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Labour Code by-passed

REPORT

By FRANK HOWARD, M.-P.

tor Pearson's Flag

A few days ago the Prime
Minister announced that
there were certain items of
business that the government
would like to get passed be-
fore Christmas. He enumer-
ated them and the only ones
remaining are (1) the esti-
mates of expenditure for the
fiscal year 1964-65, (2) the
Canada Labour Code, and (3)
the Flag.

We have agreed to the esti-
mates being passed by No-
vember 27th and to sit extra
hours if that be necessary.
This, then, leaves only the
Canada Labour Code and the
Flag as items which the
Prime Minister feels are ur-
gently required before Christ-
mas. Our position has con-
sistently been that there are
many items of greater impor-
tance than the flag and that
these more important items
should take precedence over
the flag. Apparently, though,
the Prime Minister thinks
otherwise. —

On November 18th, the
National Leader of the New
Democratic Party, Tommy
Douglas, asked the Prime
Minister:

“. . whether we can be
given some assurance that
this legislation (The Canada
Labour Code) will be pro-
ceeded with before the flag
debate is recommenced, in
order that we may be sure it
will be passed before Christ-
mas.”

The Prime Minister re-
plied:

“No, Mr. Speaker, I can
give the hon. gentleman no
such assurance.”

In reply to a further ques-
tion by Mr. Douglas the Prime
Minister said:

“, . there should be no
necessity of interrupting the
flag debate in order to get
this important legislation
through before Christmas.”

In other words the Prime
Minister is far more con-
cerned with his pet project,
the flag, than he is with the
wages, hours and working
conditions of more than half
a million Canadian workers.

No doubt that when: we are
in the midst of the next fed-
eral election the Liberals will
spread the word far and wide
through the industrial centres
of Canada that the Liberals
should be returned because
they introduced into Parlia-
ment the Canada Labour
Code.

It should also be remem-
bered that, by the words of
the Prime Minister himself,
he wasn’t dispossed even to
set aside or interrupt the flag
debate in order that the Can-
ada Labour Code. could -get
into the Statute books as early
as possible.

It may well be, now that
a fuss has been raised about
these statements of the Prime
Minister, that he will have
second thoughts about the
matter and arrange to deal
with the Canada Labour Code
in a more honorable fashion.

B.C. work injuries

The number of work in-
juries reported this year to
the WCB, up to October 31,
increased about six per cent
over the same period in 1963.

A total of 73,575 injuries
had been reported, compared
with 69,249 in the first ten
months of last year. The total
for 1963 was 81,828.

If the present increase con-
tinues it can be expected that
more than 86,000 injuries will
have been reported at year
end, the third highest total in

B.C. history. In 1956, a total
of 95,562 injuries were re-
corded, followed by 88,189 in

1957.
About one-third of the in-

juries reported to the WCB
result in layoff from work of
more than three days. Most
of the balance involve one
visit to a doctor and little

layoff from work.

A greater work force and
increased. industrial activity
in the Province this year are
significant reasons for the up-
ward trend in work injuries.

Definitions

AGE — What a woman is shy on telling—in more ways

than one.
*

*

“That period in life in which we compound the vices we
still cherish by reliving those that we no longer have the
enterprise to commit.” — Ambrose Bierce.

*

*

MIDDLE AGE — The time when the average man is

going to begin saving mer

month.

*

ALIMONY — A system, by which, when two people make
a mistake, one of them continues to pay for it.

*

*

ANTIQUE — A piece of furniture on which you have

finally paid the ese ae

bes

COMMUNIST — A person who says everything is perfect

in the Soviet Un

ion but stays here because he likes to rough it.

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

OTTAWA

AT NORTH BAY

160 attend Congress
on Industrial Safety,

One hundred and sixty-del-
egates representing unions
and provincial Federations, as
well as other organizations
from Vancouver to Halifax,
met in North Bay, Ontario to
attend the third Canadian La-
bor Congress seminar on In-
dustrial Health and Safety,
November 15th to November
19th.

Joe Morris, Executive Vice-
President of the Canadian La-
bor Congress and Chairman
of the CLC Committee on
Health and Safety, in opening
the seminar stated that in re-
cent years interest in the pre-
vention of accidents and in
safety education within the
trade union movement has
grown tremendously and
that the attendance at this
seminar indicates the great
interest in this work.

Dr. E. Mastromatteo, of the
Ontario Industrial Hygiene
Branch of the provincial gov-
ernment, dealing with indust-
rial diseases, outlined the

Japanese
golfers
use tapes

_Japanese golfers, among
the. most avid in the world,
are now using video tape re-
corders to help them develop
proper form.

The videocorders, used
often in. television stations
where they allow instant
playback of a television event,
are being used in Tokyo’s in-
door golf driving ranges.

Because of the scarcity of
open land in Japan, golf driv-
ing ranges, both indoor and
outdoors, are much more pop-
ular in Japan than in North

- America. They are often open

on a 24-hour basis and the
videocorders are expected to
add to their popularity.

The golfer merely stands
at the tee and swings at the
ball. Then he presses a button
and is able to compare his
form with that of his instruc-
tor.

The small video unit is ex-
pected to find many other
uses. Although too expensive
for home use (about $7,000)
it is expected to find popular-
ity with theatre groups who
wish to record rehearsals,
with laboratories which want
a complete record of experi-
ments and with surgeons per-
forming operations.

—New Canadian

Reason

“Mother,” a young man ex-
claimed, “I was away for
three days on a business trip.
I wired my wife I’d be home
last night and when I got
there I found her in another
man’s arms. Why, Mother?”
“You’re a woman, tell me
why?”

After a moment of silence,
his mother replied: “Maybe
she didn’t get your wire.”

various diseases and prevent-
ive measures which should
be taken to safeguard the
health of the worker.

Dr. Keith K. Nealey, De-
fence Research Laboratories,
discussed the effects of indust-
rial noise on workers and
gave many examples to show
that loss of hearing can be
costly to workers.

Dr. Morris Katz, Depart-
ment of National Health and
Welfare, Ottawa, outlined the
problems of air and water pol-
lution, particularly from the
industrial point of view.

William McCullough, Field
Representative, Local 1000
CUPE, Dr. P. M. Bird, Chief
of the Radiation Protection
Division of the National De-

‘partment of Health and Wel-

fare, and Dr. Gordon Dun-
ning, Deputy Director of the
Operational Division of the
United States’ Atomic Energy
Commission, discussed the
problems created by Radia-
tion and the protective meas-
ures needed to safeguard the
health of the workers in the
industries where radioactive
materials are being used.

Prevention Associations .
cussed the activities of these
organizations during one of
the sessions. é

The speakers found that a
great deal of interest was evi-
denced on the part of the
delegates and questions
were asked to clarify the
work done by the Accident
Prevention Associations.

Mr. Ira G. Needles, Vice-
President, National
League and Walter G,
nolds, Commissioner,
way Branch, Department of
Transport in Ontario, discus-
sed off-the-job safety and
traffic safety in general and
again many discussions fol-
lowed their presentations.

In the final session Joe
Morris, Chairman of the
Health and Safety Committee,
outlined the Congress pro- ~
gram of Safety and called
upon the Federations and Un-
ions to increase their activit-
ies in this field. Group discus-
sions followed the presenta-
tion and brought forward
many recommendations for
the National Committee.

THATCHER TURNS BACK CLOCK

The National Executive of the Canadian Union of Public
Employees accused Ross Thatcher, Premier of Saskatchewan,
of turning back the clock by withdrawing from the civil
servants in that province the right to political activity.

Canada Pension Plan

studied by

As the flag fight boils on
the surface and the reported
scandals rumble below, per-
haps the most constructive
activity on Parliament Hill is
moving quietly forward in a
small committee rooom where
a joint Commons-Senate com-

_ mittee is edging through the

massive legislation for the
Canada Pension Plan.

With little fanfare, the 36
members are making a pain-
staking study of the brute of
a bill — it’s half an inch thick
—that will affect the lives and
livelihood of 5,000,000 Cana-
dians when it becomes law.

Armed with actuarial and
economic reports, and faced
with a wide variety of wit-
nesses from every sphere of
the economy, the committee
members must decide
whether the plan is sound in
every detail before it becomes
law. Several of the members
have said they would be will-
ing to sit through Christmas
to ensure full examination.

This, basically, is the plan:

© The first $600 of annual
earnings is exempt. On the
rest up to a $5,000-a-year
maximum, the contribution
rate is 3.6 per cent. This is
shared equally by employees
and employers but paid alone
by the self-employed, who
must enter the plan if they
take in more than $800 an-
nually, For an employee earn-
ing at least $5,000 it means
payments of $6.60 a month.

© Contributions will start
in 1966 and full benefits be-

members

gin in 1976, although some
are available at reduced levels
in the first 10 years. The bene-
fits will come in one cheque
but will take two forms: The
contributory pension, plus the
flat-rate old-age security pen-
sion now financed out of taxes.

e At age 65, a person re-
tiring becomes eligible for the ,
contributory pension which is
25 per cent of the average
earnings on which contribu-
tions are made. Thus a person
earning more than the $5,000
income ceiling would receive
about $104 a month.

© In addition, the old age
security payment which now
is $75 a month at age 70 can be
claimed, in reduced
Pag at age e It

e $51 at age 65. Thus a per- |
son retiring at age 65 would
get a total of $155. If he wait-
ed until he was 70, he would -
‘get $179 a month.

However, these figures ©
probably will be changed by
1976 since the contributions .
and payments are to be tied
to the average national earn-
ings.

And so far as the committee |
is concerned, these are only
the basics to be considered.
There are 125 sections in t
bill, probably the most com-
plex piece of legislation .
to come before parliament.
Everybody agrees the |

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