BY NED DMYTRYSHYN
ELK FALLS, British Columbia - "On April 4 unionists from across Vancouver Island will be coming to the main town center of Campbell River to rally in solidarity with our fight," said David Munk while walking the picket line at the Fletcher Challenge mill here. Munk is a member of the Communication Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) Local 630, which has 200 members on strike. Some 970 members of CEP Local 1123, which organizes non-paperworkers at the Elk Falls operation, are also walking the picket line.

The two locals 1123 and 630 are organizing the rally, which will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Tyee Plaza. Featured speakers will be Ken Georgetti, president of the B.C Federation of Labor, and Brian Payne, president of Region 4 of the CEP. Some members of the CEP working in other mills across B.C. are planning to attend. Members of the United Steelworkers of America, Canadian Auto Workers, and other unionists and their families from across Vancouver Island are expected to show their support.

The strike by 2,400 paperworkers against Fletcher Challenge mills across the province is in its eighth month. The main issues in the fight are company demands for "job flexibility," 365-day operation, and pension concessions. "Full flexibility will give the company the right to assign anyone to any job regardless of seniority. You can't refuse. What's the point of having a union?" declared Munk. "Our fight is for all unions," the 18-year Fletcher Challenge veteran added.

"Miners at Westmin Mine in the area, who are organized by the Canadian Auto Workers, are giving two hours' wages per paycheck to the strike fund," said Local 630 member and striker Nevin Marsh. "They know that what happens here in the strike will affect all unions." Marsh is an operator with five years experience. "This contract that the company is proposing is will mean loss of jobs," he said. "I'll probably be one of the first to get laid off."

"I think we would be more effective if we had industry- wide bargaining and went out on strike against all the paper companies across the province," said Munk. "The last contract before this one, we lost industry-wide bargaining, which took away our clout." There are 12,000 paperworkers across British Columbia. Fletcher Challenge is the target company. What is negotiated with Fletcher Challenge will set the pattern for all the companies.

The Vancouver Sun reported March 10 that Fletcher Challenge and three of its managers at the Crofton Mill have been charged with safety violations in connection with the October 1997 deaths of two supervisors. The company and its managers are accused of failing to inspect equipment and keep it in safe working condition, and with not ensuring the workers could do their jobs without "undue risk."

"This company violates safety procedures all the time. Flexibility will mean cutting corners on safety. I'm glad the company is being taken to court," commented Munk.

Ned Dmytryshyn is a member of the International Association of Machinists Local 764 in Vancouver.  
 
 
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