Panel data provided by Madison's Canadian Lumber Reporter.

Forest Safety Ombudsman Not Answer To Industry Woes

By 250 News

The United Steelworkers Union says the appointment of Roger Harris is not the answer to the B.C. Forest Industry's massive safety problems.

Steelworkers Western Canada Director, Steve Hunt, says Harris and his $150-thousand dollar a year budget are an initiative announced by the B.C. Forest Safety Council and, as such, have no real powers to deal with most safety problems.

"Usually Ombudsmen are set up by legislation and given statutory powers and staff," says Hunt.

But he says the Safety Council Ombudsman appears to be restricted by his terms of reference from dealing with any issues raised by USW or other unionized forest-sector workers.

"This puts every Steelworker and everyone on-contract outside Harris' purview, " says Hunt, "So what is he going to do?  He has no power other than moral suasion and no constituency, other than companies."

The union official also notes the timing of the announcement, just days before the Steelworkers' planned Forest Fatalities Lobby in Victoria on Monday to lobby cabinet ministers and M.L.A.s for measures to implement coroner's recommendations, a day of mourning for forest workers killed on the job and an independent review of the policy changes that undermine safety in the industry.


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