fe RURNORREORIREE SNM NS BS BQ Pr vc eeast [ Sk ae eh \j } \ Seo &-.! ij beSci OF ge} | stl oS 2m i pec) oe E 3! 4 : ' oO; } ig {1 BS ay! a Sy0| ER wel | ‘dale? o as! a | ap | / " | / ij ‘! SE k | iy E ny ¥ f i u i; P ] - J QO i aw 8 i = §. | ee | am = t Bhi ORS 7 ’ # o% iE (ae ; ‘hewestern Canadian Vol. XLVI No. 2 VANCOUVER, B.C. lumber worker ISSN 0049-7371 FEBRUARY, 1978 500 VANPLY JOBS SAVED |.W.A. PROTEST WINS RESULTS IWA TO HELP TROUBLED EMPLOYEES The IWA, concerned over the increasing number of its members whose home life or job performance are being seriously affected by factors such as alcohol, drugs, marital, mental or financial problems, has appointed a committee to investigate means of providing proper counselling and treatment for members in need. Heading up the committee are Regional 2nd Vice-Presi- dent Bob Blanchard, Chair- such as_ alcohol, _ See “EMPLOYEES” pg 2 man; Regional 3rd Vice-Presi- dent Neil Menard, Vice-Presi- man; and Health / Safety Director Max Salter. Other members are Walter Kozij, Local 1-71; Ross Davies, Local 1-80; Henry Nedergard, Local 1-85; Al Carle, Local 1-118; Bud Massey, Local 1-184; Paul Beaulieu, Local 1-217; Ron Grant, Local 1-288; John Vernon, Local 1-357; Gordon Claypool, Local 1-367; Don Davidson, Local 1-405; Ted Macdonald, Local 1-417; Don Muirhead, Local 1-424; Adolph Danielson, Local 1-324. The committee, recognizing the problems of “troubled em- ployees’’ have a serious affect on job performance, drafted a programme that would have the Forest Industry and the Union jointly support. In addition, the committee formulated a draft proposal entitled “Joint Policy on the Troubled Employee’, which will be submitted to the Forest Industry for consideration. Following is the committee’s programme: Preamble: The IWA recog- nizes that an ever increasing number of its members are falling into the category of a “Troubled Employee’’, troubled to the point where their job performance is seriously affected by factors drugs, Saag! ta se. er The massive campaign launched by the Regional Council and Local 1-217 pro- testing the announced closure of MacMillan Bloedel’s giant Vancouver Plywood operation, has been successful in having the Company postpone the move for at least two years. The provincial government, heeding the outcry from both the Union and public over the closure, called a meeting of IWA and M.B. officials Febru- ary 17, in Vancouver. - At the meeting chaired by Forests Minister Tom. Water- land, Regional President Jack LABOUR GETS GOVERNMENT GRANTS Labour Minister John Munro has announced grants totalling $185,767 for labour education to post-secondary educational institutions. The grants are part of a program designed to promote labour education, and to com- plement the various programs announced by the Minister since last June to provide $10 million in education funds over 5 years to unions with CLC affiliation as well as varying amounts to labour organiza- tions not affiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress. Recipients of the grants are: Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S.: $12,500; University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, N.B.: $21,875; Laval Univer- sity, Ste Foy, Quebec: $18,750; Humber College, Rexdale, Ont.: $30,750; The Ontario In- stitute for Studies in Educa- tion, Toronto, Ont.: $6,250; Confederation College, Thunder Bay, Ont.: $30,750; University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Sask.: $1,142; Athabasca University, Ed- monton, Alberta: $12,500; Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.: $25,000; Capilano College, Vancouver, B.C.: $15,000; Northwest Com- munity College, Terrace, B.C.: $11,250. Mr. Munro, in announcing the grants, said the assistance was intended to help officers and potential leaders of labour organizations as well as rank- and-file members to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the goals, policies and responsibilities of the labour movement in the context of the economic, social and political framework. The minister said he hoped the program would “encourage a better-informed union mem- bership, and smoother collect- ive bargaining.” Munro and Local 1-217 Presi- dent Syd Thompson hammered out a compromise agreement with M.B. officials. Terms of the agreement call for the closure of ‘‘A’’ mill — which the Union admits is obsolete — and upgrading the more modern ‘‘B’’ mill. This action will save the jobs of 500 of the. 700 employees in the operation. The remaining 200 employees will be given jobs in the Company’s other divisions. During the two-year mora- torium both the Company and Union have promised to do all in their power to make the operation economically viable. The Company will invest one million dollars upgrading the lathes and the Union has promised to maintain produc- tivity. At the end of the two-year trial period, the results will be assessed to see if the plant has been a sufficient. success to continue further operation. Both Munro and Thompson were loud in their praise of the government’s intervention and made it known by letter to Premier Bill Bennett. They also had praise for Forests Minister Tom Waterland and M.B. officials for the coopera- tion shown. The Union officers expressed the belief that the two-year moratorium will give every- body time to evaluate the situation and if the plant is forced to shut down, alternate plans can be prepared during the trial period to.ensure jobs can be found for the em- ployees. The decision to keep the ‘‘B”’ mill operating is a signal victory for the IWA. There is no doubt that the violent protest by the Union and its plans for further concrete action, forced the government intervention. The Union had called a meeting February 13, of all B.C.-M.B. plant and camp chairman, at which plans were laid to send telegrams and letters to the government pro- testing the VanPly closure. The Union was also consider- ing a one day off the job protest and a march on Victoria, to convince the government that the IWA was not prepared to stand by and watch the jobs of 700 of its members go down the - drain. The IWA is now hopeful that in the future no more forest plant closures will be an- nounced until both government and Union have been consulted and all avenues explored to prevent any job losses. The following is a copy of the letter sent by Regional Presi- dent Jack Munro to Premier Bennett expressing the Union’s gratitude for the government’s intervention in the Vancouver Plywood dispute. The Honourable Premier Parliament Buildings Victoria, B.C. Mr. Premier: I would like to take this op- portunity to express my appre- ciation, and that of the IWA, for your assistance in saving the jobs of 500 Van Ply workers. We believe that your meeting with us on such short notice, and especially your public statement, set a tone for subse- quent meetings which contri- buted significantly to the final agreement. The Honourable Tom Water- land, Minister of Forests, also deserves a ‘‘thank you’”’ from us. Chairing meetings between the forest industry and our- selves is never an easy task, but those chaired by the Min- ister were particularly diffi- cult. The positive results of those meetings is a credit to him also. Following these meetings, and various other discussions with key people, it has become obvious to us that a thorough review of the Coast plywood industry is long overdue, and we will be requesting such a - review in the near future. Thanking you again for your assistance. ; Yours truly, J. J. Munro President Ee __ MUNRO ON COMMISSION _ Regional President Jack Munro has been appointed by the federal government to be a member of a three-man com- mission charged with investi- gating sudden plant closures and layoffs during the present high rate of employment in the country, Charles Perrault, President of the Quebec Employers Council, is the management representative. A. W. R. Carrothers, who is mooted to be the next head of the B.C. Labour Relations -Board, has been named Chair- man. While the Canadian Labour Congress and labour generally . are opposed to any tripartite agreement with government and management, Munro’s appointment has everybody’s blessing. ‘The CLC feels at this time that any arrangement that can reduce unemployment now is well worthwhile.