2nd Issue March, 1966 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER wa) A JOB WELL DONE" One of the early pioneers of Local 1-417 IWA, Chris Radmacher, who with Re- gional Organizer Mike Sekora and a small group of others formed the Clearwater Sub- local in 1945, has retired after twenty-one years on the job. Chris, who is now 70 years of age, was an active trade unionist in his native Austria where he worked as a wheel- wright. In 1924, he decided to emigrate to Canada and try his fortune at farming in Saskatchewan. He stayed on farming through the depres- sion-ridden years, managing to feed and clothe his family until friends convinced him in 1936 to homestead in the Clearwater Valley on the North Thompson River. DEPRESSION — f For the next nine years he cleared and farmed his land. His main crop was straw- berries which grow excep- tionally well in the area. Un- fortunately, the depression was still on and there was little market for his products. This forced Chris to seek work elsewhere and leave the farming to his wife and three sons. About this time, the Swan- son Lumber Company of Al- berta decided to log the Clearwater Valley and build a mill in what is now the town of Clearwater. The com- pany employed local help in construction of the mill and Chris, who was well-known as a top notch carpenter, was immediately hired. SHACK Because the distance pre- vented him commuting be- tween his farm and the job 7 are ir J except for weekends, Chris built a small shack on proper- ty located a couple of miles from the mill where his pres- ent home stands today. This shack was the only building in the area, not Company owned, and proved invaluable to the Union when the IWA moved in to organize the op- eration in 1945, REGIONAL Organizer Mike Se- kora who played a large part in organizing the Swanson Lumber Company in Clearwater. When the mill was ready for production, Chris and nineteen others were hired as steady employees. Frank Capostinsky was made man- ager of the mill and was in- structed by the Company to keep the mill clear of unions. This didn’t sit too well with Chris because of his past trade union association and it was not too long before Re- gional Organizer Mike Sekora visited the area and held meetings with the crew. After a number of meet- ings, Mike and Chris with a few other militants, were able to convince the rest of the crew to join the IWA. The Local Union was granted certification for the operation shortly afterwards. Elections were held to pick a Sub-local committee and Chris was RIS AND BOB ROSS, Financial Secretary of Local in front of the log cabin used photogr: y the Clearwater Sub-local for Union meetings. The in Re built in 1930 and is owned by the Women’s elected Chairman, a position he held- for ten years, When an attempt was made to secure a collective agree- ment with the Company, Frank Capostinsky, following orders from the head office, refused to negotiate with the Union, The crew struck the operation and the Company retaliated by closing up the cook house. HUNT As there were no Stores or hotels within miles, the crew was forced to hunt through the country side for wild game and rely on the kind- ness of farmers in the area for vegetables and fruit. The strike lasted six weeks before the Company capitu- lated and during this time Mike Sekora stayed with Chris in the shack, using it as his strike headquarters. For the next few years the Company openly attempted to have the Union decertified and but for the militancy of Chris and a few others, would have succeeded. The Com- pany then tried to embarrass the Local financially by re- fusing to collect the dues check-off. FOILED MOVE Chris foiled this move by collecting the dues himself and submitting them to the Local Union office. All this gave added work for Chris as the operation was growing by leaps and bounds, but he never complained. By this time the town of Clearwater was springing in- CHRIS WITH HIS WIFE, who during the years Chris fought the Company, was left with the difficult task of looking after the farm and raising three boys. i a ay ia : fam ; ( if apart THE FIRST MODERN HOUSE in Clearwater. Chris Rad- macher poses-in front of his comfortable home he built during the ’50’s. His faith in the future of Clearwater induced others to follow suit and the area now is a pros- perous little community. to being. What had been vir- gin bush such a short time before was now a growing community and again Chris had been the pace setter. His faith in the ability of his fel- low workers, his Union and himself to win a decent stand- ard of living from the Com- pany had prompted him to build the first modern home in the township. Others soon followed his - example and today the town has a population of between 500 and 700 people. Because of the growing community and the Union wages paid in the operation, the Company has no problem maintaining a stable work force. This is conceded by the Company which in the last few years has made no effort to carry on its earlier resist- ance to the Union. The officers of Local 1-417 and the Regional Council wish Chris a long and happy retirement and thank him for a job well done. ‘PART OF THE PRESENT CREW at Clearwater Timber meeting March 17 to elect delegates to attend the Annual Delegated Meeting of Local 1-417 IWA, April 23-24. Group seated left, Wilf Radmacher, Job Steward; Lou Grefford, Sub-local Chairman; Chris Radmacher; Bert Sedor, Sub-local Secretary.