B.C. LUMBER WORKER Page Three “WOOIES” USED IWA’s $11,000 CASH FOR GAMBLING, DEBTS & ‘GOOD TIME’ The law is at last catching up with the men who mis- handled the funds of the rank and file.of Local 1-80 of the International Woodworkers of America. Renegade official, John George Forbes, secretary of the so-called WIUC, must pay $11,000 of IWA Local From Page | 8 Hours Work, 8 Hours Pay Union Label District Officers were author- to confer with members of International Executive Board with regard to the B.C. demand for a Union label on products produced under union conditions. This decision followed an explanation from Interna- tional President Fadling regard- ing steps under consideration by the International. Plywood Workers Support was given by the Council to the demand advanced by plywood workers for eight hours’ pay for eight hours pro- duction. It was declared that overtime rates should be paid to the sixth shift, regardless of time previously worked during the week. Steel Gets Support @ By unanimous vote, the Coun- il delegates extended full sup- port to the United Steelworkers in the steps taken to provide re- affiliation with the CIO-CCL for members of the Mine, Mill Union desiring to repudiate Communist leadership, On this point, the delegates heard International President Eadling report on the evidence considered by the CIO National Executive Board, also Adolph Germer, Director of Organization who had personally investigated the situation in Trail. 2 In the opinion of the Interna- tional officials, expulsion from the CIO-CCL was deserved, because of the outright sabotage by the Communist leadership of CIO democratically - declared policies. The inevitable consequence of expulsion, was that responsibil- ity should be assumed for organ- ization within the CIO of those who had been “raided out of the CIO by the Communists”, Membership Growth Reports were received from representatives of each Local Union in the District, revealing An upsurge of support for the I- WA, reflected in a marked in- crease in dues-paying member- ship. Safety Program Secretary of the District Safety Council, Bill Gray, presented a report reviewing the work of the Council, and gaining approval of recommendations to strengthen representation on the Council. Various Local Unions had sub- mitted statistics to show that the IWA Safety Program had con- tributed to a substantial reduc- tion in the accident rate. Brief for submission to the Sloan Commission on Workmen’s Compensation was given ap- proval. 1-80 funds into court by March 23 or face serious charges of contempt of court, on which he can be jailed indefinitely. The $11,000 in question is part of a $17,000 judgment obtained by the Duncan IWA men after the despicable “October Revolu- tion” of 1948 led by Pritchett, Dalskog and Co, : IWA members in court during the hearing at Nanaimo on Feb. 28, gasped as they heard the ex- planation of what happened to their money. $7,000 went to George Graf- ton, Cowichan Lake, who ad- mitted he paid off debts and “had a pretty good time”. $4,000 went to Hjalmar Ber- gren, former IWA. vice-presi- dent, who testified he too, used the cash to pay debts. Trip For Wife Forbes was secretary of the Local at the time of the at- empted disaffiliation, and he ap- peared in court to explain why he had not paid the $17,000 to the sheriff as required by a previous order of Mr. Justice Wilson. This hearing was in Vancouver before Chief Justice Farris. Forbes’ explanation was that $11,000 of the money was paid to Grafton ($7,000) and Bergren ($4,000) for back salaries, not Supposed to have been paid in Grafton’s case since the ’30’s. Grafton, a witness at the trial, alleged that he received the money for pay as an organizer. This is what he did with it: Used the money to pay debts. Gave $1,000 to his wife for a trip East. “Drank A Little” _ ‘Gambled and drank a little.” “Had a pretty good time.” It is well to interject here that the $7,000 which gave Grafton such a self-admittedly good time was made up of the hard-earned dollars and cents belonging to the thousands of loggers who form the IWA; the men who had mistaken faith in the clique des- perately trying to lead them to “salvation” in the guise of LPP- domination and LPP intrigue. Bergren testified on oath that he used the $4,000 given him to pay debts. Stories “Smell But their story was disbelieved by the Chief Justice. That could not have been plainer. This is what he said: : “I don’t believe the claims of Grafton and Bergren. The whole thing smells of an attempt to evade the order of the court. “I propose to give Forbes an opportunity to make good the or- der of Mr. Justice Wilson, that is, to pay to the sheriff the mon- ies he improperly paid to Grafton and Bergren, “Tf the order is not obeyed, he will be in contempt of court.” Forbes was the man whom Owen G, Brown and Fred Wilson | (previously acquitted of theft charges) had said was in posses- sion of the Local’s funds. The Chief Justice told Forbes bluntly that he did not believe Forbes when Forbes alleged that there had been no arrangement to conceal the payment of the monies. Until March 23 Forbes has until 2:30 p.m. on Mar. 23 to pay up $11,000. The membership of the IWA will be watching that time and date with the greatest eagerness to see what happens, Forbes knows what will happen if he doesn’t produce the money. “He will be in contempt of court, and he won’t be able to scream that he is any martyr to any cause,” said an IWA official. LRB ALLOWS AFL RAIDING Strong protest has gone to the Labor Relations Board about an application of a raiding AFL union, the Operating Engineers (AFL-TLC), Local 882, for certi- fication for the engineers at the plants concerned. President Alsbury has declared that the IWA will not tolerate the granting of craft union certifica- tions in operations where the IW- A-CIO has industrial certification. The membership has made the position clear. If the AFL steals the certification, the IWA won't handle steam produced by them. This is not the only situation Where AFL raiding of CIO unions jis being countenanced by the La- hor Relations Board. ll Sign-Up In Fraser Mills New Westminster Local, 1-357, signed up 11 members in the IW- A from both shifts of the Fraser | Mills, shingle section, last month. The turnover of men is com- ; paratively great in the shingle in- dustry, and men are coming and going all the time. This mill is now 80 percent I- | WA among the Chinese crew. Local 1-85 PLYWOOD MEN GET OVERTIME FOR SATURDAY SHIFT Plywood workers on continuous operations at Alberni Ply- woods Ltd. Port Alberni, will now receive overtime rates for all Saturday work, regardless of the hours worked in the pre- ceding five days. This decision resulted from a recent series of conferences between company representatives, the plant commit- tee and officers of Local 1-85, IWA. The conferences in Vancouver and Port Alberni, and which in- volved Forest Industrial Rela- tions Ltd., resulted from the in- sistence of the plant committee that eight hours pay should be received for eight hours produc- tion. The custom has been to pay only for a 37% hour week, al- though continuous production is maintained throughout the half hour lunch period each day by crew members relieving each other and temporarily assuming extra work. Company Proposal At a meeting on Feb. 11, the workers voted to reject a plan suubmitted by management on the grounds that it meant rever- sion to the old six shift a week basis. One hundred and sixty- two employees attended and voted unanimously to press for the or- iginal demand. While the issue hung in the balance, Local 1-85- IWA, pro- posed to withhold Union sanction for Saturday overtime. The situation eased somewhat when the management conceded overtime rates for Saturday | work without requiring comple- tion of the 40-hour week at straight time. Formerly, Satur- |day workers, with only 387% hours to their credit, were paid at the regular rate for the first 2% hours before overtime rates applied. Eight Hours Pay Further conferences are in progress, at which the plant com- mittee will receive and consider management proposals, dealing with the question of eight hours pay for eight hours production. The Local Union officers ex- pressed gratification at the soli- darity displayed by the plant em- ployees in seeking adjustment of this vexed .and long standing problem. IWA membership in the plant is now rapidly reaching the 100 percent mark. The Labor Relations Board of B.C. has granted certification to the International Woodworkers of America (CCL-CIO), Local 1-405, for employees of the Columbia Contracting Co., Ltd., employed at Canal Flats. 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