AKING ON WEYERHAEUSER e PAGE 8 VOL.69 NO. 4 DECEMBER 2004 NEWS FROM THE IWA COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STEELWORKERS OF AMERICA Steelworkers push for new laws to protect workers on bankruptcies THE STEELWORKERS are using their lobbying clout in a vital campaign to reform the country’s bankruptcy and insolvency laws. Under current laws, workers are most often left out in the cold when these unfortunate events occurs. The union is targeting changes to the Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) and Bankruptcy and Insolvency (BIA), which companies use to d major concessions from workers. Steelworkers Canadian Director Ken Neumann says the CCAA and BIA, which have largely been unchanged for the past half-century, protect “so-called secured creditors” before workers. “We have all-too-often been caught up in major battles with employers to secure wages owed to our members, vacation pay and adequate funding for owed benefits, including pension plan funding,” says Brother Neumann. He mentions that in one case alone, the bankruptcy of Ontario Store Fixtures in the spring of 2002, the union fought and won $800,000 in vacation pay and a portion of severance and termination pay. Despite the battle, about 1,200 workers never collected on some $11 mil- lion in severance and termination pay. On October 27, over 100 Steelworkers gathered in Ottawa, Ontario for a one day conference to discuss strategies to protect workers’ rights. The conference was enthusiastically attended by dele- gates from all three Steelworker Districts. Prior to the conference beginning, two members from Steelworker-TWA Council-affiliated locals - Darlene Jalbert from Local 1-t000 and Local 1- 2171's Allan Chesterman, were already on Parliament Hill as part of Steel's lobby team (see article page nineteen). In 2003, among nearly 9,000 bank- ruptcies in Canada, there were 800 in manufacturing. In the first six months of 2004, there were already 462, just in the manufacturing sectors. The union has joined with Winnipeg - Centre NDP MP Pat Martin’s private mem- ber’s bill, calling for legislative changes. It was introduced on December 3, 2004. Working and Building. our Union fo IWA Council chairperson Norm Rivard. PHOTO BY NORMAN GARCIA = B.C. NDP leader Carole James was warmly welcomed to the first-ever Steelworkers-IWA Council conference. Seen on stage (|. to r.) were Council officer Wilf Mcintyre, Assistant to the Director for District 3 David Tones and © Union to support the NDP The United Steelworkers are solidly behind British Columbia New Democrats — there’s going to be a major campaign to defeat the Liberals THE Steelworkers are standing four square behind the New Democrats of British Columbia in order to defeat the Gordon Campbell Liberals in the May 17, 2005 provincial election. “Let there be no mistake about it,” says IWA Council chairman Norm Rivard. “The Steelworkers are a @’ inzjor part of the growing opposition to the destruc- tive government of Gordon Campbell. As a union we are going to do everything that we can to send Campbell and his Liberals packing.” At the Steelworkers - IWA Council founding con- vention in September (see photo above and page twelve, Carole James, NDP leader in British Columbia, received the solid support of delegates, as a resolution passed endorsing the party. At the convention, Ms. James slammed the Campbell government for handing over control of the province's forest industry to fewer major multination- al corporations. She also condemned the industry's profit-taking in B.C. and lack of domestic investment other than instrumenting more mergers. James said an NDP government would reestablish the tie between access to public resources and com- mitment to B.C. workers and communities. “These are our jobs and resources,” she said, wood, more jobs and more opportunities are needed. Steelworker Region 3 Director Steve Hunt says that local unions and local union members will play a key role in the campaign to defeat the Campbell Liberals. ‘THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING TO MAKE THE MERGER WORK FOR THE MEMBERS’ Former IWA locals transiti into district THE BIG TRANSITION from a national union to becoming an integral part of the largest private sec- tor union in Canada and one of the most powerful international unions in North America is taking place. Following the September 1, merger between the Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers and the United Steelworkers and the founding conference of the Steelworkers - IWA Council in September (see coverage on pages 9 - 13), a flurry of activity has taken place to ensure a smooth transition. “There’s a lot happeing to make the merger work for the members,” says IWA Council chairperson Norm Rivard, former national president of the WA Canada. Brother Rivard, who has been appointed to as the assistant to Steelworkers’ National Director Ken Neumann, says the merger has created the largest, most progressive industrial union in the country and an organization which is a force to be reckoned with in every region of Canada. A Steelworkers — IWA Council Steering Committee has been formed to oversee the transi- tion. It consists of former IWA national officers, International President Leo Gerard (himself a Canadian), Canadian Director Ken Neumann, Western Canada District 3 Director Steve Hunt and Ontario/Atlantic Canada Director Wayne Fraser. The committee met twice after the conference and will continue to meet to help the merger move for- ward and fulfill the key areas of responsibility laid out in the merger document negotiated in the spring and summer of 2004. The areas include col- lective bargaining, organizing, legislative and polit- ical action, health and safety and the education and development of the membership. “We are seeing the two major districts (District 3 and District 6) reaching out to former IWA locals and vice-versa, to make the transition successful,” says Brother Rivard. “As in any merger of this mag- nitude there have been and will be growing pains along the way, but overall, the commitment from all parties to make the merger work is excellent.”