The central issue is the bosses’ attempt to break the Norske Pattern Agreement, under which a contract hammered out by the CEP with one company sets the pattern for negotiations with other bosses. According to the strikers, all the industry bosses except Domtar have already signed the pattern agreement.

Picket captain Dave Askew told the Militant, “The main issue is not to leave the pattern.” Another worker, who asked that his name not be used, chimed in: “We’ve bargained with patterns for 50 years. A couple of times we could’ve asked for more but stuck to the pattern. Getting out of the pattern means we’d be on our own. About 7,000 CEP members have signed the pattern already.”

The striker said that the workers had also rejected the company’s push to impose a two-tier wage system. “Students working in the plant would receive a ‘training’ wage,” he explained.

Askew mentioned other attacks. “The company wants us to pay towards our benefits,” he said. “They also raised not paying benefits at all for retirees. That’s really hard for people on fixed incomes. For something like that I’ll stay out forever.”

Strikers report that they have received strong support from other CEP locals. “From the national union we get $250 [Canadian] a week strike pay,” said Askew. “But other CEP locals across BC are discussing contributing so that it would go up to $400 a week” (Can$1=US$.77 cents).

The union web site says that Mike Verdiel, the president of CEP Local 76 of Powell River, had visited the picket line and presented Local 789 with a check for Can$5,000 as a token of support. On January 9, the Vancouver Sun reported that Domtar was eliminating 80 jobs at the struck mill, including those of 60 union members.  
 
Woodworkers return to work
Meanwhile, 10,000 members of the Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers of Canada (IWA) employed in sawmills and logging operations along the coast of British Columbia returned to work December 17 after striking for three weeks. The stoppage was called off following the provincial government’s imposition of a back-to-work order. The edict imposed arbitration on the IWA and the bosses, organized in the Forest Industrial Relations (FIR). If the union and employers do not reach an agreement by the end of May, the mediator has the legal authority to impose one.

The government’s intervention was announced at a press conference attended by British Columbia prime minister Gordon Campbell, FIR chairman Duncan Davies, and Dave Haggard, the president of the IWA. Although Haggard supported the government’s move, he said that he is concerned about the possibility the negotiations could reach the point of binding arbitration.

Scott Alexander, a spokesman for the forest companies described the government-appointed mediator as “tough and fair.”

Workers went on strike after the lumber bosses tried to unilaterally impose a contract. The proposal included cuts in pay for night shift and weekend work, and reduced compensation for time traveling to and from work.  
 
 
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