CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS

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direction of Canada.

Political leader offers delegates NDP alternative

Federal New Democratic Leader, Audrey McLaughlin was in attendance at IWA-CANADA's Na- tional Convention for the third straight year, this time only two day's after a majority of Canadians rejected the Charlottetown Constitution Accord. She took the opportunity to leave the Constitutional debate behind and concentrate on the Tories' eco- nomic agenda.

"I say to you the worst thing the Prime Minister has done in the last six weeks wasn't tearing up the

Constitutional Accord on television, it was signing the NAFTA Agreement in Texas at the Alamo."

Ms. McLaughlin said the country's downturn, in- cluding the signing of the NAFTA, is not just a prob- Jem with Brian Mulroney, the problem is with a failed social and economic agenda.

"Some call it the neo-Conservative agenda, some call it the Tory agenda. It doesn't matter what you call it, because it won't disappear with Brian Mul- roney's disappearance alone," said Ms. McLaughlin.

"While you hear people say that now we have to get back to the economy, let's not be fooled. The Tories have been working on the economy all along, and while we were discussing the (Constitutional) referendum, the trade deal, was being initialed."

"But we're not talking about a new and improved trade deal here. We're talking about taking a bad trade deal, the Canada-U.S. trade deal and making it worse."

"We've already seen what free trade has meant for Mexican workers. Poor health and safety stan- dards, poor environmental standards. And what NAFTA means is pitting workers against workers; American against Canadian, Canadian against Mexi- can, Mexican against American."

"That's not the aim of the union movement and it's not the aim of the New Democratic Party," said McLaughlin. "Our aim is to have fair trading arrangements that really address the working stan- dards of working people and to raise the working standard of working people internationally."

"What will the NAFTA lead to? It leads to large companies, it leads to big profits, it leads to the cor- porate bottom line. But what does it mean for the workers of Canada? Well it adds up to layoffs and the unemployment line."

"Trade is there to serve people. It's not the other way around. So let me say this: We are either slaves to the trade deal or we are free of it."

"It's time to make new choices. It's time we said to the Americans that we are going to start export- ing finished products instead of jobs. It's time we chose to make banks start paying more tax than bank tellers and time we chose to invest in young people and the unemployed through education and training... We have to invest in those Canadian busi- nesses that will do research and development and

¢ Federal New Democrat Party leader Audrey McLaughlin said we must have the political will to change >

are committed to developing jobs here at home. It's time that we have a government that brings in a Canadian economic strategy that has as its first and foremost priority full employment."

"I don't have to tell you that with the high level of unemployment across the country, the growing poverty, the increasing demand for food banks, that we are in a desperate situation and that millions of Canadians have lost hope."

"Unemployment is ripping the heart and soul out of this country and the political response at the na- tional level has been a disgrace, whether it's the Re- form Party, the Liberals or the Conservatives. The answer is the same."

"They say we have no choice, that we just have to fall in line and be part of this race to the bottom. A race to compete with low wage countries where they don't have concern for the health and safety of workers or the environment but only for the power- ful and wealthy," said McLaughlin.

The speaker told the IWA Convention that "I don't think there's anything wrong in this country that can't be fixed or changed."

"To those who say we can't do it, I say they are wrong. We can do it if there is political will. Be- cause ultimately what will keep the country togeth- er will be our commitment to social and economic justice for every man, woman and child."

Legislative demands pass convention

LABOUR LAWS REFORMS — the IWA will organize a mas- sive campaign in favour of progressive labour law reforms and anti-scab legislation and will actively work with other labour bodies to achieve these goals.

RIGHT TO WORK LEGISLATION — the National Executive Board of IWA-CANADA is empowered to take all nec- essary steps to defeat "Right to Work" legislation and its supporters.

FULL EMPLOYMENT — the union demands that the fed- eral government pursue a policy of full employment with guarantees of good wage rates, job security, and access to collective bargaining for all Canadian workers.

WHISTLE BLOWER PROTECTION — the union demands that all provincial governments enact a form of whistle blower protection, that will safeguard work-

ers that report illegal or unsafe acts performed by employers.

MEDICAL CERTIFICATES — the union will push for legis- lation that will make costs for medical certificates payable by those who request them or that the costs be reimbursed by the respective benefit plans.

PRIVATIZATION — the IWA stands in total opposition to privatization of programs pursued by the federal government or any provincial government.

14/LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER, 1992

POLLUTION PENALTIES — the IWA will petition the fed- eral and provincial governments to jack up the penalties for pollution violations and force indus- tries to clean up their messes at their own expense. EMPLOYMENT LEVELS — the union will lobby all provin- cial governments to ensure that maintenance of jobs must be part of the conditions for the rights to cut timber.

VALUE-ADDED MANUFACTURING — provincial govern- ments must introduce legislation forcing tenure or timber licence holders to produce value-added products.

TREE SPIKING — the union will lobby the provincial and federal governments to enforce legislation against tree spikers and get criminal code provi- sions in place. The IWA will also aid in the appre- hension and prosecution of spikers.

FREE TRADE REFERENDUM - a demand will be made that the federal government conduct a binding national referendum on Canada's continued partici- pation is in free trade agreements.

FAIR TAXATION POLICY — the IWA demands abolition of the GST, the implementation of a fair and progres- sive tax structure, and that corporations pay their fair share of taxes including deferred taxes. : NORTHERN TAX CREDIT — the federal government will be lobbied to continue the entitlement of northern cost of living allowance.

SAFETY APPAREL TAX — IWA-CANADA will lobby all gov- ernments to knock off all taxes on safety related apparel.

APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING — the union will continue to lobby the federal government to reinstate an updat- ed apprenticeship training program.

RETRAINING FOR LOGGERS — the federal government's decision to cut retraining money off is condemned and all levels of government will be pressured to continue funding.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE — the federal government must repeal Bill C-21 and make UIC benefits non- taxable, says the IWA. Also changes must be made so that severance pay doesn't disqualify a worker from receiving unemployment benefits.

SOCIAL SERVICES — the union will demand that the federal government re-establish UI and Family Allowances and other social services that have been reduced or eliminated since the signing of the Free Trade Agreement.

HOSPITAL FUNDING — IWA-CANADA demands that min- istries responsible for health care put up sufficient funds to fully staff existing hospitals and expand services.

POLITICIANS PENSION — the union demands that MP's and MLA's not be eligible for a paid pensions until age 60.

NON-UNION CONTRACTORS — the union contort its policy that all companies or person dealing with an IWA-CANADA operation be legitimately unionized. LOG EXPORT POLICY - once again the IWA reaffirms 1s "complete and unalterable" position against

export of raw logs and cants.