DISTRICT

B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Page Eleven

00 JOBLESS HERE

DEMANDS

CASH ASSISTANCE

Swift and vigorous action was

taken by IWA District Offi-

to implement the District Convention demand that immedi.

action be taken to meet the

red workers in British Colum

istrict President Alsbury im-
liately conferred with B.C.
ration of Labor officers to in-
ressure Federal and

neial authorities.

District Secretary Mitchell, as

esident of the Vancouver

Council on return from Na-

mo, attended a special session

he Labor-Veterans Committee
‘prepare a program of action.

B.C. Members of Parliament
acted on the suggestion of
this committee, and have pressed
yr immediate cash assistance to
the crisis.
Organizations Combine
Secretary Mitchell and his fel-
members on the Executive
the Vancouver Labor Council
sarried the point in recent discus-
ons that the Labor-Veterans
mittee, which is fully repre-
tative of all labor and veteran
izations should not be by-
in voicing the needs of the
ployed.

The Committee forwarded a
“resolution to the Prime Minister
of Canada which asked for a
“special grant to meet acute dis-
‘tress in the Vancouver and New

festminster area.

“Over 8 percent of the entire la-

tragic crisis of 50,000 unem-

bor force is now without gai
acral ithout gainful

The committee urged immedi-
ate cash benefits Througil the
agency of the Unemployment In-
surance Commission, and an im-
mediate start on the backlog of
public works held for such emerg-
ency.

IWA Demands

The resolution adopted by the
Nanaimo Convention advocated
an extension of Unemployment
Insurance benefits, for those
whose claims have been ex-
hausted.

A survey was urged as neces-
sary to determine the true extent
of destitution, with complete reg-

__A high level of employment
istration of all unemployed.

and income should be maintained
asthe primary objective of na-
tional economic policy, govern-
ments were reminded.

Implementation of the Green
Book proposals in respect of em-
ployable unemployed, and prompt
commencement of public works
projects and a low-cost housing
program were stated to be
“musts”.

Union Label
For IWA Shingles

Warned by the International
Officers that a boycott, inspired
by AFL shingle will workers,
threatened the export to the
United States of Canadian
shingles, the IWA District Con-
vention moved to authorize a
Union Label for the TWA.

Information was to the effect
that the boycott was gaining
ground in Oregon and Califor-
nia.

Convention delegates re
solved to remind shingle mill
owners in B.C. that one ad-
vantage of the Union shop
would be the solution of this
problem.

Political Action Policy

Decisions on political action at
the IWA District Convention as-
sumed continued support of the
political action program of the
Canadian Congress of Labor, but
prescribed the political activities
of District Officers and by infer-
ence, Local officers. ?

The'resolution provided:

Any paid officer on the IWA
District staff, upon election to
public office, must resign his of-
fice in the TWA.

Any paid officer of the District
organization upon accepting nom-
ination as an M.P. or M.L.A., will
be granted leave of absence, with-
out pay, unless otherwise author-
ized by the Local or District Ex-
ecutive Board.

Reasons given for adoption of
the resolution were that full-time
officers could not give adequate
attention to their work for the
Union while campaigning.

Adolph “Pop” Germer,

labor.

The veteran CIO leader, who
brought personal greetings from
President Philip Murray, dis-
closed the secret of his youthful
outlook and dynamism by the
philosophy, “When we stop learn-
ing, we stop living”.

The outlook in the B. C. District
had completely changed since his
last visit in 1940, he assured the
Convention. Similar developments
had occurred in the United States.
“Our ranks are going to be
cleansed, and we will then march
forward with greater speed,” he
declared.

Members of the IWA were re-
minded that they had no cause to
be ashamed of the record of ‘their
Union. The speaker contrasted
conditions as they existed prior
to organization of the lumber
workers with those which have
been established today by dint of
struggle. “These have been not-
able achievements,” he added.

Unity Wins

Gains are inevitable, when
the workers learn to combine
in organization to grapple with
their’ problems, Germer as-
serted. “It’s miraculous what
we can do when we work to-
gether. By the development of

Workers Failed PAC in °49

Failure of organized labor to ~

" use its full political strength in

he elections of 1949 involves a

_ more determined fight on the
2 onomic front.

_ This was what George Home,

retary of the B.C. Federa-

tion of Labor told the IWA
trict Convention, Jan. 8.

The Federation Secretary was

ne of eight fraternal delegates

address the Convention on be-
of affiliated CCL bodies.

_ _ History has shown, claimed
Home, that whenever trade
unions fail to secure full political

posing economic forces.

Sections of the ICA Act, or-
_ iginally suspected by the trade
unions, but not previously used
against them, were now being
inyoked after the elections. “As
_ the present government is fin-
by the employers, we
cannot expect to get our full
rights without struggle,” he
‘stated.

_ The speaker scored the recent
i of the Labor Relations
d, and challenged the right
‘the Board to interfere in self-
ernment of trade, panion: Bouies
urged the delegates to support
. demand of the Federation for
amendments to the ICA, Act,
ich would curb the arbitrary

rs assumed by the Board.
He pointed to the fact that the
‘A membership formed over
percent of the trade union
within the Federation.
IWA, with its reformed
ip, he urged, could wield
mendous influence in shaping
tive policy for organized

in the province,

‘The Federation official was un-
to concede that the pres-
inister of Labor could keep
omise to give organized la-

‘@ square deal. Like his pre-
or, Mr, Pearson, who dis-

us the ICA Act, he will even-
ly be compelled to accept the

ates of his party, an employ-

expression of their aims, renewed |
struggle breaks out between op- | the delegates, that the same fight-

representatives of employers and
the principal trade union bodies.

The conferences now scheduled
provide no such opportunity for
exchange of views leading to
some form of industrial truce, he
declared

CCL Director

Representing the Canadian
Congress of Labor, Dan Radford,
the regional director, recalled that
the slogan “No contract, no
work” had been raised in 1911-12
by the miners of Nanaimo, dur-
ing one of the bitterest labor
struggles in Canada.

The Regional Director warned

ing spirit, as formerly displayed

by the miners, would be required |

by the IWA to win the Union
shop in 1950.

‘As one associated with the IW-
A during the “October Revolu-
tion” he tendered praise to the
IWA for the remarkable progress
achieved.

B.C. Woodworkers

Lindsay MacIntosh, tendered
fraternal greetings from the B.C.
Woodworkers Union.

Distrust of the former leader-
ship would previously have
caused him to decline an invita-

pletely at home and in accord
with the spirit of the WA. He
congratulated the IWA on its
“face-lifting”, and proposed that
both unions should develop close
team-work.

Caustic references were made
by the speaker to trade union of-
ficials whose actions in civic af-
fairs “are no credit to the labor
movement”.

Island Labor Council

A warm welcome to the dele-
gates was extended by Tom Ostle,

on behalf of the Vancouver Is-
land Labor Council. His remarks
were ably supplemented by John
Carruthers and George Bryce,
representing the United Mine
Workers.

Use of the Miners’ Hall was ex-
tended to Convention committees
during the proceedings.

Histadrut

The aims and accomplishments
of the trade unions in Israel, were
outlined to the Convention by L.
Horowitz, on behalf of Histadrut.

The extent to which the Fed-

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‘POP’ GERMER BLASTS
UNION HITCH-HIKERS

International Director of Organiza-
tion, on Jan. 8 brought the delegates at the WA District Con-
yention to their feet in a spontaneous and rousing tribute to his
stirring address, and long years of faithful service

to organized

a forceful organization, we can
drive a much better deal with

the employers than by bicker-
ing among ourselves on petty
issues. The employers are un-
willing to challenge well organ-
jzed preparedness in a trade
union, which is fully aware of
its social obligations.’

“There is more in the bag,” he
promised, “if we learn to organ-
Fe for economic action, intelli-
gently supplemented by political
Eetion. The ballot is a powerful
weapon, if we use te es

‘the best way to upset the Com-
aimige Party plans to disrupt, is
to do a better job, he urged. “We
must indoctrinate those who do
not take the Union seriously,
he emphasized. “The hitch-hikers
are the worst roadblock.”
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