With Canada facing the worst
housing crises in its history, the
Government and the general
public naturally look to our

woodworking industry to make
the greatest contribution in
solving the problem. This is
understandable when we realize
“that 60 per cent of all home con-
struction is made up of wood
materials in its various forms.

With the termination of the
war and the shutdown of war
industries, the problem of man-

power shortages in the actual}

construction of homes has been
somewhat eased, but the same
cannot be said of the woodwork-
ing industry, especially as it re-
lates to logging. It is estimat-
ed that it takes one logger in
the woods, to maintain in full
employment, 15 people in the
city. The lumbering industry in
this proyince is basic and as a
result, creates jobs for the car-
penters, bricklayers, painters,
plasterers, shinglers, and many
thousands of other citizens, di-
rectly or indirectly connected
with our industry. As a mat-
ter of fact, according to Gov-
ernment, figures, 60 per cent of
all tonnage leaving the province
by rail is wood materials and 80
per cent of all shipping tonnage.
All of which adds up to the fact
that continuous and full produc-
tion of the woodworking indus-
try is essential to meet the hous-
ing requirements of our own na-
tion, and the reconstruction of
those countries devastated by
war.

Wages, hours and living con-
ditions in the logging camps of
British Columbia have been
greatly improved in the last two
years since the union became ef-
fective, and in many instances
improvements can yet be insti-
tuted. Also, employer union re-
lations are now on a more sound
basis than ever they have been
in the history of our industry.
‘These conditions can be further
improved.

Tt appears to be the job of
every right thinking citizen, who
has had experience in logging or
even those Without any experi-
enee and willing to learn, to take
a job in the logging industry
now, to help alleviate the hous-
ing crisis, and the export of
wood materials to our allies who
are in great need of assistance,
In taking a job in the industry,
join our union and work with us
shoulder to shoulder, in improv-
ing the lot of the woodworkers.

No mill or plant should be
shut down for the reason of
shortage of logs, A victorious
world is in great need to con-
struct a lasting peace.

THE BC LUMBER WORKER

Without Apology... .

‘ By TEREDO ae

There is a certain philosophy to writing incognito. It saves
wear and tear on your diplomatic powers and also on your jaw,
the latter consideration being the most important, Therefore,
when the Editor pulls a brilliant faux-pas as to brazenly flaunt
my picture in this issue, this humble columnist blinks a weary
eye and ponders thoughtfully over the midnight oil. A ticklish
situation, to say the least. All my enemies can’t be smaller than
Tam.

So, having armed myself against those who do not recog-
nize the sanclity of the newspaper world—to wit, having paid my
life insurance premiums to date—I timidly venture to peck out a
dirge with my usual lightheartedness . .. in vain. For having laid
down my pen of journalism, I now sally forth from the bosom of
my teacher to face the blows and brunts of the cruel world; leav-
ing behind me only the poor, tattered shreds of remembrance and,
heaven forbid, a :

A POME

Yl miss the door marked with a big CIO

Til miss the counters that look like they have been
snowed under with mail.

Til miss the editor’s ranting and fume

And his voice saying, like the crack of doom,
Get that article in!

Here’s to the guys from the island, prim and proper (7)
+ Doing things that they hadn’t oughter.

Here's to the accidents, may they be few

Here's to the phonies, may they stew.

Here’s to the organizers, staunch thus far

Here’s to Dalskog and Heddy Lamarr.
Here’s to the forests, the land and the plough.

Heres’ to Elsie, the Borden cow.

My swan song then to all and sundry
Build it Saturday, build it Monday.
Build your union strong and free,
Kee “it here for you and me.

Guard it well against the foe,

Unite your ranks and watch it grow.
So when the final word is said, someday,

The best dawgone union, is the IWA!

By E. DALSKOG 4
International Board Member and Legislative Director

No one can deny that the issue of the day for the
organized workers of Canada is the winning of the strike of the

Ford workers at Windsor, Ontario. Winning this strike means
winning labor’s demand for union security. It is a political ques-
tion. The demand for union security legislation, by amending PC
1003 and having it made into a Dominion Statute, is still the main
legislative fight before the labor movement of Canada and can-
not be separated from the Struggle of the Ford Workers. Financial
and moral support to the Windsor strikers, is support to the fight
for a Labor Code for Canada, Pressure by the Labor movement on
the Dominion Government for enactment of a labor code, is sup-
port to the Windsor strikers.

The main economic demand of Labor today is the establish-
ing of a 40-hour week with no reduction in take home pay, Tho
struggle for this is a dominion wide struggle. This struggle is
directly linked up with the struggle for amendments to PC 9384.
the wage freezing order in council. The question of a national
minimum wage is also linked up with amending PC 9384.

Last winter a nation-wide campaign was undertaken to: press
for amendments to PC 1003 and 9384, Both Congresses of Labor
submitted proposals to the Dominion Cabinet. Minister of Labor
Humphrey Mitchell received the proposals and also made some
statements in public about the need for revision of PC 1008, but
to date no action has been forthcoming. Labor should ‘increase
its pressure for enactment of these demands a thousand fold. What
we need today is (1) A shorter work week to make more jobs
available. (2) An increased hourly rate so as to not lower the pur-
chasing power of the workers; and (3) A national basic minimum
swage to raise the wages of workers in the parts of Canada where
substandard wages are prevailing; to give these workers a decent
standard of living. (4) A labor code to establish security by law
to labor unions and thereby establish sound labor management
relationship so that workers can walk serene, with heads up. in
dignity, as Canadian men and women.

In view of the above we then recommend that all locals im-
mediately intensify the campaign for support to the Windsor
strike. The campaign for the 40-hour week; and those who
passed resolutions on amendments to P.C. 1008 and 9384 should
again ask the government about steps that have been taken to
amend the said acts, and press the government again for amend-
ments to the acts as proposed by the Canadian Congress of labor

and the Trades and Labor Council.

U.S. Lumber Strike

Employers Plot

HERE’S PROOF: From the lumber baron’s own press comes this proof that U.S. operators wanted and planned for
their sitdown strike against employment and to weaken organized labor. That charge made by both the AFL and CIO

unions is freely admitted in the editorial below which states

and “‘the average producer does not care whether his men str:

afraid they will not.” Note the date, August 31st, 1945.

of IWA District Council, No. 2, published in the October 8

(A reprint from “Crow’s Pacific Coast Lumber Digest”
Portland, Oregon, August 31)

The general outlook for the Northwest lumber markets today
is very difficult to analyze because the switch-over from control by
war requirements to free access to the supply by peacetime users
has not moved a sufficient distance to determine just where it
will go. :

In view of the big footage, approximately one billion feet,
that has been cancelled by government procuring bureaus since
Y-J Day, it is quite surprising the amount of business the mills
claim to still have on their books, even though their sales since
that time appear to have been comparatively small. There is some
reason to believe that both buyers and producers did some antici-
pating on the end of the war and that a few of those holding the
most prestige through previous tie-ups succeeded in going in
through the back door before the front door of the supply was
open. This is even truer of western pine than it is of fir.

With numerous buyers from consuming fields already on hand
calling on the mills, it is surprising to note that even they are
complaining bitterly at their inability to make purchases. One
thing is a certainty—those who have gained the false impression
that the market would weaken immediately following the end of
the war are meeting with great, disappointment because even par-
tially specified business is not being considered as the mills are
finding it easily possible to sell anything they have on hand in the
way of standard items of either common or uppers in most any
quantity or assortments they are prepared to ship.

that “the mills are not at all anxious to do much selling’’
e. Some haxe expressed the opinion that they are
This is proof of the charge made by Karly Larsen, President
issue of the B.C. Lumber Worker.

The mills are not at all anxious to do much selling. One of the
main reasons for this is the talk and movement already under way
for calling a general strike which could tie everyone up for a
considerable time. The facts are the average producer does not
care whether his men strike, Some have expressed the opinion
that they are afraid that they will not. With the average manu-
facturer already in the high income tax bracket he will receive
very little net reward for operating the balance of this year and
the moral obligation to run no longer exists. If their men will be
kind enough to walk out it leaves them free of all responsibility,
which unquestionably means that if a strike is pulled it will be of
considerable duration. In the Klamath Falls area, where the CIO
called a strike obviously with the hope that it would result in the
government taking over the mills so as to keep lumber moying
for war uses, it has become so dull and uninteresting that it
scarcely makes the front page of local newspapers. Should there
be a strike in the fir mills the rank and file will one day awaken
to the fact that they have been led up a blind ulley by the rac-
keteers who are collecting their dues and the reaction is liable to ~
be very disastrous to the unions because only the employees will
be seriously hurt. Union troublemakers missed the boat on this
occosion and now find their necks sticking out. This is not good
news for the retail dealers and others who have a big volume of
business awaiting only the delivery of lumber on their sidetracks,
but it is a condition that must be watched as it is a genuine threat.

Regardless of what hoppens, buying is going to be extremely

difficult for the next 30 to 60 days and if the strike is pulled, trad-
ing as a whole will come to an indefinite standstill.