Page Eight ALL-OUT SAFETY DRIVE FOR 1950| SET BY COUNCIL Pre-convention session of the IWA District Safety Council found substantial progress in Union’s safety pro gram, and prepared findings and recommendations which'| were endorsed with appreciation by the Convention dele- gates. Detailed report submitted on these successful and con- structive activities is presented here in part: First Annual Conference of the Dis- trict Safety Council was opened by District President Alsbury on January 5 at Nanaimo. President Alsbury welcomed the delegates to the Conference and briefly outlined the achievements of the past year and the job yet to be done in 1950. Z He emphasized that to do this job, each one of the Delegates must go back to his Jocal union to improve the Safety Committees and to bring in contributions to the District Safety Council. He expressed appreciation for the opportunity of being able to attend the Conference. First Vice-President T. Bradley, speaking very briefly, concurred in the remarks of Brother Alsbury. ‘Brother Skuzanski presented his an- nual report as Director of the Safety Council. Brother W. Gray also te- ported as Secretary of the Council. Brother Atkinson, as Vice-Director, congratulated the IWA for holding their convention in Nanaimo. He gave a brief history of the labour move- ment in Nanaimo and mentioned that the Hall where the Conference was being held was built by strikers in 1912. He congratulated the District Officers for their aid to their Safety Council and emphasized that Brief For Sl During the discussion on the above reports, Brother Bradley made a brief _ summary of the suggestions that had seemed to him to’be outstanding, such as hard hats, safety shoes, and first aid services. .He also suggested that the Jogger Delegates at the next Conven- tion be increased and that organizers be given training in setting up Safety Committees. He closed by congratu- lating the officers of the Council for the job they had done in 1949. In the evening session (Brother Skuzanski in the chair), it was moved, seconded and carried that the incom- ing executive be instructed to study the question of increasing the_repre- sentation through the Annual District Safety Conference with the view of enlarging representation from the log- ging section of the industry. FIRST AID ‘A copy of a ‘resolution from Local 1-423, concerning industrial first aid attendants, was thoroughly discussed, and it was moved, seconded and car- ried that the resolution be referred to | the incoming executive for study along with the first aid regulations and the question of industrial first aid in gen- eral. i ‘A considerable discussion was held on the question of discharge by the companies of employees who failed to abide by the safety regulations. The Conference brought out several suggestions but the general impression was that every case had to be dealt with on its own merits by responsible committees. . Two resolutions from Local 1-217 dealing with the setup of the District Safety Council and with the subject of ‘safety were concurred in by the Con- ference, it was moved, seconded and carried that the question of accident B .C. LUMBER WORKER much has been done in the way of. education and accident prevention in the past year. The severity and frequency of accidents has been lowered substantially in Local 1- 80, and they expect a further drop in 1950. INTERIOR PROBLEM Brother Bruch, second vice-director, stated that in the Interior the work has barely scratched the suface. There is very little, if any, accident preven- tion in the small and unorganized camps. However, with the help of Safety Council and others, we will make the Interior safety conscious. It was moved, seconded and carried that the reports of the Director, Sec- retary and Vice-Directors be accepted. Reports were then given by the fol- lowing Brothers: Brother FRED SOON — Chinese Organizer. Brother MILMORE—Local 1-80. Brother STAN ROBSON—Local 1-367. Brother HOCKEY—Local 1-357. Brother HOBSON—Local 1-71. Brother FULLJAMES — Local 1-217. Brother JONSSON—Local 1-85. . Brother HERRDIN—Local 1-363. Brother ROWBOTTOM — Local Brother HAW—Local 1-118. oan Hearing prevention off the job be referred to the incoming executive to study and formulate a program. The same mo- tion also instructed the executive to prepare a recommendation to the Con- vention for a program of traffic safety. SLOAN HEARING Brother Gray reported to the Con- ference on the progress made on the compilation of a brief for presentation to the Sloan Commission. He stressed the fact that the brief will emphasize accident prevention and rehabilitation as one part of the brief. The second part of the brief will deal with increased compensation for injured workmen, increased pensions for widows and dependents, the in- creased pensions for partially or wholly disabled workmen, higher subsistence allowance, when attending the rcha- bilitation centre of the Workmen's Compensation Board. 2 It was moved, seconded and carried that if a bona fide offer to meet with Safety Directors of various companies on a quarterly basis is received by the District Safety Council, that it would be given favorable consideration at the next Quarterly District Safety Council meeting. : HELICOPTERS Brother Gray and Brother Hobson reported on the First Aid Attendants Conference recently held in Vancou- ver. Moved, seconded and carried that the report be adopted. It was moved, seconded and carried that the incoming executive be in- structed to investigate the quesion of obtaining J.S.T. and J.1.T. courses for IWA members under the Government scheme sponsored by the Dominion Department of Labour. The question of better medical aid and helicopter service for outlying areas was thor- oughly discussed and was referred to the incoming executive. RECOMMENDATIONS The Conference desires to make the following recommendations in conjunc- tion with this report: 1. That the 13th Annual Conven- tion of Distgict Council No. 1, IWA-CIO, authorize the Dis- trict Table Officers to pay the salary and expenses of the Di- rector and the Secretary of the District. Safety Council when called off the job by the District Executive, subject to the ratifica- tion by the District Executive Board. 2. The question