B.C. LUMBER WORKER

September 21, 1950

AT 45 KINGSWAY

_ Offices of the B.C. District Council, No. 1, IWA, and the
B.C. Lumber Worker, are now located at 45 Kingsway, Van-

was planned to promote greater efficiency and economy
meet the convenience of IWA members.

HOME NAMED TO
HOSPITAL BOARD

George Home, secretary-treas-
urer, B.C. Federation of Labor,
has been named to act as CCL
representative on the Provincial
Hospital Advisory Board.

NORTH SHORE SHINGLE MEN
WIN IMPROVED WELFARE PLAN

By J. C. Johnston
Chief Shop Steward, North Shore Shingle Co.
’ A suitable welfare plan in which the employer pays
half is something that has been sought after by the IWA
in B.C. lumber industry every time the contract between
companies and Union comes up for renewal.

While we have made tremen-—

. ICFTU TO MEET IN
AMERICA THIS YEAR

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, to which the

dous gains in every other respect
we have not, as yet, been able to
write into the contract the ever
desired welfare plan.

The only protection against
sickness and accident that we
have for the majority of our
membership in the lumber in-
dustry, is the Workmen’s Com-
pensation and the compulsory
Hospital Insurance.

Still Fall Short

While these coverages are good
they still fall far short of giving
everything a health plan should,
such as protection for the worker
off the job and protection for his
wife and family in regards to
doctor bills and a weekly benefit
being paid,

The workers in the lumber in-
dustry can have and get this pro-
tection by fighting for it
collectively on the job.

In the first week of August
every man, and the foremen, on
three shifts operating in the
plant, signed their names and
addresses on a petition demand-
ing that the company put into
effect the MSA plan, Medical
Services Association, for the ser-
vices of the physicians and sur-
geons. In this plan the company
pays half and the employees do
likewise.

7-Man Committee

A seven-man committee repre-
senting the men in the plant was
set up. They then, armed with
the signed petitions, met with the
company, who after two such
meetings agreed to comply with
the men’s wishes,

At the close of the second
meeting the owner of the com-
pany pointed out that, bésides the
amount he was going to be pay-
ing yearly to the MSA he would
also pay the initial registration
fee required of $1.50 per em-
ployee,

The boss did not have to pay
the $1.50 and the workers would
have willingly done so. Certainly
it shows how well presented and
effective the stand of the workers
was,

Complete Plan

It should be pointed out that
prior to getting the MSA we were
covered by the Travellers’ Insur-
ance Company’s weekly indem-
nity plan, which is solely paid by
the employee and pays $20.00 a
week to a worker when sick plus
many other benefits due in the
ease of accidents or death,

This coupled with the MSA
ag whieh pays all doctor bills

the employee, plus also those
for his wife and family, rounded
out a complete welfare -plan for
the North Shore Shingle.

Cost of coverage per month
_ to employee
‘Travellers
‘MSA ..

The Editor welcomes articles
from brothers for publication in
the B.C. Lumber Worker. Wher-
ever possible, they will be pub-
lished in full.

CIO is affiliated, will hold its first
ern Hemisphere in the fall of this

Histadrut, the general federa-
tion of labor in Israel, has voted
to leave the Communist-con-
trolled World Federation of trade
unions.

‘The ICFTU, which replaces the
Communist dominated World
Federation of ‘Trade Unions,
made this decision in Brussels,
Belgium, recently. The exact lo-
cation in America of the regional
conference has not yet been set.

One vital matter discussed by
the ICFTU executive board is the
long range survey of the Interna-
tional Labor Office to avoid world
unemployment and prevent de-
pressions,

WORKS RESERVE

“It is now widely recognized,”
argue the ILO experts, “that un-
employment arising from defici-
ency in demand can be prevented
by public policy. Incentives by
governments can include promo-
tion of industrial research and
development of new industries
and new products.

“Tt is desirable to have pre-
pared a carefully planned reserve
of public works projects to be
undertaken both by central and
local governments so that they
can immediately be carried into
operation whenever and wherever
the occasion arises.”

Proposals for under-developed
areas include land reclamation
and industrial development, fin-
anced from increased domestic
Saving and from foreign capital,
national schemes of manpower
training during the early stages
of industrial development, and the
creation of new rural industries,
public works and mixed farming
to reduce seasonal unemploy-
ment,

WORLD TRADE

These are the factors that the
ICFTU are considering and which
they will endeavor to introduce
in their home territories.

, So far as international action
is concerned, the ILO economists
emphasize the need, not only for
the stabilization, but the continu-
ous expansion of world trade.

Needed, too, is constant consul-
tation among governments, aimed
at full employment in every coun-
try, and for stabilization of the
prices of the world’s leading
primary commodities,

Exchange of international ex-
perience regarding methods of
improving employment services,
and of organizing training and
vocation guidance from one coun-
try to another could do much to
reduce the volume of unemploy-
ment,

Tight Line a Few Orders My Way
BARTLETT CLEANERS

Cleaning, Pressing, Alterations
We Specialize In Mall Orders
321 Camble Street

Vancouver, B.C.

€. Bartlett Phone PAcific2426,

regional conference for the West-

$40 at 65
On The Cards

It may not be too optimis-
tic to suggest that very soon
those Canadians over 70 may
son find themselves getting
a $40 cheque each month,
without means test, as their
old age pension.

It’s too little, and too late,
of course, and it was only at
labor’s combined insistence
that the means test was re-
moved, but it is a step in the
right direction.

This recommendation along
with others contained in the more
than 100-page report of the com-
mittee will be considered by the
Cabinet and referred to the forth-
coming Dominion-Provincial Con-
ference this autumn.

In addition to the recommenda-
tions of the Committee, it is ex-
pected that the government will
make specific proposals to the

conference as to how the univer-
sal pensions may be financed.

The committe recommended
that all pensions paid to persons
of 70 and over should become the
sole responsibility of the federal
authority; and that new pensions
with a means test should be paid
to persons qualifying between the
ages of 65-69. These latter should
be borne equally as to cost by the
provinces and the Dominion.

Agreement of the provinces is
needed because the present Old
Age Pension Act binds th fed-
eral government to give 10 years’
notice of winding up.

The Liberal Government made
similar proposals for the elimina-
tion of the means test to the Do-
minion-Provincial Conference of
1945. It re-iterated this promise
during the 1949 election cam-
paign. Unless one or more prov-
inces object to the changes and
thus provide an “out” for the fed-
eral government, perhaps the

“promising” stage is over on the
means test.

SAN FRANCISCO
— TAILORS —

. LOAN MONEY ON

Suits, Overcoats, ete,
Loggers’ Boots, Sleeping
Bags, Suitcases, Radios,

Watches and Rings.

Expert Watch Repairing

Suits and Caulk Boots
For Sale,

MAIL ORDER

52 West Hastings Street
VANCOUVER, B.C.

Beach Camp Now 100% IWA

Beach Camp, Englewood, is now organized 100 percent IWA.
‘All “doubting ‘Thomases” Have finally been converted, reports

Shop Steward George Grozov.

Local 1-71 has extended congratulations

to Bro, Grozov, for

his energetic membership recruiting campaign.

Unemployment —
Queries Answered

O)

Q—When I was laid off I
claimed benefit at the depend-
ency rate for my younger
brother who is attending col-
lege. I am living at home with
my mother and pay her for my
board and also give her a
monthly sum towards the fees
for my brother’s studies. The
insurance would not give me
the dependency rate, but I
think I am entitled to it as I
do contribute to support my
brother.

A-—In your case, in order to|
be entitled to the dependency
rate, you had to prove that you
maintained a self-contained dom-
estic establishment and wholly or
mainly supported your brother
therein. This you could not do,
so the dependency rate could not
be paid to you.

)

Q—My brother voluntarily
left his employment to go into
business on his own account,
but as he had to make all the
necessary arrangements before
he was ready to open up he
claimed unemployment insur-
ance and was disqualified. This
does not seem fair to me, as
he cannot earn any money un-
til he does open up. Should he
have been disqualified?
A—Your brother would not be

disqualified for voluntarily leav-
ing, but the Umpire has ruled in
a number of cases submitted to
him, that a claimant cannot be
considered to be available for
work whilst preparing to enter
business on his own account.

Therefore, the disqualification
for non-availability was in order.
?

°

Q—My father is a farmer,
but he usually works some-
where else during his farming
off-season. If he cannot get a
job this winter, can he get un-
employment insurance?

A—Under a regulation made
by the U.LC., the farming off-
season, has been fixed from Oc-
tober 1, to March 31, and to
qualify for benefit during the
period of the off-season, a farmer
claiming benefit would have to be
able to fulfill all the conditions
of entitlement to benefit, as well
as prove that in the farming off-

season for which he declares he

is unemployed, he either does no
‘| work on the farm or the work he
does do is so limited in extent
that it would not prevent him
from accepting full-time employ-
ment.
prove that during the two off-
seasons preceding the off-season
in which he made his claim for
benefit at least 180 contributions
in the aggregate were paid on
his behalf.

He would also have to

If your father can fulfill the

above conditions he would be en-
titled to benefit during the farm-
ing off-season.

EXTRA WEAR
IN EVERY PAIR

A 100% union shop
makes “Lumber King”
leather work gloves.
Loggers, millhands,

loaders, riggers insist

on TREEN union made
gloves for protection
and comfort. Made
from finest leather.

VANCOUVER, B.C.

WOODWARD'S

HAand-Made
LOGGING BOOTS

© No. 1 Chrome Leather Uppers
@ Highest Grade Leather Soles
© Non-Rust Eyelets -
8-inch Tops.

Price Delivered .. $21.95
Caulking _...

--. $1.00 Extra