Struggle for safer workplaces an ee 2693, read out resolutions. ° Safety resolutions committee members Bob Patterson (1.) of Local 1-71, and Joe Hanlon of Local ongoing hattle y e Neil Menard Brother Neil Menard, National First Vice President and officer responsible for occupa- tional health and safety informed the delegates that it was another horrible year for fatalities in the forest industry. At the time of writing his report, Brother Menard said there was 18 fatalities in the last year in B.C. There was one in Alberta, none in Manitoba or Saskatchewan and two in Eastern Canada. He then gave delegates a rundown on the national health and safety conference, held in July of 1997 and a report on the fightback against deregulation, privatization and the pressure of free trade on health and safety and workers compensation. “One would not think that free trade would have a direct effect on the injury rate in Canada but it has. If you look at the escalation in the incidences of repetitive strain injuries among workers in general and our members in partic- ular, you can see a dramatic rise since 1989, the year free trade was introduced,” said Brother Menard. “Using the excuse of globalization and the need for competitiveness, employers have sped up the pace of work and the result has been an increase in disabling injuries, espe- Protectionist Groups Continued from page seventeen 8 million hectares with restrictive measures against logging. Smith also said that preservationists are try- ing to set aside pristine areas from Yellowstone National Park to the Yukon. Bruce Weber, President of Local 500 came to the mike on behalf of his local, to commend Brother Haggard and the I.W.A. on its battle against Greenpeace. Union members in Local 500’s Woodworkers Hall in Hanover, Ontario followed the dispute on the television. “That's all we talked about,” said Weber, “and there wasn’t one negative comment. They were very proud of you and I just want to bring that message. A job well done.” ¢ Fred Miron e Dan Clements cially repetitive strain injuries.” Brother Fred Miron, National Third Vice President said that the labour movement in Ontario is fighting to prevent the privatization of the Workers Compensation system and main- tain occupational health clinics in the province. “The fight back campaign by the I.W.A. and other union activists against the government’s cutback agenda has been vigorous,” he said. “Health and safety activists, Workers’ Compen- sation and environmental activists have been active in their workplaces and in their commu- nities, alerting the membership and the public to government threats to present protective laws and practices.” After the report was given, which touched on several topics including the WCB Royal Com- mission in British Columbia, Health and Safety Training in Eastern Canada, and activities of the National Safety Council and the Safety Advisory Foundation for Education and Research on the B.C. Coast and Southern Inte- rior and the Safety Health and Research Plan in the province’s Northern Interior, delegates spoke on some of the issues near and dear to them. Port Alberni, B.C. Local Safety Director Wayne Munro said that when forest workers get Yalled there is very little media coverage but when a police officer gets killed in the line of duty, it is front page news. “Not meaning any disrespect to the police officers...what bothers me is that when people in the forest industry can lose their lives in these (high) numbers and they don’t even rate in page 25 of the newspaper, that’s a goddamn shame.” “We've got to put an end to it (fatalities) and do more to recognize our fallen brothers and sisters within this industry that have gone down and unfortunately lost their lives.” Local 1-71 Safety Director Bob Patterson said that WCB statistics claiming that there isa downward trend in short-term injury cases is misleading and certainly doesn’t apply to the forest industry in B.C. In his opinion the employers are under report- ing short-term claims and one reason “is the employers’ reliance on inappropriate use of or manipulation of return-to-work programs.” ¢ Bob Hird ° Wayne Munro Dan Clements of Local 1-80 said that the union has still not been able to get the right to refuse unsafe work written into collective agreement and that the I.W.A. has to give its members that tool. He said the union, from coast to coast has to make it a priority in every set of negotiations. Bob Hird, Safety Director of Local 1000, told the convention that in Ontario the WCB is denying claims due to employer pressure, forc- ing the union to appeal cases that there’s no conflict over. Safety resolutions get delegates’ nod HUMAN RIGHTS AND HIRING PRACTICES - the union demands that provincial governments introduce and enforce legislation that will eee employ- ers from inquiring about past WCB claims or unrelated medical problems on employment Sppiceton! forms and prevent them from using 'B file information for reasons other than claims appeals or to deny employment on the basis of past WCB history. a TREATMENT CENTRES - the convention called upon provincial governments to fully fund residential treatment facilities for pecale with alcohol, chemical and other dependencies. DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY - the National Execu- tive Board was directed to reaffirm the union’s policy on promoting a drug and alcohol free workplace. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CENTRES - the I.W.A. will support, lobby and participate in efforts to establish worker-administered, goy- ernment-funded occupational health and safety centres. SAFETY COMMITTEE TRAINING - the union demands that health and safety laws and regulations in all jurisdictions provide for comprehensive Continued on page twenty-one Dena REEDS 20/LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER, 1997