Resolutions Passed at the 58th Convention of the
British Columbia Provincial Council of Carpenters - 2001

M 8- CUBAN TRADE UNIONISTS	M 31- FRATERNAL TIES
M 9- SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS	M-45- PROMOTING THE INTERNET
M 14- A STRONG DEMOCRATIC UNION
M 22- NEGOTIATIONS WITH INTERNATIONAL	C 25- PENSION PLAN RECOVERY
M 28- INTERNATIONAL PER CAPITA TAX	Resolutions of the 57th Convention

M 8- CUBAN TRADE UNIONISTS IN CONSTRUCTION
WHEREAS: After more than 40 years, the United States of America still continues an economic embargo/blockade against the Cuban people, and this blockade has directly impacted upon our building trades brothers and sisters in Cuba; and

WHEREAS: This embargo stifles the development of Cuban society on many levels, and thus prevents our Cuban carpenter brothers and sisters within the Sindicate Nacional de Trabajadores de la Construcion from obtaining tools, office equipment, and the wherewithal to repair their union headquarters; and

WHEREAS: The Carpenters Union of British Columbia has a long, proud history of supporting our brothers and sisters in developing nations;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That this 58th Convention of the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters declare our support for Cuban trade unionists who work in construction; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we express this solidarity through providing assistance to the Sindicate Nacional de Trabajadores de la Construcion to help them repair their union headquarters, and sending tools for their apprenticeship school and updated office equipment for use in their union hall.
Submitted by Local union 1812 Duncan

M 9- SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS
WHEREAS: There are mounting pressures by large corporations to maximize profits at the expense of workers; and

WHEREAS: The School of the Americas trains military personnel to return to their homelands and assist their puppet governments’ control of the people; and

WHEREAS: In the last few years, we have all seen the approach of our government and its police in dealing with non-violent protests; and

WHEREAS: It is important to talk amongst unions, be they in North America, Central America, or South America, as trade agreements encompass us as a whole:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters continue its stand against the School of the Americas and trade agreements that consider profit over people; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Provincial Council strive to tighten its relations with sister trade unions in Central America and South America.
Submitted by Local 2300 Castlegar

M 14- A STRONG DEMOCRATIC UNION
WHEREAS: The International advocates three Regional Councils in an effort to “divide and conquer”; and

WHEREAS: The International is opposed to the right of members to vote on their union’s structure in British Columbia; and

WHEREAS: The provincial Council of Carpenters has existed for 58 years under a democratic structure, which advocates the members’ fundamental right to vote;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates to this 58th Convention of the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters go on record as supporting the principle of a single strong democratic central body for the Carpenters Union in British Columbia, that said body to be the British Columbia Provincial Council of Carpenters.
Submitted by Central British Columbia District Council

M 22- NEGOTIATIONS WITH INTERNATIONAL
WHEREAS: The possibility exists that the international either may not want to negotiate or may put unrealistic demands that are unacceptable:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That in the event that negotiations between the international and the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters fail, the Provincial Council Executive Board be given the authority to take the necessary steps to seek a resolve; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That any resolve reached will be settled by referendum vote of the membership.
Submitted by Local 2300 Castlegar

M 28- INTERNATIONAL PER CAPITA TAX
WHEREAS: The International’s per capita tax has taken millions of dollars from BC members; and

WHEREAS: For these millions we have received no representation; and

WHEREAS: The International per capita tax is taxation without representation:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters consult legal counsel in regard to a wrongful enrichment suit against the international; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters’ Executive Board act on the legal advice in a timely and financially appropriate manner; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters forward the legal opinion to all Local Unions affiliated to the Provincial Council before such legal action is taken.
Submitted by Local 2300 Castlegar

31- FRATERNAL TIES
WHEREAS: The eyes of the trade unionists interested in preserving internal democracy are upon the Carpenters of BC; and

WHEREAS: Outspoken members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America in the United States have been disciplined and/or had their memberships terminated; and

WHEREAS: General President McCarron continues to use his dictatorial power to squash any dissent or criticism of him and his regime; and

WHEREAS: The membership in Canada and the United States have organized groups to uphold trade union democracy:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That fraternal ties be established with members and Local Unions who are trying to keep democracy alive within the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters provide assistance to these members and Local Unions to fight the good fight.
Submitted by Northwest British Columbia District Council

M-45- PROMOTING THE INTERNET FOR THE GOOD OF THE UNION
WHEREAS a new Angus Reid study of internet use in Canada suggests that 70 percent of the country's adults now have online access, either at home, at work, or at school; and

WHEREAS over 100 Carpenter Union Locals and Councils, including the BC Carpenters, have web sites; and

WHEREAS more of our newer members use email as a tool and many brothers and sisters share electronic information with other members on the job; and

WHEREAS internet communication allows the Local Union office to distribute text, photos, forms, color graphics, charts, and strike, picket, boycott and organizing information to the members in a faster and cheaper format; and

WHEREAS unions are recognizing the growing importance of using the Internet to publish current information on pension plans, health and welfare benefits, apprenticeship, training courses and employment insurance:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED That all membership applications have a place to indicate email addresses; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Provincial Council and the Local Unions make and use a list of our members’ e-mail addresses; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Carpenters Union and its Local Union offices promote the internet as an effective tool for the betterment of our union.
Submitted by Local 2300 Castlegar

C 25- PENSION PLAN RECOVERY
WHEREAS: There has been a negative letter distribution campaign spearheaded by McCarron supporters to hang black crepe on the Carpentry Workers’ Pension Plan; and

WHEREAS: These McCarron supporters’ sole intent was to discredit the leadership and to thwart a positive outcome of the provincial referenda; and

WHEREAS: This political bashing campaign serves neither any useful purpose nor the interests of the membership:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters support the Pension Plan Trustees, Administrator, staff, and advisors to achieve a healthy recovery for the pension Plan; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Convention commend the actions of the administration of the Carpentry Workers’ Pension Plan and Benefit Plan, their employees, and the Trustees of the Plans for bearing up so well under very trying times.

M-1--WTO NEGOTIATIONS

WHEREAS: The federal government of Canada is the governing body responsible for international trade negotiations and agreements binding upon all citizens and the provincial governments of Canada; and

WHEREAS: The federal government of Canada has committed Canada to membership in the World Trade Organization; and

WHEREAS: The federal government of Canada, in making this commitment, has place itself and all the citizens and provincial governments of Canada in a position of being subservient to any rules and regulations negotiated on their behalf by Canadian delegations to the World Trade Organization; and

WHEREAS: The GATS would apply the general GATT principals of Most Favoured Nation and National Treatment to all service sectors; and

WHEREAS: The delegations of the federal government of Canada have agreed to include all services, even health care and education, within the purview of the upcoming negotiations in Geneva, under the General Agreements on Trades in Services (GATS) portion of the WTO mandate; and

WHEREAS: The WTO describes GATS as "the world's first multilateral agreements on investment" because it "covers not just cross-border trade but every possible means of supplying a service, including the right to set up a commercial presence in the export market,' which means, for example, setting up business to deliver health, water, telecommunications, education, or other services; and

WHEREAS: The application of these rules in the areas of health and education would effectively undermine the mechanisms with which the citizens and governments of Canada have maintained their commitment to public health care and education; and

WHEREAS: The application of these rules would predetermine privatized, for-profit, and two-tier health care systems supported by public funding being pout in place in Canada; and

WHEREAS: The application of these rules would predetermine the publicly-funded corporate controlled education and degree-granting systems being put into place in Canada; and

WHEREAS: Under part III of the GATS, National Treatment and market access rules apply only to those sectors where parties have to make specific commitments:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters demand that the federal government, through the offices of the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, instruct its delegations to remove services - specifically health care and education - from within the purview of the General Agreements on Trade in Services (GATS) portion of the upcoming WTO negotiations in Geneva; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Provincial Council send copies of this resolution to government and other non-governmental organizations deemed pertinent, specifically to all BC Local Unions, the Canadian Labour Congress, the BC Federation of Labour, the provincial Minister of Trade, the Council of Canadians, the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and any other party the Executive Board deems necessary to be made aware of the intent of this resolution.

Submitted by Local 1812 Duncan

M-6--ONTARIO'S BILL 80

WHEREAS: Canadian carpenters should have the right to determine direction and destiny of their union in their country without imposition of an American dictatorship: and

WHEREAS: Under Bill 80 in Ontario, American unions are prevented from arbitrarily inflicting their will on their Canadian members:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters and all Local Unions lobby the Government of British Columbia for legislation similar to but stronger than Ontario's Bill 80.

Submitted by Northwest British Columbia District Council

M-8--MEMBERS DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

WHEREAS: The International Continues to take away the democratic rights of carpenters all across North America; and

WHEREAS: The International spares no expense to obtain the restructuring model forced on the rest of the Brotherhood; and

WHEREAS: The monies that we sent the International in per capita tax is frightening, considering what we receive in return; and

WHEREAS: All we will become under the International is nothing more than a franchised labour broker:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the BC Provincial Council of Carpenters continue to defend the democratic rights of its members.

Submitted by Local Union 1995 Vancouver-New Westminster

Submitted by Local Union 1540 Kamloops

M-10--BREACH OF CLC CONSTITUTION

WHEREAS: The International restructuring of the union includes Canada, and the International refuses to recognize that the laws and the trade union movement are different in Canada from the United States; and

WHEREAS: The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America has embarked on a program to restructure the union which violates the principle of democracy by removing the right of members to vote within their union; and

WHEREAS: The Canadian Labour Congress constitution requires, in Article IX, that representatives speaking for their unions in Canada must be elected by Canadians; and

WHEREAS: The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners' General Executive Board Member, James Smith, sits on the Executive Council of the Canadian Labour Congress and was not elected by Canadians to be their representative; and

WHEREAS: Article VII of the Canadian Labour Congress Constitution, The Code of Ethical Practices, requires that union members have the right to vote for their own officers and representative:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the British Columbia Provincial Council of Carpenters inform the Canadian Labour Congress and all its affiliated Labour Council and unions that the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners' representative, James Smith, was not elected by Canadians and therefore hiss attendance at the CLC Executive Council is a breach of the CLC Constitution; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Head Office be made aware that they are in violation of the Canadian Labour Congress Constitution by appointing a representative to the CLC without due process; i.e., an election of a Canadian; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: To inform the Canadian Labour Congress and its affiliated unions and Labour Councils of the International's restructuring program which would remove the right of union members to vote and therefore breaches the CLC Constitution.

(c) Consider the observation that belonging to the International is a hindrance to organizing. Many non-union workers, ex-members and otherwise, continue to ask our organizers to justify sending their potential dues to the US when we get nothing in return but denial of members' rights.

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