une 15 set as strike date by [WA unless contract demand met ‘ ‘ Determined not to submit to a repetition of last year’s “hole in the doughnut”’ representing 17,629 woodworkers unanimously adopted a “‘No contract, no work’’ resolution at the 13th By BERT WHYTE NANAIMO, B.C. contract, 105 delegates annual district convention of the International Woodworkers of America here last weekend, and set June 15 as the strike date if employers fail to sign. : IWA leaders, under sharp fire from their membership since their capitulation to employers last fall, admitted in the offcers’ report that promised to fight to a finish in or- der to win wage increases and a union shop this year. In 1949 the IWA negotiating com- mittee pledged “tough bargaining” but caved in at the conference table. This time they know they must do better in order to retain the confidence of their member- ship, ‘which takes in about one- half the woodworkers in British Columbia. “We want a union shop and we're going to get it,” declared district president Stewart Als- bury. “We must have a wage in- crease, and we're going to get that, too.” A wages and contract confer- ence will be held in the first week in March to decide the amount of the wage hike the union will fight for. Summing up the essence of 10 resolutions demanding pay boosts and a union contract for 1950, the resolution passed by the conven- tion states: “In past years we have asked for numerous points upon open- ing negotiations with the com- panies. Invariably we have had to drop certain of these points before completion of negotia- tions. We place two demands in 1950: for a wage increase; for a@ union shop. “If we do not receive favor- able satisfaction from the em- ployers upon opening negotia- tions we will immediately com- ply with the ICA Act and take a strike vote in the industry; and if there is no contract signed by June 15 we will strike the in- dustry.” Financial reports submitted to the convention shows the IWA strike fund at the present time is $183,824.14. Since October, 1948, the IWA has spent some $200,0000 fighting the Woodworkers’ Industrial Union, delegates were told by Interna- tional secretary-treasurer Carl Winn, who attended the conven- tion along with International dir- ector of organization Adolph Ger- mer. IWA President James Fad- ling was scheduled to appear, but failed to turn up. Winn served. notice to the B.C. District of the IWA that in future it would have to “budget within its income” as no more cash would be poured in to help finance District One. “The break- away cost the International $200,000,” he said. “We couldn’t supply this money, and we did- n't. CIO auto workers and steel workers unions came to our as- ‘sistance, as did the CIO and the CCL. We poured everything we could get into this area to defeat the Communists. ; “But we want to carry on @ campaign to organize the wood- workers in Ontario and Quebec. This district will have to take hold of its own affairs in future. The obligation to pay back those organizations which helped us must be assumed.” : - Adolph Germer told delegates: “There isn’t a man here need be - ashamed or apologize for the IWA. All you need to do is take a look at conditions in the industry be- fore the IWA came to B.C. and compare them with conditions to- a day.” } -(Germer failed to add that all the gains he pointed to were se- - eured while the IWA in B.C. was led by the present leaders of the “there has been some criticism of these (1949) negotiations’ and UNITY ON JOB SEEN AS KEY WU urges in ers to grant an increase in face of and their union agents. the WIUC.” a Commenting on the resolution adopted in the IWA district convention in Nanaimo calling for a wage increase and union shop 1950, Harold Pritchett, president of the Woodworkers Industrial Union of Canada, said: ‘“There is no question of the need of woodworkers for a substantial wage increase to offset rising ' iving costs. There is likewise no doubt of the ability of the employ- “But the practical woodworker who experienced last year’s Fadling-Alsbury sell-out will take immediate steps to unite on the job and build rank and file job committees to guarantee the trans- formation of convention resolutions into life. “The year 1950 will witness a greater degree of unity among | the woodworkers to obtain much-needed improvements in living standards, which will be obtained in spite of employer opposition “Tf the IWA officials make a sincere effort to conduct a struggle to obtain their demands they will have the full support of wage fight their fabulous profits. Woodworkers Industrial Union of Canada.) ; : “J wish we could continue to send in organizers to help you,” said Germer, “but we haven't got the money, The only way you can beat the WIUC is to do a better job. Your ranks have been cleans- ed of Communists here; we’re go- ing to clean them out of the TWA in the United States, too.” * * * Entrance of this reporter caused a momentary flurry Saturday morning. Jumping dramatically to the microphone as soon as he learned that a Pacific Tribune rep- resentative was at the press table, president Stewart Alsbury said: “I must inform the delegates that there has come into our midst a reporter for the Pacific Tribune. I leave it to the delegates to de- cide whether we allow him to stay.” “Throw him out!’ cried a few delegates. “I move we let him stay, in order that he may have a taste of the democracy he is working to destroy,” said George Mitchell, district secretary-treasur- er. The motion was carried by a two-thirds majority. “‘T am glad that your conven- tion voted in favor of freedom of' the press,” commented guest speaker Hon. John H. Cates, min- ister of labor. “People and groups hold different ideas; all that any- one should ask is to be quoted fairly.” During the three-day convention delegates dealt with 64 resolutions submitted by 12 IWA locals and the district council. Number One, submitted by Local 1-217, denounced “reactionary com- munist parties’ as “power-mad politicians.” It was passed without discussion, and then the conven- vention, having paid formal trib- ute to the current red-baiting hys- teria, began to deal with trade union problems. Action of the Labor Relations Board in usurping the right to decide union jurisdiction was roundly condemned and the con- vention demanded that the ICA Act be amended to correct this practice, “If we don’t defeat this iniquitous action, we will have state control of trade unions,” pointed out George Mitchell, Resolution | Sub-contracting by lumber oper- ators came in for sharp criticism because it creates a speed-up sys- tem and results in unsafe working practices, thereby greatly increas- ing the high accident rate in the woods. Delegates decided to work to have a clause inserted in the 1950 agreement bringing sub-con- tractors under the master agree- ment covering the operation. Recognizing unemployment as a major problem affecting work- ers in all types of industries, the convention went on record demanding changes in the Un- employment Insurance Act al- lowing benefits to continue un- til employment is found; and asked that the provincial and federal governments start im- mediately on their promised prro- gram of public works and low- rental housing. ‘Use of egg, butter and milk sub- stitutes in logging camps was crit- icized by delegates. Other resolu- tions urged daily rest periods, bet- ter voting facilities for loggers in remote camps, a nation-wide health plan, provincial rent con- trol, health and social security measures and increased education- al activity in the union. Membership figures based on per capita payments were given as follows: Local 1-71, Vancouver, 1,309; Local 1-80, Duncan, 2,739; Local 1-85, Alberni, 1,545; Local 1-118, Victoria, 860; Local 1-217, Vancouver, 4,340; Local 1-357, New Westminster, 4,163; Local 1-363, Courtenay, 687; Local 1-367, 1,015; Local 1-405, 50; Local 1-417, 249; Local .1-423, 287; Local 1-424, 385. Salaries of the district president, secretary-treasurer and Interna- tional board member were hoisted to $360 each per month, plus $5 a day expense allowance and hotel and transportation expenses when they are travelling on union busi- ness, ' ; At the same time a $1 assess- ment was passed in order to try and overcome the operating deficit in the district. The assessment will be split 50-50 by the locals and the district council. Just before closing of the con- vention members of the Women’s Auxiliary came to the platform, formed a semi-circle around the executive officers, and sang, “We've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts.” : Victim of DP attack Ontario mining center. Nazi DP’s beat up Tom Kremyr (above) and inflicted severe internal injuries which necessitated his being confined to hospital at Timmins. Kremyr, a member of the Association of Unitea Ukrainian Canadians and the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, was one of several persons injured when the DP’s staged an organized attack on the Ukrainian Labor Temple in the northern of ten votes. Fadling machine. The report of Joe Brant, the council’s representa- tive on the executive board, has been published in the minutes of the board and sent to all locals. Brant told the council that the motion to accept the challenged report of the international ballot- ing committee carried by the slim margin of 466 for and 456 against. (Board members and international officers vote according to paid-up membership.) Brant’s account says: the fire- works started when Fadling called for a vote on a motion to install the officers. Harvey Nelson of Columbia River heatedly protested, asserting that the serious charges made by his district should first be investigated. Nelson challenged in detail the balloting committee’s report which shows Fadling elected over Claude Ballard by a margin of only 397 votes out of more than 25,000 cast. He contended that @ proper and legal count would show Ballard elected. Ballard, ousted assistant director of or- ganization, also told the board members that he felt he had “received a majority of the legal votes cast,” \ The fraud charges, among other things, asserted that some locals (including Fadling’s home local of Aberdeen) actually cast more votes than they had eligible members. It was also charged that in one in- stance the balloting committee had certified ballots from a local which had not sent in the proper forms showing that a referendum had been conducted. The vote on the sensational charges also saw the other inter- national officers, Al Hartung and John Hawkins, vice-presidents, and Carl Winn, secretary-treasurer, vot- ing against Fadling. Brant’s report said that the Co- lumbia River District Council will appeal the issue to the 1950 IWA board split on fraud Charges by the I!WA’s Columbia River District Council that Presi- | dent James Fadling was fraudulently re-elected split the CIO wood- workers’ executive right down the middle and lost by the narrow margin charges CHEHALIS, Wash. First details of what took place behind locked doors during the re- cent stormy three-day session in Portland were revealed at the meeting here of the Southern Washington District Council which is part of the IWA convention. Officers are elected for two year terms and the convention could set aside the balloting committee’s di ed report. The report of Brant, a Fadling supporter, broke the veil of sec- recy which has surrounded the board’s action on the fraud charges. This secrecy continues to be maintained by the International W°odworker, official union news- paper. The Dec. 28 issue merely reports that the officers were in- stalled and makes no mention of the heated session over the fraud charges, ' Jobless jailed for having no place to sleep TORONTO On a single day in Toronto 23 jobless men were arrested and sen- tenced to a $10 fine or 30 days in jail for the “crime” of having no place to sleép. They had no mean of paying such a fine, ; : With all hostels jammed to the doors, the overflow of unemployed are seeking refuge in CPR coaches laid up in railroad yards. Police raids are being made nightly and the homeless jailed on “trespass- ing” charges. Civic officials, who are now at- tempting to divert public attention from the crisis by charging that an unemployed organization is led by Communist “cells”, have to ad- mit that the number of homeless men in the city is creating a ser- ious problem which necessitates special police squads to found them _ up for the purpose of jailing, The new 'Union of Unemployed — Workers here condemned the po- _ lice action, demanded the men be given accommodation and jobs. _ PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JANUARY 13, 1950—PAGE z .