The United Steelworkers Local 1-85, out of Port Alberni on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island have “laid a lockout complaint with the Labour Relations Board against Western Forest Products, which we are working through submissions and hope to get a hearing as early as next week,” said the USW’s Norm Mcleod to Madison’s in an email Thursday.
“As well, Vince Ready’s decision on our long standing contracting out arbitration ( led November 2012) should be nished next week”.
Amy Spencer, Director of Communications and Government Relations for Western Forest Products, explained to Madison’s in a phone interview last week that the company had not yet received the lockout notice and that the situation was a “work in progress”.
“We hope to come to a resolution with the contractor,” detailed Spencer. “Our mutual goal is to get everyone back to work.”
Madison’s will be following this story closely next week, when NDP MLA for Alberni-Paci c Rim Scott Fraser and NDP Forestry Critic Bill Routley are expected to raise this important labour issue in the British Columbia Legislature.