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CUPE National President Paul Moist denounced moves by BC forestry companies to impose rollbacks on forestry workers, members of the Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers (IWA-Canada), who are fighting efforts to outsource their work.

CUPE members have been fighting contracting out in a big way, so we understand what mill workers are going through, Moist said. Our members know what its like to fear for your job and what its like to be punished for standing up for yourself. We also know what its like to have settlements imposed on you by employers and in our case, by governments that pass legislation stripping us of our rights and forcing us back to work.

Several BC mills have been shut down as workers protest employer-imposed rollbacks that will reduce workers take-home pay by 18 per cent.

The BC forestry employers association cancelled the contract with IWA-Canada after the union declared a one-day strike in early November. The IWA has filed a labour board complaint, but is asking its 8,000 members to stay on the job.

HEU Secretary-Business Manager Chris Allnutt also expressed support for IWA workers in a letter to the Vancouver Sun. “Whether it's happening in mills or in hospitals, the hard-won rights of working people are being attacked,” Allnutt wrote.