“sist that every increase in pro-

“proportionate reduction hours,

It is an undisputed fact that a
healthy and satisfied employee is
a more efficient worker. No em-
ployee suffering from chronic
ill-health due to cumulative fa-
tigue can put his best efforts into
the job. Furthermore, the work-
er who is continually fatigued or
in ill health is much more suscep-
tible to acidents. Moreover, work-
ers in industry must have the
right to enjoy some of the arh-
enities of social life. They must
have suficient leisure to be able
to follow cultural and education-|
al pursuits if they so wish. They|
must be granted sufficient free
time to enable them to partici-
pate in, and help develop. com-
munity life.

No man who works excessive
hours, or who is a slave to his
job, can live a normal decent life.
Yet there are thousands of work-
ers in the woodworking industry
in B.C, who after working their
normal 48 hours a week, (or
more, in many instances) and
spending from two to as high as
four hours a day in travelling to
and from the job find themselves
restricted during six days a week
to nothing more, than the essen-
tial functions of eating and
sleeping. Sunday is spent in a
usually futile effort to store up
sufficient euergy for the coming
work week. A worker is a far
greater asset to his employer
when working conditions permit
adequate leisure hours and a rate
of pay that will permit a reason-
able sense of security.

Obviously, if labour were to in-
ductivity should be met with a

there would be no economic pro-
gress. It is equally obvious that
if hours remain the same re-
gardless of productivity, there
can be little cultural and social
progress. The workers now feel
that the time has come when in-
dustry can give them more lei-
sure time for recreation and self-
development. Thus with every
likelihood of increased hourly pro-
duction and decreased overhead
the B.C. Lumber and Woodwork-
ing Industry should find itself in
an excellent position to increase
employment under the most fav-
ourable economic conditions. The
need for more employment, and
a greater total output, which
would be facilitated by shorter
hours, is obvious since demand for
products and by-products of B.C.
Forest Industries is far in ex-,
cess of supply. Moreover, Lum-
ber exports which account for
the major portion of B.C. Forest
products, will continue to increase.

The post-war period will un-
doubtedly witness rapid techno-
logical advances in Canadian In-
dustrial technique not the least
of which will be the Lumber and
Woodworking industry. Workers
haye gained notoriously little in
the form of shorter hours or high-
er wages due to technological
advance. Yet essentially, it is
they who have, through their
labor provided the necessary cap-
ital to expediate such advance,

Accordingly the IWA urges
that immediate steps be taken by
all those concerned so that, in
the words of the San Francisco
Charter, the workers of Canada
may, in the world of peace they
fought to make, enjoy “Higher
standards of living, Full employ-
ment, and conditions of economic
and social progress and develop-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

Legislation

weekly limit of 48 hours to forty
hours, to all workers.

3. MINIMUM WAGES. The

of age as beneficiaries. (1) That
sub-section 4 of section 50 be re-
pealed and the following substi-

tuted:
Provincial Government should) y,; asi
ss Fe fi
set an example in establishing] ¢,,. en

a basic minimum wage in B.C.
of sixty cents (60c) per hour
and make a substantial repre-
sentation to the Federal Gov-
ernment through the Inter-Pro-
vincial Conference for sixty
cents (60c) per hour national
minimum wage rate.

4. VACATIONS WITH PAY.
That legislation be enacted mak-
ing it compulsory to grant to
employees a vacation with pay of
not less than two weeks’ duration
for every working year of an em-
ployee’s employment.

5. WORKMEN’S COMPEN-
SATION. (a) Increase in com-
pensation payment from 66 2-3
per cent to 100 per cent of earn-
ings with a minimum payment
of $20 per week. (b) That the
worker’s contribution be entire-
ly removed. (c) The waiting
period to be eliminated and com-
pensation paid from the date of
injury on a semi-monthly basis.
(d) Hernia to be included among
occupational diseases and full
coverage of all disabilities aris-
ing from aggravation by the oc-
cupation, of a previously existing
condition. (e) Compulsory blan-
ket coverage for all occupations
regardless of nature of industry.
(£) The Government to enact and
enforce legislation whereby doc-
tors will forward a report with-
in three days after taking the
case, and semi-monthly reports
thereafter; the final report to be’
forwarded within seven days
after conclusion of the case. (g)
That chiropractic and naturopa-
thie treatment be available to
the workers without a recom-
mendation from a medical doc-
tor. (h) Increase compensation
allowance for dependent children
to $20 per month. (i) In cases of
partial recovery, injured work-
ers be guaranteed full compen-
sation payments until satisfac-
tory employment is found by the
Compensation Board. (j) That
the Act be so amended that when
revisions take place in the work-
ers wage status, or by change in
the Act itself, that revision be
made of the actual case involved
to eliminate unnecessary hard-
ship on the worker. (k) Where
an industrial fatality occurs and
the deceased leaves a widow,
such widow shall be paid a mini-
mum of $80 per month, and in-
clude all children up to 18 years

prescribed time shall not bar
the right to compensation. Where
in the opinion of the board an
injustice has been done and the
claim is a just one, such claim
to be allowed.” Me

(m) That the Workmen’s
Compensation Board appoint an
inspector to cover Vancouver
Island and that a notice be sent
to all Councils, both Trades and
Labor (AFL) and Canadian
Congress of Labor Councils,
when a meeting of the voard is
to be held in their area. (n) No
employee shall be discharged
from the service of the employer,
with whom he was engaged at
the time of injury while he is
on compensation, except in the
ease of permanent injury. (0)
Fishermen to be included under
the Workmen’s Compensation
Act.

6. HEALTH INSURANCE. It
is recommended that the Pro-
vincial Government, through the
Inter - Provincial Conference,
urge the Federal Government to
enact a National Health Insur-
ance Act administered by the
Province.

7. OLD AGE PENSIONS. We
urge this Government to do
everything within its power to
have the Old Age Pensions Act
amended in the manner proposed
by organized labor, guarantee-
ing a minimum pension of $50
per month at 60 years of age,
without the destitution test.

8. SAFETY. We, recommend
one consolidated department
with adequate safety personnel
and necessary funds to bring im-
mediate returns in accident pre-
vention.

9. TRUCK ACT. Section 10
of the Truck Act nullifies the
protection afforded under this
Act, to workmen employed three
miles outside any incorporated
city, municipality or village. We
ask the Government to make this
act enforceable throughout the
Province.

10. TRADESMAN’S QUALIFI-
CATION ACT. We urge this
Government to enact legislation
whereby workers in . certain
trades will be certified according
to their ability. Labor should
have equal representation with
employers in examining boards

set up under this Act.

By E. DALSKOG, International Member, IWA-CIO

A UNITED TRADE UNION delegation representing CCL,
AFL and Independent Unions combined their efforts last week in
placing before the Government of British Columbia, labor's demands
for legislative proposals that will benefit the working people.

These demands will not be achieved just by asking for them,

WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP?

ways:

but will only be accomplished by pressure on the Legislature and
the Government to enact such laws and put our proposals into
effect. The first step has been taken.

Elsewhere in this issue of the Lumber Worker is an outline
of labor’s proposals to the Government. We urge you to study them
carefully and then take action in one or all of the following

(1) If there is a Political Action Committee in your camp or
mill, see that it is revitalized and made active.

(2) If there is no Political Action Committee set one up im-
mediately to get busy in the operation as well as in the community
(if possible form a United Political Action (Committee with repre
sentation from other community groups) to put pressure on the
Legislative Members and the Government.

(8) Organize delegations to interview the Members of the

Legislature for your riding.

(4) Write individual letters in addition to such interviews and
especially if you are not able to see your MLA.

(5) Resolutions and petitions should be sent to the Cabinet
demanding that the Government put labor’s proposals into effect

during the next session.

(6) KEEP THIS OFFICE INFORMED OF ANY ACTIONS
TAKEN IN YOUR CAMP, MILL OR COMMUNITY.

il. RAILWAY ACT. This Act Shipbuilding

to be amended to require all
busses and street cars operated

in this Province to be manned
by a motorman and conductor
in the case of street cars and a
driver and conductor in the case
of busses, We also ask immedi-
ate action on: 1, That the pres-

ent system of allowing female
help under the age of 18 to be
hired as apprentices in the mer-
cantile field, be discontinued ‘and
that legislation be enacted where-
by all workers shall be covered
by a system in line with the Brit-
ish Columbia apprenticeship Act.

2. Revision of the Election Act
to provide for a new voters list
to be compiled for each provin-
cial election. In addition, the
Act should be amended to pro-
vide that employers grant two
hours time off with pay on elec-
tion day. That the age limit of
all citizens eligible to vote be
lowered to the age of 18 years,
and all eligible citizens be grant-
ed the full franchise.

3. Enforcement of the regula-
tions governing the lifting of
excessive weights by female em-
ployees.

4, The rejection of all appli-
cations for overtime permits so
long as unemployment. exists.

5. The Government to conduct
an active campaign for the pro-
motion and establishment of,

in this province.
Also, wherever expenditures of

public monies are contemplated,
preference be given to British

Columbia contractors under union
contract to their employees.

6. We urge the Provincial Gov-

|ernment to actively participate

in the establishment and moin-
tenance of a steel industry for
British ‘Columbia.

Immediate action on the part
of the Government in the con-
solidation of all privately owned
electric power companies, to be
brought under Government own-
ership.

7. Establishment of a provin-
cial housing project.

8. The Government to enact
legislation requiring that.all milk
for sale be pasteurized.

9. Increased grants to school
districts.

10. A fixed limit be placed on
the number of ‘children that_ may
be assigned to any one teaching
class, this limit’ be 30 pupils in
the case of ordinary classes’ and
25 in the case. of primary ‘and
special classes. :

10. The Municipal Act be
mended to remove yestrictions
prohibiting. the xight of school
board employees to hold office
on a municipal council, and civic
employment to hold school. board
office,

AIR FORCE VETERANS PLAN HEADQUARTERS FOR ASSOCIATION

The Air Force Association is
asking for assistance from IWA
members in putting over their
prian for headquarters as shown
in the sketch below. Tickets are
being distributed for a monster
drawing,

formed

The Association was

ment.”

among the men and women who

have been released from the
Air Force. Its purpose is to give
them a united voice on anything
effecting the welfare of Air
Force Veterans.

In order to carry out its under-
takings the Air Force Associa-

tion has launched a campaign to
raise funds for a building to
house its many activities. It. is
their ambition to have a club
building with adequate facilities
for recreation and entertainment
that will keep their members in
touch with each other and. keep
alive the friendships and the

camaraderie of Air Force Life.
The Association feels that it
can best return ‘the help that
it is receiving from labor by
building up a strong and friend-
ly organization of veterans that
can assert a useful and con-
structive influence for good in,

the community.

J. WATSON

RCHITECT.
BEG W. HASTINGS

VANCOUVER