The union that BC forestry workers belonged to in my working days, that is the outside workers and most sawmill and planer mill workers, was "The International Woodworkers of America", whose longtime president was the legendary "Union Jack" Munro, who grew up in "The Depression" in Alberta and got his start in my hometown of Nelson, BC.
Jack, was a big man, at least 6'4", 250+ lbs, and built like a Kenworth. He hated "environmentalists", "bosses" and even most other union leaders, BUT, he fought and worked for his members and most BC people, that is real BCers, like me, not f**king immigrants from Asia, etc, actually respected him and still do, he is in his late 80s, now and is still a force in BC politics.
I first met and drank with him 45 years ago and while I had my battles with "union bosses" over wilderness preservation and had my brawls with a few of them, we generally ended friends and respected and liked each other.
I know very well what good unions have done and I just wish that the leaders of today were men of the integrity of those of past decades....and, we STILL NEED unions against the evil of "corporatism" and it's ally "fascism".
