November 2004 On the Level

International cancels supervision hearings
BC Carpenters Union thwarts hostile takeover attempt

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA) has cancelled its trusteeship hearings that were designed to take over the BC Carpenters Union. The American-based UBCJA had scheduled a trusteeship hearing for this week that could have resulted in the BC Carpenters Union being placed under supervision by its parent organization.

The cancellation comes on the heels of a British Columbia Supreme Court decision last week that prohibited imposing immediate trusteeship over the provincial union.

The cancellation also provides more time for the BC Labour Relations Board to decide whether a new Canadian union council has the right to represent BC workers. If the Board approves the council, BC Carpenters Union members will have made a significant move toward autonomy from the US union. The BC union voted last November to join the newly formed Construction, Maintenance and Allied Workers Bargaining Council.

BC Carpenters Union President Len Embree said his members are now "another step closer to achieving an autonomous and democratic Canadian union." Embree said, "Decisions affecting our members will no longer be dictated from Washington. We insist on being able to elect our own representatives and vote on policies that are right for Canadian workers."

The BC Carpenters Union is a diverse union of over 7000 members, the largest organization representing construction workers in British Columbia. The union also represents workers in various other industries across the province.

Raids against Canadian Local Unions not going well for UBC
International Agents Showing Desperation

In an act of desperation the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA) is now employing heavy-handed American-style bully tactics in their current raid attempts against local union members of the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters.

For several weeks a troop of UBCJA agents have been in BC campaigning to convince Provincial Council union members to raid themselves back into the UBCJA, an international union headquartered in Washington, DC.

A mêlée erupted this week when seven UBCJA agents trespassed onto a Provincial Council construction site to interrupt a scheduled meeting being conducted by three Provincial Council union and pension plan representatives.

The construction workers had invited the Provincial Council in order to learn more about various union issues. Seven UBCJA agents attempted to highjack the session, hurling insults at the elected union representatives, including John Davies, the Chair of the Carpentry Workers Pension and Benefit Plan.

Towards the end of the meeting the UBCJA agents, frustrated that they were losing the support of the construction company employees, instigated an incident between themselves and Mr. Davies.

Predictably, the UBJCA called the Vancouver City Police and has laid trumped-up charges against our union representatives. Provincial Councilís legal counsel is confident that the charges will lead to a dead end.

"Our members are smart enough to smell a rat so the US-trained UBCJA agents have resorted to last-minute bully tactics. Itís quite pathetic," says Len Embree, elected President of the 7000 member Provincial Council.

Previously, Provincial Council members had voted overwhelmingly to leave the UBCJA and to chart their own course as an autonomous Canadian union.

"The UBCJA is getting desperate because they have made just over a dozen raid applications but they need to get all of our 110 union employers in the next five weeks for the US-funded campaign to be successful," says Embree.

Embree says that, by law, the UBCJA has only two months to raid the Provincial Councilís construction sector. The raiding period concludes December 31, 2004.

"After Christmas the UBCJA agents should just pack their bag full of dirty tricks and go home," says Embree. "All theyíll have in their stockings is a lump of coal."

Warning!
International agents working for the UBCJA Abbotsford Local 1907 are talking to members representing themselves as being from Vancouver Local 1995. The American-paid International agents are asking members to sign "Voter Registration Cards" when in fact the forms are Application for Membership into UBCJA Abbotsford Local 1907 and away from your home Local Union.

Please call 1-888-646-6473 if you suspect you have been approached by any one of these International agents:
Brent Mayne, Mike Christensen, Robert Hirst, Greg McMahon, Gary Murphy, Doug Urquhart, Mike Shaughnessy, Fred Brown, Shan Oíhara, Mike Autzen, Lonnie Gorrill, Gord Canavan, Kris Bothe, Carlos Pimentel, Dave Wright, Wayne Cox

BC Carpenters Union calls on Campbell Liberals to halt transfer of BC jobs and privacy to US

Privacy Commissioner's report confirms outsourcing to US-linked companies will put British Columbians' personal and confidential information at risk

The BC Carpenters Union is asking that the BC government cancel any plans to contract out the administration of the personal and confidential information of British Columbians in wake of the B.C. privacy commissioner's report released last week.

"The BC labour movement was right. The privacy commissioner's report confirms the USA Patriot Act is a huge threat to the privacy of British Columbians. There is nothing stopping the FBI from accessing our personal information once it's handed over to American-linked companies," said Len Embree, BC Carpenters Union President.

"The right thing for the BC government to do is not send our data south. It is the only way to defend ourselves from the USA Patriot Act," Embree said.

Embree praised the privacy commissioner for his thorough investigation, which must have been "a monumental task" given the complexities of the issues and the huge number of submissions from civil liberties groups, academics, unions, advocacy groups, the legal community, and individuals concerned about protecting the public's right to privacy.

In efforts to raise the alarm about the implications of the USA Patriot Act, the BC Carpenters Union, along with the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) and others, has joined with the Right to Privacy Campaign in court challenges to the contracting out of the administration of the Medical Services Plan (MSP) to the Arizona-based Maximus corporation. The government is also contracting out PharmaCare, government payroll, Provincial Revenue, disaster recovery, and workstation support services.

Personal information at risk through the outsourcing of Provincial Revenue functions alone includes everything from name, address, telephone number, social insurance number, family history, employment history, income, credit card and bank account numbers, and even charitable donations and mortgage details.

The contract to administer MSP and PharmaCare includes access to an individual's medical reports, doctors' names, psychological and mental health reports, x-rays, photographs, details of surgeries, and prescription history.

Top Four Reasons to Stay Canadian in the face of the current International attack

1. The right to conduct elections and other votes based on democratic principles established by our membership.

2. The right to join an autonomous Canadian union that sets policies which reflect our membersí interests rather than having American interests imposed from the top.

3. Put an end to American interference in collective bargaining with our British Columbia employers.

4. Distance ourselves from an international union that is dictatorial and lacking in fundamental trade union principles.

Some Questions & Answers About The Raid Against BC Carpenters

Q. Must I leave my Local Union if the Internationalís raid is successful?

A. Unfortunately, yes. Even under the Internationalís constitution you cannot belong to two Local Unions at once. You are being forced to choose between a democratic Canadian union and an American led puppet. If you want to stay in your Local Union put an X beside the name of the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters on the secret ballot. The International has forced this decision by raiding your Local Union. We are using every legal avenue we can to stop this unfair switch but in some cases you will be forced to choose. The best way to stay withyour Local Union is vote for the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters.

Q. What happens to my pension and benefits if the International Raids are successful?

A. A successful raid means your company's union agreement will be transferred to the International, and will not be with the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters. The BC Carpenters Union is not obligated to accept pension and benefit contributions from other unionís contractors unless we have an agreement with them. There is no agreement with the International. So, if a raid succeeds, your employer can only contribute to whatever pension and benefit plan the International may or may not set up. We encourage you to try to get a written guarantee from the International that the raid will not interrupt your future pension and benefits.

CEP supports Canadian Autonomy

Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada CEP) president Brian Payne, in his opening remarks to the 6th Annual Convention in Quebec City in October, welcomed the delegates from the British Columbia Carpenters Union with a ringing endorsement.
He told the delegates that:
An important affiliation to CEP are the members of the Construction, Maintenance and Allied Workers Council (CMAW). This Council is a joint body between CEP and the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters. In December of 2003, the membership of the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters voted 82.9% to say yes to the question “Do you wish to transfer the affiliation of the British Columbia Provincial Council of Carpenters and its affiliated Local Unions from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America to a Canadian Union?” Following the vote, CEP and the BC Carpenters announced the formation of a new bargaining council, and in June 2004, the bargaining council voted to affiliate to CEP.

The struggle of BC carpenters to pursue their own democratic course is not yet over, and we anticipate various legal challenges and other maneuvers to frustrate their wish to merge with CEP. I extend our continuing solidarity and a hearty welcome to the CMAW affiliate delegates who will be present at our national convention. Softwood Lumber a pivotal issue

In his remarks, Payne also touched on the Softwood Lumber situation. He said that after their 2002 convention the CEP felt “an urgent need to confront an imminent sell-out of Canadian interests in the softwood lumber dispute with the United States.”

The US had imposed damaging tariffs on Canadian sawmills and negotiations were taking place over a tentative resolution to the dispute based on a US “Policy Bulletin.” The policy bulletin was named after Grant Aldonas, the US Under-Secretary of Commerce, and it set out how Canadian provinces should change their forest practices in order to comply with US wishes and have the tariffs lowered or eliminated.

“As we feared,” said Payne, “the Canadian government eventually negotiated a tentative deal with the US based on the Aldonas policy, and a return to a ‘quota’ system for Canada.” CEP condemned the proposed softwood deal with the US, and the deal was never ratified by the provinces.

CEP campaigned strongly against this sell-out of Canadian forest policy by running radio and newspaper advertisements and erecting billboards. They held rallies in Québec, occupied Ontario government offices in Thunder Bay, formed community based coalitions in Alberta, and held town hall community meetings throughout BC. The CEP worked with the NDP to pose direct questions in the Federal Parliament and in Provincial Legislatures across the country. “Only one province, the right wing BC government of Gordon Campbell, has agreed to implement the Aldonas forest policy,” said
Payne.

A continuing frustration of CEP, and for Payne personally, is the unacceptable exclusion of labour from inclusion in the softwood talks, or even from meaningful consultations.
See SOFTWOOD page 4

Cont’d from page 3
Softwood issue still burning
US Senator makes grab for lumber duties
“We will not accept this treatment from government or the industry and we will continue to do whatever is necessary to influence the course of events on this vital matter for CEP members.” he said.

Recent developments in the United States confirms Payne’s concerns about the Softwood deal. A bill introduced in the US Senate by Montana Democrat Max Baucus last week would make a grab for the more than $3 billion in Canadian softwood tariffs that have been collected so far. The Baucus bill would “liquidate” the duties sitting in trust and turn them over to American lumber companies under the Byrd Amendment that allows those parties that bring an action under US trade laws to confi scate the duties collected. The World Trade Organization has ruled that the money should be returned to Canadian producers, but the Americans are resisting and trying to make an end run around the WTO’s ruling that the Byrd Amendment violates international trade rules.

CEP emergency resolution supports CMAW-Carpenters autonomy battle

An emergency resolution was presented on the floor of the CEP convention supporting CMAW and the Carpenters fight with the UBCJA. It was endorsed unanimously with a resounding standing ovation by the ,400 delegates present.

PRESENTED BY CMAW

WHEREAS British Columbia Carpenters union members have voted 84% to leave their American union to form a Canadian union; and

WHEREAS the British Columbia Carpenters Union have now affiliated with CEP through the Construction Maintenance and Allied Workers Council; and

WHEREAS on September 28, 2004 the International Union attempted to hold trustee hearings against the British Columbia Provincial Council of Carpenters; and

WHEREAS this attempt to remove the leadership and take-over the British Columbia Carpenters Union was prevented by an order of the British Columbia Supreme Court;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT CEP will take all necessary steps to support our affiliate members in CMAW in their struggle for a democratic, progressive Canadian union.

Carpenter Website offers email newsletter

The Provincial Council of Carpenters has established a new website which now provides members and others with quick, up-to-the-minute news on what’s happening in the union.

The new web site – at: BCCarpentersUnion.com (it works with or without the capital letters) — will also be used to send you fast-breaking news from Locals or the Provincial Council.

A News Flash will be sent out with news that members need to see immediately. A Bulletin carrying three to fi ve items of interest will be sent out regularly to all members.

All you need to do to receive these electronic messages is sign on at the web site. You need to type in your name, your local, your email address, and your postal code. That’s it. We need postal codes so we can send a message to members in a particular area – the Island, the Okanagan, Lower Mainland, etc.

On The Level will continue coming to your home by regular mail, and will contain the announcements, columns, regular features, news stories and other information you have relied on The Level to provide.

Stay informed! Sign up today. And urge your buddies to do the same.