Page Four

THE B.c.

LUMBER WORKER

October 23, 1940

Organizing is Main Task in 194

OFFICERS MAKE
JOINT REPORT
ON PROBLEMS

Upon the duty of the IWA to con-
tinue the program of the CIO to
organize the unorganized was laid
the heaviest stress and emphasis in
the joint report of the four Interna-
tional officers to the membership of
the organization, submitted to the
Fourth Annual Convention.

In the report, which dealt with a wide
range of event, programs and policies
within the International organization
and the CIO as well as without that
affect the lives and working standards
of the woodworkers, the message of the
cfficers declared almost at the outset
that “our major problem here in this
convention, as in the last, is to organize
the unorganized.”

ORGANIZING IMPORTANT

In offering the report, President Har-
old J. Pritchett, Vice-Presidents U. M.
Orton and Worth Lowery and Sec'y-
Treasurer Bertel J. McCarty considered
it their prime responsibility to appraise
the membership of the importance of
their assisting in the present organizing
drive—the greatest organizational drive
in the history of the lumber industry.”

In fulfilling the slogan, “Every Mem-
ber Get A Member,” the report said, “We
can all then rest assured our organiza-
tional drive will be successful far be-
yond our expectation, our International
Union will grow in great numbers, our
financial position will be further im-
proved, we will have met our responsi-
bilities to the CIO, and we will have ac-
cepted the challenge of President John
L, Lewis for ten million members within
the confines of the CIO within the next
five years, building a union that will
endure.”

The report launched immediately into
review of the gains made by organized
labor during the year since the 1939 cun-
vention of the IWA and new threats
which have come from the war, attend-
ant hysteria and the bankruptcy of “in-
dustrial and political leaders of the na-
tion” who “have failed to meet the
domestic problems of the nation face to
face,

“Fortunately,” the four International
officers reported, “the members of the
Vongress of Industrial organizations
were forewarned of, and thus fore-
armed against, the ‘m-American in-
dustrial tycoons who hope, through
carefully planned. excitement and hys-
terla, to withdraw the minds of the
people from their overpowering do-
mestic problems, and behind 2 screen
of super-patriotism destroy our do-
mestic institutions and civil liberties
and involve us in this world catas-

trophe solely to gain exorbitant profits
for themselves.”

More than a year ago, the report
continued, the CIO declared the bulld-
ing of a strong progressive labor
movement; was the greatest contribu-
tion that could be made to demécracy.

‘The IWaA’s role in building this bul-
wark of democracy was revealed by
the report that the union has “estab-
lished its strength and prestige with
2 greater firmness and stability.”

FINANCING ESSENTIAL ‘

From the direct question on

strengthening and extending the or-
ganizational work of the IWA, the

bers.”

IWA.”

ment.

committee recommends

Get a Member.’”

Unionize Is Theme!

The theme of the organization committee’s report was the reiter-
ation of the IWA’s “firm determination to go down the line on the
program of the CIO to do our share in obtaining 5 million new mem-

The committee noted “with satisfaction” the progress made by the
IWA in meeting the “great responsibility which faces it today,” but
sounded a note of warning that “only through the utmost unity will
we he able to successfully conclude the organizational campaign and
bring all the unorganized woodworkers under the banner of the

Complete cooperation’ of all local unions, districts and sub-divi-
sions of the International union with organizers sent into the field
by the IWA and the National CIO was requested by the committee,
and the membership was urged to meet their financial obligation to
the organizing drive by the immediate payment of the special assess-

“The abiding streifgth of our movement; ”” the committee’s report
concluded, “lies in the day to day work of organization and your
every member of our union to energeti-
cally use his or her initiative to realize our slogan of ‘Every Member

The committee also recommended a raise in the per capita tax
to fifty cents to carry on the organizing program following the ex-
piration of the present special assessment period.

On. the per capita tax question, the convention voted with but
one dissenting vote to refer the matter to the membership and in-
structed the International executive board to release the referendum
at such time as it deemed advisable.

Old Timer Calls For End Of
Bushelling, Wants Day Wage

BRALORNE MINERS
OUST CO-UNION IN
RECENT ELECTION

A vote was held at Bralorne, B.C., on
Thursday, October 17th, to decide if the

Bralorne Co-Operative Committee was
to continue to act as.bargaining agent
for the Bralorne workers, which they
aye been doing since 1937.

Four Scrutineers were appointed by
Bralorne Miners’ Union No. 271 of the
International Union of Mine, Mill &
Smelter Workers to see that the vote
was properly carried out and the result
was that the Bralorne Co-Operative
Committee was ousted by a majority of
85. This is a great victory for the Union
and has been brought about by the
union proving to the workers that the
Co-Op. was nothing but a company
union and that it would do nothing to
improve the economic or working con-
ditions of any of the Bralorne workers.

The Bralorne Co-Op. has had many
opportunities since its existence to ask
for higher wages and improved working
conditions, but it was too much con-
trolled by company officials to obtain
any results, Since it has been in exist-
ence gold has increased in price to
$88.50 per ounce and the workers have
not received any of this large increase,
neither have they received any benefits
from the inhrease in the value of lead
and zinc, though the Bralorne Co-Op.
has been requested by its members to
demand $1.00 a day increase in wages.
This led to much dissatisfaction by
many of its members and gradually
they learned that it would do nothing
for them, so finally the workers them-
selves decided that only a strongly or-
ganized union under progressive leader-
ship could give them higher wages and
better living and working conditions.

report moved to a discussion of the
financial status of the International,
revealing it vastly improved over pre-
“vious years, with a greater portion of
the union’s income, apart from the
established by a referendum vote,
going for organizing activity.

Editor, B.C. Lumber Worker:

At a logging camp where I have been
lately employed as a bucker in a falling
gang( getting day wages), we have been
working on good ground with the best
of timber where we have in one day
felled as many as 44 trees,

In such cases the bucker would natur-
ally work all day bucking and the next
day all 3 of the gang would buck for
sometimes as much as 6 hours. On this
oceasion the head-faller estimated that
they had felled as much as 60 M.

However, I found it difficult to get
along with the fallers, especially one of
them. Often I would be told: “Work over
there,” "We are in a hurry now,” “Come
and work here,” “Why don’t you finisa
over there, we have some more timber
to fall there yet,” “Don’t go for water
now, the boss is walking on the grade
now,” and so on,

One of the fallers, an old-timer, who
understands falling well, but seems to
forgot that when we come to good timber
there should be two buckers as it was at
one time in this industry.

I remember about the time we first
started busheling on the Coast. I was
working in one of the big camps and at
that time we used to receive $1.00 per M
(contract), and day-men got $6.00 per day.
Of course, rates varied over a long period
as well as in the different camps. How-
ever, we worked in four-men gangs and
I remember being told by the bull-bucker
that the company was quite satisfied
when we felled 24 M per day, which work
ed out at $6.00 per day.

It is too bad, but it seems that the con-
tract scheme has proven of great benefit
employer. By placing the res-
ity for speed-up, increased pro-
duction, more accidents and more profits,
on the backs of the employees themselves,
Fraternally yours,
“Ola Timer.”

Ed, Note. — We publish this letter
because we think it to be typical of some
of the difficulties that arise out of the
contract system of falling,

Day work is the remedy and organiza-
tion the doctor for this malady. However,
it must be realized that even were day
wages secured, there would no doubt re-
main the matter of “getting along” where
small gangs of such a nature are con-
cerned. Consequently, outside of advoca-
ting day wages we cannot take sides in
such a situation as the above letter de-
picts. We can, however, ask that workers
display as much toleration towards each
other as possible in the mean time and
strive for day wages.

MEMBERSHIP IS
INCREASED BY
6000 IN YEAR

Nearly 30 new locals and an in-
crease of 6,000 dues paying members
have been other achievements of the
International since the Klamath
Falls convention.

The negotiations of the various
district councils for new working
agreements which were conducted
this spring and summer won high
praise in the report, as did the work
of the International Policy Com-
mittee.

The significance of the progress to-
ward more broad and inclusive negotia-
tions was pointed out and a recommen-
dation for the establishment of a spe-
cial convention committee, “to organize
our policy and program in the matter
of our future contracts, thereby provid-
ing a better opportunity for achieving
our ultimate goal—one blanket contract
for the entire woodworking industry.”
UNION HIRING AHEAD

Of the immediate improved working
conditions to be attained by the IWA,
the report said: “Union hiring, guaran-
teeing greater job security to our mem-
bership, is yet to be achieved. Contracts
now in effect requiring the employer
to hire through the union cover only a
very small percentage of our member-
ship. This should be one of the major
objectives of our Union during the com-
ing year.”

“Gratifying results” in the work of
the Anti-Busheling Committee were
reported and the elimination of piece-
work in the plywood industry by the
Plywood District Council was praised
and was seen as giving “added im-
petus to this convention to strength-
en our drive to eliminate busheling
and piece work in the entire wood-
working industry.”

‘The blame for the continuation of the
breech between the CIO and AFL was
laid at the door of the top officialdom
of the AFL, and the support of the In-
ternational officers was given to the
proposal of John L, Lewis before the
American Youth Congress for a joint
convention of the CIO and AFL to vote
on the question: of labor unity.

IWA FOR CONSERVATION

The IW4’s position on the dire need
for the immediate launching of a pro-
gram of forest conservation was re-
stated in-the report.

Adequate programs of slum clearance,
social security and health were other
demands voiced in the report, and the
present governmental policies of loading
the almost unbearable tax burden to
finance the arms and munitions pro-
gram onto the backs of those least able
to pay, while great corporations, reap-
ing incredible profits, are almost com-
pletely free from taxation, were roundly
condemned,

In closing, the joint report returned
to the “paramount question” before
the convention—organization of the
unorganized woodworkers and stated
that “in view of the world crisis and
national emergency, we must assume
@ responsibility unsurpassed in our
history.”

TRin. 6098

Ukrainian-Polish-Russian

Interpreting
T. BORESKY
530 Rogers Bldg. Vancouver, B.C.