12 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER 38,000 copies printed in this issue. Published twice monthly as the official publication of the INTERNATIONAL WOQDWORKERS OF AMERICA Western Canadian Regional Council No. 1 Affiliated with AFL-CIO-CLC 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. Phone 874-5261 Editor — Pat Kerr Business Manager — Fred Fieber Aavertising Representatives — Elizabeth Spencer Associates Forwarded to every member of the IWA in Western Canada in accordance with convention decisions. Subscription rate for non- members $2.00 per year. Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post.Office Department, and for payment of postage in cash. a» EDITORIAL "A STAB IN THE BACK" EAMSTER official, Lloyd Whalen, has not advanced his political ambition to win Burnaby-Seymour for the Liberals against Tommy Douglas by his recent _ public attempt to defame IWA members on strike in the Interior. That he has boxed the political com- pass is strictly his own business. That as a Teamster official he has maligned trade unionists waging a gallant struggle is quite another matter calling for severe censure. He is reported to have said that the Interior strike was politically motivated and that it has lowered trade union pres- tige. His words echoed the views already expressed by Social Credit politicians and a noforiously anti-labour employers’ group. He revealed his total lack of re- spect for trade union principles and ob- jectives, an attitude not upheld by rank and file members of the Teamsters’ Union. The bare-faced political motivation for his act of treachery leaves him exposed to charges far graver than those he levels at the IWA. The man who betrays his fellow-mem- bers in a time of struggle to cross a legiti- mate picket line is regarded by trade CP TO SE unionists as a scab and guilty of the most contemptible trade union crime. We may well ask if there is any moral difference between the physical act of scabbing and a vocal stab in the back in aid of the employers directed publicly against work- ers on strike. There is no evidence of any predomi- nating influence in the conduct of the Interior strike. The ranks include sup- porters of all parties. Their strike action was motivated solely by their determination to right an eco- nomic wrong. Their voting by secret ballot proves this. No political motivation could possibly have inspired them to endure the sacrifice of a seven-months’ strike. No political advantage was offered any poli- tical party. The present-day improvements in the living standards of the workers have been built on such epic struggles. The loyal mutuality of IWA Interior strikers has written a glowing chapter in B.C. trade union history, enhancing union prestige by a brave stand for workers’ rights. Lloyd Whalen’s treacherous attempt to demean this struggle deserves nothing but the utmost contempt by all loyal trade unionists. - ace eTa z Sa NEW AUTOMOTIVE TEST A new Forest Industry Automotive Mechanics test has been drafted following the high number of applicants failing the original test. The Union anticipates mem- bers taking the new test will have no difficulty passing and should pick up a few hundred dollars based on the increase of 21 cents an hour which is retroactive to March 1, 1967. Certificates issued by the government apprenticeship board to applicants passing the test will only be good in the forest industry. Drafters of the special test were Clarence Murray, Local 1-217 member and plant chairman at Rayonier, and Ed Moore, Vancouver Plywood foreman, who represented the industry. ee eee) THE LATEST Latest brand of cigarettes on the market comes with a set of ear plugs in each pac- kage. That way smokers can enjoy their fags without hearing all the reasons why they should quit smoking. m, All demands based on a one year agreement. IWA COAST CONTRACT DEMANDS A 50 cent per hour across the board wage increase. Improved vacations with pay — 3 weeks vacations after one year’s service — 4 weeks after five — 5 weeks after ten — 6 weeks after fifteen and 7 weeks after twenty. All categories to receive an additional 2% on their gross income starting with 812% of gross income for one to five year employees. One additional paid statutory holiday. Boxing day for loggers and Easter Monday for manufacturing workers. Increase Health & Welfare to $75.00 per week in a Union administered plan totally paid for by the Forest Industry. All contractors and sub-contractors to abide by IWA wages and working conditions. Preferential hiring for all woodworkers displaced by closures or lay-ofis. Improved rates of pay for fire fighting. Fire Fighting Memorandum of Agreement to become part of the Coast Master Agreement. Employer paid protective clothing and safety equip- ment. : A five day - 40 hour week for cookhouse and bunk- house employees with overtime rates for Saturday and Sunday, Double time for all overtime. An extra day off if statutory holidays fall on Saturday. Fare Allowance — payment of fares to and from camps for all loggers. Severance pay for all employees terminated through plant closure or retirement, based on one week’s pay for each year of service. Shorten new employees probationery period to 30 calendar days. Improved employees protection against technological change. Payment of stand-by time for all shingle workers employed on piece work and that the minimum Everaniee for Shingle Sawyers and Packers be applied ~ y. ne a ROR fe Se EES cane BY A ee ne 2 ies wants ke REA WHICH ONE OF YOU ‘PEN PALS’ HAS BEEN WRITIN’ TO A MISS SLOVSKI IN EASTERN RUSSIA? PRAISE FOR MOORE, PRATT The Editor: I would like to write and thank Brothers Jack Moore and Del Pratt for assisting us in negotiating for a settlement arising from a dispute in our plant (BCFP Hammond Div.) involving Proudfoot Efficiency ~ Experts. I think a lot of members do not realize how diligently these men work for the work- ing man in the lumber indus- try. Until you. have had a chance to see them at the ne- gotiating table and see first- hand how they work, as I did recently, you cannot under- stand the time and effort and work that goes on behind the _ "HATS OFF scenes before they even get to the table. When you are up against a man like John Billings (in my mind a giant computer) with unlimited finances backing him, you have to be on a par course. I would like to thank Mr. Moore on behalf of the plant committee and membership of Local 1-367 and to say it was a pleasure meeting and work- ing with him and our Local officers. With people like these heading our union, we can look forward to a good future. Yours truly, KELVIN LAMBRIGHT TO YOU ALL” Editor’s Note: The follow- ing letter published in The North Thompson Times is re- printed by the Lumber Work- er to show the militant spirit and the support Interior strik- ers are receiving from their wives after nearly seven months on strike. Sir: As the press is one of the Freedoms of Our Country, I would like to say a few words to the men on strike in our community, also to the wives that have had to make that dollar stretch just a little bit further. “Hats off to you all,” you are fighting for what you justly deserve, and it seems to me that the only ones that are doing so much kicking about the strike are the NON- UNION men and women, the ones who have earned more than twice the amount of money our mill workers have been getting. The companies, bush con- tractors, and sub-contractors, are dependent on you, the mill workers to bring their high bank balance up to where it was before the strike. Each and every one of you striking men deserve a lot of credit for not letting yourselves be pushed around in order to line the pockets of a few who think our mill workers should bow to their wishes. Again I say, “Hats off to you all,” and as the IWA slo- gan goes, “We want Parity, NOT Charity. If there are those few that take exception to these few lines, it means the shoe must fit, and if it pinches, all the better, they will stop and realize our men are only fighting for what is rightfully theirs. MARY GOULDHAWKE Clearwater, B.C.