The provincial government stepped into the coastal forest industry strike on Thursday, appointing two mediators with special powers to hammer out an agreement.
In bringing back mediators Vince Ready and Amanda Rogers, Labour Minister Harry Bains cited the devastating impact the dispute between Western Forest Products and United Steelworkers Local 1-1937 has had on forestry-dependent communities. [Read the notice of appointment here]
Nearly 3,000 Western Forest Products’ employees and contracted workers at six Island manufacturing plants and timberlands around the coast have been on strike since July 1, making it the longest-ever strike for the B.C. forest industry.
“It becomes a bigger issue beyond those two parties,” Bains said. “We gave them the opportunity and they could not conclude their bargaining and now we’re stepping in because there are so many other people who are not directly involved in this strike hurting. We want to see everyone get back on the job.”
B.C. Premier John Horgan said the impasse has gone on far too long. “The people of Vancouver Island and the coast can’t wait any longer. I look forward to Mr. Ready’s work and the two parties coming to a settlement that meets the needs of their members, their board members, their workers, and we move forward as quickly as possible.”
The special mediators will have 10 days, including Thursday, for bargaining. If no agreement is reached, they will have two days to write recommendations to both parties and B.C.’s labour minister.
After that, both sides will have a final five days to accept or decline the recommendations.
Bains said Thursday he didn’t want to comment on what would happen if the dispute reaches another impasse in two weeks.
“I think we’ll cross that road when we get there,” Bains said in an interview.
“My hope is that this issue will be resolved in the next 10 days, because the mediators now have added powers and the parties know if they aren’t serious, if they are not able to resolve those issues, the mediator will [make] recommendations to resolve it and those recommendations could become public,” thus increasing the pressure to negotiate.
The labour minister said he’s confident that both sides can achieve a deal that “ensures the sustainability of coastal forestry jobs and supports the terms and conditions of employment important to workers.”
Western Forest Products president and CEO Don Demens said he hopes that the appointment of the special mediators will result in a “fair and equitable agreement that recognizes the contributions of our employees while maintaining the sustainability of the industry that Western, our employees, contractors, communities and customers rely on.”
Demens said the coastal forest industry continues to face significant competitive and cost-structure challenges.
The United Steelworkers urged the province not to institute a binding process.
“While there was no mention of a binding process, it remains a very serious concern of workers that a repeat of the 2004 government intervention may loom, if WFP remains strategically dug in on issues, for that very reason,” the union said in a statement.
The union has maintained throughout the strike it was that 2004 imposed settlement that “stripped their right to say no to alternate shifts they felt were dangerous … and allowed companies to contract out entire bargaining units in the logging sector.”
Bains said granting special mediator status is the “right process” given the complexities of the negotiations. He said it’s not his role to get involved in bargaining directly. Under the terms of reference, the costs of the special mediators are shared between the parties.
Talks between the two parties last broke down before Christmas and resumed on the weekend. But this week, Ready and Rogers booked out of talks after bargaining hit an impasse, saying they saw no basis for a negotiated settlement.
Port McNeill Mayor Gaby Wickstrom, whose community has been hit hard by the strike, said she is pleased to see the province appoint special mediators.
“It is now up to the two sides to reach an agreement within the 12-day period,” said Wickstrom.
Wickstrom said union members want to know what’s happening at the bargaining table: “Minister Bains will have the power to give them that information.”
North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring said he’s “heartened” that the mediators have new strengthened powers to recommend the terms of a settlement.
“I think maybe there could be a way forward now,” said Siebring. “There are some options that weren’t available 24 hours ago and that makes me somewhat optimistic that they are serious about getting something done going forward.”
