*

B.C.

LUMBER WORKER

March 15, 1951

Page 8

The Editorial Board of the B.
see mote expressions of opinion

GC. Lumber Worker would like to
from readers, Brother Austin

Bourn, Local 1-363, gives his viewpoint on organizational unity

below.

AVOID WEAK LINKS

By Austin Bourn, Local 1-363

The Editor:

Not wishing to fly into print on
the wings of chance, please per-|
mit me to put into words some- |
thing which has been in my mind |
for an indefinite period. I have
in mind our continual struggle
for an equitable share in this
world’s goods, We are continu-
ally butting up against the lack
of unity in our own ranks.

There has been, there will be,
and will continue to be great men
with the power to lead, don’t tuke
my word for that it’s a foregone
conclusion, but in this day of en-
lightenment und knowledge, the
leaders must bear certain facts
in mind.

There are some laws which are
fixed, and no earthly law ca

“L wish we had a union agreement so
we could rotate this damned grave-

| and physically.

+! know,

change them. The other laws
man made, so to speak, are more
or less subject to the period for
which they are designated. I
would like to remind those of us
who do not know how to help
create a standard, which like
some of the laws created by man,
are very much like a ship with-
out gear for steering.

Any democratic set-up such as
an industrial union should know
how to formulate a policy in
order to instruct its leaders. Now
let us not be misled by those
members whose principles are
derogatory and place their own
selfish interests first or fuil to
weigh well the interests of the
whole of organized labor.

Thousands of man hours are
being wasted yearly carrying
with it grief mentally, morally
Is it because our
leadership is faulty?

No, not entirely. I'll say it’s
because of a certain weakness in
the ranks, True some leaders go
wrong, and corrections are al-
ways in order, and allowances
are made from time to time. Now
when our best combined en-
deavors have gone into preparing
a mandate the rest is simple.
That’s it right on the line.

Tf our leaders or any other
messenger or representative fail

.|to convince the opposition, the

proper thing’to do is to bring the
problem® back to the organiza-
tion.

‘Now the rest is very important.
The rank and file have got to
step by step, und the
quickest way and best way is by
meeting together and through
orderly discussion, provide ways
and means of overcoming the
obstacle.

Kettle Valley Members

Kettle Valley Lumber Co. IWA members face camera. (Left, back
row), G. Shephard, H. Kraft, F. E. Miller, J. Huey. (Front row,
left), M. J. Mitchell, J. A. Hargrive, B. T. Baird, S. H. Stewart.

This means, of course, full at-
tendance when the call goes out
for the meeting. No one should
come with the idea that he has a
solution. This sort of thing is
negative thinking. There are a

Bro.C.Spooner
lot of things which are liable to

erop up s0 bear in mind “| Om Safety
there is strength in numbers Policy

good quality, and if any one in
the assembly has anything to| The Editor:

contribute, let. them stand up,| ;
pace tdi sacetiy dudlaay co, IWA members must realize by
now that the policy of the oper-

and area many 4 EP. Ew cud | ators to penalize the workers for
p : any infraction of the Accident
thoughts expressed out in the | 30% Int pach
FecesMacernl te obec perated in| orevenson enue gel
the ‘air. ‘Let _uschear‘ each other | “ely, on the move, and that We
the air. Let us hear each other use of the regulations are being
other words, get together with | Use aguinst athe orker: a
scathing tangible: | prove this poin ask you to
The tine is at hand when| "ead the report of the case of

: is a x | Brother (?), a logger, who was
labor must forge ahead, so be uP | Supposed to have. violated the
and ready. A chain is/as strong \'PR on two counts. und Wis
as its weakest link. Therefore,| "7 y P coun aocmn
Mie tut aye rpiwenk Tiiksjfand | GU ie ee La Oo
that means that every organized | P!US costs of court.
worker must be in there pulling) Further proof to this is, and I
their weight. ‘report, that at safety meetings

LETTER

held in Vancouver lately by the
operators, the trend was to
| penalize the workers in the fol-
lowing ways:

1. For first offense, three days
off without pay.

2. Second offense, one week off
without pay.

Further proof, and I report
again, that at our last safety
meeting the safety director at
this plant persistently stated that
drastic measures must be taken
to stop what they call unsafe
practices. When I asked to what
extent these drastic measures.
would go he stated FIRING.

a note of warning. You Brother:

and Sisters are your brother’s
keeper whether you like it or not.
In this I follow a line.of thought
of the judge who recently tried
the case of Brother (?). This
judge ruled that Brother (2)
should have warned his two fel-
low workers of their unsafe posi-
tion, regardless of the fact that a”
superior worker was on the job.

Also, that the least infraction
of the Accident Prevention Regu-
lations will leave you liable to a
$50.00 fine plus costs. Now what
I mean ‘by the least’ infraction.
of the Accident Prevention Regu-
lations are as follows:

1. Neglecting to use your safe-
ty equipment such as, hard hats,
safety belts, life savers, etc.

2. Using grinding wheels with-
out proper authority and withoi
wearing goggles.

3. Horseplay, unnecessary run-
ning and jumping, practical
jokes, etc., or in other words any
act that is likely to cause an
accident.

So, Brothers and Sisters, be on
your guard and save yourself and
your Union some money.

To all Safety Committees —
Be on the alert for any policy
your company may try to
manoeuver you into accepting.

Signed: C. Spooner,

First Vice-Director,
Local Safety Council,
IWA, Local 1-357.

yard shift!”

“Your Humble
Servants ...

99

By BARRY MATHER
—Reprinted by Courtesy of The Vancouver Sun.

Etiquette explained for the worker

Union leaders, presenting
Dniefs to the Prime Minister and
Premiers have recently got them-
selves in wrong with the press
for the presumptuous manner in
which they conduct themselves.

Union leaders talked to Pre-
mier Frost in Toronto and to
Prime Minister St. Laurent, in
Ottawa, in such a way as to com-
pel the Globe and Mail to rebuke
them,

Again, other unionists present-
ing a brief to the B.C. cubinet,
used such rude words, when
speaking of the Labor Relations
Board that Premier Johnson was
moved to caution the men.

Undoubtedly much of labor's
uncouthness on these occasions
comes not so much from a lack
of proper gratitude or respect on
their part, but from a luck of
etiquette.

To help the workers, we have
prepared a few form letters
which, we trust, will help show
them how to approach their bet-
ters:

FORM LETTER FOR USE BY
BARGAINING COMMITTEE
UNIONISTS WHEN ASKING
‘THE BOSS FOR A RAISE:
OUR REVERED” BENEFAC-

TOR: May we, your utterly

worthless servants, dare to pre-

sume upon the too tolerant nature

‘of you, our esteemed patron, and

have the temerity to place before

1 a matter whose sordidness

ves us in abysmal shame?

If we may it is solely because
wf the past evidences we have
had of measureless patience
which you have shown in such
bounti meusure when assisting
the it tes to whom you have
riven employment, .
» Ingredible as it seems, the mis-
members of your staff
instructed us to place before
a request for a l0¢

Set

your kind he
provide them!
Knowing that the sum men-
tioned is so fantastic as to test
even your own hitherto measure-
less good nature and generosity,
we, the bargaining committee,
hasten to inform you that an in-
crease of one-tenth of that
amount would be sheer philan-
thropy. :
Sgd.: Your Humble Servants,
The Bargaining Commit-
tee.

rt has seen fit to

FORM LETTER FOR USE BY
UNIONISTS PRESENTING
BRIEF TO GOVERNMENTS:

YOUR ESTEEMED EMI-
NENCES: We,. your ubject sub-
jcets, representing the uncouth
masses who have the ill-merited
good fortune to dwell in this your
highness domain, are over-
whelmed by your magnanimous
gesture in admitting us to your
august presence.

May it please our lords, we
have here with us a crude docu-
ment which the illiterate in-
grates, the workers, have the pre-
sumption to believe expresses
their suggestions for a more har-
monious admin jon of your
country, but which, in truth
merely veveals their utter ignor

ce of the conditions which pre-
vail and with whieh your
lordships are dealing . in such
miatehless_ wisdom.

The main point, if it may be
ealled such, made by ‘this brief is
that you take steps to reduce the
cost of living, a proposition so
ridiculous as, we know, will merit
a stern rebuff from your high-
nesses,

It is our earnest plea that, for
the well being of the workers
themselves, you disregard this
request and continue to adminis-
ter your country as you so well
see fit.

Signed: Your Humble Servants,
The Brief Committee.

BOOTS at YOUR LOCAL STORE
or COMMISSARY

DAYTON

SHOE MANUFACTURING CO (@ ¢) LTD

2248 50 — HASTINGS ST

THAT'S THE. SECOND TIME
HE'S HIT HIS DAYTON'S
,. SAFETY TOE !

Now I wish to leave with “~~ )