a - 4 * THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER The IWA has strongly protested the provincial government’s action in refusing the Union’s request for permission to submit a brief on contracting and sub- contracting to the Select Standing Committee on Forestry and Fisheries, during the last session of the legislature. Regional President Jack Moore in a letter to the new Labour Minister James Chabot, pointed out that the Truck Loggers Association was permitted to submit its views to the Committee and therefore the IWA should have been accorded the same privilege. Moore stated that the IWA was disturbed at not having the opportunity to reply to the Truck Loggers’ brief which the Union contends contains half- truths and outright falsehoods. The Regional President went on to say that the whole matter of contracting and/or sub- contracting in the wood- working industry is a highly complex one which cannot be straightened out by legislation. He added that the Union had suggested to the Truck Loggers and other sections of the industry that they get together and iron out a policy on contracting which will be fair to all sides. The Minister in reply apologized for the IWA’s ex- clusion before the Committee. He stated that when the IWA was mentioned in _ the management brief, the Truck Loggers were informed that the Union had the right to appear. He went on to say: “They appeared before the Committee on March 25th, close to the end of the session. As they made specific mention of your Union in their brief it was pointed out to them that you had wished to appear but had been told that the terms of reference did not appear to be of interest to you. Due to the closeness to prorogation of the session there was not sufficient time to request your ap- pearance before the Com- mittee. “The fact that your Union was mentioned in the Truck Loggers Association brief was again drawn to the attention of Committee members when the report was being prepared. “I personally mentioned to the Committee the unfortunate situation that had developed in view of my letter to you of February 26th. “This matter was taken into consideration at the time the report was prepared and therefore the Committee made no specific recommendation on ~ the issue. The report only in- dicates an observation on the part of the Committee. “As the issue is of im- portance to both groups and in order to properly assess the working of the Contractor Clause in Tree Farm Licenses the Committee requested that it again be examined at the next session of the legislature at which time you will have ample opportunity to present your views. “The report of the Com- mittee ‘was unanimously supported by all members. “Any inconvenience or embarrassment this may have caused your Union is sincerely regretted.” , LOGGERS SPORTS IN TEN AREAS A record 10 areas in B.C. have been awarded sanctions by the Canadian Loggers’ Sports Association (CANLOG) to stage loggers sports events in 1971. All CANLOG events this year have the blessing of the British Columbia Centennial ’71 Committee, CANLOG chair- man W. D. Moore said. With the CANLOG sanction goes the right to stage a Canadian Championship event in loggers’ sports competition. Canadian Championships will be held in the following events in 1971: Axe throwing, obstacle block chop, chokerman’s race, pee vee log rolling, spring- board chop, horizontal chop, tree climbing, tree falling, log burling, obstacle pole bucking, double hand bucking and pole falling. Seven sites hosted Canadian championship events last year, CANLOG’s second year as the sanctioning body for loggers’ sports. The aim of CANLOG is to bring a central organiza- tional structure and safety standards to the sport. Ultimately, the governing body expects to sanction events across Canada. Last year, events were held Mission, Sooke, Port Hardy, Squamish and Hope. This year, Victoria, Gold River and Prince George have been sanctioned to hold events by CANLOG. Victoria will not stage a national championship but Gold River will hold the horizontal chop and Prince George the obstacle pole bucking and double hand bucking. Highlight of the CANLOG season will be the Festival of Forestry show during the PNE, August 21 through September 6, where athletes from the logging nations of the world will compete for $30,000 powersaw bucking, standing at Terrace, Woss Lake, in prize money. DATES OF CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS Location Date Championship Events Vietoria May 24 No championship event assigned ao OTT OOe May 29-30 Ax Throwing _ Woss Lake June 5 Obstacle Powersaw Bai Bucking July 1 Standing Block Chop July 10 Chokerman’s Race Pee vee Log Rolling Springboard Chop July 17 Horizontal Chop July 24 Tree Climbing _ August7 Tree Falling Log Burling August 12, 14, 15 Obstacle Pole Bucking Double Hand Bucking September 12 Pole Falling EEDERATION WARNS DARE PRODUCTS "HOT" Products of the Dare Foods Company have been declared “hot” by the B.C. Federation, of Labour. The Federation states: “In 10 years of operations in British Columbia, this com- pany has earned the dubious distinction of having one of the worst labour-management records of any employer in the province. When they first their new operation in paying 75¢ an hour. Since then the Bakery Workers Union has Pade take fi ue Os aia edly to any kind of increases. In spite of levels remain extremely low. This company seems deter- mined to continue paying sub- standard wages. At present they are apparently replenish- ing stocks from eastern plants. As a result, we found it necessary to declare all Dare Foods, including cookies, candies and other products “hot” and to advise all trade unionists to refrain from buying or handling any Dare products. “We are hopeful that this company will come to its senses, negotiate a fair agreement with its employees and begin to take a new and better approach to labour- relations.” JAMES CHABOT NEW MINISTER James Chabot, Social Credit member for Columbia River, is the new Minister of Labour for British Columbia. Up to this time, the portfolio had been carried by Leslie Peterson in addition to his office as Attorney-General. The new minister was born in Quebec in 1927 and has been a member of the legislature for eight years. Until last year he was a member of the Com- mercial Telegraphers’ Union of America, a membership which he had held for 25 years. He said that his first task as labour minister will be to in- crease communication bet- ween labour, industry and government, LABOUR BOARD REJECTS P.P.W.C. APPLICATION Local 1-80 IWA has been notified that an application made earlier this year by the Pulp and Paper Workers of Canada, to be certified for the employees of the MacMillan Bloedel Ltd., sawmill at Chemainus has been rejected. The Labour Relations Board stated that the — ‘“‘Board was satisfied’. that ‘“‘less than a majority’’ were members of the applicant Union. It should be» noted: that in ~ accordance with Department. of Labour _ regulations, representatives came out from the Department of Labour, and studied the membership records of the IWA Local 1-80, and those of the applicant union. Local 1-80 was certified for the employees of the Chemainus sawmill in 1944 and has represented them ever since. The members at Chemainus have clearly indicated that they want no part of the Union ‘cannibalism programme being carried out by the officers of the P.P.W.C. 1-357 MEMBERS RILED BY RAW SEWAGE STINK Members of Local 1-357 IWA employed at Weldwood’s Timberland Division, took a different type of job action April 21, when they put up a human barrier to block trucks dumping their contents of pumped septic tanks into a drainage ditch near the plant’s lunchroom. The 125 employees claim the stench is incredible, and under certain tide conditions, water in the ditch backs up, making the outfall useless. The employees blew their tops and blocked the trucks when it was learned that municipal authorities had rejected their request to close down the outfall because of the cost of locating it elsewhere. Local President Gerry Stoney stated that the dumping has been going on for the last three years and all protests from the employees and nearby residents to the municipality and Health authorities, have fallen on deaf ears. ; The Timberland workers plan to keep the 24-hour picket line on until the Surrey council orders the trucks to stop dumping the sewage. MULTI-PURPOSE CHEQUE A step toward a chequeless, cashless society has been taken by at least eight banks in the United States, and others are looking into the idea. A multi-purpose “‘super-cheque”’ basically allows the payment of up to 100 bills with only one cheque. The oversized cheque lists names of stores, utilities, finance companies and: many others. Next to the firm name, the customer fills in the amount he wants to pay for it, totals the amount and signs the cheque. ~ Cost of the supercheque is 50 to 75 cents, compared with individual cheque costs of up to 10 cents each plus added stationery, stamps, and time, according to the Associated Press reports. When the bank receives the cheque, it credits the account of each business that has an account with it or writes its own cheque to those who don’t. The merchant has no worries about cheques coming back marked “insufficient funds.’ - He doesn’t have to endorse and deposit individual cheques.