Representing tho Organized Loggers and Lumberworkers of British Columbia Published Every Second Monday By Wy INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (CIO) DISTRIOT COUNCIL NO. 1 50,000 Copies Printed This Week Subscription Rate: $1.00 per year Advertising Rates on Application Editor: B, J, MELSNESS Advertising: MATT FEE ¢ Strike Editor: A. DELANY, Sr. Room 504 Holden Building—Phone PAcifie 4151—Vancouver, B.C. Authorized as Second Class Mail, Postoffice Dept., Ottawa. e ‘ The deadline for the coming issue is 4 pm. Thursday, May 30. 7U. S. Shows Way With the strike in the woodworking industry of British Columbia entering its 14th day, the lumber operators’ association continues to show utter irresponsibility and in- sincerity towards the workers’ just demands. Four precious days were lost to the economy of this province while Chief Justice Sloan made futile attempts to establish a reasonable settlement. The union representatives offered a compromise which if accepted by the employers would have meant an im- mediate return to work on 18c per hour increase, the forty-hour week with union security to be arbitrated later. This the employers likewise flatly rejected and in re- jecting said in effect to the woodworkers of this province: Your production records and war services were for nought. To the small business men the employers said: Postwar prosperity is not assured. Payrolls of this basic industry will be unchanged. To the farmers, who are urgently in need of wooden containers to save their early crops: Your crops can rot. This while the employers’ profits in the woodworking industry remain untouched, and while the employers in the United States, still in negotiations, signed a 1946 agreement, meeting all the union’s demands: 1.—Five cents an hour increase which makes the total wage increase since the war's end 20 cents per-hour, and establishes a basic minimum of $1.10. 2.—40-hour week with no, exceptions or qualifications. : 3.—An additional week’s vacation with pay after five years. 4.—Complete union security and check-off. In their own interest and with the example of U.S. industry before them, organized labor and the people of this province must demand of the government and the lumber operators, an immediate settlement of this strike, in compliance with the union’s just demands. Inaction Scored The Labor movement of British Columbia is still wait- ing to hear the position of the Coalition Government on the biggest strike in the history of B.C. For two weeks, millions of dollars in payrolls have been lost. For two weeks, lumber for thousands of veterans -homes has been delayed. For two weeks, the basic industries of B.C. have been grinding to a close. : 147 B.C. operators have deliberately stalled in the negotiations conducted by Chief Justice Sloan. The Coalition promised; Full employment in B.C.; increased purchasing power; better living conditions for the people; a square deal for the veterans. The IWA’s demands for 25 cents per hour increase, 40-hour week, union security, are the concrete means by which such promises can be carried out. The single statement by the Coalition government that the strike is illegal, simply strengthens the operators’ posi- tion, ernment intervention can compel the operators to meet the just demands of the union. —_ : eae, ‘The government must act in the interests of the people A een The Coalition must act to carry out its promises. Gov- Hello, Boys: When the last issue of our paper came out, I goes alooking for Melsness and he is danged hard to find these days, too. When I finally caught up with him, I sez “What the heck, you trying to pretend you're the ‘bullcook’ Fer two pins I’d quit writing anymor “Keep your shirt on old man,” he sez, “be- cause of new staff arrangements a mistake was made. If you keep sober, you'll be looked after for the “duration” if you go see the relief com- mittee.” “Relief allowance, why I heard some haywire speaker on the radio talking for Stuart Re- search Ltd., saying the IWA had no money for relief,” I sez. NO SUFFERING “As Secretary of the District Council,” Bert sez, “I can as- sure you we have more money to look after our brothers in need than we ever had, and no one ever suffered too badly in past struggles in the lumber industry.” Kind of figure Bert is right, for I remember in 1934 the boys were sleeping in tents at Campbell River in January, after borrowing a couple of hun- dred bucks from some fallers and buckers to pay for the tents and some grub. We were told at that time we would eat our caulked shoes be- fore that strike was over. We didn’t, but lumber workers have allus had and still have a lean end hungry look. Queer, that time we were getting oodles of Moscow gold; this time we are broke according to our opposi- tion. TELL BIG LIES Wrong both times, but it is a Known fact that if you tell a lie big enough, often enough, a lot of people will believe it. The more I hear radio broad- casts from Stuart Research in- sinuating the lumber workers are broke, the surer I am you boys are right, for if you're broke in ten days on strike, then your dern tooting you' lads need an extra two bucks a day. ST. PETER SAID Then there was the feller who went up to Heaven and St. Peter said, “Only people allowed in here are those who have done some good down on earth. What good did you do while on carth.” The guy said, “I once give a worker 6% an hour in- crease in wages.” St. Peter said, “Is that all.” The lad did some heavy thinking, “Well,” he said, “I did offer the same worker an- other six cents an hour.” Still St. Peter was not satis- fied, but the applicant at the pearly gate could think of noth- ing more, so after some delib- eration, St. Peter said: “Her take our 12% cents and go to Ho” P.S.—Any similarity to pagt or present scenes is purely inten- tional. So long, boys! H-R.Macinne AND Story of the week was told or by your district president, Har- eld Pritchett. He received a wire Saturday afternoon from Jack Gibson, Liberal M-P., and logging operator of -Comox-Al- berni who is now attending the sessions in Ottawa. four days the red smear campaign is due. Thi seen in the vicious lying b casts being spewed forth CKWX by one Bob Morriso radio penny-a-liner, who is Pp stituting himself working — Stuart Research. This is | anc 9 other method of sing Mr, Gibson outlined the urg- ene’s supper. - ent necessity of an early settle Sw : ment of the strike and then ‘The latest belch by Morr! questioned: accompanied by appropriat “Tf offered 15 cents an hour overall increase, 40-hour week and arbitration of union shop, T.W.A. are entitled to would you accept?” pay." Replied Pritch: “If the feel- +a ing expressed in* your wire a prevailed among the operat LIAR’S THE WO ors here during negotiations, I The answer to “Liar” All mem can assure you the strike would be settled in fifteen yww.a. are entitled cent with English over “Only destitute members salute aes a if they apply. men themselves From that story one can ot the leaders. gather, that the rumor going the rounds in Vancouver that most of the operators want to settle the strike on the union’s terms, but are being held back by one or two of the big boys, is nearer the truth than MacMillan and his rover boys would have us believe. , of wages for th bers will only be fessional labor le