needed to pack a lunch. UIC. Queries B.C. LUMBER WORKER May 11, 1950 Q—If a worker living in an town is laid off and, on going to the local employment office is offered work in a city on the Pacific Coast, can he be disqualified for refusing to ac- eept this employment? - A—This is a question which you should ask your local office. Circumstances of the case are factors of importance in a matter of this kind. The general rule is that an unemployed worker must accept suitable employment when it is offered, but your circum- stances or the nature of the work or many other factors might jus- tify refusal of this offer. In such eases, a worker might be entitled to draw benefit even though he had not accepted the employment offered. Consult your local office. Q—I worked at sheet metal work till three years ago. Be- cause of a heart condition I was ordered by my doctor to get light employment. I was drawing unemployment benefit for three weeks before getting my present work which is in a hospital, and they don’t come under unemployment insurance. I have a credit of 270 days’ in- surance benefit, which I can’t collect until I have paid an- other 60 contributions. As I am going on to 63 years of age it is not easy to get work. If I lose my present job, why can’t I draw what is credited to me? A—When a claim is established, a benefit year is set up. This benefit years lapses either when the claimant’s benefit is ex- hausted or at the end of 12 months, whichever occurs first. Before a benefit year can be es- tablished, a claimant must have paid 180 daily contributions with- in the two years immediately pre- ceding the date the benefit year commences. This applies to the first benefit year and also to any subsequent benefit year. However, for the second and any, further benefit years, the claimant must also show that 60 out of the 180 contributions in the two years immediately pre- ceding the benefit year in ques- tion have been paid since the commencement of the previous benefit year that was established in his case. The Act insists on these 60 days as un indication that a claimant is still working, even if only to a limited extent, in insur- able employment. . The Act is designed to protect insured workers against uném- ployment. It would not be fair to other insured workers, who are making contributions to the fund, if benefit continued to be paid for Jong periods to a person who had really moved out of insured em-j ployment either into non-insured employment or into some oceupa-~ tion on his own account. Such a Person would no longer have what actuaries call an “insurable in- terest”, CROCODILE TEARS are in order for Baltimore. This onion ler, who asked to be excused from the U.S, 7-cent hourly minimum wage law because, he moaned, his workers nibbled on the onions they packed and never Makes Sense | Visiting psychiatrist to inmate of mental institution: “Why do you sit there scratch- ing yourself?” Inmate: “Because I’m the only INDIA’S LABOR LAWS SET WORLD Labor clauses in the new Constitution of India, which be- came effective Jan, 26, are al- most unbelievable in that land formerly known as one of the most backward in the world. Described by the London Times as “the most elaborate declara- tion of human rights yet framed by any state”, the Constitution wipes out the old “caste” rule, and lifts even the “untouchables” to the dignity of human beings. Constitutional Rights Embodied in Articles 31 to 34 of Part IV are the following prin- ciples of policy: 81. The State shall, in particu- lar, ‘direct its policy’ toward se- euring: G) That the citizens, men and women equally, have the right to an adequate means of livelihood; Gi) That the ownership and control of the material re- sources of the community are so distributed as best to sub- serve the common good; Giii) That the operation of the economic system does not result in the concentration of wealth and means of product- tion to the common detriment; (iv) That there is equal pay for equal work, for both men and women; (vy) That the strength and health of workers, men and wo- men, and the tender age of chil- dren are not abused, and that citizens are not forced by econ- omic necessity to enter ayoca- tions unsuited to their age or strength; (vi) That childhood and youth are protected against ex- ploitation and against moral and material abandonment, Tn Clause 82, provision is made for the Right to Work,-to Educa- tion and to Publie Assistance in certain cases, as follows: The State shall, within the lim- its of its economic capacity and development, make effective pro- vision for the right to work. 88, Provision for just and hu- mane conditions of work and ma- ternity relief: The State shall make provision for securing just .and humane conditions of work and for ma- ternity relief: ; 34, Living Wage, Workers: The State shall endeavor to secure by suitable legislation, or economic organization, or in any other way, to all workers, industrial or otherwise, work, a living wage, conditions of work ensuring a decent stand- ard of life and full enjoyment of leisure and social and cul- tural opportunities, Making History Speaking on the role of labor under the new Constitution, Mr. Jagjivan Ram, India’s Labor Minister, has this to say: “The history of labor legisla- tion in Indian during the past two years is enough to show that We are not oblivious of our duties and responsibilities towards dur workers. We now have a Fac- tories’ Act, which will stand com- parison with factories acts of most advanced industrial coun- tries of the world.” The government is-also taking steps to modernize the Indian Mines’ Act, and to fix wages in Sweated industries, and in agri- culture, In its Employees’ State Insur- ance Scheme, the government is ete, for one who knows where I itch.” moving toward a system of Social 9.W. Bow s 1530 W. 4th Ave. <> PRINTING & LITHOGRAPHING An Employee Owned Company CO. LIMITED Vaneouver, B.C. STANDARD Security. In plantations and mines, tripartite negotiations have effected improvements in conditions of employment which are a credit to both workers and employers. Indian independence and the story of what has already been achieved in that vast and over- populated land is another sam- ple of what the common people ean do, given a chance. wea iS v0 to buy union made clothes, ties, dloves Hee work- clothes. Always’ Look FoR. THE AMALGAMATED LABEL. on all articles of men's wearing apparel. BE FAIR—BUY UNION Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America Guaranteed Wage The Editor: In our camp, we settled the hash of the stooges who were go- ing around agitating for the 48- hour week, when we called’ a meeting of the crew, and faced them with the consequences. As we see it, the operators’ | proposition is nothing more or less than a bribe to make us for- get any wage rate increase and the Union shop. Sure, we can work the 48-hour week for a while, and get out more logs, with a little extra money, but where does that land us? [ll bet that in a few months we would all be working-the 48- hour week at straight time for the “supe” would be picking his days according to the weather. This hokum that the operators want to do us a favor, I don’t swallow any more than I believe in Santa Claus. If they mean what they say, why don’t they guarantee us an annual wage equal to 250 days work, and plan the work to suit? Card 485.: “Loyal Wife” Backs Fight For Decency The Editor: As the wife of an IWA mem- ber, who has had experience with strikes, I feel I should offer some advice to others who have not been through the ordeal. Not any of us should ignore the possibility that our-husbands will be on the picket line after June 15, and that the old pay cheque may be missed for a while. It seems to me that we should all avoid any unnecessary ex- penditure now, in order that we can tide ourselves over the strike period as best we can. I found out-before that it pays off. It’s one way that we can back the fight of the Union for a big- ger pay cheque, I’m one of the wives that’s hop- ing the Union will put up a fight to the finish for what we should have to keep up standards of de- cency in our homes, Loyal IWA Wife. Sick List > St. Joseph's, Comox Sister H. Lidberg visited St. Joseph’s Hospital, Comox, dis- tributing cigarettes and the B.C. Lumber Worker to the following: Anton Shemenauer, McLean Bros. Timber Co—Arm injury. Do- ing well. Leo Rogers, Beban Logging Co. Ltd.—Under observation. Bud Carwithen, Plateau Lumber — Back injury. Will be out soon. Very cheerful. St. Paul’s Hospital Sisters Muriel Bradley and Pat Fulljames of the Women’s Auxili- ary to Local 1-217, IWA, visited the following patients in St. Paul’s Hospital, distributing chocolate bars, cigarettes and matches. Larry Green, Port Alberni, B, S. & W.—Spinal. Has a cast on now. Feeling much better- Harry Hill, B. C. Forest Products, Vancouver Bay—Spinal. Get- ting cast on. Going home soon. Anthony Donbrosky, Camp 5, B. S. & W.—Knee injury. Stitches taken out. Coming along. Carl Reusch, Eburne Sawmills — Had operation on finger. Going home next week. Gilmour Pratt, Sechelt — X-rays show slight improvement. Gordon Fisher, Kelowna—Spinal case. Has cast on now.Expects to go home next week. Maurice Landry, APL Mill, Port Alberni—Broken knee. Coming along fine, going home. Robert Reddish, Tahsis — Knee cartilage. Going home. Louis Goodman, Camp A, Engle- wood—Spinal. In for observa- tion and treatment. INTRODUCING WOODWARD’S Sanforized Shrunk 9 ounce DENIM WORK CLOTHING FOR MEN "7"! STAR FEATURES (1) Form Fitting Outsize (2) Safety Bib and Rule Pocket (3) Sanforized Shrvak 9- ounce (7) Each Garment inspected 4 times SMOCKS $4.75 each $4.75 ecelwerels VANCOUVER “YOUR WESTERN SHOPPING CENTER” ORDER IN PERSON OR SHOP BY MAIL - Out-of-town Customers write for Catalogue RIB OVERALLS WORK PANTS KaeKk kkk STAR UNION MADE (4) Full Fly Rip-Proof Crotch (5) Special Pocket Con- struction (6) Laboratory Tested Denim pair $3.95 pair J. Morrissey, B,C. Forest Prod- ucts — Gastric ulcer. Coming along fine. Had operation. "Theodore Pitz, BEA die Smith & Howe Logging Co., Knight In- let—Broken ankle operated on. William Bain, APL, Port Alberni —Coming along quite well. _ Barrister & Solicitor | Notary Public 751 Granville Street VANCOUVER, B.C. ‘Telephone TAtlow 5128 SOLICITOR TO THE 1. W. A. PROTECT YOUR EARNING POWER... Wear “Grip-Fit” Gloves Your hands bring in your weekly pay cheque. Guard them from injury with “Grip- Fit” rugged leather work gloves... . Made in Vancouver by Union workers, -TREEN gloves wear like iron +». are comfortable as kid. Sold in better stores throughout Western Canada, Extra Wear in Every Pair reelt GD rome Vancouver, B. YOU CAN BAN BY MAIL with IMPERIAL BANK OF CANADA Banking can be carried on simply and safely through the mails. Deposits will be Promptly acknowledged and instructions carried out with - Proper attention to detail. Miners and lumbermen in out - of - the-way places will find banking easy and con- venient using Imperial Bank mail banking service. Address you letter to any branch listed below and serv- ice will follow promptly. IMPERIAL BANK OF CANADA Vancouver—Granville & Dunsmulr Vancouver—Hastings & Abbott Other Branches In British Columbia: Cranbrook — Fernle = Golden, ~ Alex B. Macdonald .