08 - 26 - 08 Castlegar News - Union to vote on delegates

By Francisco Canjura - Castlegar News

Steelworkers members to discuss wages, safety and Interfor
Castlegar local Steel Workers Union will be meeting on September 14 to assign wage and contract delegates as well as safety committee members, according to Brian Pion, union vice-chair of the Castlegar plant.

Pion said members from the Castlegar plant will vote on who should attend safety committee training and which seven will attend the wages and contract conference in Cranbrook.

In Cranbrook, the seven wage and contract representatives will discuss the demands workers want for the next contract, their current contract ends in July 2009.

Pion said the meeting will also give the local union a chance to inform the workers of the current situation with Interfor.

“The meeting will be used to get people’s opinions and feelings about what is going on with the lack of talks with Interfor,” Pion said.

“Our goal is to get the community to understand what is going on with Interfor and to let them know the workers are more than willing to get back to work, but Interfor is telling us there is nothing to talk about.”
Pion said he is upset with how Interfor is making the Castlegar workers sound.

“They sound (on the media) like they have work, but we don’t want to work and that is not the case,” Pion said.

Pion said when he first heard the news of the Grand Forks mill opening he thought it was a step in the right direction.

“At this time, all we are hearing are rumors, but if they’re doing (running the Grand Forks mill) it for the right reasons then it’s great. If they are doing it with the wrong agenda in mind then that’s not right,” Pion said.

He went on to say he is frustrated with the lack of communication from Interfor because he feels Interfor is making the local union sound uncooperative.

“We’re more than willing to get back to work as soon as possible,” Pion reiterated.

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Call me at 250.304.2157, or 

email: raymond@raymondkoehler.ca or 

visit www.raymondkoehler.ca

Raymond Koehler,
Councillor