CC. Lenses Wonner UNION BULLETIN Published Bi-Weekly by the B.C. District Council, .W.of A. “Ahead On The Main!” Help — Organize B.C. Lumber! =— VOL. 10, No. 5 VANCOUVER, B.C., APRIL 2, 1940 o => No. 228 Loggers’ Navy Reports — _ Wage Gain From Q.C.I. Convention Slogan Taking Effect In B.C. Organized Demand Brings Wage Hoist at Kelly’s, Allison’s And Morgan’s; To Offset Increased Living Costs and Lumber Profits Following through on the “Wage Hoist” campaign launched by the International Woodworkers’ B.C. District Council in its convention last January, a fifty-cent wage increase is reported for all loggers at the three large Queen Charlotte operations this week. With better than 300 em- ployees affected by the raise, th eaggregate total for a fifty-two week year would be better than $47,000.00. First steps for the increase were taken by the crew at Kelly’s on March 10, when a camp meeting was held, a negotiatong committee elected, and the demand of 50c additional pay approved. The committee which met the camp superintendent was informed that Kelly's were willing to grant the demand, but would have to-consult Mor- gans and Allisons first. Later, with the help of the Organizers John McCuish and Ted Gunrud of the Loggers Navy, meetings were held at the two other camps and similar demands formulated. After several meetings and negotiations the wage increase was effected, to come into force ag from April ist, In addition to the 50c a day increase, fallers and buckers at Kelly’s and Allison's received a five cent per thousand increase for bushelling, So culminated a six hundred mile jour- ney through dangerous and stormy waters, with three weeks of intenstve organizational work by the crew of the “Laur Wayne” in the Queen Charlotte District. In this trip alone the “Navy” owned and operated by the Loggers Union for the improvement of wages and betterment of working conditions, paid for itself many times over. Consid- erable assistance in this drive was given by Cowichan Lake Local 1-80, who helped finance the initial costs of getting the drive under way. This is just one ex- ample of what cooperation and organized effort will gain, and what joint co-oper- ation between our various locals can accomplish. An interesting observation is the fact that Kelly's, where there is, @ good proportion of I.W.A. members, was the camp to show the lead. In every eamp where any worth while increase has been obtained, I,W.A. membership has been strong and lead the way. co, GENEROSITY? : __ It is most touching how gener- ous the rich become on their ed! Indeed we have heard one greedy profiteer who, when. 4 finally come to the end of SEAMEN DEMAND $15 WAGE HOIST TORONTO, Ont. — (CUNS)—Great Lakes seamen moved towards their objective of a $15 monthly increase in pay this week when representatives of five districts and the national exe- cutive of the Canadian Seamen's union approved an agreement for submission to ship owners immediately. The agree- ment affects 6,500 seamen from Fort William to Halifax. : President Pat Sullivan of the CSU said after the meeting here that the plans will be discussed with the Cana- dian Navigators’ Federation and the Na- tional Association of Marine Engineers to ensure that agreements of the three bodies shall not conflict. The negotiating committee will also seek the additiun of three extramen on an average on every ship, 55 cents hourly for overtime and a closed shop. The monthly increase in wages would amount to 3% to five cents an hour, union officers said, The present pay for deck hands is $55 monthly in Canada with unlimited hours, Sullivan said. The comparable pay in the US is nearly $100 monthly for an eight- hour day with 75 cents hourly overtime. “It is time the wages of Canadian seamen were brought closer to a lv- ing standard and on a parity with US seamen,” Sullivan declared. “The pro- posed increase will only cover higher living costs if they keep heading for the ceiling.” Outlining gains made in organization of Nova Scotian fishermen, Sullivan told Toronto Trades and Labor Council that they were raised to 21 cents an hour, Fishermen doing the same work in Bos- ton were getting 89 cents an hour and the product was shipped into Canada and sold cheaper than the local product | despite a tariff, he said, C10. SECRETARY GAINS FREEDOM C.H. Millard, secretary of the CIO in Canada, gained his freedom last week when charges preferred under Defense of Canada regulations were withdrawn after he wrote Ontario’s Attorney-General Conant that he had not the slightest intention or de- sire to agitate public opinion or feel- ing against Canada’s war effort. Millard was arrested at Timmins last fall after an address to miners in which he declared that “there was not a great deal of sense in going to Europe to fight Hitlerism while there was Hitlerism right here in Canada.” “Release of one trade unionist does not prove that the threat to trade unionism has been routed,” the union defense committee stated. “No explanation or apologies have yet been made for raids on union of- fices which were conducted by the Conant labor-hating administration at the time of Millard’s arrest. “There must be no let-up in the fight to restore democracy in Can- ada. The channels for expression of protest must be kept free,” the state- ment concluded. Miners Urge Six-Hour Day HALIFAX, N.S.— Withholding of leases from coal mine operators who refuse union conditions to miners was urged upon the Nova Scotia gov- ernment-in a brief presented to the cabinet last week by officers of Dis- trict 26, United Mine Workers, head- ed by Silby Barrett, board member and chairman of the Canadian CIO. Reduction of the hours of work from eight to six daily and appoint- ment of a commission to survey youth employment conditions was urged. Increases in old age pensions end. uapmpencation benefits were also Mimers Levy To Cut Pioneer Debt CUMBERLAND, B.C.—United Mine Workers of America local union here unanimously assessed members 25 cents towards defraying debts of the Pioneer Miners’ union during their protracted five-months’ strike. It is understood the miners received large credits from a Vancouver department store and are endeavoring to liquidate the debt. The miners also endorsed an assess- ment of $1 on each member to make May Day a bigger success than any yet held here.. A committee of five was elected to prepare plans for the day which has been celebrated here for many years.. The day is usually marked with a civic holiday. Ruling To Reinstate Miners Won Union Registers First Victory In Teck Hughes Fight KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. — First victory of the Mine, Mill & Smelter Workers’ Union in its fight to obtain collective bargaining rights for hard- rock “miners employed at Teck Hughes mine was seen here last week in the decision of a federal con- ciliation board that six workers, dis- charged for union activity, be rein- stated before hearings are resumed. Suggestion of the board that six min- ers be rehired, specifically Union Presi- dent Bland and Ernest Fisher, who signed the conciliation board application, was hailed by union members as con- firmation of their claim that discharge of 47 miners was due to discrimmation by the mine management against trade unionists. The 47 were fired a week after the federal labor department pro- vided for a vote to be taken on strike action if mihers’ demands were not met by conciliation, The board’s proposal that six of those fired should be reinstated “as a token of co-operation” was accepted by the com- pany and the union. An understanding was also reached that the 41 other min ers who were fired will be given prefer- ence in re-employment. Question of reinstatement of the others will take precedence who the board re- convenes at the end of the month, TD eh RG LIHUE, Hawaii—The CIO Int'l Long- shoremen’s & Warehousemen’s Union has become the sole collective bargain- ing agency for the waterfront workers in all ports on the island of Kauai as the result of a Labor Board election vie tory at the Lihue Plantation Co.