& f GEE TAKES HIS CASE TO WORKERS _ Cites union record under | Expulsion of George Gee, former business manager of Local 213, International Bro- ‘therhood of Electrical Workers, from the union last April 7, and the rejection of his appeal by the international executive council, has produced deep resentment among the membership Seething with discontent, elec- and forced the present leadership to ban all union meetings. trical workers have in tecent weeks been spreading far and wide copies of The Case of George Gee, a printed, pamphlet containing Gee’s appeal. At a trial which lasted three weeks, Gee was found guilty by IBEW international vice-president John H. Raymond of the following offenses: @ Publishing or circulating among the membership or among the local unions false reports or misrepresentation. @ Creating or attempting to create dissatisfaction or dissension among any of the members or among local unions of the IBEW. @ Working in the interest of any organization or cause which is detrimental to, or, opposed to, \the IBEW. gains, Gee then cited for compari- son conditions of construction elec- tricians as between local 213 and an agreement signed by represent- atives of the international for workers .at Kitimat: KITIMAT, 1955 = Wages—$2.55 Overtime—Time and one half Minus room and board, $2 per day Minus travelling expenses © ‘Minus: travelling time No welfare coverage No statutory holiday pay LOCAL 213, 1953 Wages—$2.30 (1955, $2.42) Overtime—Double time Plus all board % Plus all travelling expenses Plus travelling time Plus full welfare coverage 8 cents per hour Plus statutory holiday pay . 3.2 percent ‘ “Tt is obvious,” writes Gee, “that the pay and conditions of local 213 members in 1953 was already far superior to what the international |= } is accepting in behalf of members in 1955: Numerous other examples could be cited to show that our agreements are outstanding.” * * * After disposing .of the other charges in equally effective fash- ion, Gee adds these comments: GEORGE GEE “The events of the past few months, which were no part of my doing, have caused the IBEW un- s junion in a “dictatorial ‘ma told harm which it will take Ma to undo. ee “There is nothing more bo mental to trade unionism ° than right of members to elect # own officers and run their ow? fairs. The suspension 0 i ae meetings and the removal of the’ ae ed officers has taken away fundamental rights. The ; the union are now in the ha appointees who have no respo bility to the members, are conducting the affairs of Thousands of dollars of funds are being spent Wi proval or ratification by ™ meetings. “As part and parcel of tis cess the insidious method of @ Hartleyism and MeCartny These been imported into Canac da. methods are foreign to our try and have been pee pudiated by the people of ate 2 nis y TC (BIBI ELL Me MM ET en a nT Yt TY nT yh Li nt ii ‘Nanaimo and District Directory FLETCHERS=*. » i COURTENAY - PORT ALBERNI @ Slandering or otherwise wrong- ing a member of the IBEW by any wilful act or acts. In his appeal, Gee answers the charges one by one. “Have I worked against the best interests of the IBEW?” he asks, and ans- wers this most serious charge by outlining his record in the union. BALMORAL HOTEL HALIBURTON STREET NANAIMO NANAIMO, B.C. “I became assistant business | = manager of the local in 1946, and} = ue aS “4 GENERAL ELECTRIC APPLIANCES FOR business manager in 1947. Here Enjoy Good Chinese Food BETTER LIVING : ave the achievements of the local : . a during my tenure of office: , ar : & “When I assumed office, Local “FOR THE BEST IN TELEVISION” HELGESEN’S DANISH BAKERY included the B,C. Electric ‘ CALL _ GARDEN SUPPLIES LIMITED PHONE 59 + 403 FITZWILLIAM ST. ; NANAIMO, B.C. 213 men, about 40 inside wiremen and one manufacturing shop, number- ing about 700 all told. Today, in addition to those, it includes the neon industry, several manufac- turing plants, communications technicians, TV and the gas in- dustry. The membership is now Specializing in Danish Pastry and Home Baked Bread ee 273 MILTON ST. — CORNER OF FITZWILLIAM oe PHONE 65 NANAIMO, 8 ISLAND AUTO PAINTING & BODY SHOP JOHNSON’S HARDWARE over 2,400. : PHONE 2249 123 TERMINAL AVE. “Everything For The Hunter and Fisherman “When I took office, the assets NANAIMO, B.C. oe of the local amounted to $86,741, B.C. including some thousands of dol- - i] lars of fictitious values which: later had to be written off. By 1954 the local was worth $183,210, not in- 4. eluding the value of. Press Club improvements which revert to the union at the termination of the lease, and also not including the, in the Electrical f W. H. ANDERSON LTD. COATS — HATS — DRESSES — GENERAL DRY Ph, 515-229 4-10 Victoria’ Crescent — Nanelie: fe HAREWOOD SHEET METAL CO. LTD. HEATING AND APPLIANCES NANAIMO, B.C. 22 NICOL ST. . PH. 331 MOTAVE SNACK BAR “A GOOD PLACE TO MEET AND “BAT” 50 Victoria Crescent. “Today, local 213 owns its own << . building, Sabie ahiEs ttn. era paver CEDAR FUEL AND TRANSFER _ administers its own welfare plan |= HONE 566-R-3 cE CG. and has a large strike fund. We . ae : poy H had none of ,these things in 1947.|=- ; “In 1948, ‘there was not one : ; ; member of the local who was cov- aot ;: ered by -a wellare plan. Today|2 CENTRAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CO. _GALLAZIN: and SON there is.not one member of the For Free Delivery 85 megs St; local who is NOT covered by a = Phone 192 All Kinds o ee Made to Order - = Ph. 1464. Cc = welfare plan, including medical in-| = ree Nis e surance, sick leave pay and life in-| = 4 surance. Local 213 was the first union in Canada to establish a ‘ pat ghiean ities welfare plan a8 e = n industry, Wi : were one of the first in North fie : R UCKLEDGE STORE ra 16 : pike Sire est = Snion-adriin: \S SOUTH WELLINGTON, B.C. “We were one of the first locals : ae in rae so to cooperate with the international office in its : - Scherer] anis anthem < | cea up poniery whit HARDWARE PEP. ES: LTD. 5 ceipts. We have been highly prais- ; é “Everything. For The Builder’’ ed by international officers for the “Your Island Shopping Centre” “WE TRY OUR BEST TO GIVE SATISFACTION” HARDWARE ee efficiency of our office. Ph. 1540 . 95 COMMERCIAL ST. NANAIMO, B.C. "540 Milton % NANAIMO, B.C. q i Nanaimo, B.C: 0 — aps “Local 213 wages and conditions, built up pee during my tenure - of office, are the envy of workers : : Got ‘ 2 not only’ in BC. but all over Car INLAID FLOOR AND SUPPLY CO. LTD. Spree ee ada. In my first year e, we 4FLOOR COVERI SPECIALTY” | won the 40-hour week for operat- PHONE 770.” SOVERINCS UE: 40 CRACE ST Ph. 2720-2721 ors, without. reduction in take-| =. 770 NAIMO, B.C : igen : home pay and in addition a wage ; NA eee: ae "Greetings on Canada Day _ Time and again we have set the ee AU Gy 0) 0) St 0 pace in bargaining with settle- J ant ge PACIFIC TRIBUNE — JULY 1, 1955 - Nanaimo, B.C. ments that have been used. by other unions to justify their own! ‘ demands.” {5 To illustrate the extent of these