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Bi-weekly Bulletin Published by The B.C. District Council, International Woodworkers of America, (CIO), Affiliated with Canadian Coriprens of Labor
VOL, XI. No. 7. VANCOUVER, B.C., SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1942 SS (267)

j Employees At Hill Logging To
_ Open Negotiations With Company

ats) LAKE COWICHAN, B.C.—Employees of the Hill Logging Company,

a subsidiary of Lake Logging Co., at Rounds, at a meeting held last week,
“elected a committee of seven to present and negotiate proposed agree-
ments to the management. Negotiations are expected to open about April 1.

Vote Down Contract Submitted
Without Employee Reps.’ Consent

Members of the committee elected were: R. Godfrey, S. Abercrombie,
A, Ecklund, J. Dickie, C. Monti, R. Roman, E. Enlund, and they will ne-

VANCOUVER, B.C.—A government-proposed “duration-of-the-war”
employer-employee agreement submitted to Queen Charlotte Island log-

Px y gotiate a contract based on the agreement at present operating successfully | gers without consent or negotiation by employees’ representatives, was

at Lake Log.

Woodworkers of America, Local 1-80, the
crew already has a functioning Camp
Committee of twelve members, six of
whom live in Lake Cowichan and six
at camp, and a Safety Committee of
fourteen members, seven of whom live at
the Lake and seven at camp. These com-
mittees have already done much to im-
prove camp life and iron out problems
which arise from timé to time, but an
agreement embodying such items as seni-
ority, leave of absence, safety, wages,
hours, right to union membership, etc.,
will be the solution to improved em-
ployee-employer relationships and provide
the essential basis for increased prodic-
‘tion in the logging industry.

LABOR RALLIES FOR
LARGE "YES" VOTE

The call for a “yes” vote in the
plebiscite to free the Federal gov-
ernment from pledges against over-
seas service is growing in volume as
progressive citizens, organized labor
of all affiliations, political groups
and all organizations rallied this
week behind the vote for a total war
effort in Canada.

Vancouver Trades and Labor Council at
its last meeting, March 17, unanimously
pledged itself to work for a “yes” vote
and urged all its affiliated unions to unite
behind the -government’s efforts to ob-
tain unity.

“Trade union leaders will be the first

_ to go up against the wall if we lose
? the war .. .” declared E. A. Jamieson,
introducing the resolution in favor.

Delegates to the annual Cooperative
‘Commonwealth Federation convention,
‘meeting last weekend, backed a similar
Yesolution and issued a statement de-
that the CCF will call for an
ve vote at the plebiscite on
27, while delegates at the annual

meeting this week went unani-
ly on record in favor of the gov-
nt’s plebiscite policy and pledged
to work for an overwhelming

recently, the Communist Party
da also issued a clarion call under

action of the Canadian peo-
) defeat fascism.
plebiscite on the conscription

Fully organized into the International®

receiving a decisive “no” vote acco!

An Editorial

Support The Plebiscite For
Democratic Total War!

On April 27 the people of the Dominion of Canada will be required
to cast their vote whether they wish to free their government from past
conscription pledges, and grant unanimous consent to wage democratic
total war.

Members of the International Woodworkers of America, employed in an im-
portant war industry, will realize the extreme gravity of the situation, With the
fall of Pearl Harbor, Singapore, Java and many other important military positions
in the Pacific, the beginning of the avtack on Ausivalia atid the imminent attack. on
India, Canada will be required to defend her Pacific Coast line. Therefore, we
must for our very lives and for everything we hold dear give that consent.

One of Hitler’s main weapons of attack is his ability to divide the people of
the victim nation ,therefore, nothing but united action for total war can save us.
Our task for 1942 is to take the initiative in an offensive, a full allied military
offensive which, coupled with the might of the Soviet Union, will destroy Hitler in a
pincer two-front war.

Woodworkers everywhere realize that if the Axis is successful in subjugating the
Canadian people as it has the people of France, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Nor-
way, trade unions will cease to exist, free assembly and everything organized labor
has fought and stood for through the centuries will overnight be wiped out. Many
of our members born in foreign lands now overrun by Hitler have received news
of homes destroyed and relatives murdered and thrown into concentration camps
because their people were disunited and unprepared, with “too little, too late.”
They will realize that the plebiscite is the democratic means of uniting the Ca-
nadian people in rolling up a powerful “yes” vote in favor of total war.

All Out For Victory In 1942

The officers of the International Woodworkers of America, B.C. District Coun-
cil, urge every member of our organization to unite with labor, regardless of af-
fillation, CCF, Canadian Legion and all other economic, political, religious or
fraternal organizations in saying “yes” to the government and actually, in fact,
saying to our government: We are unalterably opposed to fascism and all its
works, We have the manpower and womanpower with unlimited resources and
with the exception of a possible small minority quisling element, led by such
people as Hepburn and Meighen, we are prepared to go all-out for victory in 1942,

A “yes” vote in the coming plebiscite will not only release the government from
past conscription pledges, but an overwhelming vote will say to the government:
Release the energies of this nation so that Canada can shoulder her full part in
the cause of the United Nations against a ruthless enemy; take labor into gOv-
ernment, whether it be legislative or administrative, and institute a full war partner-
ship, We desire a democratic total war effort.

Be sure you vote—and vote YES—on April 27.

(Signed) INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF
AMERICA, B.C, DISTRICT COUNCIL. -
Harold J. Pritchett, President,

Hjalmar Bergren, Ernie Dalskog, Vice-Presidents,
Nigel Morgan, Secretary.

clared, “In the course of the plebiscite
campaign, the people should take the
total war movement out of the hands of
Melghen and Hepburn and transform
it Into a movement of the broadest
unity to support and strengthen the
war program of the government. All
classes and parties should unite to vote
‘yes’ In an overwhelming demand for
democratic total war.”

“Our country is capable of achieving
miracles of production for our army
and our allies. Our land, our natural
resources, our factories, our skilled
and willing workers and farmers, our
reserves of manpower and womanpower
can provide a mighty flood of ships,
planes and tanks, armored carriers,

(Continued on Page Three)

rding to returns wired to the IWA
¢District Office this week. The agreement

submitted by F. E, Harrison, Western
Representative of the Federal Depart-
ment of Labor, through the Company
Superintendent in each camp, was a
counter proposal to the union agreement
adopted by more than 90 per cent of the
QCI crews last fall, and on which the
IWA has been endeavoring to get nego-
tiations started for over six months.

With four camps still to hear from the
votes completed are:

MORGANS, Huxley Island

Yes... 7 No... 87
KELLEYS, Church Creek
Yes. 3 No.. 63 Spoilt 3

In a report this week, President Har-
old Pritchett and Secretary Nigel
Morgan (elected by QCI crews as their
Negotiations Committee) stated the
“Harrison” proposals had not been ne-
gotiated by them, nor did they have their
approval, as had been suggested. They
also drew attention to the fact that these
proposals were not the same as the Lady-
smith “Comox Log” agreement, as had
been stated, citing particularly the
“duration-of-the-war” termination clause
Jat the end of the agreement. The Comox
contract was signed for one year only.

At the same time as the Labor De-
partment’s offer was voted down, instruc-
tions were wired to the Negotiating Com-
mittee in Vancouver to proceed with ne-
gotiations and a counter proposal en=
dorsed. The Labor Department's pro-
posals included recognition of an em-
ployee committee, safety committee,
maintenance of present hours, wages and

(Continued on Page 3)

ELECT DEFENSE COM.
AT LAKE COWICHAN

LAKE COWICHAN, B.C.—At the last
meeting of the union held on Friday,
March 13, members @lected two im-
portant committees, one a Civilian De-
fense Committee to consider how best
the area could be defended in event of
attack, and secondly, a Production Com-
mittee, to study ways and means of in-
creasing and improving production in
this area.

Invitations were sent from this Pro-
duction Committee to all other sub-locals
under the Lake Cowlchan area, asking
that they elect similar committees and
that a conference be called in the near
future to discuss the best way to increase
production.

Members also elected delegates to take
part in the Lake Cowichan Organiza-
tions Committee, which coordinates all
activities for the war effort, Red Cross
and community affairs, etc,