D-comber 3. 1945 THE

09

LUMBER WORKER

Pare Three

One Division At The

The Following Letter To The Members Of District |
One Explains The Position Taken By The
B.C. Delegation

TO THE MEMBERSHIP:
By HAROLD PRITCHETT and HJALMAR BERGREN

The ninth annual convention of the International Woodworkers
of America just concluded at Eugene, Oregon, was without doubt
the most united and constructive convention ever held by this
organization.

The contentious issues that split the eighth convention last
year at Vancouver, B.C., were either withdrawn this year or re-
ceived so little support that they constituted no problem when it
came to dealing with them.

This is not to say that there was no attempt made to inject
these issues into the convention, and again disunite the member-
ship of this union as was done last year. These attempts were made
and it reflects credit to the majority of delegates present that the
efforts were unsuccessful. Only once during the convention was a
roll call vote necessary, and this was over the issue of adopting the
officers’ report. Two opinions on the officers’ report were submitted
to the convention for consideration. The first opinion submitted
endorses all the officers and their actions. The second or minority
reffort analyses the actions of the officers during the past year, and
commends their constructive activities while criticizing those that
were negative, Copies of both these opinions are printed for you
to study.

DELEGATES SEATED rs

The convention was unanimous in: seating the delegates who
were unseated last year. The no-strike pledge was unanimously
withdrawn. This is important to note as many of the newspapers
in B.C. carried a story that gave the impression that B.C. was
opposing this issue. The facts are that B.C introduced the resolu-
tion on this that was adopted by the convention.

Brother Ernie Dalskog, Acting International Board Member
for B.C., was put on the payroll on the same basis as was the
former Board Member, Nigel Morgan.

Carrying out a program adopted prior to the convention which
was designed to promote constructive unity within the IWA,
District Council No. 1 and five other Districts realized that a ‘well
balanced slate of officers representing all opinions must be elected.
In line with this perspective, three Brothers were nominated for
internctional positions; namely, Karly Larsen, Northern Washing,
ton District No. 2 for First Vice-President; Ed Laux, Plywood
District No. 9, for Secretary-Treasurer; and Jack Greenall, B.C.
District No. 1, for Trustee. Acting Board Member Ernie Dalskog
was nominated as International Board Member for B.C, The Posi-
tions of President and Second Vice-President were not apposed,
leaving James Fadling the only nominee for President and William
Botkin for Second Vice-President.

A study of the convention report should convince every member
of the importance of electing the slate supported by District No 1.
If Brothers Karly Larsen, Ed Laux, Jack Greenall and Ernie Dals-
kig are elected, then a balanced slate is assured and so is unity and
progress. :

Tt is interesting to note that B.C. is now the largest District
within the IWA, Twenty-five percent larger than Columbia River
which is next in size.

Ballots for the election of officers are Now in the hands of
your local union. Every member of the IWA has the responsibility
of casting 2 vote. The future of your union depends upon it. You
are urged to make arrangements now to ensure a full vote in this
referendum, If your camp or mill is closing down before the ballots
reach you, then by all means make arrangements for every member
to visit his local office and cast his ballot there.

Tf we do a job now, we will be in a Position to do a much

ae one in the year of intense struggle that appears to lie

mittee moves to strike the
words: “by newly established
local unions.”

(b) With respect to the sug-
gestion of the International Sec-
retary that the local unions still
owing money on 1943 negotia-
tion costs which was pro-rated
equally to all locals; the com-
mittee recommends that the
International officers attempt to
get these bills paid within the
next year with the suggesion of
monthly payments if needed

(c) We further recommend
that this convention go on record
as requesting that the District
officers of the respective Dist-
riet Councils in which the Locals
fall assist the International of-
ficers in attempting to collect
the amounts owing.

The Comimttee feels that
Brother George Brown should be
commended for his fair and ef-
ficient manner of handling the

Majority Report On
Officers Opposed By B.C.
Delegates Adopted by
Voice Vote

(1) The committee unanimous-
ly concurs and recommends
adoption of the main officers’
report over the signatures of
James Fadling, Claude Ballard,
William Botkin, and E. E. Bene-
dict. The committee further
feels the anove mentioned ‘offic-
ers should be commended for
their short, concise and complete
report of the activities of the
officers and the major happen-
ings in our International Union.

(2) The committee moves
adoption of the officers’ report
jin its entirety with the follow-
‘ing recommendations:

(a) That the minimum amount
of dues to be paid to the local

d by the Inter-
in his report

j made in the Trustees’ Report of

Organizational Department in

Eugene Convention

| $33.00.

Minority Report on
Officers Supported By
B.C. Delegates Defeated
By Roll Call Vote By
Slim Majority

We recommend concurrence by
the convention in the Main Of-
ficers’ Report which, in general
terms, outlines the activities of
our union in the past year and
proposes a constructive program
for the future. The report is to
be commended for setting forth
the four freedoms as the criteria
upon which our perspective in
dealing with the various issues
and problems now confronting
and which may confront our
membership in the coming year
shall be based. Particularly com-
mendable is the endorsement of
CIO-PAC. Only too frequently
do we find trade union officials
who maintain that the only role
a labor orgonization should play
in the fight to better the lot of
the worker is purely an economic
one, or if they do espouse the
cause of political activity, do so
on a narrow partisan basis of
personalities and concern them-
selves not at all with the issues
of program and policy that mean
bread and butter to those they
represent. Resolutions on the
CIO legislative program men-
tioned in the report, and which
have been endorsed by this con-
vention, indicate that our offi-
cers are cognizant of the needs

ae enema eee ee Toe SA

face of the terrific opposition
and obstacles thrown into’ the
picture, as well as a great amount
of pressure placed on him by
some District Councils. This in
itself should prove to the mem-
bership that Brother Brown is]
capable of making his own de-
cisions and standing by them.
The success of the Organizing
program proves the correctness
of his decisions in face of the
financial difficulties that have
ben experienced by the Organ-
izational Department.

The Committee feels that
Brother Kroeger gave quite a
complete picture of organiz-
ational activities which show he
has the Department’s activities
at his finger tips. Mention is

some things that have been taken
care of by other recommenday
tions or proposals in this Report

and we concur in the Trustee Re-
port as 2 whole.

190 per cent of the workers in

the incoming officers will give ac-
tive leadership to promoting this
importent phase of organization-
al activity to the end that the
Auxiliaries will become, the im-
portant arm of our union they
should be.

The conclusion of the report
in stresing the importance of
closer cooperation and collabor-
ation betwen the IWA and other
afiliates of the CIO and in giv-
ing the type of leadership that
will attract AF of L Woodwork-
ers to our union indicates the
only road whereby the IWA may
attain its proper stature in the
ClO movement.

In dealing with the report of
the Office of the Secretary~
Treasurer, we find it primarily
a factual presentation of the
financial affairs of the union.

of the workers and that they
recognize the necessity of com-
bining political with economic
activities by the union if those
needs are to be realized. It
should be noted that only if the
Murray-Patman Full Employ-
ment Bill becomes a law will it
be possible to maintain and im-
prove wage standards and at-
tain our ultimate goal of a guar-
anteed annual wage. Again, fed
eral surveys indicate that fully

the basic timber industries of
the South would benefit from 5
to 25 cents per hour each if the
65-cent. minimum wage is en-
acted into law.

The mere adoption of these
resolutions must not be the end
of the campaign for enactment
of this legislation. The financial
teport for the year ending June

80, 1945, lists a total expendi-|We recommend concurrence
ture for political action of only| with the recommendation that

Such an amount bud- Article IV,
geted for political action work, Section 5 of
in view of the tremendously im- fio InUSaIOE
portant legislative issues which auneil Gane

faced our-union in the past year,
indicates that little more than
lip service was given to the

stitution be
submitted to

PAC program. Unless the in- ear
coming officers aggressively sup- apie aoe

port the PAC program, both fin-
ancially and by giving it active
leadership, the political pro-
gram adopted in this convention

ment to
providea
minimum

will mean nothing. COI)

The program outlined in the mont cues
section entitled “Fire Control bygnewlyger
and Wood Utilization” shows a ta blish-
constructive approach toward| f, Dalskog ed local
assuring this country of a per-| . unions. The

necessity for such an amend-
is obvious in the light of the ex
planation contained in the re-
port.

B.C. NEGOTIATING FUND

The section of the report deal-
ing with the B.C. District No. 1
Negotiating Fund which by ac-
tion of the Sacramento Conven-
tion has been retained in Can-
ada, leaves room for consider-
able clarification. There has not
yet been a: satisfactory agree-
ment worked out on the appor-
tioning of this fund to be ap-
plied to expenses incurred in
conducting B.C. negotiations. A
substantial balance of over
$19,000 has been accumulated in
the fund and the Local Unions
and District Council No. 1, are
heavily burdened with negotiat-
ing expenses. We recommend
that this convention consider the
allocation of 2c of the 10c¢ nego-
tiating per capita to the Re-
search Educational and Statis-
tical Department. All districts
would then equally participate
in financing the activities of
this important department.

In the matter of pro-rated
share of negotiating costs prior
to November, 1948, which still
remains unpaid, we recommend
that all money owed to the In-
ternational legally assessed un-
der the Constitution be collected
and that any amounts pro-rated
on a voluntary basis be referred
to the Local Unions involved.

We concur in the statement
that it would be extremely de-
sirable to haye the “Interna-
tional Woodworker” placed di-
rectly into the homes of every
IWA member, providing that
this can be accomplished within
the confines of the present per
capita tax,

We recommend concurrence
in the audited financial state-
ments as submitted.

In reviewing the trustees’ re-

(Continued on Page Seven)
See ONE DIVISION

manent forest industry and jobs
for the future.

It is gratifying to note that
steps have been taken to carry
out last year’s convention in-
structions by the reorganization
of the Research, Educational ;
and Statistical Department and
the employment of a full time
Director. If this department
functions as effectively* as the
report indicates it will, then it
will do much to assist the IWA
in carrying out its aims and ob-
jectives in the future.

The new advertising policy for
the “International Woodworker”
as outlined in the report should
prevent the recurrence of inci-
dents which have damagéd the
prestige of our union in the past
and should place the paper on a
sound financial basis. The “Int-
ernational Woodworker” can
and should become a powerful
instrument for the furthering of
the economic and political aims
of our union.

The utimely passing of Worth
Lowery came as a distinct shock
to the membership of the Inter-
national Woodworkers of Am-
erica. Irrespective of the fact
that sections of the membership
differed sharply in opinion with
‘him on many ocasions he was re-
spected by all who knew him as
a man with the courage of his
convictions.

LADIES AUXILIARIES

The program outlined for as-
sisting the Ladies Auxiliaies sets
out in fine terms the aid that
should be rendered to them by the
IWA. The contribution that the
Ladies’ Auxiliaries have made in
furthering the cause of working
people has been of inestimable
importance. Past conventions
have adopted similar programs
designed to give organizational
assistance to the Federated Aux-
iliaries. Unfortunately, in the
main, those programs remained
on paper. It is to be hoped that