By Greg Fry

Steelworkers seeking improved pay, pensions in deal with forest companies

Sep 22, 2018 | 9:55 AM

KAMLOOPS — The United Steelworkers (USW) and a number of the major forest companies in B.C. are getting set for mediation Monday.

Local 1-417 USW President Marty Gibbons says their previous contract ran out July 1, 2018 for the vast majority of forest workers in the central, southern and northern Interior and anticipates some tough talks ahead.

“It’s been an extremely difficult set of negotiations, with the employers taking what I believe is a ‘void and not meet with us’ approach,” he says.

“We have even had to go to the Labour Board and had a fight at the Labour Board forcing employers in the south to the table. But we have been negotiating in the north for some time and the workers in the north have got a very significant strike vote (over 90 per cent). We’re at a really critical point right now and what’s really disturbing is the employers are actually thinking they’re going to roll back workers in some of the best times the forest industry has ever seen.”

So, what kind of gains is the USW looking for?

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“In good times we look for long-term benefits for our members. So, pension is a huge issue for us. You use good times to ensure your members retirement. In addition to that, we’re looking for wage increases obviously. The price of living is always increasing and in addition to that a few little fixes including improved contract language,” says Gibbons.

He says the union’s goal is to achieve a pattern agreement that it can take to other parts of the province. 

Gibbons says the USW represents roughly 6,000 members in the Interior at approximately 20 mills.

“We’re optimistic now that we’re at the 11th Hour. We hope that the employers are not going to take a strike in some of the best markets we’ve ever had. Things could get interesting this week.”