NEWS: Moose Collision
COMMUNITY: Hospice helps
PAGE 8
PAGE 14
Publications Mail Registration #0040028607
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013
Proudly serving Houston and District - Home of Canada’s Largest Fly Rod
www.houston-today.com
NO. 48 $1.30 Inc. GST
Steelworkers & Canfor deal By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today
LIGHTS Up
Jackie Lieuwen/Houston Today
Families and kids crowded the trails of Steelhead Park last Friday night for the 25th anniversary of the annual Christmas Light Up. Christina and her son Zachary and daughter Brooklyn and nieces Rehanna, Jada and Kylie, enjoyed hot chocolates as they strolled through the lit park.
“
Canfor steelworkers union has averted a strike and worked out a tentative agreement with the Canfor Corporation late Friday night, Nov. 15. “In general terms, the fiveyear agreement provides significant pay enhancements for trades[people], improvements to health and welfare benefits, stabilizes the pension plan, and seriously strengthens contract language surrounding use of chargehands,” said a statement issued by the union. Frank Everitt, President of the United Steelworkers (USW), said they were bargaining for five months, had five days of mediation, and met with the Interior Forests Labour Relations A s s o c i a t i o n
“
Tentative agreement includes a Canfor mobile trades unit to replace contractors.
(IFLRA). He said they almost booked out of talks with Canfor but managed to reach a tentative agreement at 10:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15. Everitt says members of the USW will vote on the five-year tentative agreement this week Thursday and Friday. See UNION on Page 2
HFP workers meet with skills training organizers By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today
Enhancing current work skills is their focus, and they’re in Houston to support workers at Houston Forest Products. Two people from the Northern Skills Training (NST) were in Houston last week
Tuesday, meeting with HFP workers and telling them about their program. “We want people to have the ability to move forward within the industry,” said Terry Tate, Project Coordinator. “Our objective is to give you the skills you need to [do that]
“We want people to have the ability to move forward in the industry.” - Terry Tate, NST Project Coordinator
- and those skills are transferable,” he said.
NST is a $3 million pilot project that
came out of a labour market agreement and is funded by the federal and provincial governments and administered through the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training. It is for all employed members of United Steelworkers (USW) in forestry or
mining, to enhance skills and help them keep up with changes in industry and technology by providing free courses and training, said Tate. “In this situation the mill is closing, so whatever skills or enhancements we give them is going to
benefit them when that time comes. “It really does put their minds at ease,” Tate said. Tate says they’ve been involved in seven other mill closures, so they know the common pitfalls and understand the anxiety workers have. See HFP on Page 2
www.glaciertoyota.ca
1.866.844.6723
3187 Tatlow Rd. Smithers, BC
DL#31288