Bi-weekly Bulletin Published by The B.C. District Council, International Woodworkers of America, Affiliated with Congress of Industrial Organizations

VOL.9,No.1% =

VANCOUVER, B.C., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1940

OS (240)

1.W.A. Convention Maps Program To
Organize Lumber Workers In ¢.1.0.

Unions Ask
Labor Act

Amendment

Three major amendments was the goal
set by the Trade Union Conference, held
to rally support for improvement of the
Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration
Act, last Sunday“ in the Seamen's
Hall. Initiated for the purpose of unit-
ing labor forces in British Columbia be-
hind the demand for much needed
changes, the informal conference was
atended by offical delegates from six-
teen Vancouver unions, and endorsed
by a number of others unable to send
representatives,

After having a lengthly discussion on
the major objections to the present pro-
visions of the ICA Act, and hearing a
legal opinion from Labor Attorney
John Stanton, the meeting elected a
committee composed of Harold Pritchett
from the IWA, Eric Morton from the
Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Em-
ployees, James Robertson from the
United Mine Workers of America, Geo.
Price from International Union of Mine
Mill and Smelter Workers, and a repre-
sentative of the Boilermakers Union in
the shipbuilding industry, to carry for-
ward the organization of the necessary
machinery t6 obtain governmental rec-
ognition of labor needs, The amend-
ments sought include:
1.Blimination of the time clause in

Section 5 of the Act which discrimin-

ates against unions organized after

December 7, 1938,
2,Hlimination of the Conciliation pro-

vision, making way for a direct move

into arbitration similar to that pro-
vided in the Federal Government. In-
dustrial Disputes Investigation Act

which is being used in the war indus-
tries.

3. Prevention of action of refusing to
recognize when a dispute exists, by
providing that when a union applies
for arbitration the onus of proof that
the union does not represent a majority
of the employees shall rest on the
employer, If the employer desires to
prove same he must make a written
application to the Department within
three days for a Government super-
vised secret ballot election,

IWA Convention
Largest Held Yet.

‘The report of the credentionls com-

f

has had in its career.

From the moment the conven-
tion was called to order until it
adjourned six days later ;the vast
majority of the delegates pushed
relentelessly forward to answer
the paramount question facing the
conclave, organization, refusing
to permit other issues to relegate
the problem to a secondary posi-
tion.

During the afternoon session of
the last day of the convention, the
delegates put the finishing touches
on the progressive program to or-
ganize fashioned during the meet-
ing by adopting the report of the
majority of the organizational com-
mittee.

In the last two days of the con-
vention, numerous resolutions were
adopted to round out the organiza-
tional, economic and political poli-
cies of the IWA.

NATIONAL DEFENCE.

In outlining its policy toward national
defence, the IWA declared we must not
only defend “our shores, but labor's dem-
ocratic rights” to organize, bargain col-
lectively and strike if necessary. The
protection of civil liberties, the right of
free speech and the social and economic
gains made by the people were also
listed as necessary parts of any national
defence program,

Those “who today warn of trojan
horses and fifth columns” and point
their fingers at organized labor were
reminded “the fifth columns of Europe
were not found among the laboring men
and their unions, but in the swivel chairs
of industry and finance.”

RESOLVE DIFFERENCES.

Not war, but a solution to the social
and econimiec problems of the American
people at home will be of the best sery-
ice to democracy, the convention de-
clared,

There were sharp differences of opin-
jon over a resolution which originally
asked for condemnation of the Commun-
ist party and which further commended
Dalrymple, Francis and Germer. These
differences were overcome in a substitute
resolution, recommended unanimously by
the resolutions committee;

Carrying by a vote of 251 to 5, the reso-

(Continued on Page Two)

[Endorses Le

>

ABERDEEN, Wash.—Adjournment of the fourth an-
nual convention of the IWA here last Saturday evening
found the ClO woodworkers, despite moments of turmoil
and heated debate over a number of issues during the six-
day meeting, possessing what was generally conceded to
be the best defined and most militant program for organ-
izing workers in the lumber industry that the organization

adership And Rejects
Move To Split Union Ranks

LADYSMITH I.W.A.
MEETING
NICHOLSON’S HALL

on
SUNDAY, OCT. 27, at 7 p.m.
— Speakers —
International President *
HAROLD J. PRITCHETT
District Secretary

CONVENTION PICTURES: Left, Acting President O. M. “Mickey” Orton greeting
Longshoremen’s President Harry Bridges, who received the biggest ovation of the
Convention. Right, a cross-section of the delegates.

Two B.C. [WA Locals.
Call Annual Meetings

Two important calls were sent out this
week announcing arrangements for the
Annual Meetings of Local 1-80 and Local
1-71 respectively. Secretary Greenwell,
of Local 1-80 is busy with arrangements
for their one-day convention which will
be held at the Picket Camp, Lake Cow-
ichan, on Sunday, November 10, com-
mencing at 10 a.m, Invitations have been
extended to ‘International President
Harold Pritchett, Int'l Executive Board
Member Nigel Morgan, Alan Chambers,
Federal M.P. for Cowichan, and Sam
Guthrie, Member of the Provincial Leg-
islature to address the annual meeting.

Chief business of the meeting will be
to hear officers report on their year of
stewardship, draft an organizational and
legislative program for the coming year
and election of officers for 1941.

IWA Local 1-71 will hold its Annual
Meeting in the Assembly Hall, fifth
floor, the Holden Bldg., Vancouver, on
Monday, December 30, at 10 am., at
which a record attendance is predicted
by Secretary Ernie Dalskog.

Camps are urged to meet immediately
and make preparations for sending «

delegation to these important conter-
ences, and all members are likewise
urged to attend wherever possible,

The continued success and consolida-
tion of our Local Union, especially in
view of the national emergency created
by a world crisis depends upon the abil-
ity of our membership to formulate
plans. Such plans consistent with the
program of the IWA and the CIO are
Necessary so we may more readily suc.
ceed in meeting our responsibilities to
“organize the unorganized” loggers
within our | jurisdiction resulting i n
benefits through our collective strength
to procure for the workers in the log-
ging industry a greater share of the
good things of life by shorter hours,
improved wages and working conditions,

MONTREAL—Several hundred air
craft workers in a Vickers plant here
recently gained a 10c hourly wage in-
crease following a brief work stoppage,
it was learned this week. The action
was purely spontaneous, it was said,