Logger safety forums

Each year too many workers in the
logging industry are injured and
killed on the job in British Columbia.
In order to help identify why this is
happening and what can be done to
prevent these tragedies, the Ministry
of Labour and Consumer Services in
cooperation with IWA-CANADA,
labour and the Workers’ Compensa-
tion Board, is coordinating Logging
Industry Safety Forums.

The success of the forums depends
on the participation of everyone work-~
ing in the logging industry. Please
preregister by calling toll free to
1-800-661-5118 after April 29, 1991.
For each meeting, registration is at
8:00 a.m. and the meeting begins at
8:30 a.m.

The forums will gather the con-
cerns, issues and suggestions of every-
one interested in logging industry
safety, particularly loggers and opera-
tors. The issues and concerns identi-
fied at the forums will be used to
develop and implement practical
solutions.

The forums are being coordinated
by the Ministry of Labour and Con-
sumer Services at the request of IWA
-CANADA and the forest industry. A
steering committee — with representa-
tives from industry, IWA-CANADA, the
Workers’ Compensation Board, and
the Ministry — will prepare a sum-

set for BC. dates

: a oatiad
mary report of the issues identifies
during the forums. This summary
report will be provided to forum. parti
cipants for their consideration before
final recommendations are made.
Verna Ledger, Safety and Health
Director for the TWA - CANADA and a
key member of the steering commit-
tee says, “Our brothers and sisters
who are out there each day eon in
our forests, have first hand knowledge
of the risks faced in the logging indus-
try. l invite each one of you to come
the forums and share that knowledge
so that we can find practical solutions
to this serious problem.”
The forums will be held at the follow-
ing locations:

e TERRACE

— May 25, 1991

— Northwest Community College
(Room 2001)

oe CHILLIWACK

— June 1, 1991

— Chilliwack Holiday Inn
(Mt. Cheam Room)

e CAMPBELL RIVER

— June 8, 1991

— Anchor Inn (Tyee Room)

e PRINCE GEORGE

— June 15, 1991

— Holiday Inn
(Cranbrook Ballroom)

e Kelowna Local 1-423 president Troi Caldwell, a member ef the tech change
committee, at the Wage and Contract conference.

Tech change

Continued from page three

© allowing plant committees and
local unions to review the rationale
behind tech change.

© improving the advance notification
period up to one year.

© establishing more effective re-
training programs for displaced
employees and upgrading of tech-
nological skills.

In regards to political lobbying the
report suggested that IWA - CANADA
continue to press the provincial gov-
ernment for legislation which “com-
pels the industry and the government
to develop employment strategies
which are more directly tied to cut-
ting rights.”

The report also suggests that,
where training and re-training are a
provincial responsibility the Union
should demand more effective pro-
grams to deal with tech change related
to training needs.

The committee also suggests that
the Union continue working with oth-
ers in the labour movement to get the
federal government to repeal current
changes to Unemployment Insurance

regulations which “have effectively
undermined many of the negotiated
benefits that IWA members can
receive.”

The tech change committee reported
some alarming facts and figures on
tech change and the reduction in
employment in the B.C. forest indus-
try.

Almost 52,000 workers were em-
ployed in the province’s wood prod-
ucts industry in 1979 and by 1987
that number had been reduced to
about 42,500. During the ten years
between 1979 and 1989, lumber pro-
duction increased by almost 22%.

In the logging sector the annual
provincial harvest climbed from 67
million cubic meters during the first
half of the 1980’s to an average of 84
million cubic meters per year in the
mid to late 80’s.

In both the coast and interior of the
province, computer based lumber
manufacturing techniques have al-
tered production methods, drastically
reducing the number of workers
employed.

The report says that in certain sec-
tors such as the coast plywood indus-
try, jobs have been lost due to the
industry’s unwillingness to adapt to
changing demands of that sector.

MISSING

|

DUNAHEE, Michael

LAST SEEN MARCH 24th, 1991 at BLANSHARD SCHOOL PLAYGROUND
wearing a Blue Hooded Jacket, T-Shirt with 4 Mutant Ninja Turtles on
the Front and Multi-colored Rugby Pants

Michael is 4 years old, born May 12, 1986 and has Blonde Hair and Blue eyes.
He has a light freckling over his nose.

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
CRIMESTOPPERS 386-8477

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16/LUMBERWORKER/MAY, 1991