THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER AUTHORIZED AS SECOND CLASS MAIL, POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, OTTAWA, AND FOR PAYMENT OF POSTAGE IN CASH. WORKER Vol. XXXVI, No. 7 VANCOUVER, B.C. 5c PER COPY SS ist Issue April, 1968 B.C. FEDERATION OF LABOUR president Al Staley addressing the rally held in the Forum April 7, to protest Bill 33. The rally, which drew 2500 trade unionists from throughout the Lower Mainland, was also addressed by a number of other top labour leaders and Robert Strachan, NDP Leader of the Opposition. LABOUR TO SUPPORT UNIONS HIT BY BILL 33 Organized labour will fight to the death to prevent Bill 33 being used by the government to hamstring free collective bargaining, Twenty-five hundred trade unionists attending the April 7th rally sponsored by the B.C. Federation of Labour to protest the new anti-labour Bill 33 demonstrated this fact by cheering Federation presi- dent Al Staley’s challenge of the Bill. Staley told the rally that: “The first time the Lieuten- ant-Governor in Council im- poses compulsory arbitration or the penalties as set out in the Bill on free men and women in this province, then the full resources of the Fed- eration will be mobilized to support those persons whose freedom is jeopardized.” A number of other top la- bour leaders and Robert Stra- chan, NDP Leader of the Opposition, also addressed the meeting and attacked the re- strictive features of the Bill. Strachan accused J. V. Clyne, chairman of MacMillan Bloedel, of being the architect of the Bill and promised his party would repeal the legis- lation if elected to power. He backed his charge by pointing out the similarity of intent and purpose as well as oe. ‘et o _ SHERLOCK APPOINTED Labour Minister L. R. Peterson has appointed Sherlock to act as the Conciliation Officer in industry contract dispute which the wording of speeches of Clyne with the legislation. CLC vice-president Joe Morris stated that the intro- duction of the Bill had alarm- ed the entire Canadian labour movement. He said; “We regard it as a disast- rous reversal of the trend to- ward improved and rational collective bargaining proce- dures. We see it as a further erosion of the basic freedoms which rightfully should be en- joyed by all workers. It makes the right of association mean- ingless because the purpose of our association in trade unions can be proscribed.” (Bill 33 calls for compul- sory arbitration, on instruc- tions of the cabinet, by a mediation commission to end a strike when the public in- terest is at stake.) Other speakers included Paddy Neale, secretary-treas- urer of the Vancouver Labour Council and Federation secre- tary Ray Haynes. The rally was interrupted several times by cries for a general strike. Haynes attri- buted the interruptions to members of the Progressive Workers’ Movement who had distributed pamphlets calling for a general strike to defeat Bill 33. ~ FOLLOWING VOTE DISPUTE INTERIOR TALKS RESUME At press time negotiations between the IWA and the Southern Interior employers’ association were scheduled to resume April 17th after plans to vote on. proposed setile- ment terms failed to materi- alize. Both negotiating teams had on April 11th agreed to con- duct a vote by secret ballot on terms to be proposed by Conciliation Officer John Sherlock. The employers stip- ulated a government-super- vised vote. The IWA negotia- tors pointed out that govern- ment supervision indicated distrust of the Union’s strict balloting procedures, permit- ted intimidation, and would cause needless delays. Never- theless, to avoid any dispute on procedural points the un- ion agreed to allow the Mini- ster of Labour to decide upon the method of voting. In the meantime, Mr. Sher- lock decided that further talks were necessary to nar- row the gap between the Sa parties before a vote was taken. Accordingly, further bargaining sessions were ar- ranged. The Union’s position in re- gard to the more recent de- velopments was placed before the Minister of Labour in the following telegram: ; “Continuous negotiations over a period of three weeks in an effort to comply with the resolution of the Legisla- tive Assembly has failed to achieve agreement between the IWA and the Southern Interior employer’s Associa- tion. “To break the deadlock and because the Union recognizes the cumulative economic con- sequences of the strike in In- terior communities, the IWA agreed that Conciliation Of- ficer John Sherlock should prepare a report recommend- ing terms of settlement. The IWA undertook to submit his recommendations to all mem- bers on strike enabling a vote by secret ballot on an indus- try-wide basis. “Although this places a heavy responsibility upon Mr. Sherlock, we believe that he has become conversant with all aspects of a complex situ- ation and can determine pro- posals most likely to crystal- ize possibilities of agreement between the parties. “We urge that you encour- age and authorize Mr. Sher- lock to assume this responsi- bility. The Union will im- mediately inform every mem- ber on strike of his recom- mendations. We have the ma- chinery to conduct such a ballot quickly under strict balloting rules to which we are accustomed, but since the method by which such a bal- lot should be taken is in dis- pute, we are willing to abide by your decision in this respect. “We suggest that this un- dertaking by the Union is in conformity with the request of the Legislature and that your authorization of recom- mendations by Mr. Sherlock will expedite a settlement.” HAMMOND WORKERS RETURN AFTER WEEK-LONG WORK STOPPAGE A week-long work stoppage officially came to an end when members of Local 1-367 em- ployed at the Hammond Di- - vision of British Columbia Forest Products voted on April 7 to accept the terms of settlement of their dispute as recommended by the Local Union officers. HISTORY In the month of January 1968 efficiency experts repre- senting the infamous Ameri- can company Alexander Proudfoot Inc., started their “efficiency” study of men, machinery and _ production flow in the Hammond divi- sion. In the opinion of the crew the conduct of these Proudfoot representatives — now referred to as the Chica- go gangsters — was so appal- ling while policing and fol- lowing IWA members engag- ed in the normal performance of their job duties that an at- mosphere of high tension and unrest gradually emerged in the plant. PLANT COMMITTEE When the Company inform- ed the Hammond Plant Com- mittee on March 25 that: © 28 workers would be dis- missed on March 26; © policing of the remainder of the workers would con- tinue; © efficiency studies by the Proudfoot representatives would continue, approximately 510 IWA mem- bers downed their tools spon- taneously, starting lunchtime on March 26 in protest over the immediate lay-off of their fellow workers and the inhu- man working conditions, both resulting from the “initial” efficiency study. MASS MEETING In a mass meeting held the same afternoon they informed their fulltime Local Union of- ficers — Cy Godfrey (Presi- dent) and Morris Nordblad (Financial Secretary) — of their determination to protect the jobs and pay cheques of “cc their fellow workers “now and in the future” and in- structed them to immediate- ly meet with company offi- cials.in order to find an an- swer to the problems. A meeting between Ham- mond BCFP management and Local 1-367 representatives was arranged and attended by the following persons: For the Union: M. Nord- blad, F. Cotton, G. Krieger, J. Terris, K. Lambright, A. See “HAMMOND”—Page 11 PLANT COMMITTEE OF B.C.F.P. — Hammond Division. Pictured from left to right kneeling: L. Cowan, A. Fieble- corn and K. Lambright; standing: T. Coward, J. Terris, M. Nordblad (Financial Secretary Local 1-367), C. Godfrey (President Local 1-367), G. Krieger and F. Cotton.