you will
read about in this newspaper, were key elements in our
union’s campaign. At the town halls we got a chance to hear,
from our members and families, on the devastating impact
that fatalities and accidents afflict on British Columbians. The
culture of despera-

SAFETY

Victoria,
politicians got to
ear from workers
and a concerned community reps. This is important as most
Liberals and many New Democrats don’t have a clue about
either safety or the forest industry.

Our lobbyists and members were able to make the fol-
lowing points in Victoria and at the town halls: Changes
introduced by the Liberal government have resulted in the

fwork and stripping workers of union pro-

tections; such as the crucial right to refuse unsafe work.
e low-bid contracting system, set up through BC
Timber Sales, a government agency that oversees the gov-

BY RON CORBEIL

ernment’s more than 10 million hectares of timber-sales
lands, has provoked an industry speed-up in order to cut
costs in a race to the bottom.

The politicians learned that there has also been a speed-
up in the interior regions as forest companies race to har-
vest timber damaged by the mountain pine beetle. Offered
by government at a 25 cents per cubic meter salvage rate,
giant companies like Canfor, West Fraser and Tolko are
urging loggers, truck drivers and mill workers to produce
faster and work longer hours.

During the lobby and town hall meetings the i pang of being
forced to the Coast (by a Lib
ment-imposed agreement) was identified as Sua its toll
Workers now toil for up to 12 hours a day (and more with trav-
el time) and work up to 10 days in a row. Cuts to WCB staff
and budgets, said our lobby and town hall meetings, have
meant fewer inspections and less salen ash was
recently confirmed when Betty Pirs, e-
vention at WorkSafe BC, stated that 300 workplace i ee
tions revealed that 24 per cent of workers say they have been
inadequately trained and 17 per cent were unsupervised.

Ron Corbeil is a Steelworkers staff representative

Steelworkers reconsidering role in Safety Council

THE STEELWORKERS are in a period
of reconsidering its future role with
BC Forest Safety Council. The indus-
try-dominated council, located within

Tames Elton and others

have blamed forest

industry worker deaths

Steve Hunt on a “culture of risk tak-
ing. ” Mr. Elton has publicly stated his

= Council CEO Tanner Elton has blamed
deaths on a ‘culture of risk-taking.’

on either 13 hours plus up to one or
two hours for servicin;

“It is evident that Feadbnsisay repre-
sentatives on the council answer to
their paymasters,” ae District 3
Director Steve Hunt. “In our opinion
the result is that vod will suffer
working longer hour:

The union has eee the
Council’s creation of a forest safety
ombudsman which has no legal pow-
ers and no purview over collective
ments. The Council appointed

USW lobbied for over a decade for,
amended Canada’s Criminal Code to
provide criminal penalties for corporate
murder.

Representatives on the Council are
divided over the issue of the maxi-
cy 1 aoe

ers should be operating. The USW
supports a 12 hour maximum day
while industry representatives are split

a $150,000 a year office, which Hunt
says has no legal mandate and con-
flicts with WorkSafe BC functions.
“It’s an office without legal clout and
you can’t hold industry accountable
this way,” adds Hunt.

THE ALLIED WORKER JUNE 2006 T 7)