Monday, May 6th, Stuard Re- search Limited, official spokes- men for the employers of the woodworking industry will in- form the district negotiating committee of the International Woodworkers of America, whe- ther or not the employers will agree to arbitrate the question of union shop and voluntary check-off, At a previous meeting, the dis- trict negotiating committee flat- ly rejected the employers’ pro- posals for 12%c per hour increase across the board, as insufficient to meet the increased cost of liv- ing of ou rmembership and offset the wage reduction created by a shorter working week. The 12% carried with it a 44-hour week, already mandatory by provincial law. In other words, your district negotiating committee informed the employer representatives that they would not under any circum- stances recede from the original 25c per hour and 40-hour week demand, without the employers giving some consideration to our union security demand. Mon- day's conference could therefore give some indication as to whe ther the employers desire a peace- ful settlement, for our union se- curity demand has, up until now, received a flat “NO” from the employers, ‘The employers’ wage conces- sion of 12%4c is dependent on the 44-hour week\ and the union dropping all other demands. In Canada, many boards of conciliation have been establish- ed on union security. Between March, 1944, when Order-in-Coun- cil P.C, 1003 was established, and December 1945, a total of 147 boards of conciliation were es- tablished. Of these, 132 have made their reports, In 125 of the 182 reports, union security was one of the issues in dispute and the February issue of the Labor Gazette carries an analysis of the board’s recommendation in this regard. In no case did the board recommend the closed shop, the voluntary check-off obviously was the favored device. Seventy- seven boards recommended it, 35 recommended maintenance of membership. Although the union shop was jointly asked for, only five boards recommended it, 90 boards or 72 per cent of all boards recommended some form of unjon security. However, the union represen- tatives are not requesting con- eiliation but are rather propos- ing to the employers arbitration of the union security question. The above figures indicate the trend in Canada on this im- portant matter, Obviously then, the employers public arguments that the union's demand for union shop and vol- untary check-off jeopardizes pro- duction of vital wood materials to meet the national housing crises is absurd. The employers have it within their power to avoid a general strike in the wood-working in- THE BC LUMBER WORKER Strike Vote In U.S. Will Finish May 15 Deadline for a strike ballot on an industry-wide basis throughout IWA Locals in the United States, under the Smith-Connally Act, has been set for May 15th, according to a statement received from the IWA Negotiating Com- mittee. An urgent request to all local unions involved in the industry negotiations to place this ballot before their membership to secure an overwhelming YES vote and thus back up the committee in its efforts to fight the employers’ attempts to destroy the present agreements, has gone forth from th committee, Also included in the ballet is authorization for a $5.00 assessment, to be estab- lished as a special strike fund patterned after District 1’s fund, and to be expended “for strike purposes only, by the authority of the International Negotiating Committee.” ‘The 1946 demands of the Int- ernational Union, which opened negotiations with the employers, included four main points; nam- ely, increased wages; sick leave; elimination of busheling and pow- er saws, Presentation of these de- mands was accompanied by a de- tailed explanation as to why the Union was entitled to these con- cessions, The Union, in its pres- entation, pointedly called atten- tion to recent OPA price ceiling increases amounting to about $4.50 per M in the Northwest Lumber® Industry. “This,” they stated, “alone would more than allow the employers to grant the $117% minimum with — corre- sponding increases and also eliminate the minimum differen- tial in pine, box-shook or where- ever it may exist.” After patient days of negotia- tins and in a statement signed by IWA offiicals and the Nego- tiating Committee, determination to fight for the union’s demands was reaffirmed and a firm stand taken against any proposed changes by the employers to present agreements. This statement followed count- er serving of 33 demands upon the union by the employers in fir, represented by one top com- mittee, comiprised of the Lum- bermen’s Industrial Relations Committee, the Willamette Val- ley Operators’ Association and the Oregon Coast Operators’ As- sociation, These 33 points cov- ered every contract clause from the preamble to the termination and revision clause, and, as in the case of demands submitted by-B.C. employers during indus- try-wide negotiations, consisted solely of a watering-down pro- cess of the agreements and the Proposed removal of conditions won through the determined ef- forts of the union in the past through negotiations, concilia- tion, arbitration or War Labor Board directive orders. After careful study of these demands, the negotiating com- mittee notified the employers that in the opinion of the Union, these 33 points were not accept- able and demanded all labor eee ee negotiations with the union on the matter of wages and hours of work and submitting to arbi- tration the question of union shop and check-off, Tt is equally obvious that shuold it be necessary for the union to call a strike and chips are down, the responsibility for the strike will rest squarely upon the em- dustry by agreeing to continue ployers, agreements, together with all directive orders, be signed by the parties for 1946. These employers who notified local unions of cancellation of contracts have generally signed stipulations agreeing to the re- instatement of contracts and most of the directive orders un- til 2 new agreement is reached or negotiations are broken off by either party. ‘This means that present agree- ments in fir are only temporary. If the employers can stall nego- tiations until fire season, or.un- til conditions are favorable to the employers and then break off negotiations, there will be no agreements or directive orders in effect. The negotiating committee has also issued a warning to locals who did’ not have their agree- ments cancelled or were not notified of employer changes in the agreements, that they are faced with the identical situa- tion, because, if the employers are successful in taking away working conditions or labor agreements from one section of the lumber. industry, then all other sections will suffer the same treatment. The closest cooperation pos- sible is being maintained be- tween the IWA-CIO negotiations in Canada and the industry-wide negotiations being conducted in the United States. Members of the Negotiating Committee are: J. E, Fadling, president; Karley Larsen, first vice-president; Wil- liam Betkin, second vice-presi- dent; J. E. Laux, secretary- treasurer, and two delegates each from each local union affected by these present negotiations. Cowichan Merchants Limited DUNCAN, B.C. For Your Convenience, a Full and Efficient DEPARTMENT STORE j SERVICE i In November, 1946, the citizens of the United States will elect representatives to Congress and one-third of the Members of Senate. The action of the new Congress will largely determimne in what direction the United States will go on the question of peace in the world and of international policy for economic secur- ity for the people of the United States. The CIO's Political Action Committee proposes for foreign policy of U.S. that: (1) ‘The key to a secure peace is unity of Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States, in peace as it was in war. (2) That all economic and social roots of fascism be destroyed. (3) That all peoples in all countries have the right to choose the form of government under which they will live. (4) Opposition to any form of aggression by any power. (5) Access on equal terms to the trade and raw materials of the -world by all states. (6) Atomic energy be controlled and regulated by the United Nations. (1) Relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction by {full support to UNRRA with loans to needy allies so they can buy raw materials and equipment. (8) Concerted action by the United Nations Security Council to quarantine Spain and Argentina and to assist the peoples of these countries to restore democratic rights and self-government. (9) United States support to the just demands of the colonial peoples for the right to self-determination and self-government. (10) Support to the World Federation of Trade Unions and the right of that body to participate in the work of the United Nations as being one of the essential needs for the building of an enduring peace. ; Space will not permit the inclusion of the domestic program of the CIO Political Action Committee at this time but this material if available in the “CIO News,” April 22 issue, and we shall deal with that part of the program in a later issue. Next issue of the B.C. Lumber Worker will carry a Political Action column dealing with Canadian legislation regarding strikes, right of picketing, etc. What action is your Local taking in regard to price control? Are” you sending wires, letters, resolutions-to the Wartime Prices and Trade Board and Prime Minister Mackenzie King at Ottawa? Are you planning any form of demonstration? Are you meeting with farmers’ organizations, and others? Let us know! 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