Page Two eee B.C. LUMBER WORKER Twelfth Annual Convention DISTRICT OFFICERS REPORT - FULL DETAIL “IWA Emerging from Battle with Colors Flying”’ FELLOW DELEGATES, IN- TERNATIONAL OFFICERS and VISITORS, in this report to this 12th Annual Convention of the B.C. District Council, it is the desire of your Provisional Offi- cers, to be brief and yet cover the subjects we believe are of ut- most importance to you. ‘We here convene, after experi- encing one of the bitterest inter- nal struggles yet encountered by this union, in a determined effort to maintain our honorable status in the labor movement. A min- ority group, led by ex-officers of the District Council, having lost the respect of the public and the confidence of the membership, em- barked on a course of action ap- parently designed to destroy our union. Failing in their efforts to make this union further their political ambitions, this minority faction broke away from the IWA to set up an oppostion group. The dis- honorable. desertions of these elected officers caused a confused and disturbing situation for a time. We are happy to report that, through the untiring efforts of the Local and District Officers, backed by a loyal and determined membership, the union has emerged from the battle with fly- ing colors, . f With the removal of this min- ority group, whose actions over- shadowed their trade union prin- ciples, our union is now set on a firm foundation. It is our belief + that, with the removal of these disruptive elements from our midst, we are entering a period of growth—that our union will grow in stature, strength and re- spect, to reach greater heights than ever attained in our past his- tory. Big business, endeavoring to maintain the high level of war- time profits, is already preparing for a vigorous and full scale cam- paign against organized labor. |‘ They well know that only at the expense of labor can this high level of profits be retained. Our union has been a foremost fighter in the past on behalf of the workers in the lumbering in- dustry and of labor in general. We must be prepared to take our place again in the labor struggles of the future. Our membership, by rallying to the support of the IWA, has manifested its realization that the forces of national and interna- tional finance can be best met by a united, well-knit union backed by the power and prestige of the International. RE-ORGANIZATION “Hard Hitting Field Staff Will Go Into Action... ” Our ex-officers failed to observe the conditions of the organiza- tional agreement in operation since 1940 between the Interna- tional and the Congress of In- dustrial Organization. This fail- , intentional or otherwise, left the District in a partially organ- ized condition, thus placing usin a very weak position for purposes of negotiation with the opera- rs. Many organizers on the Dis- trict and International payrolls, under the former regime, devoted their efforts exclusively to the promotion of their own political interests and were completely re- miss in their duties as union or- ganizers. The neglect of their duties by these former organizers placed a heavy burden on the new Dis- trict Officers when they assumed office. We were faced, in addition to the many pressing problems mentioned previously, with the gigantic task of rebuilding the framework of organization within the Locals. At the same time, this minor- ity group was waging an ex- tremely aggressive campaign to smash our union and to entice our members into their splinter group in an effort to replace our union as the bargaining agent in the lumbering industry. In this work of re-organization, we received invaluable co-opera- tion and assistance from the Or- ganizational Department of the International under the direction of Brothers Brown and Ballard. We wish also to express our ap- preciation of the valued aid given by all the officers of the Inter- national. Although the work of organ- ization is progressing well and the District is now re-organized to a very large degree, there are a few points still requiring addi- tional assistance. Immediately after this Convention, the District intends to give special attention and aid in their reorganizational problems to Locals 1-71, 1-363, 1-424, 1-469, 1-423 and 1-405. It is the intention of your Pro- visional Officers of the District to meet with the Officers of all the Lecals and the Representa- tives of the Organizational De- partment attending the Conven- tion, for the purpose of going over the whole organizational program to be put into effect in the coming year. It 1s also the intention of your Provisional Officers, to arrange to put in the field a very efficient and hard-hitting staff of Organ- ers, so that the job of re-organ- ization may be completed as soon as possible in order that the Dis- trict will be in a sound position in the forthcoming negotiations. We have, since October, 1948, successfully challenged all appli cations for certification by the splinter group; applications that were applied for on a Local and Plant basis. We are fully confi- dent that we will be able to suc- cessfully challenge all future ap- plications. _In the confusion caused by the disaffiliation move, quite a num ber of our Chinese brothers were stampeded under pressure into re- voking their check-off. To correct this situation, your provisional officers were successful in having Fred Soon appointed as an Or- ganizer on the International pay~ a He has achieved outstand- ng success in explaining the situation to his Eoin and in inducing th i 5 he TWA. ‘ lem to remain loyal A similar situation prevailed among our East Indian brothers, Brother Teja. Hundel, acting as temporary organizer, has been equally successful, (Continued Column 3) WESTWELL’S CAFE STATIONER — TOBACCONIST — CONFECTIONER SODA FOUNTAIN Toys — China — Fountain Service M. W. COOK Duncan, B.C. Phone No, 1 Tae President JAS. E. FADLING FINANCE $100,000 ‘CARVE-UP’ REJECTED Your Provisional Officers, upon assuming office, faced overwhelm- ing obstacles in their efforts to administer the affairs of the union. The former officers, before surrendering their offices, care- fully plotted to throw the affairs of the District Council into com- plete confusion. Without authorization from the membership, these individuals re- moved from the control of their successors, office records, furni- ture and equipment, funds, and in some cases, the use -of office space. It was necessary to apply to the Courts of British Colum- bia for permission to repossess this. rightful property of our union. At this time, we are happy to report that approximately $15,000 of the funds wrongfully removed have been restored to our control. We are confident that the remain- der of these funds will be re- turned in the near future, On several occasions, vague of- fers to return over $100,000 were made by representatives of this minority group, headed by ex- District Officers. The suggestion was that this money would be returned if the present District Officers would agree to settle the whole matter out of court. Need- less to say, this offer of an out- of-court settlement was rejected. Your District Council finances are now in a sound position, al- though large expenditures were necessary for: 1. Re-equipping the District Offices. 2, Installation of new office rec- ords, 8. Large quantities of supplies to aid Locals in re-organizing. 4, Payment of bills incurred by the former officers just prior to their disaffiliation. The District now employs a full-time District Bookkeeper who, in addition to taking care of the books the District Office, is now assisting Locals in setting up their bookkeeping system on a uniform basis. His services will continue to be available to the Locals. The financial records of the District will be audited regularly by a firm of qualified Chartered Accountants, something that was not done in the past. Strict econ- omy in the matter of finance will be observed in the District Office in order that our District may fumetion on a sound business asis. If finances permit, the First Vice-President of the District trill be put on the District payroll, on a full-time basis, besides the President and the Secretary- Study, the Points “Strike Fund was for Split’’” From evidence now in our pos- session, it is apparent that nego- tiations in 1948 carried on by the ex-Officers of the District were purposely sabotaged in several different ways. While the pro- gram adopted by the Delegates to the Contract Conference was an excellent one, we find that negotiations were carried on in a manner that would assist the minority group at the time of their disaffiliation. The ‘program, in connection} with negotiations at the Coast, was not presented formally to the operators until some several weeks had ‘elapsed. After the program was presented to the operators, negotiations were car- |, ried on in a half-hearted manner, |! resulting in an offer from the op- erators union could approve. In spite of the objections by the present Provisional President the operators was sent out on a ballot, unnecessarily delaying ne- gotiations. The smear campaign conducted during negotiations by the former District Officers against those who objected to these delaying tactics, hampered the securing of a favorable agree- ment. IWA from Page 1 Better Admin More efficient_administration will enable the District office to meet publicity and educational costs from the general fund. This will relieve the locals from the burden of the increased per capita tax required by the In- ternational Union. The basis has been laid for a strong Ladies’ Auxiliary section of the organization, and provision will be made to aid and encour- age this. The IWA is now associated with the unions affiliated with the Canadian Congress of Labor in the general effort to secure neces- sary labor and social security legislation. Through the B.C. Federation of Labor and the Vancouver La- bor Council, [WA representatives will help to shape the educational FUNDS from Page 1 The “Green Gold” radio pro- gram has been returned to the management of the District Council, by legal action. M. Freylinger, former secre- tary of the Mission Local, has xeturned the $2,000 of that local’s funds which was in his possession at the time of the break. The Union Printer, which prints the Pacific Tribune, was also the recipient of funds from Local 1-71. new officers of the local have now started suit to recover the $5,000 to this Treasurer, firm by the former of the that no honest trade| of the District, the first offer of | Saboteurs Made “Vague’’ Offers Disgorged Control Now » -to Return $100,000 » $15,000 Cash » Solid Finance 2» Strictest Economy Measures A ampaign to build up a huge strike fund was apparently con- ducted, not for the purpose of having the fund on hand in ease of strike action, but for the pur- pose of having a large fund avail- able for the splinter group at such time as they chose to dis- affiliate. See Col. 1 Page 3 our International President and |/~ S. WESSBERG President Local 1-363 istration will Pay Exira Per-Capita and political action policies of the organized labor movement. Plans are in the making to secure adoption of a genuine safety program in the industry to reduce the toll of deaths and accidents. The affair at Iron River is a closed, victorious chapter. The IWA upheld the rights secured by negotiation to adjust grievances as determined by the majority of the workers. The report of the officers to the 1949 District Convention is an historical document. It records solid achievement in surmounting the results of a betrayal from Within. It outlines the ‘steps by which the membership of the IWA may build a still stronger, more united and more militant union to advance the interests of the lumber workers. FREYLINGER RETURNS $2000 DALSKOG SUED FOR $1300 local. Suit has also been started against E. Dalskog to recover $1350 paid b; Te es on a romissory n¢ Dals- Kog’s endorsed on behalf of the local by the former officers.