Truckers and Canfor's Contractors Ratify Deal

Saturday, July 16, 2005 04:02 AM

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Signed sealed, delivered, members of the Prince George Truckers Association have ratified a deal with the contractors for Canfor.

The first major step in the agreement was the recognition of the Steelworkers-IWA local 1-424 as the negotiating "agent" for the truckers. "It took awhile to work out the right language for that to be agreeable to both sides" says local 1-424 Chief Frank Everitt.

The package sets in motion the development of a rate model which gives the drivers what Everitt calls "A decent dollar return on their investment of a truck and the expenses that go with that"

The package includes a fluxuating fuel clause, which gives the drivers more money when fuel prices are up, and a reduced rate when fuel costs are down.

"There is a provision for setting a priority list on how trucks are called in, or laid off." said Everitt, who adds the package also contains procedures for "Calling in additional trucks, and some "recall rights" depending on how much time a called in truck has accumulated."
There are provisions for turn-around times, and mechanisms to handle disputes.

The three year pakage was ratified by a good majority of the truckers says Everitt, who now turns his attention to working out a package for the drivers hauling to Houston and Smithers. "We've had good preliminary talks, and are expecting to get a call some time next week to proceed with negotiations."
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