Canadian Workers Lose In Harper/Bush Softwood Lumber Agreement

The winners are those who favour American protectionist trade policies.

The Softwood Lumber Agreement that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has brought before the House of Commons is a devastating deal from the perspective of Canadians who work in the forestry industry. This flawed Agreement is bad now with a quota system that will downsize Canadian operations. The deal will get worse with even higher penalties imposed on Canadian lumber exports if lumber prices fall.

The agreement has very limited. reluctant support from forestry companies. Prime Minister Harper has made no effort to meet with Canadian forestry workers to hear their concerns.

"The Tolko operation in The Pas may have to eliminate an entire shift in order to comply with quota restrictions if this agreement is implemented," says Chris Parlow, President of United Steelworkers Local 1-324. "We believe other areas in Manitoba and across Canada will also be hard hit. Quotas and penalties on the export of our lumber will cause major layoffs.

"A termination clause included in the flawed agreement signed by Harper and Bush allows either party to pull out after 18 months. In 18 months, a presidential election will be underway in the U.S. Who knows what kind of pressure will be put on candidates to withdraw from the agreement?"

Parlow also questioned "What do we have for all of our wins at NAFTA, WTO, and the U.S. Court of International Trade? We have won every stage of this dispute, only to have U.S. say they won't recognize the rulings.

"We have the right to know our exports are capped at 35 per cent, with quotas that will result in major job losses. We have the right to forfeit one billion dollars of unfairly obtained Canadian money. We have the right to know that $500,000 of that money will be presented to the American Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports, the same group that was responsible for lobbying and empowering the U.S. to challenge NAFTA.

"What will the Coalition do with the $500,000? Whatever they want. One possibility would be using the money to fight against our lumber exports again in the future."

Parlow summed up his opinion of the agreement by calling it "a sellout."

Local 1-324 of the United Steelworkers represent workers across Manitoba in the forest industry including in Thompson, Wabowden, Cranberry Portage, Moose Lake, The Pas, Birch River, Swan River, Roblin, Neepawa, and Winnipeg.