THE B.C. LUMBER WORKER January 22, 1941 “Labor trouble’ is a frequently used phrase. Why not call it “employer trouble” instead? Very little trouble would be started by labor if there were not first a good deal of “employer trouble.” Think of all the employers who have refused to recognize unions, If employ- ers had not been so stubborn about re- cognizing unions there would never have been any strikes to enforce recognition. So, first we get “employer trouble” and then, to cure that, we get labor trouble. It’s a queer world—and sometimes the cart gets hitched up before the horse, ‘he horse, of course, not being used to that, raises a row. Right at this moment there is a great deal of “employer trouble” even though the Provincial and Federal Laws declare workers have the legal right to organize. Some employers still think they can “beat the game” and go right on with their old scheming and brow-beating. They have a bad case of “employer trouble.” It probably is going to take a lot more “labor trouble” to cure the “employer trouble” that keeps cropping out all over the country. At this moment strikes are on the inerease. There isn’t any reason to ex- pect any decrease, either. “Hmployer trouble” is a very stubborn thing—it resists cure, even though that resistance is expensive and must always lose in the long run. That’s how employ- ers are, What is to be done about all this “em- ployer trouble?” There's only one thing— that’s all there ever has been. Workers must organize. Even with all the new law, nothing happens until workers do organize. One worker doesn’t get any- where, even with the new law. It takes a union of workers. The law, clearly, can only be enforced by unions of work- ers. If you're not in g.ynion you might as well give up. You'll sink, as far as cur- ing “employer trouble” is concerned. You'll take what you get and like it. So, after all, the cure for “employer trouble” is only through unions. Unless you join a union you have no standing with a labor board, If you are in a union, then your union has a stand- ing, and a very valuable and important standing. Your employer must not fire you for joining a union. Some of them don’t be- lieve that yet, but they'll find out one of these days. Your employer has to bargain with your union—not with you, as a lone worker, but with your union as a band of workers. The best way to cure “employer trouble” is to hurry up and organize into a solid, militant, labor organization that will go to bats for your rights, both economic and social, and not quit fighting until it has achieved those standards to which the woodwork- ers of British Columbia are entitled; un- til it has broken the “blacklist and estab- lished collective bargaining in B.C, with written union contracts. Compensation. Laws Violated At Englewood Wlagrant violation of compensation laws is reported at the camp of Wood and English, Englewood, where, accord- ing to reports, not only is the crew al- lowed to ride the snubber, but 110 men are hauled on the scow which is equipped with only two lifebelts. Not even the saw-box is up to standard at this camp, according to reports. This matter has been taken up with the Safety Depart- ment of the Workmen's Compensation Board by the IWA, and promises have been made that the whole matter will be thoroughly investigated, > ©