It is with great sadness that we report the death of track inspector Troy Church, who died during rerailing operations near Pemberton. The members of Local 1778 express our deepest sympathy to Troy's family and to all who knew and worked with him.

In 1998, WCB reported 158 BC workers killed and 179,582 injured on the job. In the past ten years 1,431 workers have died as a result of workplace accidents or disease.

Nothing at work is worth getting killed for.

It's your life, don't leave work without it.

Cut Overtime To Create Jobs, Paperworkers Say

CEP Press Release, Nov. 8, 19

Seventy percent (70%) of pulp and paper workers in B.C. are ready to cut overtime in order to create new jobs, says a new report.

"Your neighbour’s laid off. How do you feel coming home at night knowing that the double shift you just worked was his job?" said a mill worker quoted in the report.

Working Less for More Jobs is the most comprehensive study of working time ever conducted in a specific industry in Canada and the first to look in detail at overtime. It was carried out over two years by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, with funding from Forest Renewal B.C. The study includes a survey of 1,800 CEP mill workers in B.C.

CBC television will be airing a report on how these workers have responded to the idea of shorter hours on the National Magazine, 8th November.

"We are losing jobs in the pulp and paper industry and it’s hurting our members, their children who can’t find work, and their communities," said Brian Payne, CEP Vice-President for the Western Region. "In this study, our members have given us a strong mandate to take action on overtime."

Overtime has more than doubled in the B.C. pulp and paper industry over the last 15 years, while 2,000 jobs have been lost.

The study found that if overtime was reduced by half, 300 new jobs could be created in the industry. The overtime could be reduced, because it is not used primarily for emergencies, but to cover for workers who are sick or away on leave, including vacations and statutory holidays.

Julie White, the author of the study, said, "One of the most interesting findings is that employers would benefit by hiring more workers instead of paying for overtime. If overtime was reduced by half, pulp and paper companies would save $11 million, because overtime costs more than the pay and benefits for new workers. They should be questioning a policy of downsizing that leads to more overtime."

The report was released to pulp and paper workers in Prince George, B.C. on 8th November and a briefing for industry researchers has been organized in Vancouver on November 10th.

UTU Website A Gem

Dear Webmaster:

Congratulations! We are pleased to announce that your web site "UTU locals 1778 and 1923 (BC Rail)" at www.ultranet.ca/utu/ has been selected as a recipient of the coveted WebGem Award from the TrainNet Forum on CompuServe. Each week the latest recipients are highlighted at the top of the TrainNet Forum International Railway Links at http://www.tadlane.com/rrlinks.htm and for several weeks on the TrainNet.org portal at http://www.trainnet.org and on the TrainNet Forum homepage at http://go.compuserve.com/TrainNet

Dorr Altizer

dorr@trainnet.org

Webmaster, www.trainnet.org

Well Sisters and Brothers, there is no doubt that the main topic of conversation on the Railway these days is what is happening or not happening with collective bargaining. I will once again use this article to bring you up-to-date regarding collective bargaining.

As it stands as of this date, the main issue has become very basic. BC Rail is demanding concessions and the Council of Trade Unions on BC Rail (CTU) has told BC Rail we will settle for 0-0-2 percent (PSEC mandate), but we will not negotiate concessions. When management talks to you out there you will hear them tell you how bad things are on the Railway and that they need these concessions to stay viable. It sounds good but is it the whole story? I think not.

I don't have to remind any of you that, because we have been under the Public Sector Employers Council (PSEC) mandate for negotiations, you have not had a raise for five years. BC Rail is continually complaining that they are competing with CN and CP and our wages are too high compared to their wages. Even if that was true five years ago it isn't true today. Our Brothers and Sisters have had wage increases over the past five years - a minimum of two percent per year compounded. If you compare T4's with our Brothers and Sisters at CN and CP you won't see the big difference BC Rail management would have you believe is there.

The Railway did not share their profits with its employees when times were good. They hid behind the PSEC guidelines. Yet now that times are tougher they want you to take concessions to help their financial situation. Is this fair? Have we not been contributing all along? What was reduced crew? CCO? Removal of Conductor Pilots? No raise for five years? You and I both know that no matter how much we give, BC Rail will be back for more. They seem to believe that a lesser number of employees doing continually more work is going to solve their problems, but this doesn't benefit either the Railway or the employees.

I want to thank all of you who took the time to come out and vote during the strike vote meetings. We apologize to any members who were working and missed the meetings. We did our best to get to everyone but we were working under fairly tight time constraints.

Since that time we have had a lot of positive media coverage concerning recent union actions taken. The Council has put out press releases re possible disruptions to the Dinner Trains, has leafleted the Marketing and Sales Special Luncheon Train Trip for its customers, and run an advertisement in the Province newspaper re disruption to Dinner Trains, the Royal Hudson trips and the New Years Eve Trip. Stand by for more to come.

The only demand the Council tabled was 0-0-2 percent. This was due to the fact that in the last two rounds of collective bargaining we tabled our demands and then removed everything to settle for the PSEC mandate, which the Railway was more than happy to agree to because they didn't have to share the profits with their employees. This round of bargaining we thought we would go right to the PSEC mandate and save everyone a lot of time and money, but the Railway says that they want concessions for the 0-0-2 percent. Believe it or not, they think this is a fair and ethical way to treat their employees. The bottom line is, Sisters and Brothers, if this is what management believes, it is up to all of us to deliver the message to them that they are wrong - dead wrong.

The CTU had hoped this issue would be resolved before we went into the Holiday Season, but that does not look likely. I hope everyone can set aside these matters and enjoy the Holiday Season with your family and friends. I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Long time member of both locals, former legislative rep. and delegate Ray. R. Davis has retired after 35 years of service. Members, family and friends met Ray at the North Vancouver passenger depot following his last run, Nov. 10, 1999. There were presentations from the local, general committee and passenger services, followed by a reception and a few cold ones at the local pub. Good luck and a long and happy retirement Ray!

. Mailbox

September 27, 1999.

Mr. R.W. Sharpe, U. T. U.,

Dear Brother Sharpe:

As an interested party to the U.T.U. issues, I rarely miss the opportunity to read through the "Meeting Point." I would first like to congratulate the editors and contributors on the occasion of the "20th issue." However, I would respectfully suggest that an error was made in Brother Edgar's article (on page 10) "Fraternally Yours."

The statement ,..."the rest of the joint council accept his recommendations. From 1990 to 1995 the U.T.U. fought tooth and nail against this. Had we not fought so adamantly CCO would have been implemented in 1991," is not the main topic of the article but is in error. During the ratification vote in October 1990, U.A. Local 170 supported the U.T.U. and throughout the extended litigation it was our two unions that stood side by side. I have spoken with Brother Edgar and recognize he regrets his omission of the U.A. in the article and we understand that the focus of the piece was to inspire rank and file involvement. It was only years later that our organizations got the recognition that we alone acted properly. I would like to express my personal pride in being associated with both our organizations and would respectfully request a correction to the article.

I would like to again take the opportunity to thank him and the rest of the committee for the invitation and hospitality shown at Brother Clyde Mulhall's retirement. Brother John Holiday's late night reception will certainly be well remembered.

Fraternally,

Lance Yearley,
Business Manager & Financial-Secretary.

LY/lmcd oteu #15

Lillooet News, Oct. 13, 1999

The cat's out of the bag, eh? Now we all know what we all surmised two years ago when Premier Bennett allowed his advisors to grade down everything about the BC-owned government railway.

Now we know why replacements for the Budds and restoration of the passenger service has been neglected. It is evident that Mr. Bennett, who is not a railway man himself, must depend on others to railroad at all. Mr. Gunderson is an accountant, Mr. Broadbent formerly was a land surveyor. The directors are all political, Mr. Bennett doesn't know, so God help our poor PGE to survive.

Mr. Gunderson would say, "Sell the ruddy thing."

We can't see CPR buying. The CPR can't even make the one it has pay, and will soon give the PGE the same treatment it gave the Dominion. The CN might, and shift the loss on the PGE to make a grander total of deficit to the taxpayers by putting all the rotten eggs in one basket.

No one sees the contingent liabilities, the PGE and its interest and compound interest is hidden in the black book.

Mr. Bennet doesn't want to be running a railroad, although it served its purpose so he will sell it or give it away, wash his hands of the PGE and forget it like it was the Sommers case, the Wennergren deal and various other mistakes.

Alex Fraser, Quesnel's mayor, might as well be wetting in the ocean with tears.

Adoring Socred supporters like him have missed the boat. At least here is one who will continue the fight for the PGE Railway.

After 54 years, we are not going to quit now, if we have to level a sight on Mr. Bennett, and that's for damshur.

Oct. 9, 1966

Disenfranchization from the dissemination of the conflagration of automation.

Modernization of the locomotion causing excessive commotion of automation.

Experimentalization resulting in confusion and the inability of adaptation of automation

Regimentation of the rules of occupation by the conflagration of automation.

Local Chairpersons Column

Brothers Sisters I’d like to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and A Happy Y-0-0-2-K New Year. I would also like to take the opportunity to apologize to our brothers from UA170, in my last article I made mention of the 1990 negotiations and left out the fact that UA 170 was the only other union that supported our cause. To which we are very thankful and you were not forgotten .

Last week we held a leaflet campaign on the customer appreciation train, I feel this was a very good exercise in unionism . I also was surprised to see Mr. McElligot covering his face from the press , are we to assume that he is embarrassed with his contract demands.

Fraternally Yours

Steven W. Edgar

Local Chairperson

Local 1778

12/14/99