Page Four

pee

E B.C.

LUMBER WORKER

Compensation Act Inquiry Recomme
Important Amendments to Improve Pl

#Commissioner Sloan Recommends Many Changes to Workmen’s Compen-/;
sation Act Long Sought by Trade Union Movement;
Board Complimented for Fairness; Labor Movement
Enforcement of Recommendations.

VANCOUVER, B.C.—A number of important representations of British Columbia trade

unions are included in the recommendations of the Commission, which has recently com-
“Workmen’s Compensation Act.” Mr. Justice Gordon

Hillcrest

Men Oppose
Moving Mill

At a meeting of the Hillerest Sub-
Local Thursday night, a resolution
was unanimously endorsed pointing
out fo the Federal Minister of Mu-
nitions and Supply as well as the

‘Timber Controller and National Se-
lective Service that over 15% mil-
lion feet of lumebr production will
be lost in the next three months as
a result of the moving of the Hill-
crest Sawmill to Cowichan Lake
and the consequent diversion of
lumber production to mill construc-
tion,

The resolution urged the govern-
ment to give further consideration
te this, as well as future moves
which may hold up the immediate
fulfillment of the government's
lumber needs, quoting Minister of
Munitions C. D. Howe's own state-
ment, that “Canada today faces the
greatest timber shortage in her his-

tory.”

WOMEN’S
CORNER

The IWA-CIO B.C. District Coun-
cil this week voted to donate $10 to
the organizing fund of the newly-
formed Ladies’ Auxiliary District
Council.

Last week members of the Ladies’
Auxiliary of Local 1-118 in Victoria
met at the home of Mrs, A. Doug-
las, 3650 Arnot Street, for their an-
niversary dinner, The husband of
each member was also present and
a very pleasant evening was en-
joyed by all. President T. R. Lid-
gate of Local 1-118 spoke to the
gathering on behalf of the members
of Local 1-118, wishing them every
success in their organization.

‘Another highlight was the whist
drive which was held in the home
of Mrs. P, Harrison. Prizes were
awarded to the following people:
Ast prize, ladies, Mrs. Herbert; 1st
prize, men, Mr. A, J. Delmas; booby
prizes were awarded to Mrs. T. Lid-
gate and Mr. Henry Delmas re-
spectively. Mrs. P. Harrison also
served refreshments.

The Victoria Auxiliary is holding
its .Hallowe’en dance in the AOF
Hall in Victoria on Saturday, Oct.
1, We urge everyone who can to
attend this dance. We know you
will have a good time and will be
helping to build the organization.

READ

apie P

LABOR’S VOICE for VICTORY

Published at
104 Shelly Bldg. — Vancouver, B.C.

5c per Issue

The report reviewed the historys
of fhe Compensation Act and point-
ed out that under the common law
prior to the Act only 20 to 30 per
cent of the workmen injured in in-
dustrial accidents could hope to
recover damages from their em-
ployers, and, in many instances,
only after lengthy and protracted
litigation,

It says that “A workmen's com-
pensation statute, when stripped of
its essentials, is nothing more than
an insurance system devised to
make good the loss of wages con-
sequent upon a disabling or fatal
industrial accident, and to make an
equitable distribution of that eco-
nomic loss over large public groups.

‘The report states that claims
have increased from $665,000 in
1917 to $4,527,000 in 1940.

VERY FEW COMPLAINTS.

In spite of the fact that $75,000,000
have been paid out in compensa-
tion claims and medical aid be-
tween 1917 and 1941, only one-
tenth of one per cent of the many
hundreds of thousands of persons
involved ever make any complaint
to the board.

The report recommends that it
would be in the public interest to
increase the maximum allowance
from the present $2,000 to $2,500.
The weekly minimum compensa-
tion should be increased from $10
per week to $12.50 per week. Al-
lowances for dependent children
should be continued to 18 years of
age and the sum for each depend-
ent child increased from §7.50 to
$10 up to sixteen years of age.

A further recommendation made
is to the effect that in order to
provide some incentive for children
between the ages of sixteen and
eighteen years to remain at school,
that, if at school, the allowance be
increased during those two years
to $12.50 per month.

Allowances for orphan children
should be increased to §20 per
month, and without qualification,
continued to the age of eighteen
years, of, if an invalid, until the
child ceases to be an invalid. This
rate, if adopted, would be the high-
est in Canada.

Widows and foster mothers
should receive $100 in addition to
first compensation cheque, to pro-

EOPLE”

$2.00 a Year

pleted an exhaustive study of the B.C.
Sloan, who acted as Commissioner for the fifty-two day long enquiry,
report of 400 closely-typed pages to the Provincial Government, from where it will no doubt
be referred to the session of the B.C. Legislature next January.

Administrative
Must Assist In

has presented his

‘vide for extraordinary expenses.

Representatives of industry asked

Maximum allowances to widows ‘the Commissioner to have the con-

of workmen killed’ in industry upon
remarriage is increased to $960.
AVERAGE EARNINGS.

‘The report recommends that the
present method of computing claims
to the average earnings be retained
in permanent partial disability and
total disability cases, but that in
“time loss” claims for short periods
in seasonal occupations, compen-
sation might be based on the acutal
wage at the time of the accident.
The Commissioner stated that he
could find no evidence to justify
an alternative method of computing
claims or that the present method
was to the detriment of the claim-
ant.

Retention of the three-day wait-
ing period is recommended, but
claim forms should be amended to
show clearly whether the three-day
period covers three actual working
days,

HOSPITALIZATION.

The British Columbia Hospitals’
Association’s objection to the statu-
tory power of the Board to fix the
amount payable to hospitals for
services rendered in compensation
cases was not concurred in by the
Commissioner, who felt that it
would not be in the public inter-
est to permit hospitals to have a
free and unrestricted right to
charge the Board whatever rates
they deemed expedient.

CEIROPRACTORS.

The report recommends that the
Act be broadened to permit the
Board to order and pay for chiro-
practic treatment to compensation
cases,

In recommending a further study
of the whole problem of neurotic
compensation, the Commissioner
feels that disaling neurosis which
causes an accident is compensable
and comes within the meaning of
the Act.

A per diem allowance of $2.50 per
day and travelling ‘expenses and
time loss compensation benefits
should be allowed to men brought
to Vancouver from other localities.
WORKMEN’S CONTRIBUTIONS.

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tributions made by workers to the
Medical Aid Fund raised from one
cent per day to three cents per
day. The Commissioner points out
in his report that the workmen's
contributions in 1919 was 73.15 per
cent of the fund, but in 1941 their
contribution was only 35.98 per cent.
He does not favor the three cent
contribution but-he says that in his
opinion the Board should be em-
powered to adjust the contribution
of the workmen to the fund from

;time to time to ensure the distribu-

tion of the cost between the work-
men and industry on a basic and
fair equality.

HERNIA.

In connection with hernia of a
congenital nature, which the Board
does not pay compensation for, the
Commissioner says: “When a man
is employed he takes with him into
his employment the various phys-
ical impairments with which he is
afflicted; and if his occupation re-
sults in a disabling incapacity be-
cause of the aggravation of these
conditions by the occupation, then
he is entitled to the benefits of the
Act—at least that is my under-
standing of the law upon the sub-
ject, as it is interpreted by high
authority.” He recommends that
compensation be paid for such pro-
portion of the hernia disability as
may reasonably be attributed to the
injury upon which the claim is
based, This may appear to be a
compromise, he says, but if it is, I
think it is a sound one.
SILICOSIS.

After exhaustively reviewing the
silicosis problem in its many as-
pects the Commissioner recom-
mends that “the Act be broadened
to compensate silicosis incapaci-
tated from silica dust in any in-
dustry in which the Board is satis-
fied the hazard exists.” This would
extend the benefits of the Act to
coal miners and above-ground
workers in the metalliferous mines
where workers are exposed to silica
dust.

The Commissiéner says that the
bulk of Iabor organizations were
opposed to appeals from Board de-
cisions and he does not recommend

PMALASPINA
GARAGE

(Opposite Malaspina Hotel)
LPTELING B.C.

Fleet of. 10 New

1941 Chev. "pome|

‘Reasonable PROMPT
Rates nomen

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the establishment of
appeal either on medic
grounds, but he does
the Board be given the
ply to a superior cou
opinion upon any questio
The above covers the
portant questions that
the Commissioner, many
things, however, were
adjustments or were found
the best interests of all
BOARD IS COMPETENT,
Relative to complaints
unions and representatives
dustry concerning the ~
strative policy of the ul
Commissioner said: “It is my ¢
to express my firm opinion fo
on the evidence that the Bo
carrying out its duties hon
ficiently and wholly in the
interest. The members of the B
are thoroughly competent, dil
in their duties and fully a1
their responsibilities.”
The Commissioner heard
witnesses and recorded over
pages of evidence. In the report
contained endorsement of a
ber of improvements recomm«
by the International Woodwo
of America and other trade unioi
The report contains many recom
mendations highly beneficial to B
workers, and the trade unions mu
now take steps to see that
amendments to the Workmen's”
Compensation Act are carried out
and made effective without further
delay.

13,000 Serap
Committees
In U.S. Drive

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Some
13,000 local salvage committees
now at work throughout the U.
the War Production Board an-
nounced here last week. "

CIO unions throughout the coun
try have been cooperating
these salvage committees,
many union members are
leaders in the committee work.

Any CIO union or member
knows of a scrap supply, no m
ter how small it may appear to h
should get in touch immediatel
with his local salvage commit!
The committee will see that th
Scrap moves to the mills as rapi
as possible,

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