Page Four

THE B.C.

LUMBER WORKER

August 9, 1943

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR...

SAY WHAT YOU PLEASE

HOW ABOUT COOKHOUSE CREW?

Editor, The Lumber Worker:

The cutting from The Lumber
Worker that you sent to Brother
Cooner, he has passed on to me
and though I can see plainly that
you and others are doing your
best for the cookhouse worker, it
also is plain to be seen that the
boss is again giving the cookhouse
the old run-around.

It seems to me that it is about
time that the Supers_in the camps
did a little thinking. Surely hey
can see that it is hard to get cook-
house help and when they do get
them, they can’t keep them. I mean
good ones.

He will say, “My God, ten years
ago I could get all of the good
flunkeys that I wanted for $30 per
month.”

Yes, that is right, and the flunkey
was better off than he is today,
and that was during the depres-
sion.

And now let us see just how
much better off he is.

He pays the flunkey $5 per day
but remember this is only in some
camps, not all of them.

‘The flunkey’s tax in most cases
is 40% or $2 per day. This leaves
him $3. From this amount he pays
$1.50 per day for his board and
bed which leaves him $1.50. He
works four hours overtime every
day including Sundays and all
holidays.

Now, let us figure just straight
time for overtime. Four hours over-
time would be $2.50. I mean that
this is the amount that the com-
pany would have to pay annyone
outside of the cookhouse,

But the flunkey does not get this
overtime.

And now let us figure it in an-
other way.

He does not get the $2.50 for the
overtime, but he works the time
just the same.

It is impossible to take the $2.50
from the $1.50 that he has left,
so he is really paying the company
$1.00 per day for permitting him
to work for them, and on top of
this he must pay $1.00 per month
for the doctor, insurance, and
Workmen's Compensation.

Now which term would you use,
pretty good or pretty rotten.

And is the boss doing as good
as he did ten years ago?

Til say that he is, and he damn
well knows it, and still he wonders
why he can’t keep help in the
cookhouse,

‘The above figures of course ap-
plies and includes all cookhouse
help, cooks, bakers, butchers’ help-
ers and flunkeys.

Of course, the boss don’t figure
this way, but it is damn near time
that he did, if he wants to keep
help in the cookhouse.

‘Trusting that this article will be
published in The Lumber Worker,

Fraternally,

GEORGE C. McLAUGHLIN.
Port Hardy, B.C.

Editor, The Lumber Worker:

I note that the Board of Indus-
trial Relations are considering
overtime for many departments in
the lumber business, but, as usual,
the cookhouse and those employed
in it are again laid away like the
unknown soldier.

The powers that be in Ottawa
always forget the ones that it is
impossible to get along wihout,
and the ones that put in the long-
est hours of all workmen. I refer
to the cooks, bakers, helpers and
flunkeys.

At present Bro, Wolf, Bro. Mc-
Laughlin and myself are employed
by the Maxwell Construction Co.
here at Port Hardy. I have charge
of a cookhouse feeding over five
hundred men. Work starts at 4 a.m.
to 1:30 p.m., which is 9% hours.
Then we have two hours off, start-
ing work again at 3:30 p.m. as
supper is served at 6 p.m. and we
finish between 7 and 7:30. So you
can see that we are putting in well
over 13 hours work per day. And
remember this goes on for seven
days per week. And Sundays is
always the toughest day of the
week because the men expect a
better dinner on Sunday. Breakfast
is always an hour later on Sun-
day because the men think that
they they should sleep in on a day
that they are not working. But
this makes a big different to the
Cookhouse Crew for it takes just
as long to cook dinner on Sunday
as it does on week days. So we
must start our work at 4 a.m., as
on any other day. The cookhouse
crew has the repertation of being
tempfirementle, but just think,
have they a reason for being tem-
prementle?

Ye gods and little fishes! Thir-
teen hours per day, ninety-one
hours per week, 365 per year, go-
ing at breakneck speed over a red-
hot stove. Having to listen to every-
body’s pretty complaints from the
bellyache to the shortage of ra-
tions and none one cent of com-
pensation for working almost
double the hours of any one else
in camp.

The cookhouse crews in all log-
ging and construction camps are
either paid by the day or month,
and should a cook or flunkey
for some reason or another have
to work two or three hours over-
time, beyond the 13 hours, he has
already worked, the head cook has
no way of paying him for it. The
only way we can handle a case
of this kind is to give these men
two or three hours off the next
day, and this, of course, throws this
extra work on some other cook or
flunkey who when asked to double
up the work for one meal, tells
the head cook to go to hell, and
walks out. Then we must all work
short-handed until these men are
replaced. And by that time the re-
mainder of the crew is ready to
blow up, because they have been
overworked and they know that
they will receive no extra pay for
this extra work,

00000004

This does not only cause hard-
ships on the cookhouse crew, but
it affects the men as well for it is
not reasonable to expect a short-
handed cookhouse crew can do as
good or as much work as a happy
full handed crew and this results
in dissatisfaction all over the camp
for when men are not being fed
well, they can find fault with every-
thing. But they don’t mean to. It
is just human nature, and in all
cases it causes many changes. Log-
gers quit because the food is not
up to what it has been in the past.
Cooks, bakers and flunkeys quit,
because they are being blamed for
something that they have no praw-
er to put right. And the result is
that it is a month or six weeks
before things are back to normal
again and by that time everything
is just about ready for another
blow-up.

The remedy for all of this trou-
ble is overtime for the cookhouse
crews, and a day off each week.
We are just human and there is a
limit to Human Indurance.

Come on you big loggers, give
your cookhouse crews a break and
you will not have so many breaks
in your logging crews.

You can’t expect to work us dou-
ble time, seven days per week for
a single day’s pay, and as long
as you do expect it, you are in for
plenty of grief.

GEO. W. COONER.

Port Hardy.

SUPPORT AWARD

Editor, The Lumber. Worker:

The following resolution was
passed by our local at a recent
general meeting and I have been
instructed to forward same to you:

“WHEREAS: It has been brought
to our attention that the Kelly
Logging Co., Ltd., Pacific Mills and
Morgan Logging Co., refuse to deal
with the IWA up to this time with
respect to the award of the Ar-
bitration Boaid which was in favor
of the employees, and

WHEREAS: the Puly and Paper
Industry and the Logging Industry
are so closely related,

THEREFORE, we, the members
of Local 297, IBPS & PMW appeal
to the Minister of Labor to cor-
rect this condition by bringing
about an immediate settlement,
because. by so doing we will be
ensured of a continued supply of
an essential war commodity.”

Yours truly,

(Signed) DAVID G. HUNTLEY.

Secretary, Local 297 and BPS

and PMW.

OFFER APOLOGY

Editor, The Lumber Worker:

At a meeting of the Shop Stew-
ards held on July 23 a motion was
passed as follows: “M.S. & C..that
we take necessary action of apol-
ogy to Camp 6 through the medium
of the Lumber Worker by means
of a letter written by the Secre-
tary.” The following is what we
have drafted out for your consid-

UNION
DIRECTORY

IWA-CIO, District Council No. 1.
Sec'y, Bert Melsness, 504 Holden
Bldg., Vancouver; phone PAc. 4151.
Executive meets at 10 am. every
second Wednesday at the District
Office.

IWA-CIO Local 1-71. Secretary,
E. Dalskog, 201 Holden Bldg., Van-
couver; phone MAr. 9436.

IWA-CIO Local 1-80. Secretary,
H. Valley, P.O. Box 430, Duncans
Phone: Duncan 388.

IWA-CIO_ Local 1-85. Business
agent, Al Dewhurst, Box 569, Port
Alberni. Phone: Alberni 1052.
Meets the 2nd Sunday of each
month in Victory Hall, Port Al-
berni, at 7:30 p.m.

IWA-CIO Local 1-217. Secretary,
Bill Bennett, 506 Holden Bdg., Van-
couver. Phone PAc. 4151. Meets
every 2nd Friday at local head-
quarters, 506 Holden Bldg.

IWA-CIO Local 1-357. Secretary,
Jack Lindsay, Room A, 650 Colum-
bia St, New Westminster, B.C.
Phone: N.W. 3137.

IWA-CIO Local 1-363. Secretary,
Ernie Anderson, Royston. Phone:
Royston 269X3. Meets the last
Sunday of each month in IWA
Union Hall, Courtenay, at 2:30 p.m.

Aero Cumshewa IWA-CIO Sub-
Local 1-71. Secretary, W. Mackie,
Cumshewa Inlet, Q.C.I.

IWA-C1O Sub-Local 1-71. Secre-
tary, Arvid Sovik, c/o J. R. Morgan
Loging Co., Camp No. 2, Cumshewa
Inlet, Q.C.1.

IWA-CIO Sub-Local 1-71. Secre-
tary, Jack Jardine, c/o Aero Tim-
ber Products (Raft) Ltd. ,Port
clements, Q.C.I.

IWA-CIO Sub-Local 1-71. Secre-
tary, Robert Dale, c/o Aero Tim-
ber (Vasey) Ltd., Port Clements,
QC.

IWA-CIO Sub-Local 1-71. Secre-
tary, T. A. Hurst, c/o North Shore
Log Co., Garibaldi, B.C.

Aero (Headquarters Camp) IWA-
CIO Sub-Local 1-71. Sec'y, M. Mc-
Queen, c/o Aero Timber Products,
Juskatla.

Camp A-35, IWA-CIO, Sub-Local
1-71. Secretary, Mike Freylinger,
c/o Pacific Mills, Camp A-35, Queen
Charlotte City, Q.C.1L.

Bella Coola IWA-CIO Sub-Local

1-71, Secretary, Tom Willett, c/o
Pacific Mills, Camp C-42, Bella
Coola, B.C.

Chehalis IWA-C1O Sub-Local 1-71.
Ralph Gregg, Secretary; Vedder
Logging Co., Harrison Mills, B.C.

Chilliwack IWA-C1O Sub-Local
1-71. Secretary, Floyd Cusack,
Chilliwack.

Church Creek IWA-CIO_ Sub-
Local 1-71. Secretary, D. F. Brady,
c/o Kelley Logging Co. Church
Creek, Cumshewa Inlet, Q.C.L.

Huxley IWA-CIO Sub-Local 1-71.
Secretary, Ed Reed, c/o J. R. Mor-
gan Log Co., Huxley Island, Q.C.L.

Huxley (Fallers) IWA-ClO Sub-
Local 1-71. Sec’y, Leonard Plottel,
c/o J. R. Morgan, Huxley Is., QCL

Johnsons IWA-CIO Sub-Local
1-71. Sec'y, Sandy Turner, c/o Aero
Timber Products, Shannon Bay.

eration for insertion in the forth-
coming issue of the Lumber
Worker:

It was brought to our attention
at a recent meeting that at a
baseball game held at Youbou re-
cently between Camp 6 and You-
bou Sub-Locals that one of the
members of the Camp 6 team had
a finger broken. The Youbou first
aid attendant who was present at
the game was asked to render first
aid to the man, but he is reported
to have refused both aid and the
keys to the first aid room. We de-
plore the actions of this man for
his discourtesy to a visiting team
member and wish to take this op-
porunity of apologizing to the
Camp 6 brothers for his actions.

(Signed)

Youbou Sub-Local of Local 1-80.

International Woodworkers of

America, CIO.

Kelley Boom IWA-CIO Sub-Local
1-71. Secretary, Frank Preston, c/o
Kelley Log Co., Beatty Anchorage,
QCI.

Morgan Cumshewa IWA - CIO
Sub-Local 1-71. Secretary, H. Lout-
tit, c/o J. R, Morgan Log Co.,
Cumshewa Inlet, Q.C.I.

Skedans IWA-CIO Sub-Local 1-71.
Secretary, James Byron, c/o Qelley
Log Co., Skedans Bay, Q.C.I.

Sunrise I!WA-CIO Sub-Local
1-71. Secretary, J. D. Nelson, Char-
lotte City, Q.C.I.

Chemainus IWA-CIO Sub-Local
1-80. Secretary, H. Erickson. Meets
2nd Wednesday of every month in
Chemainus Community Hall at
7:30 p.m.

Crofton IWA-CIO Sub-Local 1-80.
Secretary, E. Frederickson, Crofton.

Duncan IWA-CIO Sub-Local 1-80,
Secretary, George Maynard, P.O.
Box 472, Duncan. Meets on 2nd ©
Wednesday of every month in the
K. of P. Hall, Duncan, at 7:30 p.m.

Hillcrest IWA-C1O Sub-Local 1-80.
Secretary, Roy Francis, Duncan.

Honeymoon Bay IWA-CIO Sub-
Local 1-80. Secretary, James Mc-
Millan, Honeymoon Bay, Lake Cow-
ichan.

Ladysmith IWA-CIO Sub-Local
1-80. Secretary, James Gilchrist,
Box 210, Ladysmith. Meets the 1st
Tuesday after the 10th of each
month in Nicholson’s Hall, Lady-
smith, at 7:30 p.m.

Lake Cowichan IWA-CIO Sub-
Local 1-80. Secretary, Archie Green-
well, Box 51, Lake Cowichan. Phone
c/o Gordon’s Store. Meets 2nd Fri-
day of each month at 7:30 p.m. at
Lake Cowichan Community Hall.

Paldi IWA-CIO Sub-Local 1-80.
Secretary, Albert Kidd, Paldi, B.C.

Rounds IWA-CIO Sub-Local_ 1-80.
Secretary, J. Johnson, ¢/o Lake
Logging Co., Rounds. Meets 2nd
Thursday of each month in the
cookhouse at 7:30 p.m.

Shawnigan Lake IWA-CIO Sub-
Local 1-80. Sec'y, George Hauk,
Duncan, B.C.

Youbou Camp 3 IWA-CIO Sub-
Local 1-80. Secretary, James Clarke,
c/o Industrial Timber Mills Camp
3, Youbou.

Youbou Camp 6 IWA-CIO Sub-
Local 1-80. Secretary, Joe Malbou,
c/o Industrial Timber Mills, Camp
6, Youbou. _
Youbou Sawmill IWA-CIO Sub-
Local 1-80. Secretary, Wilf Killeen,
Youbou.

APL Camp One IWA-CIO Sub-
Local 1-85. Secretary, Mark Mosh-
er, Port Alberni.

APL Sawmill IWA-CIO_ Sub-
Local 1-85. Secretary, Paul Nichol,
Box 935, Port Alberni.

Alberni Plywoods IWA-ClO Sub-
Local 1-85. Secretary, Mrs. Stevie
Kielbiski, Box 67, Port Alberni.

Bloedel’s Sawmill IWA-CIO Sub-
Local 1-85. Secretary, Dennis John-
ston, Box 746, Port Alberni.

Great Central Sawmill |WA-CIO

Sub-Local 1-85. Secretary, Frank
LeClaire, Port Alberni.
Vancouver Sawmill IWA-CIO

Sub-Local 1-217. Secretary, Lloyd
Hunter, 2754 William Street, Van-
couver.

Shingleworkers IWA-CIO Sub-
Local 1-217, Sec’y, Ben Orr, 605
East 54th Ave., Vancouver.

Silverdale IWA-CIO  Sub-Local

1-217. Secretary, W. H. Gibbens,
R.R. No. 2, Mission, B.C.

Alaska Pine IWA-CiO Sub-Local
1-357. Secretary, George Lang-
staff, 1833 Dublin Street, New West-
minster, B.C.

Creosote IWA-CIO Sub-Local 1-
357. Secretary, Pete Seminow,
RR. No. 3, New Westminster, B.C.

Mohawk IWA-CIO Sub-Local 1-
357. Secretary, Tommy Kipp, 669
18th Ave, New Westminster, B.C.

Royal City IWA-CIO Sub-Local
1-357. Secretary, Art Rrmsay, South
Westminster Post Office, B.C,

Fanny Bay IWA-CIO Sub-Local
1-363. Sec'y, Fred Olkavich, ¢/o
V.LM, Camp 7, Fanny Bay, B.C.

“Stamp Out the U-Boat” . . .

Buy War Savings Stamps!
————————————

JOHN STANTON

Barrister, Solicitor, Notary

508 Holden Bldg.
16 East Hastings MAr. 5746