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Ist Issue

Oct. 1964

FROM PAGE 1

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

&

“UNION MOVES FORWARD"

vious that the Millwrights urgently required
the opportunity to acquire the new skills
now demanded without loss of pay. The
convention agreed fo re-negotiate the pro-
gram immediately, on the basis of proper
tests by the Department of Labour and the
necessary protection for the Millwrights pres-
ently employed.

“We cannot pretend
that they have the skills
needed tomorrow’

The convention accepted the point of
view expressed by President Moore when he
said, “If we are to truly protect the present
members of the IWA from becoming redun-
dant and obsolete, we cannot do it by pre-
tending that they now have the skills which
will be needed tomorrow. . . . This is a task
to which the incoming Executive must dili-
gently apply themselves before time has run
completely out and the new vocational
schools have dumped on the labour market
thousands of young people who are equipped
to meet the requirements of the new tech-
nology. . . . The IWA must extend this type
of training to all trades in the industry, as
well as to the production workers.”

Regional Executive Board
functions more clearly
defined for future

The Regional Officers had noted in their |

report that the Regional Constitution should
more clearly define procedures for present-
day circumstances. Accordingly, they had
secured the approval of the Regional Execu-
tive Board for constitutional amendments
that would clearly define the functions of the
Board and the degree of Local Union co-
ordination at the Regional level. These pro-
posals were approved by the convention.

Of great importance was the amend-
ment proposed by the Regional Executive
Board to outline clearly the means by which
the membership would exercise complete
control over expenditures from the strike
fund. The full text of this resolution appears

‘in this issue.
A further resolution clearly made the
Regional Convention the supreme legislative

and jurisdictional authority of the Regional
Council, subject only to the International

Constitution and membership instructions by
referendum vote.

Provision was made for special con-
ventions to be called on emergent questions
in the manner outlined.

It was clearly stated by constitutional
amendments that the Regional Executive

Board shall continue as heretofore to execute -

the instructions of the Regional Convention

and “between conventions shall have full”

authority to direct the workings of the Regi-
onal Council.” Here again the supreme au-
thority is the Union’s membership.

Authority defined for
membership-approved
area negotiations between
broad negotiations

The principle was adopted that negotia-
tions shall be conducted on an area basis,
with Local Unions delegating authority to
conclude agreements. It was stipulated that
"Decisions of the Regional Executive Board
shall be in the form of recommendation to
the membership by referendum ballot.”

In effect the Regional Executive Board
will replace the Regional Policy Committee
in broad negotiations.

Domination by larger locals
defeated in roll-call vote

A determined effort to enlarge the Regi-
onal Executive Board by granting increased
representation to the larger Local Unions was
decisively defeated by a roll-call vote,
18,849 - 14,288.

The prevailing view was that the Region
should accept the principle of representation
as already tested and found satisfactory by
the International Executive Board. Delegates
recalled how, in the early days, the work of
the International Executive Board had been
disastrously dominated by large Local
Unions. This abandoned form of representa-
tion had led to roll-call votes on many issues
in the International Board’s meetings with
strangling effects on smaller Local Unions
which have since grown substantially in
membership.

Consideration of any increase in per
capita tax was referred to the 1965 con-
vention. The Regional Officers had reported
that Regional expenditures might be reduced
during 1965 due to the fact that broad ne-
gotiations would not be necessary.

Tradesmen’s Council —
to be formed
to make recommendations

An important step was taken in the reso--
lution which authorized the formation of a
Regional Tradesmen‘s Council to prepare
recommendations for co-ordinated efforts to
meet tradesmen’s problems. The full text of
this resolution appears in this issue.

Conferences will be held, representative
of all Local Unions in a bargaining area, to
determine, uniform policy on such matters as
composition of crews, work loads and work-
ing conditions. (See resolution appearing in
these columns). The Regional Executive
Board was instructed to study a proposal to
call special meetings on the question of
seniority.

Considerable debate centred around the
proposal to launch a campaign to organize .
all workers in the Union’s jurisdiction within
the IWA. It was finally decided that at-
tempts should be made to include technical
and office personnel within IWA member- _

ship.

Investigation ordered into
integration of two
organizational staffs

Upon hearing the report of Assistant In-
ternational Organization Director Clayton
Walls that an unorganized potential of 10,-
000 woodworkers remained in-the Interior
of the province, the decision was made to
investigate integration of the Regional Or-
ganization staff within the International Or-
ganizational Department.

Approval was given the proposal to ac-
cept as a goal the negotiation of one master
agreement for all woodworkers in the prov-
ince.

Plans were laid for uniformity in an en-
larged educational program for the Regional
Council. ~

The delegates opposed the practice in
logging camps of working ten days and
taking four days off as a violation of the
Hours of Work clause in the master agree-
ment. Efforts will be made to work out a
satisfactory agreement among the Local
Unions on this point.

The convention re-affirmed its support of
the program of political action previously
adopted.

Not all the convention decisions are re-
corded here. This incomplete list will indi-
cate that, when the heat of acrimonious de-
bate subsided, the delegates had accom-
plished impressive and constructive work
for membership welfare. ‘

O'NEAL ATTACKS MONOPOLY POWER IN B.C.

In his characteristic style,
Pat O’Neal, Secretary of the
B.C. Federation of Labour,
made points about MacMil-
lan, Bloedel and Powell River
Ltd. in addressing the Re-
gional Convention to which
many a delegate said “amen.”

He said in part: .
CORPORATE MONOPOL

POWER -

“For some years now British
Columbians have been fed a
steady diet of propaganda by
corporation executives calcu-
lated to undermine the role

_ of trade unions. One of the

+

more spectacular examples of
this was a speech made in
April 1961 by the Chairman
of the MacMillan, Bloedel
and Powell River Corpora-
tion which received national
publicity and blamed Labour
for spoiling the economy.

He said: ‘Public opinion
still tolerates the continuing
claims of Jabour leaders for
higher wages and it still finds
quite acceptable the continu-
ing subsidization of unecono-
mic process.’ I believe the
people of British Columbia
are entitled to a more sensible

assessment of our economic
picture than excessive and
unjustifiable comments of this
kind. And indeed, more real-
istic appraisals of our provin-
cial economy have been made
by some prominent econo-
mists. But perhaps the real
purpose of this particular
speech was to divert public
attention. from the growing
corporate monopolies which
are rapidly taking control of
the economy of the province
and pose a real threat to the
preservation of industrial and
political democracy.

When one single corpora-
tion commands as much reve-
nue as our provincial govern-
ment, it is time for reflection;
when it receives more and its
chief executive officer three

CORPORATE MONOPOLY POWER

times the salary of our pro-
vincial Premier, it is time for
serious concern. A compari-
son of these revenues is in-
teresting:”

MacMillan,

i 71
| l
1 I
1 Fiscal Year Prov. Budget Bloedel Net Profit
1961 _..._. $326,076,151 $315,323,217 $27,395,968
j 1962 _......... $240,226,300 $330,669,043 $38,215,456 {
: GS $361,911,300 $349,368,343 $43,146,969
| 1964 (est). . $372,907,415 $375,000,000 $50,000,000+- 5