JUNE-JULY, 1979 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER IDUM OF AGREEMENT” ] dollars ($210) per week for fifty-two (52) weeks. 22. THAT the text of the Forest Industry Health and Welfare Plan No. 1 be amended to provide that in the case of disability caused by non-occupational illness, Week- ly Indemnity benefits will be payable commencing the first day of such absence, where the illness results in the claimant being hospitalized as a bed patient, and in cases where surgery is performed which necessitates loss of time from work. 23. THAT the carrier for Medical and Dental coverage will be instructed to extend such coverage to dependents of regular employees who are over the age of 21 but not over age 25 and who are attending recognized educational institu- tions. 24. THAT Article XVII — Health and Welfare, Section 6: Dental Plan, clause (a) (iv) be deleted and clause (b) be amended to provide that the principles set out in Section 5 shall apply to the Dental Plan. 25. THAT the Parties agree to the amendments to the IWA-Forest Industry Pension Plan set forth in the Memorandum of Agreement in Appendix No. 16. 26. THAT a new Article be added to the Agreement providing that a Joint Com- mittee be established, consisting of three (3) members from the IWA and three (3) members from the Industry, to study the practicability of a Troubled Employee Program. The Committee to report to the Parties no later than June 15, 1980. 27. THAT Supplement No. 5, Mem- orandum of Agreement, Fire Fighting, be amended as provided in Appendix No. 17. 28. THAT the Parties agree to extend the expiry date of the Letter of Under- standing, dated August 11, 1975, in respect of those positions normally oc- cupied by P.L.1.B. Inspectors beyond those already covered in the application of the P.L.1.B. Grade Stamp, from June 14, 1979 to June 14, 1981. CHANGES IN SOUTHERN INTERIOR AGREEMENT While the Southern Interior Memoran- dum of Agreement is basically similar to the Coast Agreement there are some major points that differ. These are: © Establishment of a formula for log- ging rates which does away with the need to negotiate constant rate increases during the life of the contract. e An improved wage curve for plywood evaluation which increases the rates for a number of categories. ® An agreement to develop job descrip- tions for Forestry and Engineering Crew- man as soon as possible on signing of ae Agreement. e An agreement that in regards to statutory holidy pay for those holidays designated in Article XIV — Statutory Holidays and Floating Holiday the assoc- iation will instruct its members, in bulletin form, to pay shift differential where applicable in addition to the payment of statutory holiday pay on the basis of what the employee would have normally eamed had he worked that day as per present practice.. e An agreement that fares, lost time pay and school expenses are to be paid by the appropriate Federal Government author- ity as a part of the cost of apprenticeship plan, with the exception that the employer shall pay the apprentice while attending Vocational School the difference between the subsidy granted by the appropriate Federal Government authority and the regular wage of the employee concerned. The employer contribution for the last two weeks at school will be withheld until the apprentice has returned to work. Note: The words “and worked for four weeks” have been deleted from the existing article to arrive at the above. DANISH HIRING LAWS Before 1969, the Danish employment offices managed by the unions and the State Labour Exchanges both had an official role in finding jobs. Since then, the trade union employment offices are no longer responsible for the pay- ment of unemployment benefit which is mainly financed by the state. A law which has just been passed by the Danish Parlia- ment gives a new official role to the trade union employment offices. In fact, it is a legal recognition of what has been happening in practice. Despite the 1969 law, em- ployers continued to take on workers through trade union offices which have a better understanding of the labour market than the Labour Ex- changes. The new law contains four main points: —an official role in placing workers is recognised for trade union unemployment offices —however, employers - will have the right to refuse to take on unemployed persons put forward by the unions —some unemployed will have the right to refuse jobs pro- posed to them without losing their unemployment benefit —trade union offices and the Labour Exchanges must co- . operate to ensure adequate training for long-term un- employed. SO ! | HERE IS WHY TO REPORT | ALL WORK-RELATED INJURIES | "By VICTOR RABINOVITCH CLC Health & Safety Program Officer Jim Doucette, a member of the Canadian Paperworkers’ Union had no idea of what he was getting into when he twisted his back. At the time of the injury Jim was working in the warehouse of a_ large eastern paper mill. After reporting his injury Jim was sent home for the rest of the shift. When his back trouble continued the company sug- gested he take paid leave for one week. “‘Why go through government red tape to apply for Workers’ Compensation when we're offering you paid leave at your regular rates?” the company asked. And Jim Doucette agreed. But the brief rest did not help. A few months later Jim had to leave work again in order to go into the hospital. This time the sickness plan in the collective agreement covered his lost wages. Jim Doucette’s back never fully healed. When he was finally able to return to work he was placed in a lighter job at a lower rate of pay. That’s when he remembered the Workers’ Compensation system. He remembered that he could be eligible for a permanent pension for his partial disability. But when he applied to the Compensation Board his claim was rejected because his original accident had never. been reported. The Board told Jim that there was no proof that his bad back was the re- sult of an on-the-job accident, A few key points should be noted in Jim Doucette’s story. First, the company had nothing to lose by encouraging Jim not to report his accident to the Compensation Board. They knew that paid leave and short-term sickness insurance would make up Jim’s pay. They were also glad to avoid any extra contact with the Compensation Board. New compensation claims often result in visits from govern- ment safety inspectors, not to mention, increases in com- pensation rates charged to the employer. Secondly, Jim was actually harming other workers at the mill when he failed to report his accident properly. Accident and sickness reports, whether filed for compensation or recorded in a first-aid log, are essential information sources for union-management health and safety committees. A regular review of these reports during health and safety com- mittee meetings is a good way to pinpoint problem areas in the workplace. Every accident and sickness report should be examined - with the care worthy of a great detective investigating a case. Several key questions should be asked about every reported incident: © What aspect of working conditions helped cause an accident to happen? © Howshould those working conditions be changed to stop a similar accident occurring again? @ What modifications are needed to machinery or job procedures to stop a future accident? © Is there a regular pattern to reported illness or even to common complaints such as regular headaches or tired- ness? © What chemicals, dust, fumes, stress pressures or other working conditions may be related to these reported illness symptoms? A trap to avoid when investi- gating accident and sickness records is blaming the injured worker. Itis much too easy and usually wrong, to blame the injured person for his or her own troubles and to avoid a thorough examination of an accident or sickness. There’s one last point. Reporting an accident properly to the Workers’ Compensation Board helps to ensure that legitimate claims are not refused at a later date.