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Vol. XIX, No. 51 <>"

Sepé, 22,1949

Se per copy

Vancouver, B.C.

DISTRICT 1 WOODWORKERS SALUTE)

CONVENTION DELEGATES

Eyery member of this district of the International Woodworkers’
of America (CIO-CCL) is proud and pleased to welcome his brother
from the United States to the thirteenth international convention.

Lloyd Whalen, official host and |
president of Vancouver's Local
Union 1-217, will call the conven-
tion to order on Monday at 1 p.m.

Thereafter will follow five days
of important deliberations affect-
the lives and welfare of every
IWA-CIO worker on the North
American continent.

“Hello” from Charlie

An impressive array of speak-
ers has been arranged for the
convention, They include:

Vancouver’s Mayor, Charles E.
Thompson, who will take part in
the opening ceremonies along
with Stewart Alsbury, President
of District*One, George Home,
Secretary of the B.C. Federation
of Labor (CCL), and Pen Baskin,
president of Vancouver Labor
Council (CCL). 3

James Carey, secretary-treas-
urer of the national CIO will
attend and will speak to the dele-
gates on Thursday.

B.Cs Minister of Labor, John
Cates, will talk to the delegates
at 10 a.m. Friday.

Other prominent speakers
scheduled to appear are Allan
Haywood, ClO Organization
Director; George B, Robert, re-
gional director for CIO - PAC;
Roy Atkinson, Washington State
regional CIO director, and Mur-
ray Cotterill, CCL-PAC director,
Toronto.

More than 400 delegates from
Canada and 24 states will be
present,

Resolutions Ahoy!

International Secretary - Treas-
urer Carl Winn has announced
that there are many important
resolutions ahead of the delegates
in their busy five days.

Social side of the convention,
too, has not been overlooked and
there will be many activities for
delegates and their wives.

Every local has been urged to
send the fullest representation to
this key convention, which will
have an especial note of Victory
for B.C., coming as it does, one
year after the abortive Commun-

ist attempt to destroy the IWA
in Canada,

WHAT’S
INSIDE

CONTENTS

Page
Around Locals ____ 2
Auxiliaries 8
Editorials _. 4
High Rigger 5
Safety 8

‘Ont. Contract ___.12

James Carey

PLIB MEN PROPOSE
STRIKE VOTE

* Possibility of strike action
again arose in the lumber
industry this week, as the
Lumber Inspectors’ Union
(CCL), prepared to reject
the majority report of a
Conciliation Board and de-
mand a strike vote.

Issue was the complete rejec-
tion of all wage and working con-
dition demands advanced on be-
half of 300 Canadian inspectors
in the employ of the Pacific Lum-
ber Inspection Bureau,

Principal demands were:

A wage scale approximating
that now paid inspectors of the
Bureau in Washington and Ore-
gon.

Union security as now enjoyed
by the American inspectors of the
Bureau. -

Paid statutory holidays,

A contributory pension plan
similar to that now provided for
employees of member companies
of the Bureau,

No “Cost Items”

R. Vj Stuart of Forest Indus-
trial Relations, acting on behalf
of the Bureau, cited the findings
of the IWA Conciliation Board
and opposed all “cost items”,
Union security was not now es-
tablished for the lumber industry,
he claimed.

The majority of the Board, Mr.
P. B, Paine, chairman, and Mr, I.
D, B. MacLeod, Bureau nominee
agreed.

CCL Regional Director Dan
Radford, Union nominee, in a
minority report recommended
partial acceptance of the union
demands on wages, union security
and statutory holidays, and fur-
ther negotiations on a pension
plan,

The Lumber Inspectors’ Union
promptly decided to recommend
rejection of the majority report

(Continued on Page 3)

GOON SQUAD
DEFIED

The challenge of terrorism
from runaway “woodworkers” in
the Cranbrook area of the In-
terior of B.C. has been met with
highly successful organization
drive by the IWA.

This was the response of the
District leadership, and the In-
terior membership, to threats that
Pete Berkosha, IWA orgainzer,
would be “carried out of the
country on a stretcher” by alleged
unionists,

“Blatant Fraud”

Activities of a squad of organ-
izers, headed by Board Member
Tom’ Mackenzie, and including
Mike Sekora, Andy Smith, Pete
Berkosha and Sid Kemble, has re-
sulted in Mackenzie being able to
say to the B,C, Lumber Worker:

“We have uncovered a blat-
ant WIUC fraud, All their talk
about certifications up here
was nonsense. They have ob-
viously been hoping for certifi-
cation without any operation
yoting. There is no WIUC or-
ganization in the Cranbrook
Local’s area.”

The organizers have had suc-
cessful meetings in practically all
the camps.

New Officers

New officers have been named
for the Local. To assist in re-
organization, Agnes Harrison, re-
cording secretary from Kelowna,
has opened a full-time office at
Baker Street, Cranbrook.

Mackenzie also said, “The last
vestige of “WIUC organization
in B.C, will have been eliminated
by the end of the year.”

49-50 AGREEMENT

A

we é

President Fadling:

STRIKE PAY FOR
WESTERN CROWN

Financial backing of the IWA
District Strike Fund was guaran-
teed the IWA strike now in pro-
gress_at the Western Crown
Manufacturing Co. Ltd., by a de-
cision reached at the District Ex-
ecutive Board meeting on Sep-
tember 12, Weekly payments
will be made to the men on the
picket line, with provision for de-
pendents.

A report submitted by Rae Ed-
die, Business Agent, Local 1-357,
IWA, disclosed that the morale
of the strikers was high. A vigi-
lant picket line has made resump-
tion of plant operations imposs-
ible. Financial aid was now im-
perative, he stated.

IWA members at | Western
Crown Manufacturing have been
on strike since August 29, follow-
ing rejection by the company of
the majority report of a Concilia-
tion Board proposing an eight-

cent an hour wage increase.

NEAR COMPLETION

WITH BACKING OF ALL LOCALS

VAST majority of the IWA’s 24,000 members in the
B.C. District have put the seal of their considered ap-

proval on the interim contract proposed for the 1949-50
Master Agreement.

This is the result of balloting
and mass meetings throughout
ithe coast locals, following the
recommendation of acceptance
from the District Policy Commit-
tee.

And as the IWA prepares to
settle the final details of the con-
tract which will run to June 15,
1950, signs of more labor battles
on the woodworking front looms
ahead.

The Policy Committee of the
Lumber Inspectors’ Union
(CCL), Local No. 1, in B.C.,
has recommended rejec-
tion to their membership of
the “completely _unsatisfac-
tory” majority report of a con-
ciliation board.

The PLIB Policy Committee
are asking for a strike vote.
(See separate story on this
page.)

Ramifications of a possible PL-
IB strike are widespread, and the
IWA District Leadership, watch-
ing the situation closely, is ready
for discussions, with the PLIB
officials.

Membership Rise

Meantime, other developments
arising out of the IWA voting
are:

1. General satisfaction in
the industry is leading to a
definite rise in IWA member-
ship.

2, The Policy Committee are
watchful of rumours that some
operators may attempt to slip
out of the master agreement.
One mill owner in the Fraser
Valley (see separate news in
Around the Locals), has al-
ready made vague threats. He
may face action in front of the
Labor Relations Board.

From the moment the Policy
Committee recommendation of ac-
ceptance of the interim contract
‘was announced, a steady flow of
reports came from. locals and
sub-locals throughout B.C.

(Continued on Page 3)

Illustrated is the Cruiser’s
Stag of pure virgin wool
in mackinaw or kersey.
Mackinaw plaids are
either red and black;
green and black, or blue
and black.

or favorite dealer.

LOOK e
FOR THE
NAME

FOR WORK CLOTHING

UNSTINTED MATERIALS

Notice the four large pockets in front, and the large

pack pocket in back, which opens at both sides ...a

feature of both mackinaw and kersey garments.
These are two of the many designs of “Pioneer
Brand” clothing obtainable from your commissary

Made in Vancouver, B.C., by Jones Tent & Awning
Ltd., they are designed through careful study of the
needs and desires of B.C. workmen.

REGISTERED

OF

DESIGN and
WORKMANSHIP