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rE PEOPL

LABOR’S VOICE FOR VICTORY

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VOL. I. Ne. 8.

VANCOUVER, B.C., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1942

Q aes 5 Cents

7

ettlement On Shi

Council Adopts

Stewart's

Plam For Safety Campaign

Jobs like this in the shipyards can be
angerous. According to shipyard safety en-
ineers, accident rates are soaring. It was this
wat prompted the resolution proposed last
eek by William Stewart, Boilermakers’ dele-
ate to the Vancouver Labor Council, asking
le council to write to the Canadian Medical

ssociation, Wartime Merchant Shipping and
.e¢ department of labor urging that a doctor
id nurse be constantly in attendance at each
ipyard.

“The health of the men employed in our
war industries is just as important as the health
of the men in the armed forces,” Stewart stated,
alleging that the number of manhours lost due
to lack of attention on the spot was greater
than the time lost in quickie strikes.

“When the worker refuses to work under
unsafe conditions, these conditions will be
remedied,” Malcolm McLeod, another Boiler-
makers’ delegate, declared in urging safety
committees of the workers themselves in order
to make the workers safety-conscious.

submit compromise proposals

Pritchett _
Contests
Council

Harold Pritchett, secretary
of Vancouver Labor Council,
who recently announced his in-
tention of contesting a park
board seat in the nearing civic
elections, this week filed nom=
ination papers as a candidate
for city council.

“My action is consistent with the
Stand for labor unity I have taken
from the outset,” Pritchett said in
a statement to the press.

“A. few weeks ago I was urged by
Vaneouyer Civic Labor Committee
to stand as an aldermanic candi-
date. At that time I reserved my
decision pending the outcome of
the CCE nominating convention.
When the CCF, rejecting all sugges-
tions that it leave a vacancy in its
aldermanic slate, nominated four
candidates for city council, I enter-
ed the park board contest, where
the CCF had not named a full slate,

to avoid dividing the labor vote.

“The withdrawal of Victor Cou-
Sineau on a technicality and the
decision of the CCF not to name
another candidate have made it
possible for me to stand for coun-
ceil. I believe that my decision
will be welcomed by the trade union
movement generally, since it will
help to rally a united vote for the
labor candidate and strengthen the
possibility that after December 9
the working people of this city
will be represented by alderman
pledged to serve their interests and
give labor full partnership in our

civic war effort.’

pyard

Jay Plan Said Near
Unions To Vote

On New Proposals
Within Few Days

Final settlement of working conditions under the seven-day
continuous production plan in provincial shipyards appeared
probable this week as representatives of all unions agreed to

offered by Charles Brenchley,

personnel manager for Burrard Drydock Company to their
membership with recommendations for endorsation.

After a month’s discussion on the Richards Commission re-
port, during which agreement has been reached on most points,
the conference reached a deadlock on the issue of the ratio of
hours paid for to hours worked.

Brenchley, submitting his pro-
posals, explained his action as a
purely personal attempt to break
the deadlock and not taken on be-
half of the BiC: Shipbuilders Fed-
eration.

Union representatives withdrew
to consider the proposals and, after
considerable discussion, agreed to
place them before their members
with a recommendation for ac-
ceptance.

Jt is understood the Brenchley
proposals call for payment of 51
hours for the day shift and 56
hours for the two night shifts, pro-
vided six consecutive shifts are
worked. Those groups remaining
on the six-day basis with Sunday
4S a day off would continue to be
paid on the present 50-5454 basis.

‘Hamilton Bridge

In Negotiations

Men returned to work at the
Hamilton Bridge plant Monday
afternoon on the management's
assurance that it would negotiate
a clause in the suggested agree-
ment giving the Boilermakers’
union sole bargaining rights for all
employees coming under its juris-
diction,

The three-day strike was set off
by the management's action in
signing an open shop agreement
with a small group of welders af-
filiated with Amalgamated Building
Workers while negotiations were
proceeding with the Boilermakers’
union.

On Sunday, employees of West
Coast shipyard, for which the Ham-
ilton Bridge plant fabricates steel,
met to determine what action they
would take to support Hamilton
Bridge strikers and also to fur-
ther their own nine months” fight
for union recognition.

The meeting unanimously apreed
to take decisive action at 11 a.m.
Tuesday, unless union officials
could arrive at some definite basis
for negotiations with the manage-
ment before that time.

At another meeting Sunday, at-

(Continued on Page 8)

See SHIPYARDS