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B.C. LUMBER, WORKER

Prices Scandal

RECENT decision of the B.C. District Council, IWA, to

enlist all its Local Unions in a province-wide campaign
demanding that prices be rolled back to the June, 1950,
level, will be welcomed on all sides.

All benefits of wage increases won through economic
action have melted away under the well-nigh unbearable
pressure.of mounting living costs.

The callous disregard shown by the Federal Govern-
ment to these conditions since decontrol in 1946, must be
challenged by an aroused and vocal public opinion. In this
agitation, trade unions rightfully take the lead.

One million organized workers in thé Dominion of Ca-
nada can, if they choose, compel remedial action by the
authorities.

Three million persons are dependent on those now with-
in the trade unions. These in turn can-be mobilized to
voice their protest in support of the trade union demand,
and balk further evasion by entrenched interests.

Government should be motivated solely by epnsidera-
tions relating to the welfare of the people governed. Gov-
ernment policy on the question of prices has shown a
flagrant disregard of public welfare and undue considera-
tion for profit-making interests. °

Organized labor is under mounting pressure to take
emergency action to secure wage adjustments commensur-
ate with runaway prices.

Rosy predictions that parity for the Canadian dollar
would result in a general drop in prices are without any
foundation. A survey, conducted by the Financial Post of
key commodities has resulted in’ assurance to business in-
terests that prices will remain firm, and in many instances
rise. z

The existence of moriopoly controls ‘operate to maintain
price levels, as indicated by dominant economic interests.

In every home, the stern fact must be faced, that it
takes $1.70 to purchase what could be purchased for $1.00
in 1939. Still worse it now requires, in Vancouver, $2.25
to buy food that could be bought for $1.00 in 1989. As
stated at the convention of the Canadian Congress of La-
bor, inflation is a dreaded and unwelcome guest in every
worker's home.

Resolutions on the subject are not enough. Every
group of trade unionists should seek every means available
to demand from their representatives in Parliament that
price ceilings be restored.

: Our Strength

MENTALLY-exhausted delegates who “sweat out” the

strenuous sessions, each quarter, of the B.C. District
Council, IWA, may find comfort in the impressions of fra-
ternal visitors.

The onlooker notes-features about the activities of the
IWA that are of prime importance, and which are often
overlooked by those who are immersed in details of union
administration.

The agenda, in itself, reveals close attention to all mat-
ters which affect the wages and working conditions of the
membership. Minor as well as major issues are brought
into focus for action by the Union.

Any group of workers in the lumber industry can
secure a hearing. Invariably, cudgels are taken up on be-
half of the weaker groups, that the principles and value of
industrial unionism may be maintained.

Forthright and free expression of opinion from the
delegates, which may seem to prolong discussion is not
discouraged. This reveals an intensity of feeling about the
purposes of the Union on the part of the membership that
is commendable.

The fact that no one is spared criticism, whatever the
office held, is definite proof of the determination of the
membership to exercise full democratic control of the
Union’s affairs.

“Where all men think alike, no one thinks at all.” The
sturdy and outspoken independence of the organized lum-
ber workers is a sign of an organization, with vitality, and
militancy. ES

These are qualities which make for the strength of the
IWA, and are to be preferred to a smoothly running but in-
effective organization of “yes men”.

As ideas are hammered out on the anvil of discussion
there is emerging the understanding that the matters
upon which: IWA members firmly agree, are vastly more
important than secondary matters of disagreement.

Honest observers cannot grow cynical about the latent
power in the ability and economic strength within the
IWA. Neither should any IWA member.

OVERBOARD

Critics Foiled As Labor
Directs UK Industry

By Herbert Tracey

of Britain’s Trades Union
Congress

London, Sept. 21, 1950.

In press reports of the pro-
ceedings at this year’s Trades
Union Congress, less space was
accorded to the remarkable ad-
dress of Lord Citrine, than its
contents merited.

Lord Citrine, now chairman of
the British Electricity Authority,
was for 20 years General Secre-
tary of the Congress,

He was given leave of absence
by the Congress General Council
to become a member of the Na-
tional Coal Board, and a year
later he was appointed to the
chairmanship of the Electricity
Authority.

As such, he is the head of an
organization which employs 155,-
500 men and women who work
in the nationalized electrical
power plants. They include more
than 100,000 manual workers, 12,-
500 engineering technicians, and
85,000 administrative and clerical
workers.

Five big unions—the Amalg-
amated Engineering Union, the
Electrical Trades Union, the Na-
tional Union of Enginemen, Fire-
men, Mechanics and Electrical
Workers, and the two great
unions of general workers—are
parties to agreements with the
Authority.

But it was not as spokesman
of the Authority, or of any of the
nationalized industries, that Lord
Citrine addressed the Congress at
Brighton, in the English county
of Sussex.

He spoke as a trade unionist
who had served the Congress dur
ing the years in which it was for-
mulating the basic principles up-
on which the nationalization
legislation rests. But he had four
years of administrative ' experi-
ence in these industries, and he
set himself out to say something
that would help the trade union
movement in dealing with its
problems of policy in relation to
the nationalized industries.

It must be remembered by
crities and friends of all schools
of thought that the nationaliza-
tion legislation and the control-
ling Boards have been in opera-
tion for a comparatively short
time.

The transition to public owner-
ship, he said, was achieved in
these industries with none of the
predicted dislocations and with a
significant measure of willing co-
operation from all concerned.

Congress listened attentively
to Lord Citrine’s description of
the tasks entrusted to the Boards.
He pointed out that for example,
some 800 companies in the mining
industry had to be consolidated
into substantially a single organ-
ization.

In the electricity supply indus-
try, 179 companies disappeared
overnight; some 368 public bodies
had their functions and responsi-
bilities in the generation and dis-
tribution of electricity trans-
ferred to the new Authority.

‘Unity For

Fight Against
Race Hate

Another step towards unity of
AFL and CCL groups has been
taken with the setting up of a
committee to combat racial dis-
crimination, sponsored jointly by
the Vancouver Labor Council
(CCL) and Trades and Labor
Council (AFL).

IWA District Secretary-Treas-
urer George H. Mitchell was
elected to a place on the new com-
mittee at the last meeting of the
Vancouver Labor Council. Other
CCL representatives are Jim

Bury, Secretary of the Council,
and Gerry Emary, International
Representative of the Retail
Wholesale and Dept. Store Union.

In conjunction with three AFL
delegates, the committee mem-
bers will attempt to give practi-
cal application to the long-stand-
ing trade union principle that no
man should be discriminated
against because of his race, color
or creed,

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