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Vol. XIX,-No. 76

Se

Noy 16, 1950 Se per copy

Vancouver, B.C.

CALL ISSUED FOR CONVENTION

AT VICTORIA,

' Official convention call f
Convention was issued this

JAN. 19-21

‘or the 14th Annual District
week by the IWA District

Officers to 12 IWA Local Unions in British Columbia. Dele-
gates chosen by the Local Unions will assemble in Vic-
toria, January 19, 20, 21, at the Crystal Gardens, and
determine the IWA program for the ensuing year in this

province. '

Increased membership returns now indicate the largest
onyention on record. More than 150 delegates, officers

and alternates are expected to participate in the delibera-

tions.

The official document reads in
part as follows:

Greetings

The B.C, District Council No.
1 of the International Wood-
workers of America issues this
eall to its 14th Annual Conven-
tion, with full knowledge of the
problems facing the delegates
assembled in this District Con-
vention, and we take pride in the
knowledge that they have carried
out the policy as laid down by the
Conventions of the International
Woodworkers of America, the
Congress of Industrial Organiza-
tions, and the Canadian Congress
of Labor.

Tn the fight for civil rights and
liberty, we have done our part in
carrying out the program design-
ed to bring peace to every peace-
loving man and woman through-
out the length and breadth of
this great North American con-
tinent, and through our affiliation
with the Canadian Congress of
Labor, the Congress of Industrial
Organizations, have supported
policies which are designed to
bring about world peace.

‘The 14th B.C. District Conven-
tion of the International Wood-

ers of America, will deal
with all problems ‘related to
stabilization and furtherance of
our District and International
Union.

Delegates attending the Con-
yention should have a thorough
knowledge of the wishes of the
members they represent in the
industry, so that we may main-

tain and formulate a policy for
the membership, and by the
membership.

Each Local Union should be
fully represented in this Conven-
tion so that the democratic pro-
peesses of our organization may
be maintained.

Call

The 14th Annual B.C. District
Convention of the International
Woodworkers of America will be
held in the Crystal Gardens, Vic-

See CONVENTION page 3

HIGHER MINIMUM
FOR ENGINEERS

Request for an increase in
the minimum wage for station-
ary steam engineers was placed
before the Board of Industrial
Relations, November 13, by
IWA District Officers J. Stew-
art Alsbury and George
Mitchell,

The proposals urged that the
minimum wage be increased from
60¢ an hour to $1.51 an hour for
fourth class, to $1.56 for third
class, to $1.66 for second class,
and to $1.81 for first class.

The supporting brief detailed
the requirements by way of train-
ing, experience and tools required
before engineers qualify for
their certificates,

146,000 UNION

ISTS IN B.C.

AS CANADA TOPS MILLION

Drive ‘of B.C, trade unions for membership is reflected in
the figures for December 31, 1949, which show 146,259 workers
organized in 761 units in the province.

And throughout Canada the total topped the million mark
for the first time with a figure of 1,005,639.

For B.C., 1949 brought 3270
new members with 15 new unions
organized, andthe total of more

than 146,000 represented 32.94 of
the total labor force of the prov-

ince,
By comparison, today’s B.C,

figures are 225 percent greater
than those for 1939.

Federal department of labor
estimates that 28,000 new mem-
bers (including Newfoundland’s
24,000) joined the ranks of orga-
nized labor in the period. More
than 85 percent of the totals were
in unions affiliated with a central
labor congress,

CCL Total

Canadian Congress of Labor
reports a membreship of 301,729
in 1,175 locals, and membership
deereases due to expulsion of
Communist-line unions was in
part offset by new members.

Membership in B.C. locals is
third in the country, with Ontario
and Quebec leading.

Number of women in unions
has jumped, too, with 93,000
women in 1433 locals throughout
the country.

DETAILS page 3

BS & W Block
Post Oifice

Disclosure by the Post Office
Department this week that
Bloedel Stewart and Welch
have refused co-operation in
the establishment at Camp 5,
Bloedel, of a Post Office, pro-
yoked officials of Local 1-363
and the IWA District Office to
strong ‘denunciation of what
was termed “callous disregard
of employees’ interests.”

Camp 5 is located 22 miles
from Campbell River the nearest
Post Office. A daily bus service
runs into the camp. Mail for the
camp under present arrange-
ments must be handled at Camp
1, in closer proximity to Campbell
River.

Mail, and especially C.O.D.
parcels, may take as long as
three weeks to travel from Camp
1 to Camp 5. Mail addressed
from the eamp to the Local
Union's office at Courtenay also
yequires three wecks for trans-
mission, as it is first carried by;
boat to Vancouver and back to
Courtenay. Mail from Vancouver
usually takes three weeks. ‘This
antiquated mail service has exas-
perated the 61 families and 400
crew members beyond endurance.

The IWA has been negotiating
for a Post Office for over two
years. In June, 1950, a petition,

See P.O. page 3

Loggers’ Ball

Remember the Loggers’
Ball, Pender Auditorium,
December 29. Tickets now
on Sale in all camps.

1950 ADJUSTMENTS WILL

TOTAL THOUSANDS

Agreement was reached November 6 between IWA
District Officers and Forest Industrial Relations Lid.
which will adjust rates of holiday pay in accordance with
the ruling given by Chief Justice Gordon M. Sloan some

weeks earlier.

Restoration of the higher rate, formerly

established by custom, is now provided for those entitled

to same.

“I am happy to say that our
Union has. secured the most
satisfactory remedy possible,
under our contract and the law,

Upon submission to the official

arbitrator, Chief Justice Sloan, a
ruling was obtained that if the
Union could establish that the

employers.

of.a grievance which was wide-
spread throughout the indus-
try,” stated District President
It is estimated that
will total an

Aisbury.
adjustments
astonishing sum.

The grievance arose because
of the interpretation placed upon
the 1950 amendments
Annual Holidays Act by many
A section of the Act

to the

former custom provided more ad-
vantageous rates of holiday pay,
then the employees were entitled
to the higher rate established by
that custom.

The custom as it formerly
applied was determined in con-
ferences. with Forest Industrial
Relations Ltd. - Workers in the
industry were classified in nine
main categories with reference to
varying periods of employment.

{and to all IWA Local Unions.

intended to protect rates already
established by custom was ig-
nored, and holiday pay calcu-
lated on the basis of two percent
of earnings in the working year.

Consideration was given to the
contract provisions for an extra
week’s vacation for cookhouse
employees
ployees.

and five-year em-

. Highest Rate

Principle followed in outlining
procedure of adjustment for 1950
was that in each category the
employees should be awarded the
highest rate possible in accord-
ance with the Act and the terms
of the contract.

As in certain categories, op-
tional methods are possible, lum-
ber workers are advised to
calculate which method would
give them the higher rate, and to
ask for the higher rate authoriz~
ed. Full information has been
communicated to the employers

The adjustments agreed upon
apply only to holiday pay due
and payable in 1950. Where the

jfull vacation payments for the
period have not been earned, the
‘Act requires the payment of two
percent of earnings for the time
actually worked.

Under the Act, a working year

of continuous service is held to
mean not less than 225 days of
actual work.
on the basis of six days for each
established work week worked.

The five-day week is now general .
throughout the lumber industry.

An employee is deemed to have

performed six days of actual
work, when during the week he

works the usual number of shifts

normally worked in his place of

employment.

This is computed

Five-Year Men Get Extra

Adjustment ‘for the major
categories has been established
on the following basis: ~

1. Workers who terminate
their employment. with a
Company — with less than
one working year of em-
ployment—2% of earnings.

2. Employees including piece-
workers, who, in taking their
vacations have completed
one but not over five years’
continuous service, one week

or 2%, whichever is greater.
Interpretation—Uncompleted
Years’ Service

The Act provides that where a

worker works 225 days (which
can be computed ‘on the basis six
(6) days for each established
work week worked) an employee
must receive the vacation allow-
ance established by custom in the
individual operation.

' See HOLIDAY page 3

Illustrated is the Cruiser’s
Stag of pure virgin wool
in mackinaw or kersey.
Mackinaw plaids are
either red and black;
green and black, or blue
and black,

Brand” clothi
or favorite di

Sead

FOR WORK CLOTHING
OF
UNSTINTED MATERIALS
DESIGN and
WORKMANSHIP

Notice the four large pockets in front, and the large
pack pocket in back, which opens at both sides... a
feature of both mackinaw and kersey garments.

These are two of the many designs of “Pioneer
obtainable from your commissary

Made in Vancouver, eel eg es ca: Amning
itd., tl are desi car study o:
eon tesla tee C. wecseant