10 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER FROM PAGE SEVEN OFFICERS’ REPORT” Agreement similar to that provided for in the coastal area. Meetings on this matter are taking place at the present time. DEL PRATT 2nd Vice-President TRADESMEN’S CERTIFICATES: In the Coast area of British Columbia, consider- able progress has been made on getting tests pre- pared for tradesmen in the industry. In some in- stances, tradesmen’s qualification certificates were made available to the tradesmen where the Appren- ticeship Department conducted tests of tradesmen and those who successfully passed the test were issued certificates. In the case of Construction Millwrights, Machin- ists, Steamfitter-Pipefitter and Carrier Mechanics, tests were prepared by committees representing union, management, and the Apprenticeship Depart- ment. 48 Construction Millwrights took the test and 43 were certified. 99 Machinists took the test and 63 were certified. 88 Steamfitter-Pipefitters took the test and 67 were certified. 36 Carrier Mechanics took the test and 36 passed the test. While tremendous progress has been made in developing Apprenticeship Training Programs and arranging for tests of tradesmen to get certificates, there still remains a tremendous amount of work to complete this task for tradesmen in the Coast and Interior of British Columbia. GRANT MacNEIL Education Director EDUCATION, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND RESEARCH: The Department’s planned education program was very substantially curtailed in order to provide research and information services for the two major sets of negotiations that were completed since the last convention. Throughout the long Interior strike, the depart- ment provided material to keep the membership in- formed on the progress of negotiations, and through the press, radio and TV, to maintain public support _for the union’s position. This work often involved working with Local Unions on special problems, as with the threatened start-up at Nelson and the crisis developed by the anti-union activities of Federated Co-ops at Canoe. Preparatory work for the Coast Negotiations had to begin while final Interior bulletins respecting the memorandum of May 5th were being prepared. In addition to the preparation of membership bul- letins, the department made use again of the press, radio and TV to counter-act the industry’s massive publicity campaign. The department was also responsible, in consulta- tion with the International Research Director, for the preparation of a brief on the Coast negotiations. While these negotiations did not go to a third party, the work done in preparing for that eventuality would be useful for any subsequent negotiations, or for submissions to various departments of Government. Work continued as permitted on a variety of other projects. The Director spoke to a number of public schools, had interviews with many high school and university students studying industrial relations, and took an active part in the preparation and conduct of various political education seminars, in co-opera- tion with a number of Local Unions and the CLC. The department continued assistance when re- quired at Labour Council week-end institutes through- out the province, and assisted: in staging instruction conferences, such as the week-long Parksville semi- nar, with assistance from the Department of Adult Education of the University of British Columbia. The usual Winter School and staff conferences were held, and outlines of courses were provided upon request to Local Unions. A memorandum of fire-fighters’ rates was submit- ted to the Provincial Legislature’s Select Standing Committee on Forestry, and while no action has been taken by the government, a favorable recommenda- tion was secured from that Committee. A brief is being prepared for submission to the Federal Minister of Finance respecting tax deduc- tions for wage-earners. The substance for this brief will be drawn largely from a series of submissions presented to the federal government by Local 1-71. Revision of the Shop Steward’s Pocket Guide is being extended to include changes in labour legisla- tion and regulations. These are so extensive that they may require a re-issue of the guide. Since no major negotiations are anticipated for two years, the department plans to resume full assist- ance to Local Unions in providing trade union semi- nars and evening classes. We will prepare in advance outlines in such fields as trade union history for new members, contract analysis, political education, labour legislation, (par- ticularly Bill 33), conduct of meetings, and IWA bar- gaining procedures. Other fields can be outlined as requested by Local Unions. The department feels that the success of this pro- gram would be greatly facilitated by a regional con- ference on education, aided by the International Education Director, Oliver MacMillan. Such a con- ference, with representation from the Local Unions, could select and draft a program suited to the needs and wishes of the membership, and guide the depart- ment in the selection of techniques and subject ma- terial. The department hopes that, should such a con- ference be held, it would encourage members from all-Locals to attend the CLC Instructors’ School, with a view to participating as discussion leaders in sub- sequent programs. PRAIRIE REGION: LOCALS 1-206, 1-207, 1-184: For a number of years a continuing struggle has been waged by the IWA in the prairie province to establish decent wages and working conditions. De- spite strikes and threats of strikes, wages continue to be pitifully below accepted living standards, and working conditions, in many areas, are appalling. In JACK MacKENZIE 1st Vice-President the province of Alberta labour laws are such that efforts to organize can be completely frustrated by anti-union employers who comprise majority owner- ship of the woodworking industry in that province. Negotiations are lengthy. Delays, requested by em- ploy2rs on the s‘ight.st pretext, are granted by the Alberta Labour Board without question. Legal firms and consultant engineering firms are retained by employers to assist in setting up employer-domi- nated associations. These associations find no diffi- culty in becoming certified in the province of Alberta. One can understand management attempting to dominate. and control an association of their em- ployees. However, organizations operating under the guise of a legitimate trade union, are being wel- comed with open arms by management, allowed to talk with crews even during working hours, and in- deed, assisted by management to sign employees into the union and granted certification by the Alberta Labour Relations Board with what can only be de- scribed as unusual haste. Wage rates negotiated be- tween these so-called unions and companies, par- ticularly in the trailer manufacturing field, are shame- ful, making it extremely difficult for legitimate organ- izations to better wages and working conditions. One would almost believe that there is collusion between these unions, the government and the com- panies to maintain Alberta as a low-wage area. An agreement between the IWA, Local 1-206, and General Coach Works of Canada represents an im- portant advance as it gives production workers $2.14 per hour base rate. A five- week strike was necessary to establish this rate. Early in 1969 negotiations will again be under way with this Company. Unfortun- ately, contracts now being signed between other unions and trailer companies will leave the IWA in a difficult negotiating position next time around. A: plywood worker in Nelson, B.C., is guaranteed a base rate of $2.98 per hour by January 1, 1970, yet his fellow worker in Fort Macleod, Alta., is expected to accept a conciliation officer's award of $2.12 per hour, base rate, at approximately the same date, The discrepancy for semi-skilled and skilled cate- gories is even worse. For example, the Coast has established through evaluation a core feeder rate 16 cents above base, whereas in Fort Macleod it is only 5 cents above. In the Fort plywood operation, the Raimann Oper- ator receives 7 cents per hour below the base rate of $1.84, whereas the Raimann operator under proper evaluation at the Coast is 12 cents per hour above See “OFFICERS REPORT” Page 12