OPERATORS SEEK CUTS

THE WESTERN CANADIAN 1

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Incorporating Fhe @.C, Lamberwarker Ofticial Publication of the Inlernatlonal Woodworkers of pfmertea Regional Council No. 1

VOL. XXIX, No. 6

VANCOUVER, B.C.

5c PER COPY

2nd Issue

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Ga4 March, 1962

MEMBERS OF LOCAL 1-424, IWA., manning the picket lines at the Goality ae Mills, Topley, -B. C., are bilanach to establish
the wages and conditions negotiated in the Northern Interior master agreement. Group left to right—Paul Lucier; Otto Prebble;
Jack Holst, Local 1-424 President: Cecil Jannack; E. R. Horning; Charles Montgomery; F. W. Horning; Harvey Cranmer.

IWA Accepts Congress

Newfoundland Proposal

The IWA has accepted unconditionally a proposal made by a
special committee of the Canadian Labour Congress for settlement
of the dispute between the Union and the United Brotherhood of
Carpenters and Joiners respecting jurisdiction for loggers in New-

foundland, re

ports IWA Regional President Joe Morris. Chairman

Frank Hall, Vice-President of the Congress, substantiated the state-
ment that the IWA was not entirely happy with the proposal, but
believed that steps should be taken to end the antagonisms which
have been created in the Eastern province.

Acting for the IWA during the
recent investigation by the special
committee were, International Presi-
dent, A.-F. Hartung, Regional Presi-
dent Joe Morris, President H, Lan-
don Ladd, Region 2, G. Patterson
and J. McCool, Region 2.

The verbatim text of the report
of the special committee, as issued
by Vice-President Frank Hall,
appears below.

“The undersigned, acting on be-
half of a sub-committee consisting
of the four General Vice-Presidents
of the Congress, appointed by the
Executive Council to deal with the
dispute between the International
Woodworkers of America and the
United Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiners of America, convened a
meeting in Ottawa on March 15th.

“The objectives of the Congress
and the stated objectives of both
unions involved in this dispute is to
enable the loggers of Newfound-
Jand to take their place in the legiti-
mate labour movement of Canada
and have an organization that can,
through collective bargaining, im-
prove their wages and working con-
ditions,,

“In order to accomplish this ob-
jective and end the turmoil that is
doing a disservice to the loggers in
Newfoundland and bringing discredit
to the whole Canadian labour move-
ment, the committee makes the fol-

“(1) That the situation should be
composed, at least temporarily, by
having the Congress issue a charter
for the loggers in Newfoundland.

“(2) In light of this, the contesting
parties would maintain the status
quo and not pursue any further or-
ganizing activity among the loggers
of Newfoundland for a period of
one year. Any negotiations to arrive
at a collective agreement for the
loggers of Newfoundland would be
suspended by the parties to the dis-
pute. At the end of one year, the
Congress would facilitate and assist
both the IWA and the Carpenters’
unions in making a presentation to
the loggers of the merits of their
respective organizations as the suit-
able collective bargaining agency
for Newfoundland loggers.

“(3) The Congress during this one
year would meet with the officers of
the IWA and the Carpenters and es-
tablish fair and reasonable ground
rules whereby the loggers would be
able to determine for themselves
which organization they desire to
represent them.

“(4) During the one-year period
the Congress would undertake ex-
tensive organizing activities and the
IWA and the Carpenters would urge
their supporters among the loggers
in Newfoundland to become mem-
bers of the chartered local of the
Congress.

“(5) In view of the suspension of
negotiations by the parties, the Con-
gress would conduct such negotia-
tions as may be possible in order
to improve the wages and working
conditions of the loggers,

“The committee would respect-
fully request careful consideration
of these proposals by your union
and an early Pigg It is extremely

Cabinet
Ignores
Labour

Prime Minister Diefenbaker
and his Cabinet were bluntly
accused by the Canadian La-
bour Congress of deliberately
ignoring the voice and views of
organized labour on national
issues reported IWA Regional
President Joe Morris following
his participation in the March
16 annual presentation by the
Congress of labour’s legislative
aims. The charge was placed
before the Federal Cabinet by
a 250-member delegation which

submitted a comprehensive
brief.

“Time after time”, said the CLC,
“on the question of appointments
to Royal Commissions and to con-
sultative and other bodies, organ-
ized labour has been either com-
pletely by-passed or the selection of
trade union representatives has been
such as to lead to no other conclu-
sion than that it was based on poli-
tical considerations.”

The Congress said that it does
not pretend to be neutral in its out-
look holding views on many issues
that affect its members or are a
matter of public interest—just as
any other interest group.

“Our grievance is that, while you
have shown every willingness to
recognize and to call upon other in-
terest groups you have shown no
such willingness where labour is
concerned.”

President Claude Jodoin made a
special point of the fact that labour
had not been granted representa-
tion on the Royal Commission on
Health Services and to the special

committee on Unemployment Insur-
ance.

Congress Not Affiliated

The brief suggested that its griev-
ance against the Government might
be related to the CLC action in
helping to found the New Demo-
cratic Party.

See “CABINET” —Page 2

Employers Bargaining Proposes
Reduced Contract Benefits

Negotiations between the IWA and the coast lumber operators
commenced March 16, and are now in progress. During the pre-
liminary bargaining talks, the ten-man IWA Negotiating Committee,
headed by Regional President Joe Morris, presented the nine con-
tract demands made by the earlier Wages and Contract Conference.
The operators’ representatives tabled their proposals for contract

revision.

At press time, both parties were
engaged in an exchange of views re-
garding the demands and counter-
demands. The Union’s negotiators
emphasized the fact that they were
bargaining in good faith and would
explore every possibility to reach a
mutually satisfactory agreement.
Their bargaining strategy is being

developed in close consultation with
the larger and still more representa-
tive Policy Committee. No official
prediction could be made as to the
outcome of this stage of negotiations.
If a dispute develops as a result of
a complete deadlock, the next stage
will be reference to a Conciliation
Officer.

STOP PRESS!

Bargaining talks between the IWA and the coast lumber opera-
tors, which commenced March 16th, have ended in a stalemate.

The preliminary discussions on a revised Master Agreement

broke up Tuesday, March 27.

IWA negotiators claimed that no satisfactory progress had
been possible. The Union has made application for the services
of a Conciliation Officer to deal with the dispute which has now

developed.

The ten-man IWA Negotiating Committee made nine contract
demands, headlined with a twenty-five cent an hour wage in-
crease, three weeks additional paid vacations, and double rate

for all overtime.

The employers countered with proposals for cut-backs in con-
tract benefits mainly relating to falling rates, re-classification of
certain employees as casual workers, and increased rates for
board and lodging.

Upon appointment of a Conciliation Officer by the Department
of Labour, negotiations will be immediately resumed.

The Union’s Case

The Union’s demands were sup-
ported by well-documented evidence
indicating that the employers are
well able to meet the costs involved.
From the point of view, maintained
firmly by the negotiators, the de-
mands are both timely and feasible.
It was shown that implementation of
the demands will benefit every work-
er in the industry as they are de-
signed to raise living standards, pro-
tect job security and increase em-
ployment. Benefits to the workers,
which in turn would benefit the en-
tire community, were demonstrated.
In the demand for reduced yearly
work schedules, the Union has been
breaking new ground, as the first
Union in Canada to press for adjust-
ment of hours of work to meet tech-
nological unemployment. In short,
it was said, that the ability to pro-
duce more Jumber for an increasing
world demand should benefit rather
than idle more workers.

The counter-demands of the em-
ployers stand out in sharp contrast
with the Union’s purposes. As re-

ported by the Negotiating Com-
mittee, they propose to set the clock
back by weakening rather than
strengthening the contract.

Employers’ Proposals

In summary the employers pro-
posed:

A $1.25 per day increase in board
and lodging rates to $3.75 per day.

A 20% cut in the basic rate for
fallers and buckers.

The classification of employees,
who work less than three days a
week, as casual employees under
conditions which would deprive
them of the present seniority re-
tention, paid statutory holiday quali-
fications and coverage under the
Health and Welfare Plans.

Elimination of rest periods and
night shift differential on shifts of
less than 8 hours.

Substitution of “production work”
for “production employees” in the
contract so that non-production
work on Saturday above the 40-hour
week may be done at straight time.

See “OPERATORS”—Page 2

IN EDMONTON

IWA Members Strike
Western Plywoods

Members of Local 1-207 IWA, Edmonton, employed in the plant
of Western Plywoods Ltd. of that city are on strike. On March 15,

at 10 a.m., 125 workers walked out to gain acceptance of the unani-
mous recommendations of a Conciliation Board.

The unanimous recommendations
of the Concilation Board included
provision for cutting the work week
from 42 hours to 40 hours. The re-
port was accepted by vote of the
employees.

Western Plywoods Ltd‘, which
has plywood operations in Vancou-
ver and Quesnel with a 40-hour

work week, rejected the award
signed by their own nominee on the
Conciliation Board and thus pre-
cipitated the strike.

Latest reports are to the effect
that the strikers are holding their
picket lines firmly and with deter-
mination, keeping the plant closed
down.

|—CJOR Sa : CKPG Sez CKC

2nd and 4th

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