GCIU Secy.-Treas. Gerald Deneau addresses conference delegates.

Catching up during a break at the conference in Halifax are, from left, Winnipeg 900M Pres. John Webster, Regina 75M Pres. Dale Wagner, and GCIU Vice Pres. Lawrence Martinez.

From left are Vancouver 25C Pres. Ken Miller; Suzanne Gravel, Canadian Office executive secretary; and Toronto 100M Pres. Brian Fletcher.

Delegates to the Canadian National Conference addressed key issues for the GCIU that included new national strategies for organizing and bargaining, global labor strategies, health and safety, education, political developments, and potential merger partners.

Hosted by Halifax 506M, the 54 delegates from 18 local unions across Canada voted to restructure the conference, which resulted from a merger two years ago of the Canadian Conference and the Canadian Federation Specialties Conference.

They paid tribute to retired Canadian vice presidents James J. Cowan and Ronald Tozzi, who both died this year.

GCIU Vice Pres. Duncan K. Brown and Montreal 41M Vice Pres. Doug Thomas, who co-chaired the conference, welcomed representatives from the Communications Workers of America (CWA), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), and the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union (PACE).

Making presentations to delegates on potential merger advantages were William Boarman, vice president for the Printing, Publishing and Media Workers sector of CWA; Robert Bouvier, president of Teamsters Canada and Ron Douglas, his executive assistant; and Lynn Agee, general counsel and executive assistant to the PACE international president.

Delegates had the opportunity to ask questions of the CWA, IBT, and PACE representatives. GCIU Pres. George Tedeschi applauded what he called the "healthy" discussions on merger. "Whether you are for merger or against it, whether you want this union or that union, the only way we reach a conclusion is by examining it, talking about it, and ultimately reaching a conclusion."

Reporting on the GCIU's financial situation, Secy.-Treas. Gerald H. Deneau noted that the union's currently sound finances mean "there is no need to have a rush for a shotgun wedding. We need to be thoughtful; we need to compare facts." He said the General Board directed an independent auditor to review the finances of potential merger partners and an attorney to compare the constitutions of each union. "It's a slow process but a necessary process," he said.

Both Tedeschi and Deneau stressed that they will only support a merger partner that is acceptable to Canadians to avoid splintering the union. "We have to find something that is satisfactory to all parts of the union," Deneau said.

Halifax 506M Pres. Darrel Elliot welcomes delegates to the Canadian National Conference.

Marilyn Novak takes a break from handling 50/50 tickets with Toronto 100M Executive Vice Pres. Mike Marsbergen.

Delegates approved a motion to hold a conference among Canadian locals when the General Board announces a decision on a potential merger.

Global union strategies

Adriana Rosenzvaig, who heads Union Network International's (UNI) Graphical department, and Brown addressed global union issues. UNI was created three years ago through merger of union federations representing workers in the communications, graphical, clerical, services, postal, media, and entertainment industries.

Stressing the importance of global union action, Rosenzvaig said: "It is not possible to challenge global corporations from the national and even from the regional levels. We must give a global response to the global voice of multinational companies, which in most cases aim to destroy the influence of trade unions."

Brown described UNI Graphical's initiative on Quebecor, which is now the largest printing company in the world. He said that Quebecor is one of many major multinationals that operate in Colombia, a country that is "rife with anti-union violence." Of the 213 trade unionists assassinated around the world last year, he said, 182 of them were in Colombia.

Brown said that a contingent of Swedish unionists went to Colombia and interviewed workers about unionizing. Those workers reported that company goons "are visiting their homes and threatening their jobs," Brown said. "Frankly, it's a lot worse in Colombia, but the pattern is the same. This is exactly what Quebecor is doing in the United States–they are threatening people's jobs all the time," he said.

Strategic campaigns for organizing

Brown and Alan Tate, GCIU Contracts and Research director, stressed that, according to labor analysts, workers in the United States no longer effectively have the right to organize or to strike. The laws are on the books, but enforcement by labor boards and the courts is heavily weighted against workers, they said. They noted that some Canadian provinces are moving toward creating the same difficulties for workers.

Compounding the situation is the growth of large chains in the printing and publishing industry that can shift capital and move work from one plant to another, even to other nations, they noted.

Consequently, the GCIU is joining other unions in developing alternative strategies to strengthen organizing and collective bargaining.

Tate detailed the GCIU's new program for strategic campaigns that target a company's relationships within the company, in the economy, and in communities to boost workers' influence.

While strategic campaigns have proved very effective for unions over the past few years, Tate said, strategic campaigns "don't by themselves win us anything. We still have to do the mobilization work of our own members. We still have to do the workplace organizing, aggressive bargaining, and we still have to have effective leadership. Workers need to be fighting and involved in that fight. At that point, a corporate or strategic campaign can help us win that fight."

Toronto 100M Vice Pres. Dan Huziak, left, and Ottawa 588M Pres. Robert Currier update conference delegates on health and safety issues in Canada.

Health and safety news

During a bilingual presentation on health and safety by Toronto 100M Vice Pres. Dan Huziak and Ottawa 588M Pres. Robert Currier, Huziak warned that standards groups in the United States and Canada are rewriting the lockout standard under pressure from employer groups. He said the GCIU in Canada "has both voice and vote in working groups and technical committees" involved with standards and is using them to try to protect workers.

Huziak stressed that workers need to use their right in Canada to refuse unsafe work. "We see that over and over again the only way we can force irresponsible employers to take action is when we exercise our right to refuse," he said.

From left are Toronto 500M Vice Pres. Jim Bodie and Pres. Mike Zajac.

From left are Toronto 100M Exec. Vice Pres. Thomas Donnelly and Vice Pres. Frank Mandarino.

Local union reports

In local reports, British Columbia 525M Pres. Brian Cormier reported that Local 525M's Graphic Arts Training Institute (GATI) developed three new Internet-based, distance learning courses in folding, stitching and trimming in addition to the web press course.

Edmonton 255C Pres. Raymond Wade reported that the local was able in contract negotiations with Ed-Web Printers to get the company to agree to pay for Local 525M's Internet courses for apprentices after providing Ed-Web management with a demonstration of the courses.

Following a discussion of distance learning programs under development by the International, conference delegates unanimously adopted a resolution that endorsed Local 525M's Internet-based training program, rejected the use of members' dues to train non-union workers, and urged the GCIU General Board to adopt and implement Local 525M's training program.

Currier reported that his local achieved a long-sought goal by getting employers to agreed to allow union representatives 15 to 20 minutes with each new employee to introduce them to the union. "If you want to organize your local," he said, "then meet the new people coming in." Another "big one," he said, was the elimination of temporary workers at Canadian Bank Note.

Noting the upcoming election in Ontario, Toronto 500M Exec. Vice Pres. Norm Beattie stressed that "the mandate for the labor movement is to remove the right-wing agenda from our province and return essential services to the rightful owners–the people of this province. It's a must that [Conservative Premier] Ernie Eves be defeated.

Delegates approved a new structure for the conference that includes two co-chairman, one of which will be the Canadian vice president, while the other will be elected by conference delegates for a two-year term. The conference created a new elected position of secretary-treasurer, also with a two-year term.

Elected as conference co-chair was Doug Thomas of Montreal 41M. Winnipeg 900M Pres. John Webster was elected secretary-treasurer of the conference.

Remembering the late retired Vice Pres. James J. Cowan, standing from left, are Toronto 500M Executive Vice Pres. Norm Beattie and Pres. Mike Zajac. Seated from left are conference co-chairs Duncan K. Brown and Doug Thomas.

Leading the Quebecor caucus are GCIU Vice Pres. Duncan K. Brown, far right, and GCIU Contracts and Research Director Alan M. Tate, second from left.