An 80-acre lot in Errington is providing unexpected work opportunities for contractors impacted by the ongoing strike between WFP and USW. (Ron Chiovetti)

By Alex Rawnsley

TEMPORARY RELIEF

Strike-impacted forestry workers thrown a lifeline

Nov 19, 2019 | 2:20 PM

ERRINGTON — The impact of a nearly five-month long strike between Western Forest Products and United Steelworkers Local 1-1937 is being temporarily relieved for some local forestry workers.

They’ve been called to clean an 80-acre plot of land in Errington using machinery and manpower which will also provide products for area mills.

Allard Contractors was initially burning away the brush and debris, but Ron Chiovetti said they turned their attention to more responsible ways to clear the land and get workers back on the job.

Allard teamed up with Catalyst Paper, DBL Disposal Services, Marpole Trucking and Parksville Heavy Equipment to continue operations.

“It’s been very healthy in terms of providing an ongoing employment opportunity for everybody,” Chiovetti said. “We’ve been at it for about three weeks and I anticipate another five or six weeks.”

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The process creates a product called hog fuel, sought after by mills to power boilers and other industrial machinery.

The fuel is taken to the Catalyst Paper mill in Port Alberni to continue their operations. The mill is footing the sizable bill to obtain the fuel.

“If there wasn’t a strike or a shortage of the product, the cost to do this would be several hundred thousand dollars,” Chiovetti said. “The fact that Catalyst Paper has stepped up and is willing to cover these costs and provide this solution, we’re all able to work together and provide this opportunity.”

Brad Jones with DBL Disposal Services told NanaimoNewsNOW the partnership is allowing some workers to ride out the strike between Western Forest Products and United Steelworkers Union 1-1937.

“This one project guarantees these guys, the truck drivers in particular, an extra little bit of work,” Jones said. “It’s decent money working for a big mill… and impacts the drivers who own trucks and are struggling to make payments.”

Both sides of the strike left mediation over the weekend, blaming the other for a breakdown in talks. Workers have been off the job since Canada Day.

A WFP press release said their most recent offer was designed to bring people back to work and included a signing bonus and wage increases over five years.

However, USW 1-1937 president Brian Butler said the latest offer from WFP detoured from where negotiations were trending.

“We have a number of things agreed upon tentatively. They chose to throw that away in this latest proposal,” Butler said.

Sticking points for the union revolve around working conditions, namely alternative shift scheduling. Butler said the practice promotes long, unsafe, fatigue-inducing work hours and is something which needs to change in a new agreement.

The strike is directly impacting nearly 1500 of WFP’s hourly employees, along with around 1500 Timberland operators and contractors.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley