\S

My
\

Bi-weekly Bulletin Published by The B.C. District Council, International Woodworkers of America, Affiliated to Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)

VOL. XII. No. 21.

VANCOUVER, B.C., MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1943

Broadway >

(303)

Printers Ltd.

Anti Labor Policy of QCI
Operators Is Aid To Hitler

More Than Two Years Of Stalling And
Evasion By Bosses Forces Spruce
Loggers On Strike

VANCOUVER, B.C.—Six hundred loggers employed by
Pacific Mills Limited, J. R. Morgan Logging Company Limited
and Kelley Logging Company Limited were forced on strike
last week after more than two years of patient negotiations
for a union agreement. Strike action was decided on by a 92
percent vote, registered in a secret ballot conducted by the
loggers in each of the eight camps, following a report from
Local 71’s Negotiating Committee that negotiations with the
operators, which had been proceeding in Vancouver, have
broken down completely again and that there appeared to be
absolutely no basis for a settlement.

The strike, which went into effect at midnight on Thurs-
day, October 7, brought work to a complete standstill in all
camps until the Harper Conciliation Award is accepted by the
operators and a union agreement, as awarded, signed. The
strike occurred seven days after the September 30 deadline,
which was postponed following the appointment of Justice
Richards. The Skedans Bay camp of Kelley Logging Company,
where the crew, thoroughly fed up with the operators’ con-
tinued refusal to sign an agreement, and the government’s
failure to take decisive action, ceased work the day previous.

The week’s extension of the strike deadline was requested
by union officers in Vancouver and later agreed to by the men
in camp, following the announcement of Ministser of Labor
Humphrey Mitchell of the appointment of Justice Richards as
an Industrial Disputes Enquiry Commissioner in a last-minute
effort to avoid a stoppage through mediation.

However, when no progress was made after a week’s delay,
IWA leaders declined to recommend a further postponement,
stating, “We cannot, and will not, hold the men to the point
of violating democratic procedure and trade union principles.
Recognition of the union of the employees’ own choice is a
natural consequence of collective bargaining when performed
in good faith, and the consummation of an agreement with that
recognized union, establishing certain wages, hours and work-

Caulk Boots Hung Up Until Agreement Is Signed

ing conditions,follows also as a
logical consequence of collective
bargaining.”
Wartime employment regula-
tions bolster the stand of strik-
ing Queen Charlotte Island log-
gers by discouraging the hiring
of “scab labor,” The B.C. Lumber
: Worker learned today. William
McKinstrey, Regional Director of
National Selective Service, dis-
closed that any man seeking to
go to work in the eight camps
now involved in the strike would
have written in red ink across
his permit the words “strike in
progress.”
“We have had no applicants for
jobs in these camps yet since the
strike began,” McKinstrey said.
“If we do, we shall be very care-
ful, for in any such situation we
exercise extreme consideration in
allowing any worker to be issued
a permit to work. If any man were
to go to the Queen Charlotte Is-
fands which are now on strike
—which is very improbable—we
would certainly let him know
what the situation is.”
National Selective Service and
e Federal Department of Labor
> both been officially advised
Local 1-71 that the. strike is

progress and also what camps
involved.

n tically denying allegations
the operators that the Queen

‘See STRIKE—PAGE 4

Sawmill Local

Donates Bonds
To Help Loggers

At its last regular meeting held Sunday, October 10th, IWA
Local 1-217 voted unanimously to donate their former pur-
chases of Victory Bonds to the Queen Charlotte Island Support
Fund, at the same time instructing the Financial Secretary to
purchase further bonds in the forthcoming Fifth Victory Loan
Drive. The meeting further pledged. the Local to collect the
maximum for the fund on the basis of one day’s pay per
member. The Local expressed hope Local 1-363 in Courtenay just sent
that other IWA Locals would fol-)in seven hundred dollars ($700)
low with donations of Victory |with the assurance that it was only
Bonds (these are not small items|a start. One of the main outstand-
in the IWA treasuries) to the Strike |ing contributions came from a
Fund. The drive for funds to as-|camp of the Aero Timber Products
sist the Queen Charlotte Island|Limited in the Queen Charlotte
striking loggers is now well under | Islands, where approximately 80
way. The committee would like to|men have donated a total of four
take this opportunity to express |hundred and forty dollars.
thanks gn behalf of the loggers for] Contributions for the
the valuable and magnificent sup- —

Queen

port which has been given. See SUPPORT FUND — Page 4

Holidays With Pay Granted By
Board To B.S.& W. Employees

“The recent order of the Regional War Labor Board of
British Columbia granting vacations with pay to all the opera-
tions of the Bloedel, Stewart and Welch, is excellent and sets
a good precedent for the entire woodworking industry in com-
pliance with the IWA’s demand for vacations with pay,” stated
District President Harold Pritchett this week.

The official Bargaining committee of the IWA presented

the demand for yacations with pay®
to the Bloedel, Stewart & Welch
Company some months ago. The
order provides that:

(a) A vacation with pay will be
granted only after the employee
has completed one year’s continu-
ous service, ie., a minimum of 300
days of actual work; vacation to
be allowed for and during the fol-
lowing twelve months’ service.

(b)) A vacation with pay will
not exceed the equivalent of one-
half day for each 25 days of actual
work, due allowance to be made
for authorized leaves of absence
because of sickness or other justi-
fied causes; an employee who has
rendered régular service during
one year or more at, or at any
time after, September 15, 1942, will
be entitled to six days’ vacation
with pay at some time during the
succeeding twelve months.

(ec) Vacation with pay will not be
allowed for vacations not taken; in

such case any unused vacation
privileges will be allowed to ac-
cumulate until conditions permit
them to be exercised.

(d) If an employee not having
been dismissed for cause, leaves
the service for reasons beyond his
control, at a time when an unused
period of vacation with pay stands
to his credit, he will be paid the
amount due him in lieu of vaca-
tion calculated to the date of his
leaving the service.

(e) If an employee leaves the
service of his own accord, or is
dismissed for cause, at a time
when an unused period of vacation
stands to his credit, he will be paid
the amount due him in lieu of va-
cation calculated to the end of his
last completed 12 months of sery-
ice.

(f) The vacation for each em-

See HOLIDAYS — Page 2