Editor’s note: A delegate to
IWA convention sent us the

| following comments on the pro

Ceedings:

While it may have appeared to
the media and public that the
- Tegional convention of the IWA

Was uneventful as compared to
Previous ones, a close observer

F Would have to admit that deep

Tumblings of discontent and a
desire for change were evident.
Clearly a new pattern as to who
Would lead the woodworkers

-) merged.

Aspiring leaders, who had in
Past years opposed the top
leadership, withdrew into the
background and refused to
Challenge the incumbents. The
New opposition, with but one
exception, is a genuine rank and
file challenge to the old machine.
It is not correct to assume that
this new opposition is only of
Nuisance, proportions, and in
view of the many unresolved
Problems facing woodworkers,

’ there will be many issues to fight
0 in a future election of
Officers.

Having in mind the recent
election of the NDP, the incum-
bent leadership tended to
obscure many important issues.
While it may be assumed that
the NDP government will be
€asier to deal with, the
employers will not have hada
Change of heart and the
~_€conomic needs of the member-
Ship will still have to be fought

IWA parley showed
desire for change

for through militant struggle
and good leadership. :
Unresolved problems which

keep arising, but were toned

down by the incumbents were |

those of the fallers, and the
building and dispensation of a
strike fund. Another problem,
mainly side-stepped, was that of
organizing the unorganized.
Reports indicate that in Prince
George local alone the esti-
mated number of unorganized
woodworkers is over 3,600. In no
way could this be considered a
healthy situation.

Finally, in the closing hours of
the convention, maintaining
that what was good enough for
the rank and file would have to
be good enough for the leaders,
the delegates in a positive way
turned down a recommendation
for an approximate $35
weekly increase for top leaders.

So, while we could say that it
was a quiet convention, the
rampant rule of the pork
choppers seems to be coming to
an end, and, certainly the
membership will have every-
thing to gain!

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y “sitesi 38 Asueb of

Lower labor costs debunk

wage freeze

By JACK WARDEN

Wage and Price Controls! Up
goes the cry from every fledg-
ling politician; it is caught up by
every TV interviewer, radio
commentator, and is screamed
in black bold headlines across
the nation.

Why wage controls? Why are
wages and prices tied together?
Who is behind the call for wage
controls?

We have shown, using official
government figures, that wage
costs in food production have de-
clined since 1963 due to auto-
mation and other factors. Now a
new survey conducted by an
anlyist firm in the USA reveals
that fringe benefits to employ-
ees have declined 2 percent in
1971 over 1970 as well.

We have demonstrated that
the primary producer, i.e. the
farmer, is getting less out of
every loaf of bread produced
from his wheat. Now new figures
are available from Canada’s
federal Minister of Agri-
culture. In Farm letter No. 76,
dated September 1972, it is
stated the farmer gets but 2
cents from every loaf of bread.
At present prices for wheat, that
means a farmer has one slice of
bread out of every loaf to pay his
costs, his own income and his
hired man’s wages. The balance
of the cost of that loaf of bread to
the consumer is made up on
manufacturing, sales and pack-
aging costs, and profit.

Further, the agriculture min-
ister states in his letter that
output per agricultural worker
has increased 100 percent in the
past 20 years. Output per worker
in other commercial industries
has increased by 60 percent in
the same period.

So much for wage and pri-
mary production costs in foed.
What about other industries?
Let’s take a look at construc-
tion. Volume of construction in-
creased twice over in 1971 from
1955, yet on-site labor in con-
struction increased only 4.5
percent. In Alberta, for in-
stance, 63,700 construction
workers were employed in 1970,
but this year, a work force of
only 56,000 will be required to
carry out a larger program of
construction!

In B.C., the August bulletin of
B.C. Industrial Development
reports 72,480 workers in
construction in'1971, but only
65,147 will be needed to carry out
a much larger program this
year. They report labor costs
have remained constant for the
past five years!

Due to the introduction of
power tools and other labor-
saving devices, there are only
two-thirds of the man hours in
the construction of a frame
building to what there was in
1939. Material requirements
are less also. In 1949 frame build-
ings were constructed with
three-quarter inch shiplap.
Today they use three-eighths ply-
wood, which the building code

IN MEMORY
of :
ARNE JOHNSON

, ., Fino Ahola,
_,Vancouver,.B.C.
=) ClO. SA

ees |

os y t

heii!

oe

advocates

—George Legebokoff photo
SOVIET TOURISTS IN CITY. Photo shows a large group of Soviet tourists
from all parts of the Soviet Union, who visited Vancouver this week.
Many of them are artists who performed at a reception Tuesday

night. Photo was taken while on a tour of Vancouver.

states is stronger and quicker to
apply.

One can cite dozens of reports
such as the above. The wage cost
in food products has gone down;
the wage costs in construction
are less because of technical
improvements, and less man-
hours per unit. :

These official reports admit by
their own figures of declining
employment that productivity

per worker has increased .

because our own Minister of
Agriculture admits that produc-
tivity in commercial industries
is 60 percent higher than 20 years

ago. Yet, prices continue to
climb!

Is it not about time that the
scurrilous lies spouted by poli-
ticians, newspaper editor-
ialists, and others are labelled
just what they are— lies told for
the benefit of the profiteers in
every phase of Canadian busi-
ness? Is it not time the true
slogan should be put forward?

Instead of the emphasis being
on wages, it should be on the
demand for CONSUMER PRICE
AND PROFIT CONTROL —
that’s where it’s needed to stop
the gouging monopolies.

Classified advertising

COMING EVENTS

October 21st — Bring the fam
ily to enjoy a meal out. Point
Grey plans a Chinese Dinner
at 976 Railway, (corner of
Williams Road), Richmond—
$2.00 — Children under 12 —
$1.25. 6:00 PM.

OCTOBER 2lst'— COME TO
Paul’s spectacular __ slide
show at Don’s and Jean’s
place on Saturday, October
2ist at 8 o'clock, 104-136
East 18th North Vancouver
(18th and Lonsdale). Just
returned from Britain and
France:-— On-and-off the
beat slides of England and
France as well as spectacular
slides of the Mountains of
B.C. Don’t miss this oppor-
tunity of having a _ good
time and social get together.
Smorgasboard lunch.  Tic-
kets $1.50 each. Spons.:
by the North Shore Club.

OCTOBER 28th — You are cor-
dially invited to a SLIDE
SHOWING and COMMEN-
TARY by Cora & Jack, re-
cently returned from Hungary
October 28th — 8 P.M. at 2086
Qualicum Dr., south on Vic-
toria Drive to Scarboro, (One
block past 61st), east on Scar-
boro to Qualicum Dr. Admis-
sion $1.00, Children & Stu-

dents 50¢. Refreshments. Spon:

Timber & Van. South Clubs.
Proceeds to Election Fund.

NOTICES

_. DESPERATELY, .NEEDED! a
<., Permanent plaée to, do Silk, .,. (Yearning. Russian... Vals:
vo Sereeming «, for, 4 ¥4Cab..(Gakia~
PACIFIC TRISUNELL FRIDAY OCTOBER 20! 1972 >

jc

CL 25AF— NR"

age or basement suitable).
Call Joyce 435-2620 after 5
p.m.

STOUT HEARTS STAND
TALL. Suggested and used
by many as a gift for Christ-
mas, birthdays, special oc-

- casions. Order now: Ivor J.
Mills, 126 W. 59th Ave., Van-
couver 15 or People’s Co-Op
Book Store, Vancouver.

HALLS FOR RENT

WEBSTER’S CORNER HALL
—Available for banquets,
meetings, weddings, etc. For
rates, Ozzy 872-5064 or 685-
5836.

UKRAINIAN CANADIAN
CULTURAL CENTRE - 805
East Pender St., Vancouver 4,
Available for banquets, wed-
dings, meetings. Phone 254
3436. -

RUSSIAN PEOPLE’S HOME
600 Campbell Ave. Now
under renovation. Watch ‘PT
for details regarding re-open-
ing re: Rentals for meetings,

banquets, weddings, ete.
254-3430.
BUSINESS PERSONALS

REGENT TAILORS LTD. For
reasonable priced Made to
Measure and Ready to Wear.
324 W. Hastings St—681-8456
or 4441 E. Hastings St. — 298-
2030.

Wanted — LANGUAGE
-RECORDS to go with N.

_ ,Potapova’s,, set, of . Books

4 kA 155 Phone, 584-413 2 & : cCe
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ECT ID VAG A= 3- UIA: 2