B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Page Five

Profits Bigger Bar
To Markets Than
Union Shop, & 17c

By Roy Whittle,

Financial Secretary,

Local 1-118, IWA.

Points raised by the commentator on the lumber operators’

radio program, were answered on the March 16 Green
Gold program by Roy Whittle, Financial Secretary, Local 1-
118, IWA, and member of the IWA Negotiating Committee.
His rebuttal to half-truths used to belittle the contract de-
mand of the IWA is here summarized:

‘0 USEFUL purpose is served by sly ridicule of the

attitude taken by IWA

members with respect to

their contract demand. This demand originated with
the men on the job, because of conditions on the job.
It is begging the question to suggest that this expressed
determination, impelled by their daily experience, is an

ultimatum, or that their militancy has been assumed}

as a bargaining bluff.

In discussion of the IWA de-
mand on the job and at numer-
ous meetings, I have found the
jumber workers firmly and unani-
mously behind the demand. They
want only just and reasonable
terms in the next contract, and
have so stated their proposals.
They have limited bargaining
this year to the most urgent is-
sue only.

They are determined to press

express their determination. They
feel intensely about their rights.

Not Impressed

The lumber workers I repre-
sent, are not impressed by
the ‘statement so glibly quoted
by the operators’ spokesmen,

that the B.C. lumber industry;

has the highest wages and best
working conditions of any heavy
industry in Canada.

They are not impressed because
of the stern facts faced by them
in their daily living and working

conditions. Wage rates are one
thing, but the average annual
earnings are something else
again.

Lumber workers have been the
victims of a propaganda, which
is designed to divert attention
from several unpleasant facts.
First, their employment in the
industry is largely seasonal, ow-
ing to weather conditions,

Second, rising living costs con-
tinue to reduce the buying value
of their wage dollars, Third, log-
gers, especially, are faced with
expenses unknown in other indus-
tries with regard to board, trans-
portation and special clothing.

Adjust Wages

Tt is not unreasonable to ask
that wages be adjusted to com-
pensate men for these handicaps
in order that they may receive
a satisfactory annual income.

The radio spokesman for the

employers states, “As lumber
goes, so goes the province,”
His paraphrase of the old poli-
tical slogan would be more apt,
if he had said, “As the lumber
workers prosper, so prospers,
the province”. When all those
who produce our lumber, have
enough to spend for the things
they need, they keep the cash
registers rining in our com-
munities. :

It is so often overlooked that
the purchasing power of the
workers who form the bulk of the
population, is a basic requirement
of a sound economy. Not even
the mellifluous accents of our ra-
dio critie will persuade us to for-
get this fact,

The Union Shop

We do not agree that working
conditions in the industry are the
best possible, or that they are
better than in other heavy indus-
tries.

If the operators are genuinely
interested in the improvement of

working conditions, they can eas-
ily recognize and establish the
Union shop, as now generally ac-
cepted in other heavy industries.

They cannot safely argue that
the Union shop is a too costly |
proposition. It will cost them
nothing more than expenditure of
goodwill toward the Union which
has the responsibility of bargain-

ing for their employees, i
the point, and are organizing to! "4 os

We have not yet heard one
valid argument from the opera-
tors against the Union shop. All
their arguments up to this point
have been directed against the
closed shop, but we are not ask-
ing for the closed shop. There is
a world of difference between the
two.

Freedom of Choice
The operators profess to be

OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE MEMBERS, Local 1-118, IWA, Victoria,
by District Vice-President Joe Morris.

Ed Shaw, Ray Clark and Art Hemming.

installed at recent meeting

(Left, front) Joe Morris, Herbert Hunt, Jack Smirl, President
| Bob Fleming, C. Crockett, Roy Whittle. (Left, back), Jack McKenzie, Cecil Taylor, Daye Chapman,

deeply concerned about the dem-
oeratic rights of their employees.
So is the IWA. The IWA agrees
that every worker should have
complete freedom of choice as to
whether he works under open
shop or closed shop conditions.

The Union shop assures to each
worker exactly that democratic
freedom. The workers are free
to choose as a group whether
they bargain collectively, or
whether they individually accept
whatever the employer is dis-
posed to offer. They are free to

exercise a majority decision in
the selection of the IWA as the
bargaining agency.

When that step is taken by an
open and free majority’ decision
on the part of the: group, the I-

WA proposes that there should!

then be established genuine demo-

cratic relations for all concerned |

—the Union shop.

The employer ‘can deal with
only one bargaining agency. He
should not suggest that any of
the employees should be left out-
side the bargaining arrangements.

|That usually means anarchy and
confusion.

The certified Union must pro-
vide the machinery to bargain on
behalf of all the employees,
whether: members of the Union
or not. With recognition of the
Union shop, each employee shares
in all the decisions made on his
| behalf.

That's democracy. The open

}
| shop is the negation of democ-
|r

The Union shop provides in the

logging camps.

Se

IWA LOGGERS’ NAVY, with Skipper Oswald Mattila and Presid ent - Organizer Frank Howard |

(right), leaves on first leg of Season’s cruise to service membership of Local 1-71, IWA, in coast
J. Stewart Alsbury (left) District President, wishes them

7s most democratic way possible for
E equality in rights and privileges,
| as well as equality in-responsibil-
ities. No: better rule has been
|found for the orderly conduct of
affairs in a democratic commun-
| ity.
| Antagonism Outworn
| We ask the employers to aban-
don their out-worn antagonism
toward organized labour, and to
accept the trend in modern indus-
| | try toward industrial democracy.
|| | Their antagonism toward organ-
|ized labor, expressed in opposi-
| tion to the Union shop, is a dec-
laration that they intend to keep
| the Union battling for a foothold
| in the industry.

The onus rests on them for the
maintenance of industrial peace,
if they insist on this atmosphere
of strife. They can if they wish
|abandon unwarranted _ interfer-
ence with the will of the major-
| ity, and permit the Union to ap-
|ply its energies to constructive
| endeavor.

{ Lumber Markets

| ‘The IWA is just as interested
in the domestic and export mar-
kets for the products of our la-
bor as the operators. The opera-

success on departure.

Loggers’ Navy On Spring Cruise

The Logger’s Navy, trim craft of Local 1-71, IWA, the Log-
gers’ Local, is again on the high seas to carry the IWA organ-
ization program into the most remote logging camps along the

British Columbia shoreline.

Navigation will be the responsibility of the newly- appointed

skipper, Oswald Mattila, and on
dent Frank Howard, Local 1-71,

Skipper “Ozzie” Mattila enters
on his new duties with a wealth
of valuable experience for his
post, gained in the RCAF and in
trade union organization activ-
ity.

By a remarkable coincidence, it
was the Loggers’ Navy that res-

cued him, when adrift after the

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FROM TWO OF YOUR OWN BOYS!
25th Avenue and Kingsway

Vancouver, B.C,

ANDY and JACK LAMBIE
IWA SPECIAL: Grease Job $1.00

{Regular $1,25)

off watches he will assist Presi-
, IWA, in organization activity.

sinking of his own boat several
years ago.

Frank Howard’ was elected
president of Local 1-71, IW, on
the ballot for the Local Union’s
officers. earlier in the year. He
undertook direction of organiza-
tion in Coast logging camps dur-
ing the latter part of 1949,

Port MeNeill First

The cruiser will make Pioneer
Timber Co. camp, Port McNeill,
it’s first port of call, will then
proceed to the Minstrel Island
area, and from there will proceed
towards Vancouver, calling at all
camps en route.

More extensive cruises are in
prospect for later in the season.

tors’ spokesman glides over some
fundamental considerations.

See WHITTLE Page 11

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oa,"

2