THE B.C. LUMBER WORKER May 13, 1946

i

Legal Aspects

moned to appear in court on a specified date. Should this

happen, full particulars should be phoned or wired to the

central committee who will provide legal assistance in
time.

Another means of restricting strike action by the
police or bosses is the obtaining of injuctions; a civil
court order requiring someone to refrain from some par-
ticular action, usually picketting. In these cases it should
be remembered that AN INJUNCTION NEVER
TAKES EFFECT UNTIL IT IS PERSONALLY
SERVED ON THE PARTY AGAINST WHOM IT IS
ISSUED. If one is served on a picketer, he will be guilty
of contempt of court if he continues; however, another
individual against whom there is no injunction is per-
fectly free to carry on his activities until he in turn is

* served an injunction.

Local defence committees are urged to be on the
lokout for any sign of provocation and should be careful
never to fall for this bait, no matter how serious the pro-
vocation may be. Constant contact must also be main-
tained with the District Strike Committee on any types
of intimidation as outlined above so that the best pos-
sible advice may be secured to correct such situations in
the quickest possible time, thereby maintaining a high
morale among the strikers and creating a favorable im-
pression amongst the general public as to the sincerity
of our Union. '

Continued

What Are The Issues?

But instead of a decrease in prices they have actually gone
up! That keeping wages down is not going to prevent inflation
is proven by the fact that in China and in Greece, two of the
worst low-wage countries of the world, inflatino is to be seen at
its worst. In China, for example, where the laborer receives the
CaCnadian equivalent of 40c for working 12 to 14 hours, 100 pounds
of rice costs 8,000 Chinese of the equivalent of $20 Canadian.

The swollen profits of industry can very well absorb needed
wage incteases without change in the present price ceilings.
In the US, the CIO United Electrical Workers, Radio and Ma-
chine Workers Union set out to prove this point by conducting a
survey of wage costs in relation to prices, Here is what the
wnion found. Wage costs in the manufacture of a standard
electric iron worth $8.00 were 99c. On the manufacture of five
million irons, planned for 1946, the profit would be around two
and one-half million dollars, or about $650,000 more than in 1939,
und while these figures would “not necessarily apply to a Cana-
dian firm manufacturing the same product, it is quite safe to
a a eas ie profit would be equal, perhaps greater,

lar picture
etc Pi would apply to scores of other con-

These are the issues, not whether or not we are proceedin;

rae aes eesetet the people can be won by eee united
@ picket lines and in campai to i
ment accept its responsibility, Sees oe

Continued

International

and in the USA. “We have
proved,” he said, “to the em-
ployers, the same as your com-
mittee, that they could easily
grant our demands for a $1.00
per day increase across the
board.

Continuing he asserted that
“One of the things that has
struck me as being most signi-
ficant, is the unity of the people
in the woodworking industry as
a whole, in standing behind
their just demands. In the
States you know your demands
are just when the employers
can easily grant them to you
and you are going to see that
you get what you havé coming

to you.”

Brother Botkin concluded:
“Anything your International
Officers, or the International,

ean do to help you receive the
just demands you have made,
will be done.”

Continued

Congress

to try its best to settle this
problem peacefully. If the em-
ployers attempt to try and get
back to the days of the open
shop, if they are throwing down
the gauntlet to organized labor,
organized labor will pick it up
and carry it until victory is won.

In conuclusion, he asserted
that: “This fight is for a better
Canada. This fight is not a sin-
ister one, the objectives are
clear and definite: Higher
wages, shorter hours, lower
prices, a happier Canada and
happier Canadians.

A doctor had an urgent phone
call from a man saying his
small son had swallowed his
fountain pen.

“All right, I'l come at once,”
the doctor said. “What are you
doing in the meantime?”

{ “Using a pencil.”

WEA Classes Will Be
Held During Strike

During the period of the strike, the Worktrs’ Educa-
tional Association, which represents the educational arm
of the IWA, proposes to conduct a program of classes
and discussions, designed to equip shop stewards, officials
of the union and the membership, with information to
improve their effectiveness in the strike. Locals and sub-
locals are urged to watch for announcement of classes in

their area and delegate student-
workers to take part in this
program. The WEA has also
issued an invitation to the gen-
eral membership of the IWA to
take part in any or all of the
activities, which will be run in
duplicate to accommodate those
on the. picket line.

General program, as worked
out to date, will be sixfold, as
follows:

1. The Economic Case — Who
are the employers? Can they
afford the increased pay. and
other demands?

2, The Economic Case in Can-
ada and the USA. This class
will be conducted from the
angle of labor's aim for full
employment throughout the
world.

3. The Case Against the Union
—How to read between the lines
of a news report.

4. Strike Struggles in History
—Unions and the liberation of
the people, How unions have
assisted in the growth of de-
mocracy and how economic
rights pave the way for politi-
cal conditions. How labor, fights
the political battle for the lb-
eration of the people.

5. Solidarity, and What It
Means to a Strike, — How to
combat false reactionary issues.

6. Strike Organization — Pic-
keting Laws—Cooling-off Periods
—and Strike History generally.

Instructors and _ discussion
leaders for the above classe,
will be drawn from outstanding
leaders of the IWA, the two la-
bor councils, and the trade
union movement generally; as
well as from the staff of the

Trade Union Research Bureau,

the University Extension De-
partment and the Workers’ Ed-
ucational Association.

Shop stewards will be instruc-
ted in educational methods of
controlled discussion, getting out
a leaflet, setting up a wall
newspaper, and other things de-
signed to better equip them for
a. worthwhile contribution to the
union. Speakers and films will
be supplied to locals and sub-
locals requesting them, at spe-
cifled occasions and places.

Record Attendance
At Local Meetings

Special meetings of Locals
1-217 and 1-357 held last night
in Vancouver and New West-
minster turned out record at-
tendances of the membership in
both centers. In Vancouver the
members packed the auditorium
of the Boilermakers’ Hall to
capacity, some 1300, where Int-
ernational Vice-president Karley
Larsen and District President
Harold Pritchett reported on ne-
gotiations and the coming hear-
ing under Chief Justice Sloan.

In New Westminster over 1400
members packed the Arenex and
heard a similar report from
District Secretary Bert Mels-
hess. The meeting was the
largest of its kind ever held in
the Royal City. By standing vote
it unanimously passed a motion
of full support to the negotia-
tions committee in its efforts
for settlement of the dispute.

Both Locals completed final
arrangements for the conduct-
ion of the pending strike by
electing committees not previ-
ously set up. Sentiment was in

both cases very highly in favor
of the strike.

What The Union Asked:

1—25c per hour increase across the board

overtime

1—One-half of the wage demands—nothing

2—The forty-hour week with time and one-half for

3—Union security with voluntary check-off of dues

What The Operators Offered:

more

The Chips Are Down!

Wages Means More Buying Power
Shorter Hours Mean More Employment
Union Security Will Bring Stability to the Industry

THE OPERATORS
ARE NOT LIVING UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY
‘ TOWARDS WINNING THE PEACE

Support The Woodworkers’ Demands
For Decent Living Standards.
and Progress