THE B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Page Three

Sawmill News

“Every Reader a Correspondent”

_ Says Victoria Millworkers’
- Conditions Are Intolerable

To the Editor:

During the month of March, I have
been spending considerable time in or-
ganizational work in the mills at Victoria
“and thought that a letter should be sent
to your paper in order that the situation
in Victoria could be placed before the
woodworkers of B.C. 4

There are approximately 1200 wood-
workers in Victoria in about 15 mills
and box factories with very little organ-
{zation amongst them.

/ ‘The men are subject to intolerable con-
ditions owing to the lack of organization.
Wages are the minimum in most cases
and if any move is made to better their
conditions then they are told to get out.
Sanitary conditions are unhealthy; dust
is plentiful because there are no blowers,
despite Government Regulations. that
machinery should be installed to elimi
ate the dust.

Many are compelled to purchase wa
savings stamps, to buy tickets from tHe
bosses for various organizations, /to
accept many things that men organized
would never dream of accepting, In plain
words, the men of the lumber industry in
Victoria are working under conditions
that could be in effect under the feudal
system, ¢

However the men are conscious of these
conditions and are talcing steps to organ-
ize into the I, W. A. where they feel as-
sured they will be able to take the nec-
essary steps to have their wages increas-

Shingles Find
‘Ready Market

Heavy sales of shingles to the United
States to meet the growing requirements
of an unprecedented housing boom may
result in British Columbia operators
filling their annual quota by September,
although normally the quota year would
not end until December 31.

The present quota for Canadian
shingles entry into the United States is
2,500,000 squares.

Labor troubles in the shingle and saw-
mills of the Pacific Northwest States
have contributed to the demand for B.C.
shingles. Although the present turmoil
may be cleared up in a few days, the
shutdown has caused a_ substantial
shortage of stocks which B.C. supplies
will be required to meet.

PRICES UP 10 PER CENT.

‘The shingle market here has improved
accordingly, and prices range about 10
per cent higher than the levels of two or
three months ago,

Lumber sales continue active in Hast-
ern Canada and in some parts of the
United States. There has been a brisk
demand for side lumber, and flooring has
been really scarce. Increase in domestic
sales has helped soften the blow to the
industry caused by drastic decline in ex-
port sales.

Cedar mills are reported to be excep-
tionally active just now because of the
strong demand in the United States for

cedar siding to be used in house con-
struction,

Join the IWA and Help Boost
Our Pay a Buck a Day!

JOHN STANTON

Barrister, Solicitor, Notary

508 Holden Building
16 East Hastings St. MArine 5746

HASTINGS STEAM BATHS

|. WEPSALA, Prop.
Also Agent for Norwegian and Swedish
S American Steamship Lines.

0240 ALWAYS OPEN

ed, stop discrimination, intimidation,
speed-up, company unions and unhealthy
working conditions.

It is not good policy at all times to
announce the strength of an organization
when it is being organized but the rapid
increase in membership in the I. W. A.
local in Victoria is demonstrating that
these woodworkers are on the way to
becoming part of the large membership
already in the I. W. A. ps

It was decided to get after the sanitary
conditions in Cameron's and dust in the
shingle mills.

‘The local secretary and I met Mr. Adem
Bell regarding these two questions and
it was agreed that the factories Act
covered them.

/ Mr, Bell stated he would get in touch
with the Assistant Factory Inspector re-
garding Cameron’s as he was in town
and he would get in touch with the Chief

| Inspector re blowers for the shingle mills.

He said, “We will revive this question
)and see if more results can accrue than
last time.”

\Recently we telephoned Mr. Bell to
find out if any results were forthcoming
and he told us that the report from the
Assistant Inspector regards Cameron's
was not satisfactory and he would meet
us in a few days when he received an
answer from the assistant and also, knew
more regarding the blowers,

We suggest that any time you have
a grievance or there is something. wrong
in the mill you get in touch with the
union in order that we can try to do
something for you.

“Shaky” Robertson,
General Organizer.
Island Labor Council; Victoria

Says Bosses Are
Discriminating

To the Editor:

The working conditions of our depart-
ment are run unjustly to the unemployed
men, The boss in our department is
carrying on a policy of favoritism in
hiring. He will make life miserable for
a man to try and get him to quit and
if he doesn’t quit he will find some small
excuse which he will make bigger and
then fire him, saying it is the superin-
tendent’s orders.

If the day's cut is small and the sup-
erintendent asks why, he lays the blame
on the men. He doesn’t explain that the
machinery broke down and it takes time
to repair it, or maybe he changed a couple
of saws, or that very little wood came
that day compared with the previous
days. In other words, he takes no blame,
and doesn't explain the conditions to
square the incident.

If any of the boys fool with another
one, he is apt to be discharged, Whereas,
if the boss fools with one of them, that
is quite all right, it seems.

This is the true way the department
is run,

A MILLWORKER.

Meet Your Friends at

MANITOBA |
HOTEL

44 W. Cordova St.

Outside Rooms — Elevator Service
Steam Heat — Reasonable Rates
Centrally Located

PA. 0267 N. J. THOMPSON, Mgr.

Blackout At
Fraser Mills

After the recent test blackout of the
Lower Mainland, glowing statements of
its success were made by military and
government officials. The daily press
lauded to the high heavens the’ spirit
of cooperation exercised by the populace,
and especially how industry and work-
ers cooperated to “blackout” the mills,
plants and factories operating on night
work.

Fraser Mills came in for special men-
tion because of the size and nature of the
plant, It was announced, with pride, that
the workers in the mill were able to
gain a 100 per cent rating during the
blackout; all fires and burners were
dampened and not a light was to be seen.

The government decreed that it be so,
so industry and workers cooperated. But
wait! If all the lights were out, then
the workers would not be able to work!
For fifteen minutes the plant would not
be producing! Did this mean that the
Canadian Western Lumber Company was
donating that fifteen minutes to assist
the government in this important test?
No, by no manner of means.
nadian Western Lumber Company in-
structed its employees to remain fifteen
minutes AFTER quitting time to make
up production, at the expense of the
workers in the mill—these same workers
who were responsible for the success of
the blackout.

Night work anywhere is no easy task,
and it is nothing short of disgraceful
that a company that poses as a friend
of the workers should take such an un-
fair and petty step as to keep the men
fifteen minutes late on such a night.
It was indeed a blackout. However, it
has clearly shown one point, regardless
of whether the military “benefitted by
the blackout, regardless of the feelings
of the workers, in working overtime
gratis—profits at ALL times must be pro-
tected.

It is incldents such as cited above that
clearly show the need for a strong, virile
trade union in Fraser Mills, Organiza-
tion does not only mean higher wages,
but also means self-respect, to be able,
through your organization, to sit at the
table with your employer, and negotiate,
as equals, the basis and conditions of
your employment. No union of employees
would allow an employer to get away
with such tactics as the company did
on the night of the blackout.

The International Woodworkers of Am-
erica stands ready to assist you to or-
ganize, as it has assisted thousands of
other workers in B.C, Trade union or-
ganization is the only guarantee that
our wages will be increased and condi-
tions of work made satisfactory. Thou-
sands of workers in B.C. have learned
this lesson, The shipyard workers are
100 per cent organized; the American
Can employees have just organized; the
steel workers of this province are or-
ganizing. Millworkers, let’s get in step
with the rest of labor, in organizing to
protect ourselves and our families, Let's
get out from under the blackout of in-
dividualism, into the sunshine of organi-
zation, through the beacon of the IWA.

Before you buy or exchange your car}
Phone A. L. SANDBERG
FAir. 6175 — BAy. 1872-L

“Support the one who supports you|

for progressive security and a better}
deal.”

Representing

McEWEN MOTORS

65 Kingsway Vancouver, B.C.|

“The greater the difficulties are, the
stronger we resist, The final victory
must be ours,”—Dr, P, D. Chang, in
“China Today,

HANEY TAILORS

62 East Hastings St,
Phone MA, 5834 Vancouver, B.O.

WE GUARANTEE A PERFECT FIT
AND COMPLETE SATISFACTIO:

The Ca-|

COST OF LIVING
RISING SHARPLY

‘The average index number for the Do-
minion of Canada for the months of
January to March inclusive, 1941, was
108.2, which was an increase over the
corresponding months of 1939 of 7.3
per cent and of 1940 of 3.9 per cent.

Index numbers for food for the City
of. Vancouver have been released and
the average index number for the three
months, January to March inclusive,
1941, showed an increase of 11.6 per cent
over the corresponding period in 1939,
and 5.4 per cent over the corresponding
period of 1940,

‘The index for April, 1941, of 108.6 for
the Dominion shows an increase over
the index at the outbreak of war (August
1939) of 7.7 per cent.

It must be pointed out that the in-
crease in the cost of living is based upon
a fixed budget and does not take into
account deductions from the basic rate
of pay such as National War Defense
Tax, which, incidentally, is being in-
creased by 3 and 4 per cent, effective

July, 1941, nor lower exemptions for in-
come tax, etc,

Victoria Millworkers!

IWA LOCAL 1-118, — Meet-
ing held every second Wednes-
day at 8 p.m., 1110 Broad St.
Victoria. Next meeting will be
held June 11,

SEA FOODS ARE GOOD FoR YOU
+. and you'll like them at

THE “ONLY” FISH

THEY ARE ALWAYS FRESH!

20 East Hastings Street
100% UNION HOUSE

LONDON
Jewellers

DIAMOND BROKERS

70 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, B.C,

The London Jewellers has reopened
under new management, We take
pride in the work we do and cater
especially to workers. We specialize
in Waltham, Elgin and Hamilton
watches and all our work is guaran-
teed or your money refunded, Mail
orders are attended to promptly.

When In Vancouver
Stop at

COLUMBIA HOTEL

Licensed Premises

303 COLUMBIA AVE.
MA. 3757

Seeuneenuwcueeeecees
Saannennnanncnneeuncnent!

gapmeneencnnennenanecennnn

BINGO & DANCIN

at the

Swedish Community Hall
1820 Hast Hastings St. .
BINGO 8:30 DANOING 9 to 2)

Music by
HELGE ANDERSON

EVERY SATURDAY

ADMISSION 25 CENTS