Premier Glen Clark is considering appointing a high-level mediator to try to end the nearly six-month-old strike by 2400 workers at Fletcher Challenge Canada's three pulp and paper mills in B.C.
Clark met for 90 minutes Tuesday in Vancouver with Fletcher Challenge president Doug Whitehead and the heads of the two striking unions, the first time the premier has sat down with both sides since the strike began July l4.
"He's concerned that if we don't get on it soon in the new year it has the potential for going on another five or six months," said Gary Worth, President of the Pulp Paper and Woodworkers of Canada. "It's not helping Fletcher, it's not helping the workers and it's not helping the government."
Clark said in a telephone interview that he called the two sides together "To see if we couldn't have a frank dialogue about how to move this thing forward… The forest industry has lots or challenges and we don't need this kind of labour dispute. It has a big impact on people's lives and the economy of the province."
The two sides have been asked to consider the proposal for a mediator, and a decision by Clark is expected as soon as Friday.
The Fletcher strike has taken a significant chunk of BC's pulp and paper industry out of action at a time when BC's forest industry is reeling from the downturn in the Japanese lumber market and the closure of several mills, including the beleaguered Skeena mill in Prince Rupert.
F1etcher Cha1lenge is rumored to be ready to purchase the paper division of MacMillan-Bloedel, but the company has made it clear it will not expand in B.C. unless it can renegotiate its labour agreements.
"The company's view has been that it requires competitive labour conditions in order to continue with its investment program in B.C." a point Whitehead made again to Clark in the meeting Tuesday, said Fletcher chief negotiator Eric Harris.
The striking unions have refused the company's demands for greater flexibility in work assignments, arguing the proposals would cost hundreds of jobs in the mills.
Brian Payne, vice-president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworker's Union, said it's unclear what the premier can do to bring about a deal. "It's a pretty fragile process. I don't know if we're going to get anything going or not."
Clark said he intervened in part because he fears the two sides are becoming more entrenched "We just can't tolerate that," he said. "We have to take what steps we can to move it toward resolution."
Under the provincial labour code, the labour minister has the authority to appoint a special mediator in disputes such as this.
Assistant deputy minister of labour Don Cott failed to broker a deal earlier this month, despite spending more than a week in intensive negotiations with both sides.