IWW Vancouver Strike Support Committee Report - March 23, 2006

Current Lower Mainland Disputes

1. 39 members of  USWA Local 1-3567 struck Chasyn Canadian Forest Products' Maple Ridge sawmill on October 17, 2005. The company provoked the strike with ludicrous demands, first for an open shop, and then a $2 an hour wage rollback, and other concessions. The workers had recently voted to be represented by the Steelworkers rather than the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC).

The local is putting economic pressure on the company through arbitrations and Labour Board hearings, but meanwhile support for the people on the picket line is needed. People can drop by and show solidarity with the strikers at 23347 McKay Avenue in Maple Ridge. They are on the line Monday to Saturday, from 7 AM to 9 PM.

The company's website http://www.chasyn.com/contact.htm says: "Chasyn's location is an hour drive from the port of Vancouver,  just east of the Haney Bypass in Maple Ridge (off River Road)" and they have a dandy aerial photo showing the mill's location. There's also company contact info for people who'd like to urge them to get serious about bargaining with their employees.

For a map of how to get to the mill go to: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&addtohistory=&address=23347%20Mckay%20Avenue&city=Maple%20Ridge&state=BC&zipcode=V2W&country=CA&geodiff=1

For further information see the local's website: http://www.usw1-3567.ca/news.htm or phone
604-513-1850, toll-free 1-866-492-3567.

2. The Unstrike that the members of CAW Local 3000 commenced against Starbucks on May 13, 2002 has finally resulted in a new collective agreement for about 140 workers. The agreement was ratified by the membership on February 27 of this year, and is a 3 year agreement with wages starting at what they would have been with COLA increases, and 8% more over the life of the agreement. Benefits were maintained, and they have a great binding mechanism for expedited arbitration, which is important to the members, and better language in the event of a store closing (severance and relocation).

Further information can be obtained by phoning 604-526-3038.

Please patronize unionized Starbucks locations at:

2531 East Hastings, 1702 Robson St., 811 Hornby St., #150-1055 West Georgia St. (Royal Centre Vancouver), 1752 Commercial Dr., 1015 Denman St.,
3451 Kingsway, 1095 Howe St., 1641 Davie St. and 1395 Main St., all in Vancouver.

Meanwhile in New York City, the IWW Starbucks Workers Union won a watershed victory on March 7 in the first National Labor Relations Board conflict over unfair labor practices between the world's largest coffee chain and the baristas who work there. Faced with the prospect of having its widespread union-busting campaign exposed in a public hearing, Starbucks agreed to remedy all of the myriad violations committed against workers who have organized a union.

For a pdf copy of the entire settlement agreement go to: http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/712 .

Further info on this development can be found at http://www.iww.org/en/node/2208 and for all the stories of IWW Starbucks organizing in New York City, go to: http://www.starbucksunion.org .

3. 100 members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1518 are still on strike at the Super Valu/Extra Foods store at the Park Royal Mall in West Vancouver. They've been out since January 13, after Extra Foods/Westfair persisted in demanding concessions during negotiations for a new collective agreement.

Picket support is needed, especially since at least 26 Westfair security goons showed up on the picket line late at night on January 25-26, and union members were assaulted. Westfair also cut employees off their disability payments.who were injured or became ill long before the dispute started.

Union members are asking people not to shop at Westfair-owned Real Canadian Superstores until the Park Royal Mall Super Valu/Extra Foods dispute is over. They have been doing a great job of leafleting their own store's customers, resulting in a massive curtailing of business.

A rally for the strikers was held at the picket line on March 11, with Solidarity Notes supplying the entertainment, the second time they have performed on the line since the strike began.

Rally photos and further information can be found at http://www.ufcw1518.com/view.php?id=1529 , and the local's number is
604-434-3101.

4. Many of the 600 members of UFCW Local 1518 who work at various Shoppers Drug Mart locations in B.C. got together on February 11 for a one-day conference in Burnaby. On the union's website http://www.ufcw1518.com/view.php?id=1504 it said "The conference was held with Shoppers members from around the province to discuss and plan strategies for dealing with their employer." and also "Union members attending the conference endorsed the principle that the Union move forward in discussions with Shoppers members in regards to a strike vote to support their Negotiating Committee."

The Shoppers Drug Mart workers voted in September to reject a mediator's proposal for a new collective agreement.

The members continue to ask that people shop only at their unionized stores. A complete list of these unionized stores, that can be printed out and posted, is available at http://www.ufcw1518.com/print.php?id=916 .

For more information phone the local at 604-434-3101.
_________

"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS CROSS PICKET LINES"

IWW IU 450