‘Brush Aside Phony Picket Lines!’

Page Two

B.

Cc. LUMBER WORKER

“Comment %% EDITORIALS

GUEST EDITORIAL

by Pat Courey

natural hesitancy of the lumber workers at Oyster Bay to cross the
picket line set up by the Pritchett-Dalskog group emphasizes the need

for careful consideration of such problems.

As the inevitable collapse of their attempt to wreck the IWA comes
closer, desperation will bring on numerous instances like this.
AS 4 coalminer who has fought through several similar attempts by the
Communists to wreck the UMWA, I have vivid recollections of phoney
picket lines being used as a weapon in this type of disruption.
The same people who are master-minding this attack on the TWA and
assisting these traitors to steal your funds almost destroyed District 18,

UMWA in the late ’20’s and early ’80’s.

ESPECT for picket lines set up by workers in an industry in a trade
union fight with an employer is a fundamental principle of our move-
ment. We cannot allow this small group to intimidate our people and des-
troy our union by treating these phoney political picket lines with the re-

spect which only a legitimate picket line merits.

F we, in the UMWA had not treated with contempt, the Communist
picket-lines tactics, the workers in that industry today would not be

among the highest paid and best-organized today.

Not having the membership or the integrity to recognize the trade
union procedures, the Pritchett gang will undoubtedly follow the pattern
of their political and spiritual leaders. They will try to create as much

confusion and chaos as possible.

‘THE “WUIC” will make full use of phoney picket lines in any and every

issue, as part of their “rule-or-ruin” effort.

Individuals have neither

the moral

cratic voice in such important matters!

T is heartening to see free trade unionists the world over shaking off the
burden of treachery, intrigue and disloyalty that Communists inflict on

the world Jabor movement.

AM confident of your success in saving your union from destruction.
Give Pritchett and Dalskog their answer in an even stronger and more

PAT CONROY i

militant IWA.

(National Secretary-Treasurer, C.C.L.)

LET THE CHIPS FALL
by, Woody Weodpecher |

OVER AT NANAIMO at the week end, “WIUC” organizers

had the perfect opportunity to get up on their feet and chal-
lenge the facts of the split as presented by organized labor in

Canada.

Pat Conroy was telling a meeting what he thought of Prit-
chett-Dalskog, and the “WIUC” in general, and sitting
meekly in the audience was none other than Jack Atkinson,
former IWA business agent. He had about 10 “friends” with

jim.

But when it came to question time, Jackie wasn’t willing to
take his chance and call Pat a liar—because he couldn’t. Now
Harold, you'll have to’ train your agitators better than this ...

Bert. Melsness was chopped off
the “WIUC?” payroll, effective No-
vember 29, we learn . . . poor Bert
.. you just had to go, I’m afraid

,_- because the whole organization is

falling apart anyway ... But Bert
has @ beef, too... . he didn’t get
a single day’s notice .. .

* sta ed

Don Barbour, too, has been
squeezed off the payroll, and his
hiring hall is being closed down,
forthwith, we understand . . . ob

[vt |

E€ Low

ous signs of disintegration we
would say, as both gentry are old-
established stalwarts of their or-
ganizations. ...

Where was the much-publicized
militancy of the rebel leaders when
they were in the IWA . . . Pioneer
Sash and Door boys at Vernon have
been without an agreement since
one Mel Fulton did some high class
bungling here a year ago. Don’t
worry Mel, we'll straighten it out,
but not for you.

Representing the Organized Loggers and Mill Workers of B.C.
¥ PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY BY

INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (CIO)
B.C. DISTRICT COUNCIL No. 1.

PROVISIONAL OFFICERS

loyd Whalen, 1st_ Vice-President
wires, 2nd Vice-President
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Financial Secretary

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G. McEatee,
M. Sekora,

‘Trustees: :

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Me Mortis

shaw: ‘
. S. Alsbury, Int. Board Member

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a

nor the legal right to stop you

from working to serve their own purpose. %
Brush them out of your way! Maintain your right to have a demo-

WHY FIDDLE
WITH THAT

ZY
‘el ae

DECISION of the Arbitration Board

on the pay rates for shingle saw-
yers and packers is a decisive victory
°for the revitalized IW A.

Contract workers throughout the in-
dustry can now feel completely assured
that employers cannot again arbitrarily
change the method of payment from an
hourly premium, basis to a flat piece
rate assessment.

VICTORY. FOR

THE: IWA

HEN Pritchett and Dalskog walked
out, nobody knew that they had,
without authority, agreed to the dele-
tion from the new contract, of the
vital clause detailing the consolidated
contract increases of 1946 and 1947.
is now the choice of the workers
themselves, whether or not they want
to switch from the hourly-premium to
a. piecework basis — and that’s where
the choice should lie.

[Safety Corner|

By Bill Gray, Chairman,
Safety Council, Local 1-217

In 1947, 72 men were killed in
the lumber industry in B.C. That
gives us 72 real, basic reasons why
Safety Committees must be always
on the job, carrying out their
duties in full,

For in addition to those unfor-
tunate 72, 375 men were seriously
injured. During the same_ time,
8766 suffered less serious accidents,
any of which could have been
atal.

_ In all, 9213 men were casualties
in 1947, Make no mistake it CAN
happen to you; more than likely
WILL happen to you.

With 40,000 men in the industry,
one man out of every four was a
casualty last year.

In the first six months of 1948
the odds were even lower.

Forty men were killed in that
period as against 28 killed in the
Same time in 1947.

I want to try and impress on
readers the sorrow, suffering and
misery which follow these casual-
ties, and point out some of the fac-
tors which cause them.

Start with inexperienced, and un-
trained workers, follow on with
faulty equipment, and the risk en-
gendered by hurried contract work
rates.

Improper or inadequate first aid
facilities come into the picture, too,
with lack of Cafety Committees, or
such committees not functioning;
carelessness, and disregard of he
safety rules by men who should
know better.

Last, but not least, comes the
Jack of co-ordination in safety cam-
paigns between Unions, Manage-
ment, and the Workmen’s Compen-
sation Board.

Remember, the present odds on
YOU being an industry casualty
are less than 4-1, Think Safety;
ee Safety; Act Safety — and

ive,

THE MAIL BAG

WATERLOGGED
WARRIORS

The Editor:

I would like to point out to any
misguided men who fell for the
“WIUC” propaganda that they will
soon realize their mistake was a
costly one.

_ The “WIUC” have no bargaining
rights in any plant where the [WA
has on contract.

Their leaders are the same peo-
ple who were preaching “Fight for
the Workers,” and now they betray
the working ¢lass by breaking
away and forming a “Union of
Traitors”.

Local 1-357 two years ago was in
a terrible mess, hundreds of dollars
in the hole. The membership elected
a new slate,*men whom they could
trust, and now officers have paid
offi the debts and cleared up the
mess,

The District officers, aware of
the fact that their own affairs were
in a mess, tried everything to
smash our local. But this local
caught up with them instead on the
question of district finances, and
poner’ them to have an official
audit.

All Pritchett and Co. are inter-
ested in, is in building the LPP.
Their theme song is still the “Red
Flag”.

I want to tell those waterlo;
brains who are wearing wee”
buttons that the IWA will not be
smashed.

In my own sub-local, I ha:
ticed the very few “WIUC” boys

are beginning to wear thei:
tons in their pocekts. et ue

Francis Lacasse,
Vice-Pres., Local 1-357.

New Westminster

Your Space, Boys!

‘BEE’ FOR THE L.P.P.

The Editor:

Thought I’d drop a line and put
the bee to the WIUC’s claims about
the Alberni area,

In spite of their fantastic elaims,
the real truth is that the TWA has
over 300 new members plus the
1500 who remained loyal. The WIU
actually cannot claim more than
10 members.

No one need have any fear about
this area. The members know that
their money isn’t going to the
U.S.A. and they are going to make
sure it doesn’t go to Moseow.

Harold Hall, Card No. A-16.

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