Strike Possible For Thousands Of Forestry Workers

PRINCE GEORGE- The union representing 13 different forestry work sites across the region says its members are prepared to strike, if necessary. United Steelworkers Local 1-2017 completed the strike vote over the weekend where 1509 voters out of 1629 said yes to a strike mandate. The union has gone to the table with the Council of Northern Interior Forest Industry Relations five times and says it won’t budge when it comes to simple contract changes. “Here in the north, in the forestry industry, we haven’t had a strike since 1986,” says USW Local 1-2017 President, Brian O’Rourke,”it’s been 32 years that we’ve been able to negotiate contracts. Even in some very bad times in the industry, we were able to negotiate collective agreements and I’m pretty hopeful this year will be no different.”