Campbell River forestry workers voiced their frustrations in a meeting with North Island MLA Claire Trevena Tuesday. Now the video of the emotionally-charged meeting has been posted online.
The BC Liberals have sent out the Youtube video they say is of a “closed-door” meeting between Trevena and Campbell River forestry workers who have been off the job for five months.
The workers, clearly frustrated, were demanding to know why the province isn’t taking action and expressing just how difficult this seemingly endless strike has been on them and everyone else involved.
“These are damn good people and they deserve their voice to be heard,” said one woman.
“They’re losing their homes, their possessions, some of them are losing their marriages, and I just want you to be clear on that, because you haven’t had an opportunity to come see us so I want you to have a clear picture that that’s how devastating things are for us right now,” said another worker in the video.
One person asked why it’s taken Trevena five months to come meet with them to which she replied she’s been working out of Victoria as Minister of Transportation.
Western Forest Products workers have been on the picket lines for five months and it’s having ripple effects right across the economy. Employees walked off the job July 1 demanding fair wages and working conditions.
North Island MLA and Transportation Minister Claire Trevena told the crowd Tuesday that while the government respects free collective bargaining, they are listening.
“What you’re saying will go through me to the Minister’s responsible as well as to the Premier,” Trevena said.
“We’re all going through a really bad time now, but we need to work at how we get beyond that, into the future and that’s how we can recover after this dispute,” she said.
There are currently no talks scheduled between Western Forest Products and the United Steelworkers’ union.
April Lawrence
