It is too bad that it has taken since November 21st for the coastal forest industry and the IWA to achieve the same outcome that the BC Ferry workers achieved in less than a week. On Tuesday, December 16th, a special session of the legislature will see a Bill go through all stages in one day so as to provide the legal framework for an agreement that both the union and the industry have already endorsed. That agreement does not settle the dispute, but it puts an arbitration process in place that will probably be binding on the parties, although the IWA is still saying that it hopes its members will be allowed to vote on final proposal.

As a result of the agreement to accept arbitration, members of the IWA will not lose any Christmas and New Year holiday pay or vacation, and they will return to the contract that was in place prior to the dispute - the company unilaterally imposed its last offer which led to the full scale strike.

According to the government news release:

"In the spirit of the season and in the interests of all British Columbians, both parties have agreed that it's time to resolve this dispute with the help of enabling legislation," Campbell said. "It's a difficult, but necessary measure that will give both parties the process and mediator/facilitator that they agree is right to resolve this dispute now."

The release's headline "Legislature Recalled to End Forest Strike", and some early news coverage, created the impression that the government had taken the initiative to end the dispute. The truth is that the government is acting as a facilitator putting the legal framework in place that enables the process agreed to by both parties. That is the kind of role we need to see more often from the Campbell government.