As you are aware your Bargaining Committee came to an impasse with CONIFER in negotiations this past Friday. We asked the mediator to book out, and on Wednesday served 72-hour Strike Notice. So effective 8am on Saturday, October 6th, we will be in legal strike position.

Further to booking the mediator out earlier this week, USW Local 1-2017 covering all of northern BC, based in Prince George, has issued 72-hour strike notice and will be in a legal strike position at 8 am Saturday, October 6, 2018.

Your BC Interior Bargaining Committee sat down with CONIFER member companies for five days of mediation in Prince George this week with the aim of bargaining a fair collective agreement for the Northern Sawmill Workers of USW Local 1-2017. Mediator Dave Schaub was called upon to kick start what can only be characterized as a slow start to bargaining, with meager progress.

CONIFER CONTINUES TO DEMAND CONCESSIONS!

Your bargaining committee spent September 17th and 18th continuing to use a common sense approach in an attempt to avoid a strike. What is truly concerning is Conifer’s unwavering position that their concessionary agenda MUST be addressed.

Steelworkers Local Union 1-2017 brought out the cook trailer for another round of BBQ’s for Polley Mine members, and Parallel 55 members.