Bi-weekly Bulletin Published by The B.C. District Council, International Woodworkers of America, Affiliated with Cungress of Industrial Organizations VOL. 9. No. 19. VANCOUVER, B.C., WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1940 oS (242) LEWIS REPORTS GAINS AT CONVENTION; STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZING ATLANTIC CITY, Nov. 18.—Over | -—Over 500 delegates, meeting here in - Pritchett Is Resigning In Interests Of Organization VANCOUVER, B.C., Nov. 26—The resignation of Harold Pritchett from the office of President of the Interna- tional Woodworkers of America, was announced from the Seattle Head- quarters of the Union today. In a special release to the B.C. Lumber Worker this morning, Pritchett, who is at present on an organizational trip to the Courtenay district, stated, “Hav- ng been unjustly thwarted in my at- tempts to return to the United States, I have tendered my resignation, believ- ing it to be in the best interests of the membership, and knowng that the leadership of the organization will be 0. M. Ortin H. Pritchett in good hands, In the person of Acting President, O. M. ‘Mickey’ Orton.” Orton, who was formerly Vice Presi- dent of the IWA assumed the respon- sibilities of President at the tme of the Conyention last month, when President Pritchett was refused a re-entry permit to the U.S. Pritchett’s formal resigna- ton was submitted during the CIO Na- tional Convention last week at Atlantic Cty, and Orton subsequently seated on the CIO Executive Board, representing the International, Pritchett, who until his election to lead the CIO Woodworkers Union, worked as a shingle sawyer in Vancouver, was the only Canadian president of an Interna- tional Union. As one of the top-rankng CIO officials and elected leader of more than 100,00 woodwokers, he has achieved @ brililant record in the labor field. The _ drive which he lead to organize lumber bitterly assailed by the powerful yer interests, and as the results of convention to mark the fifth year of CIO, heard President John L. Lewis report that CIO’s affiliates and membership have not only withstood severe attacks rising from the world crisis but have made substantial new organizing progress as well. “This convention of the CIO is held in a period of severe testing for all our institutions,” Lewis wrote in the introduction to his report. “We meet under the shadow of a world crisis, which threatens to engulf this country. “All around us we see war and imperialism in their most hideous aspects. We are confronted with the necessity of defending our country against these dangers, of preserving our liberties against assaults from without or within and proving to the world and to the people of America the virtue and validity of our institutions.” How well the CIO has proved its value to the people is seen in the record of the past year’s progress in organizing, in defending progressive social legislation, in pushing forward an economic program of security and well-being, and in preserving civil liberties from the ferocious assault rising out of war hysteria. The report cited the record of CIO victories in Labor Board elections— standing at three to one for CIO in the past year—as solid evidence of the way American workers prefer CIO’s militant, progressive brand of unionism to all others. In addition, progress is cited in the aviation drive, in the campaign to organize Ford, Bethlehem and in the lumber industry as major evidence of CIO’s growth. In the legislative front, CIO’s suc- cess in holding back tory drives against labor laws is reported by President Lewis, with the warning that defense of existing standards and new progress requires the CIO “to move forward and meet the critical days before us with a com- prehensive program that promises a solution to our fundamental prob- lems.” Similarly the economic section of Lewis’ report, while noting the dangers in the increasing switch of the U.S. towards a war economy, calls for a program of jobs, full in- dustrial production, better distribu- tion of purchasing power, and other steps to utilize our resources for the common good. Other sections of the report, deal- ing with such subjects as social se- curity, press and publicity, housing, health, government contracts, legal and court work, international affairs, etc., emphasize the note of CIO’s con- tribution to the welfare of the work- ers and the people and set forth a program of action for greater im- provements, Throughout the report, the basic program of industrial organization is stressed as dominant in all hopes and plans for social betterment in the nation. 3 Just 27 more “Chopping” Days till the ELECTED PRESIDENT AT C.1.0. CONVENTION PHIL MURRAY JOIN UNION, GET 4000% DIVIDEND BRISTOL, Conn.—Does it pay to join the CIO? Ask any brass worker in the Connecticut Valley who joined the Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers and you'll get an answer—it pays 4,000 per cent on your dues investment. Here’s how it figures out: The Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers have won 10 contracts in the brass industry. Pay in- creases amount to $420 per worker per year. Dues amount to $13 per year. A dividend of $420 on an investment of $13 is 4,000 per cent, which is a nice |return even in these days of skyrocket arms profits, Axbitration Board Grants Loblaw Employees Trial Weekly Half Holiday TORONTO.—An arbitration board has granted employees of Loblaw Groceter- jas, members of Canadian Retail Em- ployees Union, a Wednesday half-holiday for a three-month trial period from Jan- uary, 1941, Continuance of this holiday, only allowed in summer monthse hereto- fore, is conditional upon the union ob- taining its acceptance by other chain stores. Meatcutters May Strike Employees of the Pacific Meat Co. Ltd., Marpole, will go on strike if the company refuses to accept the report of the arbitration board, released to- day. This statement was given by Pete Christie, secretary of the Meat Cutters and Packing House Employees’ Union, who disclosed that the board's report recommends: I. A 10 per cent increase in wages for all employees of the company; 2. One week’s holiday with pay after one year's service; 8. Union recognition; 4, A seniority clause under which old- er employees would be the last to be let out in the event of a layoff, About 90 employees are involved. Christie declared the union executive was “very well satisfied” with the report and: would recommend™its adoption by the union membership. Judge A. M, Harper was chairman of the arbitration board, R. L. Norman rep- resented the company, and Alex Fordyce the employees. H. A, Bourne was coun- sel for the company. The employees’ case was presented by John Wigdor, econo- mic counsel of the Pacific Coast Labor Bureau of Canada; Dave Bryce, presi- dent of the union; Hubert Draper, vice- president, and Pete Christie, secretary. Pledges of support for the Meateutters Union have already come in from a num- ber of lumbering and mining centres, who have been receiving reports on de- velopments in negotiations. Recalling the inconvenience caused in the camps a couple of years ago over the Burns strike, the B,C, District Council of the I.W.A. have written on behalf of their membership, to the management of this meat-packing firm whose products are used exclusively in the logging camps such as Kelly's, Allison's Carstair’s, You- bou, Pacific Mills, Powell River, B.C. Pulp, etc. urging a peaceful settlement. PROFITS AND LIVING COSTS INCREASING Dividends for the 11-month period ending November 1940 were $240,000,- 000, This exceeded by $12,000,000 the 1939 11-month total of $228,000,000. As December is a month of heavy dividend payments it is expected that the 1940 dividend total will be further increased substantially over 1939, The index for the retail cost of living at September 1, 1940, was 5.6 per cent higher than at September 1, 1939. This does not fasta deductions such as the National War Defense tax, nor does it take into account the lowered exemptions for Personal In- come tax,