B.C. LUMBER WORKER Page Five / i! FIFTEEN CENTS NEEDED WE heard Bros. Tom MacKen- zie and Rae Eddy make some _good points in defence of the fif- teen-cent wage boost demanded by the IWA in current negotia- tions, on the “Green Gold” radio program, May 12. Living costs are not going down as the profit-hungry opera- tors argue. The prospects are, as planned by big business that they will rise another five per cent during the present year. Anyway, as they pointed out, living costs rose 8.8 points or 5.9 per cent above the price level on which the 1948 wage adjustment was made. Wages were lagging behind prices to start with, and the net gain since that time was only 6.1 per cent. The cost of living index doesn’t tell the score for the lumber workers. It is based on the com- modities purchased by an average family in 1938 with an annual in- come of around $1450.00. The buying needs of the average fam- ily have changed vastly since then. Rae Eddy found an answer to the operators who claim that their huge profits are ploughed back into the industry and are therefore sacred, He produced a copy of the report of the Dept. of Trade and Com- merce dealing with capital expendi- tures in the woods products indus- iry for the years 1947-48-49. Ex- penditure on construction, new ma- ent and eqnipment has dropped steadily over these years, when un- precedented profits were being made. Lumber workers will agree with Bro. Eddy’s conclusion that the operators are without this excuse if they refuse to distrib- ute at least a portion of their huge profits in the form of higher ‘wages to the workers in their em- ploy. ie | T-H REPEAL SET-BACK ECENT votes in the Wash- ington House of Representa- tives revealed that the majority of the House members want to retain features of the Taft- Hartley Act to which American labor objects. A compromise Bill modifying some Taft-Hartley features was defeated. A measure, condemned by labor as being worse than the original T-H law was approved by a narrow majority. Some fast foot-work, and additional pres- sure, resulted in switching eleven votes on the following day, with reference of the Bill to a House committee. On a straight vote for Taft- pees. repeal, Jabor would have lost. The results show that labor gained 120 more labor supporters in the House during last November's elec- tion, This is 15 votes short of the required 218 majority. . As yet, there has been no test of labor's strength in the Senate. The outlook is not rosy. Fifty-four of the Senators—five more than a ma- lority — previously voted for the ‘aft-Hartley Act in the last Con- gress, President Truman has again declared himself for the repeal of T-H, even if it takes the re- maining four years of his term. He recently hinted that Demo- erats in Gongress would lose their political patronage unless they voted for repeal of the Taft- Hartley Act. “ Labor leaders in Washington are fighting a holding action, Loshin'’ Around By “High Rigger” Eddy, Mackenzie, Justify 15 cent Hike; » Church, Workers, Challenge Duplessis Congress plans to adjourn at the end of July. Labor’s demands may be lost in-the final jam of Congressional business. The best that labor can hope for now is a milk-and-water substitute for the original Truman Bill. Action will be too late to help in current wage negotiations. LABOR-MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES LABOR-management production. committees have been gaining in popularity throughout Cana- dian industries, according to the latest reports. The number increased by 57 in 1948, and by 22 in the first three months of 1949, to make a total of 615 at March 31, Labor-management committees are not now regarded as substi- tutes for unions, but rather as the result of them. They have only functioned well in plants 100 per cent union organized. With assurance of union security, employee members of the commit- tees have felt free to devote their energies to such problems as produe- tion bottle-necks, employment needs, safety, and industrial research, not related to collective bargaining. The experiment requires close study. Benefits for the workers de- pend on the character of the trade union leadership. TERROR OVER ASBESTOS [HE unprovoked brutality of the Duplessis police against the Quebee asbestos workers has enraged the entire Canadian la- bor movement. A nation-wide protest has found. expression. in a_ flow. of funds in aid of the striking Ca- tholic Syndicate from CCL and TLC unions alike. For fourteen weeks, 4000 strik- ing workers Have picketed, the premises of the asbestos niono- poly, Johns-Manville Co., at As- bestos and Thetford Mines, de- manding a 15 cent an hour wage increase and union security. The strike was declared illegal by the Quebee Government but was vindicated by an investiga- tion conducted by authorities of the Roman Catholic Church in Quebec. Ruthless action by the com- pany to import scabs from Mont- real under heavy police guard, and to evict strikers’ families from company houses over church and municipal protest, caused local sentiment to flame. Roads to the town were barri- eaded with cars and trucks, and visitors questioned on arrival, de- fying an injunction against pick- eting. Forty police squad cars and bus-sized Black Marias loaded with provincial police converged on the town. KNOWLTON'S DRUGS BODY BELTS TRUSSES. FIRST AID SUPPLIES DRUGGIST Can Supply All your Medical Requirements BY MAIL Write to 15 East Hastings — Vancouver PAcifie 6371 wish to announce the opening of my NEW DENTAL OFFICE at 9 East Hastings Si is extended to all old friends to come = rt hea! Dr. R. Llewellyn Douglas Upon advice of the parish priest, the union’s chaplain, the barricades were abandoned. This did not placate the police. There followed a night of terror in Asbestos. The police rounded up 300 strikers in their homes, on the streets, and even on the church premises. They were led, bleeding and beaten to the Black Marias and spirited away to jails in other towns | collections. The Quebec Cabinet and cities. The Riot Act was read by an im- ported lawyer on the church steps, but was rescinded two days later. The Quebec Bishops’ Sacerdo- tal Commission on Social Studies called on all Roman Catholics in the. name of charity to aid the strikers through Sunday church appealed to the Papal Delegate to intervene. On the following Sunday, Archbishop Maurice Roy asked that the Commission, state- ment be read in all pulpits and that strike aid collections be con- tinued until further notice. ‘The Duplessis tyranny has met a powerful challenge. LOGGERS! JOHNSON’S BOOTS Handmade to the Highest Quality Specifications Unrivalled for COMFORT Ask for them in your comissary and af all leading stores. When ordered C.O.D., we pay all mailing costs WORKERS! WEAR SAFETY Enclose this coupon with your C.O.D. orders and... SAVE $2.00 A. W. JOHNSON LIMITED 63 West Cordova St. Vancouver, B.C. 5 he 5 What de yeu aie SHOULD ey ‘GOVERNMENT: the Sales Tax ae from Consumer Establish Insurance at Cost? Provide Free Cancer, for Medical Care Arthritis Build Homes Now at Prices sng Power Companies public Ownership for People Can Under Lower Rates Give Your Answer By Your Vote- Vire Li LF Published by CCF Campaign Committee - 712 Holden Bidz. Vancouver 1