Page Two

@ B.C. LUMBER WORKER O

February 22, 1943

LETTERS

“Every

Camp Comments

Reader a Correspondent”

Local 1-85

Sponsors

Local 1-71 Announces
Results of Referendum

CAMP ACTIVITY

By ROVING REPORTER

Completion of tabulation of the referendum ballot for the]:
election of officers for IWA-CIO Local 1-71 resulted as follows:
John McCuish, president; N. C. Madsen, Frank Carlson, and
Myles Nugent, first, second and third vice-presidents respec-
tively; E. Dalskog, financial secretary; E. H. Read, recording
secretary; Mike Kilbride, warden; E. Gougan, conductor; F. H.
Peterson and L. Bergren, trustees. The organizational assess-

Enthusiastic Meeting

PORT ALBERNI.— Loggers and sawmill workers in the
Port Alberni area attended an enthusiastic meetnig on Sunday,
Feb, 14. Special speakers were Nigel Morgan, IWA Interna-
tional Executive Board member; Bert Marcuse, director of the
Pacific Coast Labor Bureau, and Mr. Dunn, principal of the

Gus Iundenn’s Camp, the former
Moore Bay Log. Co., has been sold
to the Sitka Spruce Co., operated
by’ Matt Sutton, lock, ‘stock and
barrel.

We are informed that the camps
in Chilliwack area are still shut

Port Alberni schools. <F

Mr. Morgan spoke on amend-
ments to the Industrial Concilia-
tion and Arbitration Act and how
they would help the war effort.
Mr, Dunn, speaking for the teach-
ers in B.C, told of low wages to
members of that profession, due
to the fact that education was 2
municipal question. He advocated
that the payment of teachers’ sal-
aries be taken over by the Pro-
vincial Government, so that the
present situation could be rectified.
Mr. Dunn also told of a large num-
ber of schools throughout the prov-
ince which have closed due to the
fact that teachers are not avail-
able, having left to take up jobs at
which they could make a decent
living.

Mr. Marcuse discussed those
gains which would result from the
granting of collective bargaining
rights to the workers, He stressed
the need for an upward revision
of wages in the lower paid cate-
gories where a higher standard of
living for themselves and their
families would result in improved
morale and a consequent increase
in production, Further gains in
production would result from the
establishment of grievance com-
mittees, labor-management com-
mittees and safety committees;
all of which could be gained
through collective bargaining agree-
ments.

UNION BARGAINING
SHOULD BE MADE LAW

Join Your Friends at

COURTENAY
HOTEL

“The Loggers’
Headquarters”

G. TATER — PROP.
COURTENAY, V.L

Bad Weather
Closes Camps

Log shortage in British Columbia,
already so severe that it has closed
one of the biggest west coast news-
print mills as well as several saw-
mills, has slowed down lumber
production to a walk,

Only four of the larger logging
camps were in operation last week,
owing to adverse weather condi-
tions in the timber country on Van-
couver Island, and production has
been averaging about 1,000,000 feet
a day at a time when it should
be at least five or six times that
to meet current demand.

Production of the lumber indus-
try in British Columbia during the
past month has been barely 25 per
cent of normal, and the net loss to
the year’s output of the province's
forest trade will be at least 100,000,-
000 feet before the camps and mills
are able to swing back into their
regular stride again.

Powell River Company, largest
newsprint manufacturer in British
Columbia, has shut down its mill
for about a week, pending accum-
ulation of adequate log supply. The
inventory of other mills is reported
critically low.

January production in the Pa-
cific Northwest States dropped 54.8
per cent of capacity, compared |
with 61.3 per cent in December and
80 to 90 per cent for all months of |
1942 previously. British Columbia's
curtailment has been even more
severe,

—_—_—_—_————.

JOHN STANTON

Barrister, Solicitor, Notary

608 Holden Bldg.
16 East Hastings

MAr. 5746

Moderate

Hotel West Ltd.

FRED R. MARCHESE, Mgr.

Centrally Located

-PAc. 8374 —

Rates and

PAc. 8375

Vancouver, B.C.

ment carried by a vote of four to one.
Brother John McCuish, Admiral
RY of the Loggers’ Navy and at pres-
ent in the Queen Charlotte Islands,
is beginning his fifth successive |
term as president of the big loggers’
local. He ‘was elected temporary
president at the time of the forma-
tion of the local and has served
in the capacity of president ever
since.
oo Brother Ernie Dalskog, unani-
x mously re-elected in his fourth term
J. McChish 5 financial secretary, will be leav-

E. Dalskog

ing shortly on board the VM Laur
Wayne to visit the camps in the
lower part of Local 1-71’s jurisdic-
tional area.

IWA-CIO 1-71 covers a tremen-
dous area’ on the West Coast and
even with the two boats, the MV
Annart, at present in the Queen
Charlotte Islands, and the MV Laur
Wayne, have a big job keeping in
contact with all operations, The
two-dollar assessment fund, which
was passed, will help materially in

izers in the field during the com-
ing year.

It is expected that during the
coming year that there will be
great expansion in the logging in-
dustry, particularly in the Queen
Charlotte Islands. If the newly
elected executive is to be success-
ful in keeping the organization
abreast of the expansion of the in-
dustry they will need full co-
operation of all sub-local officers,
job stewards and the membership

keeping the two boats and organ-|in general.

Allison Log Co.,
Cumshewa Inlet, B.C.,
February 3, 1943,

To the Editor,—The first meeting of the new year was
held on Sunday, Jan. 31. Approximately eighty members
attended. ‘

Committees were elected, namely, a camp committee,
a grievance committee, a safety committee and a press
committee.

The vote on the referendum ballot was no true indi-
cation of the strength of the membership in this camp.
Many members were behind in their dues because they
could not get cheques cashed and were, therefore, un-
able to keep their dues paid up.

A few minor grievances were discussed at the meeting.
They were taken up with the management the following
evening. It was the consunsus of opinion among the griev-
ance committee, that under the new management camp
conditions would be greatly improved in the near future.

The interior of the large two-storey bunkhouse has
been painted white, which is a great improvement. Spring-
filled mattresses and new floors have been promised in all
bunkhouses, along with the painting. An improvement has
been promised in sanitary facilities also. i

Owing to the extreme bad weather, those arriving in
camp were unable to go to work until a week ago. Free
board was provided until they started work.

There are sixteen sets of fallers in camp and they are
all vel organized. The two cold-deck crews are not so
good.

It was decided to hold a regular meeting the first
Sunday in each month. PRESS COMMITTEE.

Ask for “GEORGE”

*& WEST TAXI *

Cars Fully Insured — Reasonable Rates

2
Office and Stand:

WEST HOTEL, 444 CARRALL ST.

PAc.0936 PAc.8374

i

f

down because of snow.
Drury Inlet was frozen over dur-
ing the cold spell so that the fall-
ers in camps up there had to go
out and saw ice so the boats could
get out to O'Brien Bay for grub.

©. & A. Log, Port MeNeil.—Our
correspondent informs us that the
crew at the time of writing had
layed off for ten days on account
of snow, two feet of it there.

Drury Log Co, has full crew,
3 three-man gang of fallers, rigging
crew about 20 men; grub OK.

McIntyre’s Camp—Grub had to
hauled in over the ice during the
cold spell.

Seen when the boats went out:
Quite a number of men going up
to the Queen Charlotte Islands on
last up boat for Aero Timber, Mor-
gans and Kelleys.

Men going out last Saturday on
the CPR boat had to return due
to a slight accident which kept
them in town until Monday.

All camps in Seymour Inlet have
been shut due to ice, frost and
snow.

Reports have it that only four of
the big camps on Vancouver Island
are operating at present.

Union Carries
Packers’ Vote

EDMONTON, Alta.—Votes taken
in the three big packing plants
here, Swift's Canadian Co., Burns
and Co. and Canada Packers, re-
sulted in a 78 to 96 percent majori-
ties in favor of recognition of the
Federal Union of Meat Cutters and

Packing Plant, Employees, Local
78, as the workers’ bargaining
agent.

Prior to the union campaign
hours of work in the industry
were 54 per week, straight time
pay. Now the 50-hour week and
time and a half for overtime have
been won for the small unorganized
plants as well as the large ones.

SEEK PRODUCTION
CHANNELS.

Among grievances now being
ironed out by the union is the
difference of pay for similar work
in different, plants (sometimes as
much as 4 and 10 cents an hour),
lack of seniority rights, ete.
| The union is now engaged in get-
ting joint labor-management pro-
duction committees established.

MONEY TO LOAN Gi
On Men's Suits, Overcoats, Log- 4
ging Boots and Sleeping Bags’

San Francisco Tailors {
52 WEST HASTINGS ST. = ¢
4 Doors West of Beacon Theatre

RR eR Rese eneeeeeseeenn: