Page Four B.C, LUMBER WORKER HOT SPOT Warning ‘HERE'S no blinking the fact now that the IWA faces a tough fight in the present negotiations to establish proper wages and working conditions for lumber workers in the Interior of British Columbia. If the lumber operators persist in their » present attitude and stubbornly oppose any improvement in Interior standards, open strife will be inevitable. As a Union obligation toward less for- tunate brothers, as well as for protection | against the threat of sub-standard wages © anywhere in the B, C. lumber industry, the — Coast lumber workers must take note of the situation and mobilize their resources [ to win the struggle. . The adamant refusal of the lumber operators to con- sider the IWA demands has compelled an application for conciliation. _ From now until Sept. 1, when the Interior contract terminates, the utmost effort must be made to win general Support for the IWA case, and to rally the fighting strength of the lumber workers in the Interior under the IWA banner. At the same time, our Union must fight the delaying tactics of the operators, and press for speedy conciliation, and a decision before Sept. 1. A decision for strike action, if such becomes necessary, must be taken before operations start torclose down. Preparations for strike action, long in advance of the deadline, gained a settlement at the Coast. Similar tactics| are even more urgently required in the Interior, where the operators have taken an absolutely uncompromising attitude. The attitude of the operators may be gauged when it is disclosed that negotiations deadlocked, with a point- blank refusal for IWA demands and a counter-proposal only that board rates be increased, despite the following facts: | The last wage increase in 1948 was smaller than| awarded at the Coast, due to WIUC disruption. The present scale in the Interior is on the average 2334 cents an hour less than prevailing wages at the| Coast. Wage rates for the most part are not classified, with the result. that few skilled workers get more than $1.05 an hour. Wage rates in unorganized operations average about 45 cents an hour less than wages paid at the Coast. Sanitary conditions in the bunkhouses and camps are} deplorable. Safety considerations are almost completely disre- garded. ‘ Many employers resort to unscrupulous anti-union tactics which make Union shop conditions of even greater importance than at the Coast. -Wage rates vary from operation to operation, thus causing a constant movement of the lumber workers in the vain effort to get higher rates. To wipe out these disgraceful conditions, our Union is now pouring all available resources into the struggle on behalf of our fellow-workers. This is a warning that a still greater effort may be required. J. Stewart Alsbury, President, B.C. District Council, IWA. Labor's Peace ‘VERY peace-loving trade unionist has been profoundly shocked by developments in Korea, and the menacing aspect of the international crisis. Preparations to resist armed Communist aggression has already had far-reaching effects on the peace-time ob- jectives of organized labor. The proof of cold-blooded aggression, with Communist arms, against South Korea, was supplied by the UN Com- jmission, which was on the spot at the time, and on which Asiatic nations were represented. The ranks of labor in the western democracies have declared for support of UN police action. The rule of law, and not of force, must prevail in international disputes. Armed aggression, unchecked, leads inevitably to World War III. ; War is not inevitable. Military action, even interna- tional military action cannot build peace. Only inter- national economic planning to raise living standards every- where will lay a secure basis for peace. The democratic world has the moral and physical re- sources to win the peace if these resources are used for positive international ends. On this side of the question, the trade unions of the democracies can exercise a significant influence. Forth- right thinking and action by trade unionists will offer leadership to the workers, who sacrifice most in war. ( ‘\ AS LET THE CHIPS FALL by Woody, Weadpecher The brass-necked gall of the despicable renegades who walked out of the IWA with more than $200,000 of the, workers’ funds has to be read in black and white to be believed. The July 29 issue of the Van- couver Sun contained a boyishly ic statement by the lead- :. Any competent psy- chiatrist, knowing the fact, would undoubtedly diagnose the outlook of the man making the statement as that of a psychopathic exhibi- tionist. The “Wooies”, it would seem, are holding a “national” conven- tion in Nanaimo soon. “The entire question of the fu- ture of the WIUC in the struggle to build one union in the indus- try” will be considered. “There is no question of the irability of ion i desirability of one union in the |SelE? ef teint ancy WHERE IS GLADYS HILL- (Who introduced the second |AND? . LUMBER MARKETS BOOM In B.C, between May 18 and | pations. June 15, the number of men look- | ing for jobs dropped from 32,200 to 25,100, according to the Domin- | dustry continues to increase rap- Honkientieente wptor relat lidly,” it continued. “Sawmills in The report said that work in| many cases are working double logging, lumbering, fishing, con- | Shifts to meet the flow of orders, struction and agriculture were) Particularly from the U.S. and a increasing so fast that labor | definite shortage of skilled work- e cae ing.” shortages appeared in some occu-| ©*S 15 appearing. union—the IWA?) “The one union might be the \IWA” (Thanks, Harold, we were | afraid-you might persuade us to transfer all our members to the Wooies.) At your national convention, |Harold, you might ask some of | the boys: “Where is that fine, up- |standing, honest union woman, | Gladys Hilland, who is in posses- sion of some $12,000 stolen from |the IWA members?” Then why jdon’t you give up the ghost, in- | stead of making a fool of your- self? “Employment in the logging in- EDITORIAL, Continued The international dilemma is linked with domestic problems affecting workers. The purpose of democracy must be made clear. For these reasons alone, the approaching conventions of the IWA in Minneapolis, and the CCL in Winnipeg, offer unique opportunities for expression of labor’s aspira- tions for an expanding democracy. The issues of the day should now be under earnest con- sideration in all Local Unions in British Columbia, that informed discussion by delegates at the national and inter- national conventions may lead to wise decisions to advance prosperity and peace for the workers. 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