B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Page Five

Oo BIKES FOR BURST
PIPES

Plumbers working for a subur-
ban English council got a shat-
tering shock last week, when
they discovered — believe it or
that their union would fine
my 20s if they bieycled to their
ork,

This venerable old rule, almost
as old as the bicycle itself, was
brought to the notice of the
plumbers who were told: “You
ean walk, hitch-hike, go by bus
or what-have-you to work —but
you can’t cycle,”

One of the plumbers’ union

men explained that ’way back in

bad old days, some bosses made

it a condition of employment that
lurnbers should be able and will-
to ride bikes.

But the plumbers found that
some of the older men couldn't
do it, apart from the expense of
buying a bike for the bosses’ use,
so they put their fect down—or
rather got off the saddles of the

velocipede,
@Q What annoyed the borough
engineer most was the fact

that the union dug up the rul-
ing, right on the eve of the
burst-pipe season,

The pay-off ,in the meantime,
while the union and the engin-
eer are arguing, is that plumb-
er’s mates may use bikes if
they wish. They don’t belong to
the union.

i Sea re

NANAIMO “SCHOOL”

Plans for the Nanaimo CCL
Weekend Institute are in readi-
ness and promise a_ profitable
and enjoyable weekend for Van-
conver Island union delegates,
March 5 and 6, it was stated by
Joe*Morris, President, Local 1-80
IWA, who attended the Vancou-
ver Institute last weekend to
complete preparations as Chair-
man of the Nanaimo Institute,
Committee.

Sessions of the Institute will
be held in the Nanaimo High
School and will deal with five
major subjects relating to the
administration and policies of
trade unions. A number of the
instructors, who participated in
the Vancouver Institute, will
travel to Nanaimo to assist.

A banquet will be held on the
evening of March 5, and will
have as guest speakers, A. R.
Mosher, National President, CCL;
Elmore’ Philpott, Vancouver Sun
Beet? and Sam Guthrie,

LA.

A mass rally of Vancouver
Island trade unionists will be
held in the Miners’ Hall on the

evening of March 7, at the con-
clusion of the Political Action
Workshop on the same day. Main
speaker will be National Presi-
dent A, R. Mosher, and other
prominent officers of the Can-
adian Congress of Labor.

Dan Radford, Regional Direc-
tor CCL and member of the Na-
naimo Local UMWA, will pre-
side.

a

ONTARIO TO IMPROVE
LABOR LAW

With George Drew out of the
way, the signs are that the On-
tario Legislature will yield to
pressure from organized labor
and remove objectionable fea-
tures in the Ontario labor act.

The Ontario Federation of La-
bor expects to kill:
—The de-certification provision
which enables the employer to
apply for a new vote if he states
that the bargaining agent has
lost the confidence of the ‘em-
ployees.

—The transfer of authority in

‘dealing with prosecutions against

unfair labor practices from the
Labor Board to the Minister of
Labor, thus giving some employ-
ers political protection

When he was Premier, George
Drew promised to give labor the
terms to be enacted in the Fed-
eral Labor Code. The Federal
code affects only a few indu
tries, but the incorporation of i
terms in the provincial law hi
all the large unions. This situa-
tion has resulted in a general
clamor to amend the Federal law.

Ghief advocates for changes in
the Ontario legislation are the
CCF M.P.P’s in the Legislature.
Out of the 21 CCF members, 13
are trade unionists, 8 are CCL
and 7 are AFL.

A. statement recently released
in Ontario alleged that the large
AFL unions were preparing to

endorse political action in sup-
port of the CCF.

eo *

RIP VAN WINKLE IN
TROUBLE

There was a near-riot in the
Boilermakers Hall when Alder-
man R. K. Gervin, Secretary of
the Trades and Labor Council
declared that he was unaware of
any serious unemployment or
poverty in Canada. He was ar-
guing against Bill Mahoney,
Western Director CCL and Colin
Cameron, that free enterprise
was best for the trade unions.

Boos and cat-calls were heard
from all parts of the hall. He
faced a barrage of questions
which sarcastically hinted that
he had fallen asleep in his com-

George Home Looks Around After a
Blood Donation

Loskin' Around .

PLUMBERS... CCL ‘School’ _.. RIP VAN GERVIN
C.L0. Blow... T.U.C. ‘G0’... ‘Gravy’ Slow

fortably upholstered chair at the
City Hall.

‘The resentment on the part of
the trade union section of the
audience became so vocal, that
Moderator Arthur Helps inter-
yened with an appeal for a hear-
ing for the speaker.

His critics suggested that to
awaken him from a state of
coma, they would conduct him
on a tour of the offices of the
Unemployment Insurance Com-
mission in Vancouver.

As a labor official he did a
good job for the Canadian Manu-
facturers Association. :

ee

BARGAINING GETS
TOUGHER IN THE
STATES

Increasing unemployment is
weakening the bargaining posi-
tion of American trade unions.

The lay-off rate is now ap-
proximately 30 to every 1000
workers employed.

The American Congress has
approved a deficiency appropria-
tion of $10 million to bolster up
unemployment compensation in
the various States.

The clothing and textile indus-
tries have refused to grant wage
increases and have been making
their point before arbitration
boards. Employers generally are
firmly opposing wage demands
and welfare plans, claiming that
inereased labor costs cannot now
be passed on to the consumer in
the face of falling prices.

Joe Curran, of the CIO Sea-
men, recently’ stated:

ee . With the exception of
some ratings where inequities
exist, we have very nearly
reached the peak in wages—in
over-all wages . . . With the
propaganda now being circulated
throughout the country that the
cost of living is beginning to de-
cline, wages will become increas-
ingly difficult to discuss.”

Many unions are considering
plans to spread the available
work among their members.

*

BRITISH UNIONS SCORE}

AGAIN

Without upsetting the program
of economic stabilization the
British Trade Union Congress re-
cently reported that wages had
been upped by £1,850,000 for 744
million workers during 1948.

A review of the situation in
Britain was submitted to a con-
ference of national trade unions
in ERP countries at Berne, Swit-
zerland, British trade unions had
given almost unanimous support
to the TUC policy to prevent fur-
ther rises in production costs,
prices, profits and wages, within
the framework of the national
economy.

The report of the TUC indi-
cated that greater efficiency and
increased production had fol-
lowed the proposals of the trade
unions, placed into effect through
labor-management councils.

The output of the coal mines
had increased from 186 million
tons to the 1948 target of 200
million tons. Three-fourths of the.
output of coal is now cut mecha-
nically at the coal face, f

Steel production is now almost
at capacity with an annual out-
put of 15% million tons.

Remarkable improvement has
been shown in all other indus-
tries, especially in the produc-
tion of power.

EAST END TAXI
Union Drivers
HAstings

0334

Fully Insured
24-hour Service

613 E. Hastings St.
Vancouver, B.C. ss

GRAVY TRAIN SLOWING
DOWN

The gravy train of high prices,
high profits is slowing down. To
keep it rolling they’re putting
the brakes on production that
might ease the price situation.

‘The annual report of the Bank
of Canada has warned business
men to cut down on “excess in-
ventories”. i

The Canadian Federation of
Retail Merchants, in convention,
has predicted that 1949 will be
“no bed of roses”.

The construction industry,
which concentrated on high-
priced homes, faces a sagging
demand for luxury building.

The United States has food
surpluses and for that reason
will not support. Canadian food
exports with American ERP dol-
lars.

MacDONALD'S PHARMACY
Prescriptions, Drug Sundries
First Aid Supplies
Registered Optometrist

Argyle St. Port Alberni

MacGREGOR’S
MEN’S WEAR

For Everything a Man Wears
WORK, SPORT or DRESS
We can afford to Sell the

BEST for LESS

RETAIL LUMBER

STEWART &

| Strenuous efforts are being
made to hold up prices by cut-
backs in production. a3

Labor can say “I told you so”,
but with very little pleasure. La-
bor said that unlimited price and
profit gouging would eventually
hurt us all, -

Less production spells unem-
amon ‘The unemployed in the
States now number 4,000,000.
The number of unemployed in
Canada. is increasing alarmingly.

Unemployed workers don’t
rmg many cash registers.

OF OL AA
TVA Ad
sjuawounboy jeapeyy anoKk jy
Addng ueg

isioonia

Sallddns
aiv isuld
SASSNUL
si1aa_ AGO
sonia

S.NOLTMON

(Not Printer’s Brror)

BUILDERS’ SUPPLIES

PAINTS — WALLBOARDS — ROOFINGS

HUDSON LTD.

Branches at:
Victoria, Duncan, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Port Alberni

Opposi

OFFICE SUPPLIES
AND

BLUE PRINTING CO. LID. H

554 Columbia St.

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C.
the Post Office

INTRODUCING
WOODWARD'S

SMOCKS
$4.75 each

"7" STAR
(1) Form Fitting Outsize

(2) Safety Bib and Rule
~ Pocket

(3) Sanforized Shrunk 9-
ounce

Sanforized Shrunk 9 ounce
DENIM WORK CLOTHING FOR MEN

BIB OVERALLS WORK PANTS
$4.75 pair

(7) Each Garment inspected 4 times

VANCOUVER
“YOUR WESTERN SHOPPING CENTER”
MAIL ORDERS ACCEPTED

Out-of-town Customers write for Catalogue

KKKK KKK
STAR UNION MADE

$3.95 pair

FEATURES
(4) Full Fly’ Rip-Proof
Crotch
(5) Special Pocket Con-
struction
(6) Laboratory Tested
Denim