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

VANCOUVER, B.C., MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1944

Broadway <ES> Printers Ltd

~ (832)

Vol. XIII. No, 24.
—=

Union Shop Is Most Important

Shown above is the painting that won the special prize donated by the IWA for the best

,

entry in the In-

dustrial Arts Exhibition depicting the lumbering industry. Entered by John Ellison of the Royal Canadi-
an Navy, now stationed at Victoria, this exhibit was considered the best out of a large number of excel-
lent entries. First prize of the exhibition was won by Marjorie Robertson for her sculpture of.an air-

eraft worker. All IWA memibers who can

something outstanding in B.C. labor history.

possibly do so are urged to visit this exhibition, and view

Progress Is Made Toward
Joint Political Action

TORONTO—(ALN).—In a resolution calculated to heal the breach

between opposing factions within the Canadian Congress of Labor
(CIO and national unions) on the question of labor’s political action,
the Political Action Committee of the CCL last week declared itself
“the political instrument of all unions of the Congress” and “wholly
independent of any political party.”

The resolution, adopted “in or@———______

der to make our PAC fully re-
presentative and effective,” states

| “methat the CCL PAC “will seek the
< 222208 of the Political Ac-
ion Committee which the Trades

and Labor Congress (AFL) has
decided to establish and of other
labor and democratic bodies,”
‘The aims of the PAC, it adds, are:
to ensure the election of a “repre-
sentative and responsible govern-
ment of the people, federally and
nationally”; to hasten victory, win
lasting peace, attain full employ-
ment, gain a voice for labor
uncils of the nations,”
the most serious splits

at the recent CCL convention in
Quebee arose over* the question
of endorsement of the Coopera-
tive Commonwealth Federation
as the political arm of the CCL.
Although the convention endorsed
the CCF, many delegates argued
that the PAC should operate in-
dependently as the CCF policy
of “socialism now” was regarded
as a threat to the achievement of
Jabor’s postwar aims.

Nigel Morgan, IWA representa-
tive to the CCL-PAC, attended
the meeting and supported the de-
mand which finally led to the
adoption of the resolution, ~

COUNCIL AIDS
UNDERSTANDING

Reporting on his attendance at
the recent conference held in Tor-
onto of the National Council for
Canadian Soviet Friendship, Nigel
Morgan, International Board Mem-
ber, stated this week that in his
opinion this council has done won-
derful work towards building bet-
ter understanding between the So-
viet Union and Canada, during the
past two years.

At the meeting, delegates were
shown a film depicting the Soviet
way of living and the accomplish-
ments of the people. Another film
graphically illustrated the horrors
of the Lublin death ‘chambers.
The picture showed the gas cham-
bers where the victims were as-
Phyxiated, the kilns where the
bodies were destroyed and the
Piles of clothing taken from these
people before they were killed.

Requests have been made to the
council from army authorities for

use of these films in recruiting
drives, i

_ Dist. Council Meeting Decides

President Murray and

CIO Program Hailed
at Nanaimo Meeting

Meeting in Nanaimo, Sunday, December 3, delegates to :
B.C. District Council IWA-CIO emphasized the importance
of the union shop as the main issue in current negotiations for

a new industry agreement.

In adopting the report of the negotiating committee, which
carried with it a recommendation that “we do everything pos-
sible to incorporate the union shop clause in the new contract
—bearing in mind the greater contribution this will make
possible, not only toward winning the war, but in laying a

BOARD WANTS
JOINT REQUEST

Hearing the case of the interior
lumber operators and union rep-
resentatives before the Regional
War Labor Board proceeded Mon-
day and Tuesday of last week in
Vancouver, with International Rep-
resentative Bill Langmead of
Cranbrook; A. McInroy, president
of the Kelowna CCL Woodworkers
Union; Danny O’Brien, Regional
Director of the Canadian Congress
of Labor and Harold Pritchett,
representing the workers involved.
Hugh Dalton and 14 of the com-
pany representatives presented the
company’s arguments. An exten-
sive brief prepared by the IWA
was presented to the board de-
manding wages be increased above
the rates proposed by the opera-
tors. The scale which is being
set would establish a rate for 526
southern interior operations and
consequently is viewed with great
importance by the IWA in connec-
tion with its present organization-
al drive in that area. The board
is withholding decision on the case
pending negotiations directly be-
tween the union and several of.
the companies involyed, at which
it is hoped to work out a mutually
satisfactory scale which can be
submitted as a joint application
to the Regional War Labor Board.

One feature of these negotia-
tions which can be viewed with
Sratification by woodworkers is
the cooperative attitude displayed
between officers and members of
the Kelowna Woodworkers CCL
and IWA Local 1-405. President
MeInroy of the Kelowna Wood-
workers local has contributed in
no small degree to the suécess

thus far achieved.

“basis for continued co-operative
relations with employers in ‘the
peace,” the meeting urged that all
locals and sub-locals do their ut
most to win the support of their
individual’ employers” for this Fe
quest.

Mr. R. V. Stuart, employers’ rep-
resentative, indicates that they will
oppose the union shop, checkoff,
44-hour week and any increase in
ceiling wage rates,

The meeting uanimously en-
dorsed the “no-strike resolution”
recently adopted by the CIO con-
vention, and heard District Presi-
dent Pritchett read President Mur-
ray’s speech on this resolution.
Murray’s speech called upon all
CIO. members to honor their
pledges and commitments in the
interests of winning the war and
destroying fascism, Pointing out
that the CIO has grown and pros-
pered as a result of its integrity.
A resolution was adopted sup-
Porting Prime Minister Mackenzie
King and General McNaughton on
their stand on the conscription is-
use. .The resolution pointed out
that, while the King Government
could have gone much farther to-
ward bringing labor into full war
Parnership, the present attempt
by reactionary interests to Pro-
mote racial discord and disunity
among the armed services, and a
national crisis on this issue, can
only be regarded as a definite
threat to democracy in Canada,

Al Parkin, President of Local 1-
405 at Cranbrook, was elected to
the vacant position of trustee until
the convention in January.
Endorsement of the -National
PAC resolution, recommending
non-partisan political action for
CCL unions, was unanmious and
was regarded as a step toward
united action with the AF of L
on legislation vital to labor.