November 13, 1940 THE B.C. LUMBER WORKER Page Three Creosote Workers’ Union Believes Steeves Statement Generally True Company Not Living Up To Regulations, Crew States “Statements made before the Provincial Legislature by Mrs. Steeves, ML.A,, are generally well founded. Local No. 1, of the Greosote Workers 3 Industrial Union have had cause to be apprehensive in their many at- tempts to bargain with the company; so much so that we have had to enlist the services of Federal Fair Wage Officer Harrison. The union has continually attempted to force the company to pay time and one-half for all overtime, especially in view of the increased business, necessitating two shifts and excessive overtime to meet the increased demand by war orders supplied by the Federal Government,” charged a press statement from the union, which was organized about a month ago and is chartered by the Canadian Congress of Labor. “The management has claimed they are living up to labor laws. If this is so, then our labor legislation certainly needs revising, because recently, with approximately half the crew laid off, of which the ma- jority are union members, the company worked for ten days or two weeks, a part of their crew overtime, to the extent of compelling them to work seven days per week, and this while other employees were laid off be- cause there were no orders.” “In addition to this, according to the’ Labor Gazette of September 1940, puni- tive overtime must receive additional re- ward for contracts awarded by the De- partment of Munitions and Supplies. We quote from the Labor Gazette: ‘These contracts are subject also to a working week of not more than forty-eight hours, provision being made that any necessary and authorized overtime work shall be paid for at the rate of not less than one and one-half tinies the regular rate.’ “With the assistance of Fair Wage Of- ficer Harrison, we were successful in ne- gotiating a contract with the company and the union, which the company re- Pudiated even before the men had an opportunity to vote on it, by using the age-old tactics of intimidation, through laying off large sections of the employ- ees, including two officers of the union. ‘However, negotiations were held between the company and the men in the presence of Fair Wage Officer Harrison. “Comparatively speaking wages are ex- * tremely low in this plant and in spite of the fact the Vancouver Creosote Com- pany is a subsidiary of the Dominion Tar and Chemical Company, which increased its profits by 25.38 per cent in 1939 over 1938, Two of the directors of the Do- minion Tar and Chemical Company Lim- ited are Sir Herbert Holt and H. R. Mac- Millan, timber controller for Canada. “To date this company has- not been reasonably fair with its employees, mem- bers of Local No, 1 of the Creosote Work- ers’ Industrial Union, in spite of the fact the union is doing its utmost to create a higher degree of harmony by bringing about a peaceful and amicable settlement through collective bargaining on the grievances that exist in this plant. FORMER SECRETARY DIES IN COURTENAY Members of the IWA learnt with regret recently of the death of Bro. John Sundin, former Secretary of Courtenay Local 2797. One of the most sincere and consistent workers for unionism, Brother Sundin died after a lengthly illness. A wreath from the International Woodworkers was placed on the grave, together with a lot of other floral tributes placed there by the more than a hun- dred friends and union brothers who attended his funeral. Always willing to do what he could to advance or- ganization, Brother Sundin is one of those, to whom better wages and working conditions will ever remain a standing memorial. ‘The union is appreciative of Mrs. Steeves’ fearless and forceful manner in which she presented our grievances to the Leg- islature.” LOCAL RE-NOMINATES WILSON AND GREENWELL Nominations for officers of IWA Local 1-80 for the next year were: President: Fred Wilson. Vice-President (3 to be elected): Don Barbour; Okie Olson, Ed Simp son and Ernie Boulet, Secretary-Treasurer: Archie Green- well. Recording. Secretary: (1 to be elected): Owen Brown and George Maynard. Warden: John Friberg. Conductor: Olie Olsen, John Tassa. Trustees: (2 to be elected): W. Warnchuk, ©. Branting, EH. Fred- rickson and Tom Smith. District Executive Board Member and Alternate: Fred Wilson and Archie Greenwell. The names of these nominees will be placed on a ballot form and sent out within the next fortnight for a referendum vote of the membership of Local 1-80. 1,277 Everett Men Covered By Pact; Wage Raises Won EVERETT, Wash.—One of the largest sawmill operations in the United States, the Weyerhaeuser mills of this city, employing 1277 men, entered into a contract with the International Woodworkers of America last week, bringing wage increases of four and five per cent to the employees. Climaxing a whirlwind organizational campaign in the Weyerhaeuser mills here and signaling the start of a powerful drive against all the giant timber corporation's open-shop areas, and particularly the huge operations in Longview, Wash., Klamath Falls, Ore., and Lewiston, Idaho, the contract here was ratified at a meeting of over one thousand Weyerhaeuser workers Wednesday evening. ANNUAL MEETING (Continuea from Page 1) new ones. Resolutions were adopted en- dorsing: (1) The amendments of the “Revise the I.C.A. Act Committee,” which is en- deavoring to have the Industrial Con- ciliation and Arbitration Act amended to: (a) Eliminate the December 7, 1938, clause which discriminates against unions formed after that date; (b) Eliminate the Concillation Commissioner provision as being an unnecessary waste of time; and (c) Make provision for determining when a dispute exists and for a secret ballot supervised by the Department of Labor. (2) Calling for an increase in wages on the basis of fair and reasonable stan- dards, and condemning the bonus system. (3) Urged the repeal of the Defense of Canada Regulations as being sub- versive of Canadian democracy and the age-old traditions of British justice, (4) Appealed to the Federal Govern- ment to enforce its own Order-in-Council No, 2685, relating to labor conditions on government contracts, (6) Expressed opposition to the system of consumer and wage taxes which in- crease the burden on the poorer paid sections of the community. (6) Endorsed the leadership of CIO President John L. Lewis and urged the Congress of Industrial Organizations to draft him for a third term. (1) Urged the Dominion Government to increase the benefits under the Unem- ployment Insurance Act and to make provision for the inclusion of the basic industries, such as lumbering. (8) Urged all camps, mills and Sub- Locals to elect press committees to co- operate with the editor of the “Timber ment are the same as that negotiated ‘The provisions of the working agree- jointly by the Northern and Southern Washington District Councils for 20,000 IWA members recently. Contained in the agreement is a pro- vision to reopen the contract on De- cember 5, 1940, “for negotiations for further wage adjustments. Except for the wage clause, the agree ment continues until April 1, 1941, and to April 1 of each succeeding year until 1945 unless written notice to terminate or change is given by one of the parties not less than 60 days prior to April 1 of any year. Complete seniority, the eight-hour day, forty-hour week, call time and holidays are also provided in the contract. The conclusion of the working agree- ment between Weyerhaeuser and the IWA tops off one of the most amazing incidents of organizational progress ever made in the lumbef industry. With the Weyerhaeuser mills almost completely unorganized a. little over two months ago, the IWA brought well over a majority of the workers into the CIO in less than two weeks. Actual IWA membership in the giant timber com- pany’s mills is now well over a thousand. With over one huridred more men hay- ing signed cards, IWA membership nears the 100 per cent mark, Worker” and the “Lumber Worker” in sending in camp and mill news. (9) Recommended to the next District Convention of the B.C, District Council of the IWA, that a referendum be sent out for an increase of 25¢ per month in dues, in view of the fact that the 50c per month organizational assessment will be withdrawn in January and the or- ganizational drive must be continued. SWING SHIFT ISSUE CREATES DISUNITY Dissatisfaction is rife amongst the workers of certain departments of the Fraser Mills plant of the Canadian West- ern Lumber Co, Ltd., particularly among those forced to work steady on the graveyeard shift, The agitation puts forth the desire of these workers to “Swing Shift” or take turns with the workers on day shift. ‘The issue of “Swing Shift” is of a high- ly controversial nature, especially where workers are unorganized. It is welcomed and comforted by the management be- cause it permits them to play one worker against another, one shift against the other. This is especially true where the employer sees a danger of the workers uniting for better wages, shorter hours and improved working conditions. ORGANIZATION ONLY ANSWER. The “Swing Shift” idea is not new and is certainly workable but is can only be made so by mutual agreement when the workers become organized into a union where they can discuss such prob- lems freely and intelligently, and act 4s a solid unit to secure this and many other benefits from their employers. To try and talk to the management, or to send a lobby to Victoria to try and get Government recognition—until you have built an organization—is a pure waste of time and money. The “Swing Shift” problem cannot and will not be solved by workers flying at each others’ throats as “rugged individualists” but by becom- ing members of a powerful union and speaking collectively through their rep- resentative bargaining committee. UNIONISM BRINGS RESULTS. Unorganized workers.the world over work the dongest hours for least pay. In union there is strength, for example, look at the wages, working conditions, time and one-half for overtime, double pay for holidays, seniority rights and many other privileges that have been won by unionism for the Streetcar men, the coal miners, the printing trades, the railroaders, the longshore- men, the steelworkers, etc. Every new member means more strength—so join th International Woodworkers of Am- erica now and uphold your right to bargain collectively for an agreement with your company, embodying in- creased wages, shorter hours and im- proved working conditions. Don Cameron, Sawmill Organizer, International Woodworkers of America. (10) Sent a telegram of greeting and pledge of support to the locked-out auto- mobile workers of the CIO at the Chrysler Corporation at Windsor, Ont, pledging support and urging the Depart- ment of Labor to enforce the labor laws. (1) Urged upon tle Provincial Gov- ernment and requested the Ladies’ Aux- illary of Local 1-80 to take up the matter of improving the Youbou road, which is _ badly in need of repairs. (12) Resolved to approach other com- munity organizations at Lake Cowichan in an endeavor to get joint action to pro- vide a proper playground for children at the Lake. _ (48) Urged the authorities to establish a Sub-Station at Lake Cowichan which would provide hospitalization ih case of emergencies. Lunch was served by the Ladies’ Aux- iliary for the visiting delegates and mem- bers who came from as far away as Courtenay, and when the one-day meet- ing concluded it had proved to be one of the most important and successful the local has ever held.