This media story archive contains BC Media Coverage that
reached back between May 2009 and October 2009. All media stories
are linked to pdf reproductions of the original Internet news media.
Back to BC Media Coverage
19 June 2010 – Talks Moving
Slowly at Savona
Kamloops, BC – Aspen Planers and United Steelworkers are starting
from scratch to reach an agreement that could restart mills in
Savona and Lillooet. Marty Gibbons, president of Local 1-417, said
Friday the B.C. Labour Relations Board agreed with the company it
should not be tied to the Interior Forest Labour Relations
Association (IFLRA) group bargaining along with other forestry
firms. Instead, Aspen Planers will bargain on its own. And company
spokesman David Gray said Aspen Planers is looking for a deal that
will make the Savona concrete-forming panel and its Lillooet feed
mill economical.
For more of this
Kamloops Daily News online news story,
click here.
 Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
16 June 2010 – Aspen Planers
Negotiating with Steelworkers
Lillooet, BC – Aspen Planers, owner of Ainsworth Lumber’s defunct
specialty plywood operations in Lillooet and Savona, will begin
negotiations this week with the United Steelworkers. The president
of Aspen Planers, David Gray, spoke last Thursday to the Lillooet
Chamber of Commerce at the District of Lillooet municipal hall.
According to Gray, he will meet with Marty Gibbons, president of
United Steelworkers Local 1-417. The workers at Ainsworth’s former
plants in Lillooet and Savona, about 250 in total, belong to Local
1-417. The Lillooet veneer plant alone employed about 100 people.
For more of this
Bridge River Lillooet News online news story,
click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
12 May 2010 – Coastal
Bargaining Committee Meeting With Western Forest Products Today
Nanaimo, BC – Today the United Steelworkers Coastal Bargaining
Committee is meeting here with Western Forest Products to negotiate
a new collective agreement with the coast’s largest employer. At the
table for the union are committee spokesperson Bob Matters (chair of
the USW Wood Council), Local 1-1937 president Darrel Wong, Local
1-85 president Dave Steinhauer, and Local 2009 president Manjit
Sidhu. On May 5 both sides met to exchange bargaining proposals,
after previously agreeing to a protocol for negotiations.
For more of this
United Steelworkers District 3 online news story,
click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
15 March 2010 – Next Plant To Open
Could Be Canfor-Vavenby
Clearwater, BC - There’s nothing definite yet but, if lumber
markets continue to improve, Canfor-Vavenby could reopen soon. “They
haven’t committed to anything but during our discussions with Canfor
they said the next plant they would like to get rolling would be
Vavenby,” said Warren Oja, financial secretary for Steelworkers
Local 1-417 in Kamloops. “I hope that sooner rather than later we’ll
have something more substantial to say.” Canfor and United
Steelworkers Union announced last week that they had reached an
agreement for a new contract. The announcement followed a
ratification vote by union members at Canfor’s 14 operations in
British Columbia, including Canfor-Vavenby.
For more of this
Clearwater Times Keith McNeill online news story,
click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
10 March 2010 – Done Deal -
Workers Ratify Contract With Canfor
Prince George, B.C.- The United Steelworkers Local 1-424 have
ratified a new contract with Canfor. The package covers those
workers employed by Canfor’s 15 operations in the southern and
northern interior. The ratification vote was completed late
yesterday on the four year deal which provides for wage increases of
0, 0, 2 and 2 % over the term of the agreement. The agreement also
carries some innovative “investments” by the workers. The union
workers have agreed to defer a floating holiday, boxing day, and
reduce their vacation pay by 3% until the lumber industry returns to
good health or December 31st of 2011, whichever comes first. Once
that happens, the deferred items will be returned. The savings
amount to about $1.50 per hour per employee.
For more of this
Opinion 250 news blog and to read blog comments, click
here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
10 March 2010 – Canfor Deal
Ratified
Canfor now confirms it's earlier reported tentative four year
contract agreement with the United Steel Workers Union has been
ratified by a majority of the union's members. With an expiration
date of June 30th, 2013, it impacts 14 BC operations and about 2,300
Canfor employees. As reported earlier this week the union website
states the deal includes unprecedented seniority protection, better
severance pay and a two percent wage increase in the third and
fourth years. However U-S-W Wood Council Chair Bob Matters, says the
deal is as much a victory for the company as it is for the union.
The union has also indicated the deal will now be presented to other
forestry companies, as a blueprint for new agreements with them.
(Audio Clip)
For more of this Energetic City.ca Fort St. John online news report,
click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
9 March 2010 – USW ratify four-year
agreement with Canfor in BC interior operations
BURNABY, BC, March 9 /CNW/ - United Steelworkers (USW) members
employed by Canfor in 15 operations in the BC northern and southern
interior regions have ratified a four-year collective agreement,
retroactive to June 30, 2009. Members in USW Locals 1-424, 1-417 and
1-405 voted in majority favour of the agreement that was reached on
February 22, 2010. The agreement provides union members with an
unprecedented expansion of seniority retention and improved
severance in the event of a partial or permanent plant closure. The
union's BC Interior Bargaining Committee will utilize the Canfor
agreement to be a basic pattern agreement for negotiations with West
Fraser and employer associations CONIFER (the Council on Northern
Interior Forest Labour Relations) and the IFLRA (Interior Forest
Labour Relations Association, which represent employers in the
northern and southern interiors, respectively.
For more of this Canadian NewsWire online news story, click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
9 March 2010 – Canfor Reaches
Agreement With United Steelworkers
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Mar 09, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX)
-- Canfor Corporation announced today that it has reached an
agreement with the United Steelworkers union. The agreement,
expiring June 30, 2013, was ratified by a majority of union members
and affects 14 operations in British Columbia. "This agreement sets
a new positive tone for our industry. It provides some relief from
the economic issues we are facing and a profit based performance
bonus that will reward our hourly workers," said Canfor President
and CEO Jim Shepard. "This sets the stage for enhancing the teamwork
approach at Canfor that will lead to high performance at all of our
operations," Shepard added.
For more of this Market Watch Online press release, click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
9 March 2010 – Union ratifies labor
deal with Canfor, company says
VANCOUVER, March 9 (Reuters) - Unions have ratified a contract at
Canada's No. 2 lumber producer Canfor Corp (CFP.TO), that the
company said offered relief from pressing economic problems. "This
agreement sets a new positive tone for our industry," Canfor Chief
Executive Officer Jim Shepard said. "It provides some relief from
the economic issues we are facing and a profit based performance
bonus that will reward our hourly workers". Canfor said a majority
of union workers had ratified the deal, which applies to some 2,300
workers. Bob Matters, chairman of the United Steelworkers' Wood
Council, said earlier that the four-year deal has no wage hike in
the first two years, and 2 percent in the third and fourth years. It
is structured to help restart idled sawmills as the lumber market
recovers.
For more of this Reuters news story, click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
8 March 2010 – Tentative Contract:
Canfor & USW
According to the union's website, rank and file voting is
underway on a tentative contract agreement, between the United Steel
Workers' and Canadian Forest Products. The USW began talks with
Canfor last fall, after talks with the umbrella group representing
three forest companies in the province broke off. After three
months of what Canfor's Dave Lefevre is quoted as saying were
"unique and innovative negotiations", the two sides have come up
with a tentative four year deal ending in June of 2013.
For more of this Energetic City.ca Fort St. John online news report,
click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
5 March 2010 – United Steelworkers have
Started Voting on a Tentative Deal with Canfor
Prince George, B.C.- Northern Interior members of the United
Steelworkers Union have started voting on a tentative contract with
Canfor Thursday. President of Local 1-424 of the United Steelworkers
Union, Frank Everitt, says they reached the tentative agreement
February 22nd. He says it includes historic seniority retention for
members that have been laid off and a unique opportunity for profit
sharing, as well as a possibility for general wage increases once
the market turns around.
For more of this HQPrinceGeorge.com online news report, click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
3 March 2010 – USW Makes Tentative
Deal with Canfor
Houston, B.C.- After three months of negotiation, Canadian Forest
Products (Canfor) and the United Steelworkers union (USW) have
reached a tentative contract agreement that both parties are
supporting. The USW contract with Canfor, West Fraser, and Conifer
mills came to an end in June 2009, with negotiations between the USW
and Conifer proceeding shortly thereafter. However, after Conifer
stepped away from the table in October 2009, ceasing negotiations,
the USW approached Canfor to begin another round of negotiations,
and last Saturday a tentative contract was struck up.
For more of this HoustonToday.com online news report, click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
23 February 2010 – Millworkers
Asked To Sign Deal
Kamloops, B.C.- Laid-off workers at Canfor Vavenby will vote on a
tentative contract in the next two weeks that promises wage
increases and profit sharing if the mill returns to operation. But
the president of Steelworkers Local 1-417 said Monday there is no
indication Canfor will restart the mill immediately and put 200
workers back on the job. The union completed negotiations with
Canfor in Prince George for a “pattern” agreement it intends to
bring to other companies operating in the B.C. Interior, including
at Tolko Industries Ltd’s operations at Heffley Creek and Merritt..
For more of this Kamloops Daily News report from the City & Region
Section, click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
22 February 2010 – Canfor and
Steelworkers Reach Tentative Deal
Prince George, B.C.- Members of the United Steelworkers local
1-424 will be briefed on the details of what's being described as an
'historic' tentative contract with Canfor. The head of the USW's BC
Wood Council was in Prince George over the weekend to announce a
tentative package that, Bob Matters describes as "unique and
innovative".
For more of this
Opinion 250 news blog and to read blog comments, click
here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
20 February 2010 – Canfor and
Steelworkers Reach Tentative Deal
Prince George, B.C.- The Chair of the United Steelworkers' BC
Wood Council is calling a tentative deal with Canfor "unprecedented"
in the history of collective bargaining in the BC forest industry.
In Prince George today to announce the just-reached agreement, Bob
Matters says, "Despite the fact the forest industry has experienced
its worst financial crisis in history, we have reached an agreement
that I would characterize as 'unique and innovative'." Matters says,
for the first time, wording has been included in the package on the
issues of: seniority protection, severance protection, and
employment security, in general.
For more of this
Opinion 250 news blog and to read blog comments, click
here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
15 February 2010 – Progress Made
At Bargaining Table
Prince George, B.C.- The United Steelworkers' B.C. Interior
Bargaining Committee is reporting some progress, following contract
talks with Canfor in Prince George last week. A news release says
the two sides had "some serious discussion on alternate shifting
language and severance language regarding permanent plant closure
and partial plant closure."
For more of this
Opinion 250 news blog and to read blog comments, click
here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
14 January 2010 – United
Steelworkers Huddle with Canfor Today
Prince George, B.C.- The Steelworkers Union will have exploratory
talks with Canfor today in an effort to hammer out a new contract
for their membership. The Steelworkers represent about 9,000
forestry workers in the province, who have been without a contract
since the last one expired at the end of June.
For more of this
Opinion 250 news blog and to read blog comments, click
here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
04 DECEMBER 2009 – Steelworkers Look To West Fraser In
Contract Talks
Prince George, B.C.- The United Steelworkers continue to try to
negotiate a new contract for their forestry workers in B.C. and are
hoping to go to the bargaining table with West Fraser. The union is
hoping to develop a package which will be a template for their
membership at all other forest companies. The last contract ended
July 1st of this year. The Steelworkers had initially started talks
with Conifer. The last session in that round of negotiations was
October 19th and there has been no indication Conifer has any plans
to return to the bargaining table any time soon.
For more of this
Opinion 250 news blog and to read blog comments, click
here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
01 DECEMBER 2009 – Steelworkers
Huddle To Strategize For Interior Group
Prince George, B.C.- The United Steelworkers are trying to get
the contract talks for the forest industry back on track. Their
talks broke off mid October. Steelworkers local 1-424 President,
Frank Everitt says the Union is pushing for some contract
improvements, but the industry has called for major concessions.
“There are ways of reducing costs without reducing the hourly take
home pay of the folks and we’re prepared to look at those.” Talks
have been off since the 19th of October.
For more of this Opinion 250 news blog and to read
blog comments, click here.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
16 OCTOBER 2009 – Forest Industry
Labour Showdown Looming Large
Publication: Business in Vancouver | Labour Climate Opinion |
Author: Geoff Meggs - For Steve Hunt, the steelworker now leading
B.C.’s woodworkers, the recession is already four years old – not
one – and the consequences are “ugly.” “In the forest industry and
manufacturing it’s devastating,” said Hunt. “We saw it coming three
years ago, with mill closures out of the norm. People were used to
closures for fire season, snow or market conditions, but these were
permanent shutdowns. “It was overcapacity, in some respects, but the
softwood-lumber deal had a devastating effect.” The result is an
industry in freefall, he said, taking down hundreds of jobs and
dozens of communities while the forest companies battle among
themselves and the government appears stumped for answers..
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
05 OCTOBER 2009 – What Kind of
BC Do We Want, Steelworkers Ask MLAs
Burnaby, B.C. - What kind of BC do we want? That’s what
Steelworkers asked members of the BC Legislature last week. Our
economy was in bad shape even before 2008, USW told members of the
Legislature’s Select Committee on Finance; the economic crisis has
made things much worse. And we warned that a lot of our mounting
problems are directly due to current government policy. Gordon
Campbell’s government has not only watched the BC forest industry
deteriorate; he’s made it worse with a succession of misguided
policies.
For more of this USW
District 3 story by Kim Pollock, click here to view in pdf format.
[top]
30 SEPTEMBER 2009 – Forestry Talks
Get Underway Today in Prince George
Prince George, B.C. - Talks are scheduled to resume today in
Prince George, involving Northern Interior Forest companies, and the
United Steelworkers Union. The latter represents about 8,000 forest
industry workers, across the interior of the province, and some of
the companies involved are believed to be pushing for a 14 percent
pay cut, amounting to about $2.50 an hour. However, Union Wood Chair
Bob Matters, says money is not yet on the bargaining table. The
workers previous contract expired July 1st, and any agreement in
this area is expected to serve as a template, for those in the
south.
Click
here to view in pdf format. [top]
17 SEPTEMBER 2009 – Sawmill Contract
Talks Set to Resume Next Week
Prince George, B.C.- Negotiations between sawmill workers and a
group of companies that includes the Dunkley, Carrier and Lakeland
mills plan to continue talks next week in Prince George. The
negotiations had resumed this week after the two sides reached an
impasse last month and halted discussions for several weeks. The
impasse had ended the only bargaining underway with the United
Steelworkers union representing 10,000 forest workers in the
Interior. "We're still bargaining. It's a slow process, but we are
still at it," United Steelworkers official Bob Matters said
Thursday. Forest companies are looking for labour concessions to
combat the financial fallout from an unprecedented downturn led by a
collapse in U.S. housing. The collapse has been exacerbated by a
rising Canadian dollar and a 15 per cent export on lumber shipments
to the United States. Matters said they continue to hammer away at
the labour issue.
Click here to view in pdf format. [top]
14 SEPTEMBER 2009 – Steelworkers and
Forest Industry Contract Talks Resume Today
Prince George, B.C.- It is back to the bargaining table today for
the United Steelworkers and Conifer. This is the first round of
talks since Conifer walked away from the table three and a half
weeks ago. The Steelworkers represent about 9,000 forestry workers
in the province of B.C. They say the bargaining process had been
set, but that Conifer’s requests were outside that framework. When
talks broke off August 19th, the union’s Contract negotiating
spokesperson, Bob Matters said the only agreed upon issue was
seniority retention. The Steelworkers expect the Conifer agreement
to be the pattern for other contracts in the forest industry. The
contract expired June 30th.
Click here to view in pdf format. [top]
09 SEPTEMBER 2009 – Labour talks resume
for B.C. interior forestry workers and Conifer; next meeting Sept.
14 in Prince George
Vancouver, B.C. – Contract talks will resume later this month
between the union representing forestry workers in the interior of
B.C. and the Council on Northern Interior Forest Employment
Relations. The two sides will return to the bargaining table in
Prince George, B.C. on Sept. 14, nearly a month after the employer,
known as Conifer, halted discussions. Conifer said it walked away
from talks on Aug. 19 because the negotiations were not moving
forward. The union, represented by the United Steelworkers, said the
employer changed the bargaining rules. The union has been without a
contract since June 30. The USW represents more than 9,000 forestry
workers in the province.
Click here to view in pdf format. [top]
09 SEPTEMBER 2009 – Forestry Talks to
Resume Monday
Prince George, B.C. – The Steelworkers Union will be heading back
to the bargaining table Monday with Conifer. Talks broke off August
19th, when Conifer walked away from the negotiations saying the
negotiations weren't "moving forward". The union says Conifer had
strayed from the bargaining plan. Representing more than 9 thousand
forestry workers throughout B.C., the package being developed with
Conifer is to be the pattern for other companies to follow. The last
contract expired June 30th.
Click here to
view in pdf format. [top]
09 SEPTEMBER 2009 – Western Canadian
forestry labor talks to resume
Vancouver, B.C. – (Reuters) – Talks will resume next week on what
could become the pattern agreement for labor contracts in British
Columbia's interior sawmills, union and company negotiators said on
Wednesday. Talks between the United Steelworkers union and Conifer,
the bargaining agent for most of the major sawmills in northern
British Columbia, had broken off in mid August, but they will be
back at the table Sept 14. Labor negotiations in British Columbia's
forestry industry are conducted largely on a regional basis, and the
union has pursued a contract with Conifer that it hopes will set the
pattern for the other contracts. Neither the union or employers have
released details of their demands, but the industry is reported to
be seeking contract concessions to help sawmills hit hard by the
collapse of the U.S. home construction market.
Click here to view in pdf format. [top]
26 AUGUST 2009 – Steelworkers Launch Website
To Cover Contract Talks
Prince George, B.C. – The United Steelworkers Interior Bargaining
Committee has launched a new website – www.dealwithsteel.ca –
to support the Union’s contract talks in the BC Interior forest
industry. The website features information on the collective
bargaining process and lists the work sites that are covered by
CONIFER, the IFLRA, Canfor and West Fraser. The site makes it
possible for union members and the public to get the bargaining
unit’s latest posted bulletins. The site also posts the media
coverage of the negotiations. Contract talks broke off last week
when Conifer walked away from the bargaining table in day two of
what was supposed to be a three day session of negotiations saying
the Union wasn’t taking their position seriously. The union says
Conifer was changing the pre-approved process for negotiations.
Click here to
view in pdf format. [top]
21 AUGUST 2009 – Forestry workers, B.C.
Interior companies contract talks at an impasse
No labour concessions on ‘logical perspective cost-reduction
avenues,’ says management
VANCOUVER — Talks between forestry workers and their employers in
British Columbia’s Interior have broken down but both sides hope
they’ll be back at the bargaining table soon. The most recent talks
were scheduled for three days this week but ended abruptly at the
beginning of day two with the Council on Northern Interior Forest
Employment Relations (Conifer) complaining that the union — the
United Steelworkers — wasn’t taking their demands seriously. Conifer
— which represents employers in the northern part of B.C.’s interior
— needs to find ways to cut costs, its executive director Michael
Bryce said in an interview. And they’ve suggested a number of
possible ways of doing that.
Click here to view in pdf format. [top]
20 AUGUST 2009 – Forest Labour Talks
Update
If they don't go on strike it looks like about 6,000 BC forestry
workers in the northern and southern interior could be working
without a contract for sometime to come. Conifer, the umbrella group
bargaining for forest companies, reportedly left the bargaining
table yesterday in Prince George because the union bargaining for
the workers, refused to address management proposals for contract
concessions.
Click here to
view in pdf format. [top]
19 AUGUST 2009 – Conifer Has Walked
Away From Contract Talks With The United Steelworkers
Contract talks ended between the United Steelworkers and CONIFER
today in British Columbia when CONIFER walked away from the
bargaining table. CONIFER, the Council on Northern Interior Forest
Employment Relations, represents Carrier Lumber, Tolko and Hampton
Affiliates.
Click here to view in pdf format. [top]
19 AUGUST 2009 – Conifer Walks Away
From Contract Talks
Prince George, B.C. – Contract talks between the United Steelworkers
and Conifer have broken off. Steelworkers negotiating spokesperson,
Bob Matters says Conifer walked away from the bargaining table this
morning “Conifer told us they were not prepared to continue and left
the bargaining table”. Matters says other companies in the
bargaining process have come with proposals, but that was not the
case with Conifer “This is very frustrating, we had an agreed upon
bargaining process and they changed that. It is unacceptable to us
for them to demand the workers give, without telling us what it is
they’re looking for.”
Click here to view in
pdf format. [top]
19 AUGUST 2009 – CONIFER Disappointed
by USW Blindness to Forest Industry Reality
PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Aug. 19, 2009) - The
Council on Northern Interior Forest Employment Relations (CONIFER)
has taken a "time out" in its talks with the United Steelworkers of
America on a new collective agreement. "We began negotiations on
June 11th and devoted our initial discussions to key USW agenda
items," says Mike Bryce, CONIFER'S Executive Director. "We were able
to agree to an important seniority retention item the union
advanced. Our expectation was that in return they would devote a
similar level of attention to our most important issue."
Click here to view in pdf format. [top]
19 AUGUST 2009 – Forestry Talks Break Off
in BC
Talks have broken off between thousands of unionized forestry
workers in the B.C. Interior and an group representing independent
producers in the province. The United Steelworkers (USW), which
represents more than 9,000 forest workers, and the Council on
Northern Interior Forest Employment Relations (Conifer) are trying
to hammer out a new contract after the current one expired July 1.
Bob Matters, chairman of the USW Wood Council, said in an interview
that Conifer walked away from the bargaining table on Wednesday.
Click here to view in pdf format.
18 AUGUST 2009 – Forestry Talks Go Timber
Negotiations between sawmill workers and a group of companies that
include Dunkley, Carrier and Lakeland have reached an impasse,
ending the only bargaining that was taking place with the union
representing 10,000 forest workers in the Interior. The United
Steelworkers and the the Council on Northern Interior Forest
Employment Relations (CONIFER) were scheduled for three days of
talks this week in Prince George, but the talks ended Wednesday
morning after only one day of bargaining. While the union said
CONIFER walked away from the table, the industry group characterized
the break in talks as a "time out."
Click here to view in pdf format.
14 AUGUST 2009 – Have You Ever Said You
Wanted A Pay Cut?
It is easy to say let’s take a 20% cut in wages, but when you are
earning (for arguments sake) $60,000 a year that equates into a
$12,000 dollar a year loss. That is what the workers of the forest
industry are facing in negotiations today. Now before someone of you
blue bloods get on my case saying they were earning too much anyway.
Tell me, have you ever gone to your employer and said, “I’m not
worth what your paying me, pay me less"? I don’t think so. So, for
example, the pulp workers are looking very seriously at a 20% wage
and benefit roll back. Now we all know the pulp industry is bleeding
red ink and in order to survive they need a break. But when the
executives of the various mills are able to show their owners this
fall that they have been able to get wages cut and now are turning a
profit , will they continue to ask for their bonus based on
performance or will they turn it away and take a pay cut? Somehow, I
doubt a pay cut will be suggested.
Click here to view in pdf format.
4 AUGUST 2009 – Mill Contract Talks
Sluggish
Negotiations in the B.C. Interior sawmill sector are set to
continue, but slowly, with another session next week between the
United Steelworkers and an industry group representing companies
like Dunkley Lumber and Lakeland Mills. The three-day bargaining
session is scheduled in Williams Lake. It is the third session with
the Council on Northern Interior Forest Employment Relations
(CONIFER) -- which also represents Carrier Lumber, Tolko and Hampton
Affiliates -- and will follow a negotiating session three weeks ago
in Prince George.
Click here to view in pdf format.
20 JULY 2009 – Union, Forest Firms
Back at Table
The United Steelworkers and a group representing companies that
include Dunkley, Carrier, Lakeland and Tolko have scheduled two days
of negotiations in Prince George to hammer out a new contract for
sawmill workers, considered a positive sign by the union. The talks
this week with the Council on Northern Interior Forest Employment
Relations follows on a three-day session last week. "The fact it's
on again this week is a good sign," observed United Steelworkers
official Bob Matters, who was on his way to Prince George on Monday.
"Hopefully, we'll get through this mess we're in," said Matters.
For more
of this story, click here to view in pdf format.
7 JULY 2009 – Employers Seek Salary
Concessions from interior forest workers
Interior forest workers face employers determined to get wage
concessions from them when both sides meet next week in their first
attempt to hammer out a new labour contract. But the union
representing them said that markets, not worker wages, are at the
heart of the crisis in the B.C. forest industry. Cutting wages won’t
bring back jobs, said Bob Matters of the wood council of the United
Steelworkers. “There is virtually nothing we can do from our end,
apart from busting our butts at work, to help things. If all of our
guys at sawmills in British Columbia went to work tomorrow for free
— for free — we wouldn’t sell more lumber. That’s the bottom line,”
he said.
For more of this story, click here to view in pdf format.
24 JUNE 2009 – Let the Talks Begin
USW exchange demands with forestry companies. Opening statements and
an exchange of demands have set the stage for negotiations between
United Steelworkers of America and Conifer (Council on Northern
Interior Forest Employees Relations.) Contracts between many
forestry companies and USW members are up for renegotiation June 30,
including Dunkley’s and Tolko Industries in Quesnel and Tolko and
West Fraser planer mill in Williams Lake. Canfor officials met with
USW representatives June 10 and presented its list of demands.
For
more of this story, click here to view in pdf format.
22 JUNE 2009 – Canfor Wants to Slash
Labour Costs
Canfor is seeking significant labour cost reductions of $50 million
in negotiations with the United Steelworkers union, according to a
proposal summary obtained by The Citizen. The company's proposal
also calls for a lengthy six-year agreement, and seeks a simplified
collective agreement that cover all of Canfor's operations.
Contracts can vary from mill to mill. In the company proposal
provided earlier to workers in Prince George, Canfor says the
$50-million cost reduction will enable it to reduce cash losses and
survive. "This will also position us for a market recovery and
attract investment critical for long-term sustainability," said the
company in the two-page document. Canfor said it also intended to
link the changes to a profit-based cash incentive plan.
For
more of this story, click here to view in pdf format.
12 JUNE 2009 – Labour Talks Begin
at British Columbia Timber Firms
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 12 (Reuters) - Contract talks have
begun for unionized sawmill workers in most of the Western Canadian
province of British Columbia as the lumber industry struggles with
the collapse of the U.S. house construction market. The United
Steelworkers and employers in the northern and southern interior
forestry regions of British Columbia were exchanging initial
proposals this week to replace current contracts, which expire at
the end of June, a union official said.
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28 MAY 2009 – Lumber Prices Surge Over
Supply, Labour Worries
The looming expiration of labour contracts at Interior B.C. sawmills
coupled with rumours that Canfor Corp. is going to curtail
production have pushed lumber futures up more than 10 per cent over
the last two days on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The contract
between employers and the United Steelworkers expires June 30, in
the midst of one toughest lumber market in memory, raising concerns
that the Interior supply could be disrupted. Further, reports are
circulating that Canfor Corp. has put a floor price on its lumber
sales that are well above the current market price for lumber, said
Jamie Greenough, of Global Futures Corp.
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more of this story, click here to view in pdf format.
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