@REJECT
REPORT

The IWA District Policy
Committee will demand an
immediate strike vote in the!
Coast lumber industry.

Mass membership meet-
ings on or about August 28)

i
will be held in all Locals to;

discuss the recommendation
of the District committee
that the majority award of
the Conciliation Board be re-
jected.

District Officials will meet
the Labor Relations Board)
on Monday, Aug. 29, to de-
mand prompt action and sa-|
tisfactory conditions for the
supervision and conduct of
an industry-wide strike vote.,

The proposed referendum
secret ballot will read: “Do
you authorize your Policy
Committee to call a strike
when they deem it advis-
able—yes or no?” |

These decisions were, reached .
unanimously Wednesday, ‘August
24, after prolonged sessions of
the Committee, and consultation
with the IWA Locals concerned.
All Locals and the International |

Executive Board were fully rep-'
resented.

Three

recommendations by .
» the majority-of the Conciliation "|
Board were declared to be par-

ticularly obnoxious.

‘The recommendation propés- |
ing a revision of the hours of
work section of the contract for
1949-50 would pave the way for
the introduction of the 48-hour
week, and would break down
the basis of collective bargain-
ing.

No definite provision was
made for a clause in the con-
tract regulating the rates that
may be charged for board and
lodging in the logging camps. |

|
1
'

The reasons given by the em-
ployers’ representative for
signing the majority award dis-
closed the intention to interpret
Article 5, (Section 5) of the
present agreement, so as to
make a downward revision of |
the wage scale mandatory dur-
ing the life of the contract. ;

The opinion was expressed that
@ new contract could not be writ-
ten which did not contain a clause
regulating board rates, and which
would contain clauses threatening
established standards of wages
and working conditions,

While taking all necessary pre-
eautions to protect the demands
of the lumber workers and the
interests of the Union, the Com-
mittee announced its willingness
to re-open discussions of terms
for a peaceful settlement,

The delaying tactics of the op-
erators in announeing acceptance
er rejection of the majority
award of the Board was one of
the deciding factors in the strike
action program outlined.

WHAT’S
INSIDE

CONTENTS
Page
Around Locals ___. 2

‘ut Ge?) eee’ |
A Cees
Safety < 6
Wage Threat ____ 8
Auxiliaries .____ 7

ila
[or bot | NZ An EA,
by. LL OU Bena

Ontiat Pdtiaton of tee Slornational Woodwuorlers of America vb. vinrict CouncitNo,1.

Vol. XIX, No. 49 <>

August 25,1949 5e per copy

Vancouver, B.C,

| to call a strike when deemed advisable.

TO ALL IWA MEMBERS

ACTION NOW!

‘THE terms for the 1949-50 master agreement laid

down in-the majority report of the Conciliation
Board for the Coast lumber industry endanger the
welfare of the workers and are therefore not ac-
ceptable.

All reasonable demands for better wages, hours,
and working conditions have been eompletely re-
jected. Established standards are to be undermined.

This report, considered in the light of the ex-
pressed intention of the employers, threatens a
reduction in wages, while increasing costs of liv-
ing steadily lower the value of our wages.

The report paves the way for a return to the
48-hour week, instead of the 40-hour week already
secured by the IWA. :

No definite provision has been made for a
clause in the contract which will fix a reasonable
daily rate for board costs now charged against

+ 7,600 loggers.

The rejection of any form of union ‘security,
as generally approved throughout Canadian in-
dustry, can only be regarded as outright opposi-
tion to trade unionism, with the ultimate aim of
smashing our Union.

No consideration has been given other proposals
of the IWA to raise working and living standards
in the industry.

No assurance has been given that the operators
aa now sign a contract to maintain present condi-

ions.

For these reasons, our responsibility for the
welfare of the workers in the industry compels this
committee to recommend that the majority report
be rejected by our Union, and that necessary strike
action be considered.

WE ask for a vote rejecting this majority report at
mass membership meetings on August 28th.

“We ask that a strike vote be approved, and that

the IWA District Policy Committee be authorized

SEE POLICY COMMITTEE PAGE 3

YOUR MEETINGS

Sunday, Aug. 28, Arcadian
Hall, 7:30 p.m.

1-357—Sunday, Aug. 28, Ar-
enex, 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 28, Capitol
Theatre,

Saturday, Angust 27, Native

| history.

MINORITY
REPORT

Bert Gargrave’s reasoned
minority report in contrast
to the majority report called
for a wage boost, union se-
curity, reduction of board
rates to $2, enforcement of
the 40-hour week, considera-
tion of the health and wel-
fare plan and a new contract
date of June 1.

He also recommended
three paid statutory holi-
days, and sharply criti-
cized the boss tactic of
“one-way street bargain-
ing” and scoffed at their
gloomy predictions for
1949:and 1950.

Here is the complete text
of his report:

I regret the necessity of pre-
senting a Minority Report on
such an important matter, but
the refusal of the employers to
compromise on. any important is-
sue makes such a course inevi-
table.

Collective bargaining pre-sup-
poses give and take by both sides,
but the adamant attitude of the
employers on all important issues
makes bargaining a one-way
street, in the employers’ direc-
tion.

On all cost items the other two
members of the Board express
the opinion that no increase is
justified. It was agreed that the
cost of living has risen since the
last agreement was signed, and
at present shows no signs of
dropping.

Evidence was produced to show
that according to the last pub-
lished statements of the larger
employers in this industry, whose
figures were available, that last
year was the most profitable in

(Continued on Page 3)

| WOODWORKERS

RKER |

‘STRIKE VOTE!

DENIED JUSTICE

After more than two
months’ of patient negotiat-
ing, the IWA finally on Aug.
20 received the Conciliation
Board recommendations, a
report which, completely and
arbitrarily, denied the wood-
workers of B.C. their fair
and reasonable demands.

Not a single major con-
cession was recommended,
and instead an Hours of
work clause which gives
the edge to the boss and
cuts away current benefits
was handed down,

Here is the detail of the
report:

“The matters in dispute arose
from failure 40 agree uopn pro-
posals for changes in the 1948
contract between the parties in
regard to the following items:

Proposed changes by the
Union: :

1. Increase in Wage Schedule,
2. Union Shop.

3. Health and Welfare.

4, Board and Lodging.

5. Statutory holidays with pay.
6. Hours of Work.

* Proposed changes by the Em-
ployers:

7. Reduction in. Wages.

8. Bonding.

No Wage Boost

With regard to proposal No. 1,
the Chairman and Mr. McLeod
agreed that no increase in wages
direct or indirect can be justified
at the present time, and do not
recommend the proposal.

The Chairman and Mr. McLeod
do not recommend the above pro-
| posals Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, but
;We recommend that Article XII
lof the present agreement be re-
drawn as follows:

Section 1: ‘

The work week shall be from

12 o'clock midnight Sunday to

12 o'clock midnight Saturday.

Hours of Work
Section 2:

(a) The regular hours of
work in all the Forest Products
operations shall not exceed 8
per day and.40 hours per week

(Continued on Page 3)

DON’T MISS

Vancouver, Local 1-247'—
New Westminster, Local

Port Alberni, Local 1-85—

2:30 p.m.
Courtenay, Local 1-363 —

Sons’ Hall, 2:00 p.m.

Duncan, Local 1-80—Sun-
day, August 28, Oddfellows’
Hall, 1 Pm,

Victoria, Local 1-118—Fri-
day, Aug. 26, Broad Street
Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

Mission, Local 1-367—Sat-
urday, Aug. 27, Legion Hall,
2:00 p.m,

Local 1-71—Meetings in all
large camps starting at
Englewood area, August 27,

Powell River -Jervis Inlet
area—Apprex, Aug. 30-31.’

Queen Charlotte Islands —
Approximately Sept. 1-2.

IT IS YOUR
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