B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Page Three

Hogg Threatens
De-certification

of the Labor Relations
to cancel IWA certifica-
in Pacific Veneer, New
ister, and Port Alberni
on the evidence was

i challenged by District
Local Union officers, when
oned March 30 before the

d to answer charges raised
management of illegal ac-

Provocation by management
resulted in indignant and spon-
_ taneous protest action by the

_ workers concerned, which was

not directed by the Union, the
_IWA officials contended.
Wilfred H. Heffernan, acting
as prosecutor on behalf of For-
est Industrial Relations Ltd.,
charged that “the walkouts con-
stituted illegal strikes”,
Chairman Pitcairn Hogg
‘warned the IWA that if the La-
bor Relations Board decides that
‘illegal strike action has been
taken, the Board has the power
to cancel IWA certification in the
its involved,
‘Some day we'll use it,” he
~~ ceatened.
Mr. Hogg claimed that under
the ICA Act, a strike can be de-
fined as a cessation of work or
refusal to work,

He argued that it is not neces-
sary to prove who is responsible
for the strike, provided it is part
of a concerted plan, carried
‘out with a common understand-

ing.
Union’s Rebuttal
_ IWA officials were permitted
only to state their case, and were
not allowed the usual judicial
procedure of cross-examining op-
posing witnesses,

Walter F. Allen, Local 1-85, I-
WA, Port Alberni, and Rae Eddie,
Local 1-357, IWA, New Westmin-
ster, supported by District Secre-
tary George Mitchell, informed
the Board that the Union had not
authorized or called a strike, and
any protest walk-out had been de-
ci upon by the workers con-
cerned under severe provocation.

Rae Eddie, stated that the men
at Pacific Veneer had told him to

on the following Saturday.

stay on the job,” he added.

served,

Board’s Action Queried

Board.

the ICA Act,”
What Follows?

which will represent them?

bargaining status?

ciliation?

dure?”

eight hours’ production.

ously certified to the IWA.
The Board reserved decision.

inform the company that they
would not work the sixth shift

“If there is this continued pro-
vocation, we can’t force them to

Decision of the Board was re-

On the same evening, Walter
F, Allen, President of Local 1-85,
IWA and Plant Chairman, Al-
berni Plywoods, commented on
the action of the Labor Relations

“The action of the Labor Rela-
tions Board raises questions of
vital importance to all trade
unions regarding the powers of
the Board under Section 62 of

“Tf the Board de-certifies a
Union which clearly represents
the majority of the employees,
what steps will be taken to cer-
tify another bargaining agency

“Can the Board de-certify the
IWA in some plants and ignore
the master agreement, and is it
the intention of the Board to de-
prive the IWA at this time of its

“Tf the IWA is de-certified,
will the [WA be freed of require-
ments set forth in the ICA Act
with regard to compulsory e¢on-

“Are employees subject to pen-
alties, which the employers es-
cape for failure to follow the
agreed-upon grievance proce-

He asserted that harmony can-
not be restored in the plywood
plants until management agrees
to deal justly with the situation
and ensure eight hours’ pay for

Alex Macdonald, counsel “for | sho. ‘
the IWA, presented at the hear-| Period, while the balance of the
ing a formal protest against rec- | Crew with extra effort during the
ognition of certification for the Period, keep the machines oper-
International Union of Operating , ting at the same speed.
Engineers within plants previ-

LOCAL 1-217

Local 1-217, IWA, now holds
certification for 80 plants in
the Vancouver area. Of this
number, 15 plants are 100 per-
cent IWA, and 10 are 96 per-
cent to 98 percent IWA. Two
more certifications are an im-
mediate prospect.

Activity of the Local Union of-
ficers and shop stewards has re-
sulted in a striking growth of
membership, resulting from
aroused interest in IWA negotia-
tions. Membership returns are
nearing the 5,000 mark. a

Meeting Date Changed

On account of the Easter
holidays, the next regular
membership meeting will be
held a week later than usual
and is now scheduled for
April 16.

J. R. Murray Plywood
Employees in the J. R. Murray
Plywood Ltd. plant upon re-or-
ganization, now report 77 mem-
bers out of a possible 85.

First meeting with manage-
ment, followine the October,
1948 disruption, was held re-
jcently, and settlement of griey-

From Page |

“STOPPAGES
PROVOKED”

This policy has had the fur-
ther consequence in some plants

work six shifts instead of the
five eight-hour shifts expected by
workers under the agreement.

In order to maintain produc-
{tion on machines that must op-
‘erate continuously, it has been
the custom of management to ar-
range that each person in turn
should take a half-hour lunch

The contention is that this
special effort required of the crew
to maintain continuous eight-hour |

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production should be rewarded by
eight hours’ pay.
‘The requirement to work the
sixth shift is vigorously protested
in all plants, as a threat to the
acepted five-day work week.

Pacific Veneer Events
Events at the plant of Pacific
Veneer moved rapidly to a climax,
when it was discovered by the
workers that no satisfactory set-
tlement could be secured, due to
the attitude of the management
toward the usual grievance pro-
cedure,

On two occasions, the grievance

was advanced and finally referred
to Forest Industrial Relations,
without completion of the griev-
ance procedure. Negotiations |
promised through Forest Indus-!
ual Relations failed to material-
ize.
When a number of women em-
ployees were ordered to leave at
3:80 a.m., in a driving rain, with-
out transportation, the balance of
the shift and the incoming shift
decided to go home, too.

of forcing the night crews to|

80 Plants Certified; 25 Of Them Over
96% IWA; Membership Nearing 5000 Mark

ances was initiated.

IWA plant committee chairman
at Western Plywoods Ltd., with
170 workers on the payroll, re-
ports the plant almost 100 per-
cent IWA, Five absentees from
this honor roll are being trailed
to place the plant record above
reproach,

Workmen’s Compensation

The number of claimants re-
quiring assistance in presenting
evidence to the Workmen’s Com-
pensation Board is increasing at
the rate of three new cases a
week.

Recently the claim of a Lady-
smith lumber worker, injured in
1982, was re-opened, upon the in-
tervention of the Local Union of-
ficers, with hopeful prospects,

Practical Rehabilitation

President Lloyd Whalen and
Financial Secretary “Stu” Hodg-
son, took up the cudgels on be-
half of two members on compen-
sation, but considered by Western
Plywoods as premanently unfit
for employment. It was demon-
strated to the company, after ref-
erence to the Workmen’s Com-
pensation Board, that both men
could efficiently perform work,
which did not aggravate their dis-
abilities, :

Both men were re-employed.

Safety Action

Alarm over a high accident rate

at Bridge Lumber Co. has
brought the management and the
Local Union together on plans to
promote more effective accident
prevention,
Gus Skuzanski, and Wm. Gray
of the Safety Council, have been
invited to attend the next meet-
ing of the plant safety commit-
tees to discuss improved safety
measures.

IWA policies and plans for ne-
gotiations were presented to a
large shop steward meeting on
the day shift at Eburne Mills by
President Whalen and Secretary
Hodgson.

Canadian White Pine

CWP resulted in an agreement by
which the company will post no-
tices of any vacancies arising in
company employment,

A grievance resulting from lay-
offs in disregard of seniority
rights was satisfactorily adjusted
and the persons concerned re-in-
stated with pay for lost time.

An additional 2 cents an hour
was gained for female employees
in the category of lever-men. The
rate is now $1.1444.

In accordance with the policy
of the plant committee to keep
overtime in all departments to a
minimum, a substantial reduction
was made in the overtime of men
in the pipe-fitters Dept. B. Power
House. ’

MacMillan Industries

At the largest shop stewards
meeting on record, plant commit-
tee officers were elected at M-I.L.,
with Vic Mauro at the head of
the slate as chairman. Others el-
ected were: Chief Shop Steward,
Al Busch; Secretary, Jack Ber-
ten; members of Plant and Griev-
Committee, Gerry Holm, Art
Shure, Harry Olson, Phil Math-
ews.

Head Shop Stewards, “A” shift,
Ed Dowling; “B” shift, Bert Hill;
night shift, Al Law.

President Lloyd Whalen ad-
dressed the meeting on IWA ne-
gotiations, and Wm. Gray made
an appeal for wider support of
the IWA Credit Union. f

Softball Season Opens

First work-out for the Local 1-
217, IWA, softball team was held
April 2. Talented material for a
top-ranking team in the league
was in evidence, and the season
promises to be another success
for the IWA sportsmen.

One sad feature of the‘ work-
out was the casualties among
those whose .waistlines had ex-
panded during the winter. Im-
provised ambulances were pressed
into service to remove over-ambi-

Discussion between the plant
committee and management at

tious victims of charley-horses,

avoirdupois,

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First Aid Supplies
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As the stoppage continued, be-|
cause of failure to recognize the
grievance, the Local Union was
notified, and the Labor Relations |
Board acted to intervene, alleg-!
ing that the action was illegal,

At a meeting of the employees
summoned by the management,
without reference to the Union,
Rae Eddie, Business Agent, Local
1-357, appeared and reported that
the employees would return to
work under the order issued by
the Labor Relations Board.

Return to work was made be-
fore the expiration of the three-
day leave of absence period, as
set forth in the contract.

Following the appearance of
the Local Union and District offi-
cers before the Labor Relations
Board, cypesrance wu tee man-
agement, representer y Forest
Industrial Relations Ltd. com-
menced and continued Into the
present week.

workers at

In_the meantim
Pacific Veneer failed to report for
shift on the following

the sixth
| Saturday.

Phone 1600

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