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THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

BADLY INJURED WORKER
NEARLY DENIED COMPENSATION

A member of Local 1-357
IWA New Westminster, who
suffered a serious leg injury
on the job last July, very
nearly lost all entitlement to
compensation because his in-
Jury was sustained while dis-
obeying a company directive.

JOHN HACHEY

. - compensation not automatic.

Local business agent John
Hachey reports that the mem-
ber fell, while riding as a
passenger (contrary to com-
pany policy) on a bullmoose
forklift and the rear wheel
of the vehicle crushed his leg
so severely that it may have
to be amputated.

Because the worker had
been warned just prior to the
accident that only the opera-
tors were allowed on the ma-

LONG-riviE MEMBER of Local
1-71, Harold Holdt, camp secre-
tary at Mahatta River logging,
was presented with a 25-year IWA
membership pin and certificate
by Local 1-71 2nd vice-president

Iter Kozij during a recent
poe meeting at Mahatta River.

chines, the company question-
ed his entitlement to compen-
sation in the accident report
to the Workmen’s Compensa-
tion Board.

The Board concurred with
the company and refused to
recognize the claim. It based
its decision on Section 7,
Sub-section 3 of the Act
which states:

“Where the injury is attri-
butable solely to the serious
and wilful misconduct of the
workman, no compensation’
shall be payable unless the
injury results in death or
serious or permanent disable-
ment.”

After making numerous re-

presentations to the Board,
Hachey finally succeeded in
having the claim accepted by
making a direct appeal to Mr.
Eades, chairman of the
WCB. The member received
$1,691.09 in back compensa-
tion and his claim will con-
tinue until he is back on the
job.
: Hachey stated “that while
the Local Union is gratified
at winning this claim it is not
the first case of this nature
and IWA members must be
made fully aware that be-
cause they are injured on
company property, compensa-
tion is not automatic.

“It should be brought forci-
bly to the members attention
that they should never do any
work that they have not been
directed to do by the proper
authorities.

“To do otherwise could

jeopardize their compensation °

entitlement if they sustained
an injury.”

TRAINING PROGRAMME SIGNED

The Coast Negotiating
Committee, under the chair-
manship of Regional 2nd vice-
president Del Pratt, has sign-
ed an apprenticeship training
programme with Forest In-
dustrial Relations Ltd., cover-
ing most of the major trades
in the industry.

The new agreement is the
result of years of work by
various individuals in the Re-
gional Council and is regard-
ed as a tremendous achieve-
ment in guaranteeing the
proper rates for trainees qual-
ifying under the plan.

Pratt, in listing the high-
lights of the agreement, re-

ports that existing agreements
covering millwrights’ and el-
ectricians’ training are con-
solidated in the new plan.

Trades presently covered
by the agreement include ma-
chinist, steamfitter - pipefit-
ter, electrician, maintenance
and construction millwright,
heavy duty mechanic, auto-
motive mechanic and welder.

IWA members interested in
upgrading their skills will be
selected for the courses they
choose on a seniority basis.
The courses will: include a
combination of on-the-job and
in-school instruction.

Under the terms of the
agreement, any trainee failing

a test twice will be required
to withdraw from the plan
with no reduction in pay.

The Committee, to ensure
that trainees were not out of
pocket while taking the
courses, negotiated with FIR
that fares, lost-time pay and
school expenses would be
paid by appropriate govern-
ment bodies provided through
vocational training assistance
legislation and that the em-
ployers would pay the differ-
ence between the government
subsidy and the employee’s
regular job rate. (For com-
plete details of the plan see
page 4.

ACTIONS AWAY FROM JOB
CAN GET EMPLOYEE FIRED

TORONTO — In a prece-
dent-setting arbitration case
Judge J. C. Anderson has
ruled that an employee may
be dismissed if his actions
away from the job reflect on
the company or interfere with
the direction of its work force.

The case involved an em-
ployee of Millhaven Fibres
Ltd. in Kingston who had al-
legedly damaged the houses
of two other workers who had
crossed a picket line during
a strike.

The judge said it would be
“intolerable for the company
not. to be able to discipline a
worker who damages another
worker’s property.

“Once a strike has been
settled a company may expect
employees not to let their feel-

XMAS - NEW YEAR AMNESTY
SOUGHT FOR JAILED MEN

A drive to win a Christmas-
New Year amnesty for the
two jailed leaders of the Fish-
ermen’s Union is now under-
way. The precedent for tak-
ing this action was set last
year when IWA officials Tom
Clarke and Paddy Neale, jail-
ed following the Lenkurt
Electric demonstrations, were
released over the festive seas-
on,
The two Fishermen offi-
cials, H. Steve Stavenes, pres-
ident, and Homer Stevens,
secretary, have been in cus-
tody since November 8, at
Oakalla prison farm. It is re-
ported that they have now
been transferred to Camp

Snowdon, north of Campbell
River.

The Union is appealing to
all trade unions to write or
wire solicitor general L. Pen-
nell urging him to grant the
amnesty. Local unions also
have been asked to urge at-
torney general Robert Bon-
ner not to oppose an applica-
tion for leave to appeal on be-
half of the jailed men.

Defence lawyer Harry Ran-
kin stated in his opinion the
application for leave to appeal
the jail terms and $25,000 fine
levied against the Union will
not be heard until the end of
January.

The Union in the meantime,
is hoping that the amnesty
campaign will have the two
men back home with their
families for Christmas.

cHEDULE LD

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B.C. Coast from twelve strategically located bases.

FLY B.C. AIR LINES

the largest airline operating entirely in B.C.

ings hamper their work with
other employees,” he ruled.

Judge Anderson recom-
mended, however, that the
company should offer to re-
hire the employee.

Dwight Storey, nominated
to the arbitration board by
the Oil, Chemical and Atomic
Workers International Union,
argued that no formal charges
had been laid against the man.
He said the ruling and the
dismissal meant the man had
been sentenced to industrial
death.

FAR CHEAPER

Gal No. 1 was in an auto
accident and had three ribs
broken. She sued and got
judgment for $100.

Gal No. 2 sued a rich boss
logger for a broken heart and
got $25,000.

Moral: Don’t fool around
with a girl’s heart. Kick her
in the ribs — it’s cheaper!

UNION SEEKS

PROTECTION
FOR SALMON

The Fishermen’s Union has
called for immediate negotia-
tions between the federal and
provincial lands and forests
departments to ensure pro-
tection for Rivers Inlet sal-
mon, following the application
by Crown Zellerbach for a
16,000 acre tree farm licence
in the Owikeno Lake area of
Rivers Inlet. :

The Union is expected to
submit a brief at the public
hearing of Crown Zeller-
bach’s application January 5.

The Union is concerned
that logging in the Rivers In-
let area could -pollute one of
B.C.’s most prolific ‘salmon
fishing grounds unless proper
safeguards are taken.

Acting Union president T.
(Buck) Suzuki stated, “the
need to ensure protection of
stocks in the area was a press-
ing one, particularly: since, in
the past, fishermen have not
had the best of cooperation
from the provincial lands
and forests department.”

SEASON'S GREETINGS

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CREDIT

UNION

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