B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Page, 11

July 19, 1951

Local 1-424

Fort St. James Organized

_ First trade union organiza-
tional nieeting ever held in
- Fort St. James was promoted
by Local, 1-424, IWA, on July
10, and was addressed by
International Organizer Mike
Sekora and CCL Regional
jirector Dan Radford. Result
as 150 new IWA members
nd four new certifications.

Organizer Mike Sekora reports
that other certifications are in
prospect.

Fort St. James committee
which has assumed charge of or-
ganization in the area includes
Wm. Prince, chairman; Nick
Prince, secretary; Edward Moyce,
Robert Anton, Lazarre Pius,
Lano Prince.

It is expected that arrange-
ments will be made to station an
organizer at Fort St. James
until organization activities have
been completed.

New Certifications

New certifications reported by
Local 1-424 are: Northern Spruce
Lumber Co. Buckhorn Lake ;
Summit Contractors Ltd., Buck-
orn Lake; Simmons and Eber-
@:: Sawmills Ltd., Hart High-
‘way; Vanderhoof Lumber Co.,
Fort St, James; Lakeshore Lum-

ber Co., Fort St. James; Interior
Spruce Mills Ltd., Buckhorn
Lake; Pacific Coast Service,
Quesnel; Northern Sawmills Ltd.,
Fort St. James.

Attempt by the International
Union of Operating Engineers
(AFL) to secure certification for
engineers employed at the IWA-
certified Prince George Planing
Mills failed, when it was ruled
by the Labor Relations Board
that the application was not in
accord with established trade
union practice. ‘

New Radio Program

Local 1-424 now sponsors a
weekly ten-minute radio program
over the local radio station,
CKPG.

JOHN SEARS

Any person knowing the
present whereabouts of
these members of Local 1-80,
IWA, are asked to communi-
cate with Financial Secre-
tary S. M, Hodgson, Local
1-217.

Bro. John Sears, former
carrier -driver at. Youbou
Mill. Bro. Wootten, formerly

of Honeymoon Bay.

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NAY-NAY!

Opposition to the sale of
horse meat was recorded in a
resolution of the Executive
Board, Local 1-71, IWA, July
15, on the ground that a price
stabilization program by the
Federal Government should
keep beef prices within reach
of wage earners’ incomes. The
implication was that horse
meat for loggers would not be
tolerated.

The semi-annual audited finan-
cial statement as prepared by a
firm of chartered accountants
was reviewed by the Executive
Board. The affairs of the Local
Union were found to be in a
sound position, and. revealed
marked progress during the pre-
ceding six months.

From page |

‘JAILED’

hired out again, and worked four
and one-half days when he ex-
perienced trouble with his elbow,
which caused him to report to
the Alert Bay Hospital.

X-ray reports revealed that a
chip of bone-had worked loose
and that surgery would be re-
quired.

Boots Demanded

While still in hospital under
treatment, the superintendent of
the camp arrived with the suit-
case containing his clothing, and
informed him that he was fired.
He also demanded return of a
pair of logging boots, which he
claimed had not been fully paid
for at the commissary.

Lhe commissary account which
included a number of items, such
as fare, advances, and purchases
apart from the logging boots
amounted to $66.43. His earn-
ings had totalled $50.04, leaving
an unpaid balance of $16.39.
Under these circumstances the
logger refused to return the
boots as he intended to go back
and work out the balance. No
provision was made, as is custo-
mary, to advance his return fare
to Vancouver, as he was left
without funds.

Fraud Charged

The employer then laid a
charge of obtaining goods under
false pretenses, with intent to
defraud,

4-Plant Certification

Refused 1-357 By LRB

Application made by Local |
1-857 for blanket certification
in the four plants controlled |
by Brownlee Industries Ltd. in |
the New Westminster area has |
been rejected by the Labor |
Relations Board. It was ruled
that separate registered
limited liability companies
could not be so bracketed un- |
less by agreement of a
majority.

The Local Union officers have
requested a further hearing by
the Board in respect of two com-
panies in the group. It is con-
sidered that a certification
granted for an enterprise which
was subsequently re-formed into
two companies still applies to |
both under the terms of the ICA
Act. Notwithstanding the ruling
steps have been taken to work
out a common seniority plan.

Safety Discipline

President Andy Smith and
Safety Director Leo Stadynk
successfully negotiated the re-
instatement of an employee at
Alaska Pine, who had been arbi-
trarily dismissed without pre-
vious warning for an infraction
of the accident prevention regu-
lations.

It_had previously agreed that
no disciplinary action would be
taken in such cases without ap-
propriate warnings and notice
to the Safety Committee. In
one such instance, the Safety

Committee had concurred in the
three-day’ suspension of a care-
less workman on the re-saw.

In the more recent incident, a
carrier driver had picked up a
young passenger. When dis-
covered by a company official he
was forthwith suspended, con-
trary to the agreement made by
the Union.

The difficulties experienced in
fixing the dates for annual vaca-
tions as to include the statutory
holiday have been satisfactorily
adjusted in all plants, as a result
of the firm position taken by the
Local Union officials.

Effective steps have been taken
to protest direct bargaining by
a local firm in disregard of the
Local Union to determine hours
for employees engaged in main-
tenance, repair and construction
work during the holiday shut-
down.

A special meeting will be held
in the month of August to per-
mit the membership to elect
their delegates to the IWA Inter-
national Convention and the CCL.
Convention in Vancouver,

Annual Picnic

The Social Committee, Henry
Switzer, chairman; Jimmy
Abrams, secretary, with the co-
operation of the Women’s Auxi-
liary is planning the Annual
Picnic, which will be held on a
date to be announced in August.

RYE |
Siced pad
SANDWICH) fie
|WHITE BREAD fie
Sliced,

Evidence was given in court |)...

by the superintendent who was
absent from camp when the log-
ger left for hospital, and a
chokerman, with whom the ac-
cused had worked. It was alleged
that the accused had walked off
the job without notifying the
hooktender or the first aid man,
and it was presumed that he had
quit.

The logger in giving evidence
on his own behalf, swore that he
had not quit and that he had in-
formed the hooktender and the
first aid man he was injured and
required hospital treatment. No
direct evidence was secured by
the court either in support or re-
futation of the accused’s state-
ments.

Conviction

The magistrate found as fol-
lows: “I am -convinced accused
deliberately set about to defraud
his employer, knowing full well
that he still owed him for his
boots as well as for other mer-
chandise and money advanced.
He came to Alert Bay Hospital,
and still refused to deliver up the
boots which he admitted did not
belong to him. As to his evi-
dence I was not convinced as to
its truthfulness, and disregarded
his explanation of why he left
camp without notifying his em-
ployer or the first aid man.

“I therefore find him guilty,
and sentence him to three months
at hard labor.”

Sympathizers point out that
the circumstances did not war-
rant a criminal charge, as the
purchases were made in a legiti-
mate manner. If arrears were
not paid, the employer could haye
taken civil action,

No evidence was introduced at
the trial to disprove the logger’s
statement that he fully intended
to return to camp upon discharge
from hospital. The hospital
records disclose that he had a
legitimate reason to leave camp
at the time, it is claimed. It is
considered by his friends that he
was convicted upon flimsy hear-
say evidence, and that the whole
ease should be reviewed in an-
other court,

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