— So en ee ee ee Oe ¥ ad . | FROM PAGE 1 “NEW IWA cessary; and special subsidies for workers over forty years of age with fifteen years of service when displacement oc- curs. . Various other resolutions, mainly relating to negotia- tions, dealt with amended contract clauses intended to lessen any threat to job secur- ity. Proposals on re-training, in-plant training, seniority, and evaluation of new job content, were devised with automation in view. NEGOTIATIONS e Amend the constitution to strengthen and render as flexible as possible future ne- gotiating procedures. The constitutional amendments to effect this purpose are re- ported elsewhere in this issue. One such constitutional amendment, as approved, pro- vides that any recommenda- tion respecting negotiations shall originate with the Re- gional Negotiating Committee authorized by the local un- ions to conduct such negotia- tions, The Negotiating Com- mittee will in future place recommendations before the membership for referendum ballot. e Increase Regional per capita tax from 75c per dues month to 90c. Five cents of this amount is to be ear- marked for negotiating pub- licity purposes, By this means the convention hoped to strengthen Regional capabil- ity in promoting the union’s bargaining strength. e Examine the possibilities of conducting negotiations at two levels — (1) industry- wide basis; (2) local union basis. e Demand a_ government survey of the B.C. lumber in- dustry to provide more ac- curate information respecting employment trends and la- bour productivity. e Coordinate local union efforts to establish plant sen- iority on a uniform basis. THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER GOALS" © Call company-wide plant level conferences with repre- sentaion from all plant or camp committees to discuss common problems and co- ordinate policy. e Favour a one-year agree- ment in 1966. © Develop coordination of negotiations by all unions connected with the wood- working industry at their re- spective levels in order to se- cure a unified program, uni- fied demands, and unified ne- gotiating policy on major questions. It was further sug- gested that such negotiations should be conducted as to promote a merger of unions in the woodworking industry. e Provide for coordination between the negotiations in Region I and Region III in 1966, as contract expiry dates now coincide in the same month. © Secure the same termin- ation date of master contracts in the coastal, northern inter- ior, and southern interior areas. e Prepare and circulate a compilation of category rates in all sections of the industry for purposes of reference in negotiations. e Support the lumber in- spectors in their fight to se- cure one independent inspec- tion agency throughout the province of British Columbia for the grading and market- ing of B.C, lumber. WAGE REVISION — JOB EVALUATION e Study for report to the next Regional convention a constitutional amendment dealing with negotiations re- quiring consideration of rate revision prior to broad nego- tiations, and reference when necessary to broad negotia- tions. e Require a revision of the job evaluation manual for the plywood section of the indus- try to provide adequate com- pensation for (a) speed-up, (b) double up, (c) increased productivity, such revision to be undertaken prior to the 1966 Wages & Contract Con- ference. e Refer to the 1966 Re- gional annual convention the question of job evaluation in the sawmill and logging sec- tions of the industry. © Oppose any form of com- pulsory retirement until such time as the Canada Pension Plan makes provision for ade- quate pensions. e Take positive steps to reduce work schedules in the forest products industry with support of the Canadian La- bour Congress and the B.C. Federation of Labour. e Revise work schedules in logging operations where the circumstances warrant, providing definite conditions for allowing schedules on the basis of ten days work and four days off. © Improve the provisions for sick leave entitlement. © Provide definite arrange- ments as may be determined by local circumstances, to al- low the observance of a statu- tory holiday either on the Monday or Friday of the same week as the holiday occurs. © Establish a committee under the auspices of the Re- gional Executive Board to dis- cuss improvements to the Health and Welfare Plans. LEGISLATION © Recommend local union support of the New Demo- cratic Party in the current election campaign and urge direct participation of IWA members in support of the NDP. © Oppose the recruitment of skilled workers abroad un- til proper facilities are estab- lished for the re-training of workers resident in Canada. © Demand a public enquiry into all phases of forest man- A POINTED DISCUSSION. John Hachey, Ist Vice-Presi- dent of Local 1-357, left, and Ferni Viala, Local 1-80, right, argue their point while Len Vroon of Local 1-217 looks on. agement and its effects on em- ployment in B.C. with the ob- ject of returning alienated forest land to the public do- main; that policies of re- search, tenure and taxation be so conducted as to yield greater revenue for social needs and protect standards of wages and working condi- tions. © Demand provincial gov- ernment provision for a free province-wide ambulance service under the British Co- lumbia H os pital Insurance scheme. ©Demand _— government control and regulation of pri- vate pension plans in order to protect the equity of em- ployee contributors and se- cure portability of benefits. © Demand _ government compulsory auto insurance plan, to relieve workers of excessive insurance pre- miums. STRIKE FUND © Provide detailed regula- tions for administration of the Regional Strike Fund, and determine the manner in which strike relief may be is- sued. Strike relief rates were authorized as: Single, $12.00 weekly; married, $18.00 weekly; additional depend- ents, each $3.00 weekly. Dis- cretionary power was granted the Finance Committtee to meet emergent circumstances. The convention ordered dele- tion of a clause providing for payments from the strike fund for publicity purposes. As an alternative, it was pro- posed that the Regional per capita tax be increased, with five cents earmarked for such publicity purposes. IWA REGIONAL CONVENTION DELEGATES