Page 12

B.C. LUMBER WORKER

, August 2, 1951

Geo. Mitchell Reports

Good Administration Vital

EXPERIENCE has taught us

that in extending our Union’s

organization, the officers responsible should exercise care to
keep the Local Union adminstration in proper balance with the
growth of membership. It is not only important to get new mem-
bers, but equally important to hold their confidence and loyalty

when they sign up.

The IWA ac-
cepts the funda-

mental principle
' that a member
who pays his
dues, and accepts
’ his share of re-
sponsibility for
the Union’s wel-
fare, is entitled
to prompt and
efficient service
with regard to his job problems
at all times. It follows that the
Local Union’s affairs must be so
administered that this service to
the membership keeps pace with
the demand. a ig

This requirement needs atten-
tion in unorganized or poorly
organized areas, such as in the
Interior, where the IWA is now
rapidly extending its member-
ship. In the well-established
Coast Local Unions, this need is
provided for by means of staff
and constant contact with the
Sub-Locals where required.

Negotiations

During contract negotiations,
it is vital that all members be
given the opportunity to share
in discussions at the Local Union
level, which lead to the formula-
tion of policy. It follows that
they should be kept in constant
touch with the progress of nego-

tiations by their Local Union of-
ficers.
Day-to-Day Problems

In the intervals between nego-
tiations, IWA members: should
find it possible to ‘establish imme-
diate contact with the responsible
officers of the Local, when urgent
grievances crop up on the job.
The Local Union should maintain
the necessary facilities and staff
to attend to such problems effec-
tively and promptly. The Union
should mean more to the indi-
vidual member than just an occa-
sional meeting. Correspondence
and phone calls must find the at-
tention expected.

A Local Union cannot expect
to flourish unless its records and
accounts are administered in a
business-like manner. The IWA
takes pride in the fact that its
affairs are conducted with the
same standards of efficiency that
prevail in business circles. Con-
fidence in the Union is shaken,
if- at any point, a Local Union
permits haphazard or careless
methods’ in accounting or in
membership records.

The business affairs of the
Union are an important aspect
of our responsibility to safeguard
the interests of the members, and
should therefore be given busi-
ness-like administration.

The Symbol of AL That 1 Best
ée CUSTOM TAILORING

aud

EXCLUSIVE
MEN’S WEAR

DELIVERY IN 3 DAYS
IF NECESSARY

YOUR CREDIT IS GOOD

416 COLUMBIA ST.

at

NEW WESTMINSTER

Publication date of the next Issue of the B.C. LUMBER
WORKER is August 16. Deadline for ad copy is August 9 and

for news copy August 10.

Reprerenting the Organized Loggers and Mill Werkers of B.C.
PUBLISHED TWICE MONTHLY BY

INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (CIO-CCL)
B.C DISTRICT COUNCIL No. 1.

SS

DISTRICT OFFICHRS:

President

8rd Vice-President
Secretary-Treasurer
International Board

Address all communicatios

GEORGE H. MITCHELL, Secretary-Treasurer
45 Kingsway - Phone FAirmont 880’

Stewart Alsbury
wewewes-JOQ Morris,
Stuart M. Hodgson
Fred Fieber
eorge H. Mitchell
‘Tom G, MacKenzie «

to

Vancouver, B.C,
Subscription Rates....§1.50 per annum

Advertising Representative.

Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept., Ottawa
26,000 COPIES PRINTED IN THIS ISSUE |

G, A. Spencer

Action by Local 1-357, New
Westminster resulted in the
B.C. Hospital Insurance -Com-
mission deciding to pay a $380
hospital bill for a newborn
baby who had died as a “chro-
nic invalid”. ;

H

The question arose when Na-

poleon Lafond, employed at Mo-
hawk Handle, received a bill for
$571 from Royal-Columbian Hos-
pital on May 16, 1951, for the
death of his infant child.

Mrs. Lafond entered hospital
on September 27, 1950, and was
discharged on October 4 after the
birth of the baby.

Because of a spinal illness, the
child remained in hospital, and
died at the age of 3% months on
January 17, without leaving the
hospital. 2

Chronic Case

The child was classified as a
“chronic invalid” and accordingly
was only entitled to 30 days free
hospitalization under the paid-up
BCHIS premiums of the father.

Mrs; Lafond was, it eventually
turned out, incorrectly told when
she left hospital that the baby
would be covered by BCHIS if it
stayed in a day, a week, or even
a year.

The family, saddened by the
infant’s death, at least did not
worry about financial cost of the
illness, until the $571 bill arrived
from ‘the Royal Columbian in

1-85 QUEEN
CONTEST

Five Alberni Valley girls will

yan Days’ Labor Queen compe-
tition, Sept. 1-3, under the aus-
pices of Local 1-85 IWA.

They are: Helen Bedek, Port
Alberni, Bloedel, Stewart &
Welch; Maxine Sweeney, Alberni
Plywoods; Jean Lawson, Camp
8, Great Central Lake; Florence
Godsall, Camp 1, Alberni-Pacific
Lumber Go., and Jerry Darling,
Trio Lumber Co.

“Tis spring. "Tis spring. The
boid is on the wing. How absoid.
How, absoid. The wing is on the
boid.”

Sun writers
You'll Enjoy!

VANCOUVER

SUN

Phone MArine 1161 for
Daily Home Delivery

compete in the 1951 Paul Bun- |}

May.
Error in Billing

The hospital officials explained
that the delay in billing. was due
to their efforts to have the bill
accepted by the BCHIS. Later
the hospital revised the amount
to $380, and in faimess it must
be stated that the BCHIS paid
all bills from October 4. until
November 27, more than the le-
gal limit for’“chronic cases”.

Local 1-857, when informed of
the circumstances, felt it was
not correct that Brother Lafond

‘should be billed for $380 for the

death of a newborn child, and
asked the BCHIS to make a sur-
vey of the case.

This was done; and Secretary
Lawrence E. Vandale was in-
formed of the revised decision in
a letter from Donald M, Cox, as-
sistance commissioner in charge
of hospital services.

Cox wrote:

“In view of the present evi-
dence, it is now possible for
BCHIS to accept responsibility
for the outstanding $380, previ-

To Pay $380 Bill For Infant —

BCHIS CHANGES MIND
AFTER 1-357 PROTEST

ously billed to the parents.

“A report furnished by the
hospital, November 8, 1950,
clearly indicated that the baby
was no longer in need of acy
general hospital care.

“In consideration of the inf0f

mation now furnished by the at-
tending physician, it seems evi-

| dent that a new upper respira-

tory condition developed approxi-
mately two months after admis-
sion.

“This created a necessity for
acute hospital care which form-
erly did not exist.”

As an acute patient, the baby
was accordingly entitled to cover-
age under its father’s paid-up
BCHIS premiums.

Hospital insurance paid $28 for
the baby’s birth, and also paid
$604 hospitalization between Oc-
tober 4 (when the mother was
discharged) and November 27 at
the ward rate of $11.20 a day.

Local officials are very pleagms
with the reconsidered decision)
BCHIS officials to pay the ow
standing $380.

AL adn

SPECIAL WEEKLY RATES

1221 GRANVILLE STREET

VANCOUVER, B.C.
Under New Management

ul

BANKING BY MAIL

The safe way to save your
money is to put it in a
bank. You can do this
best through any of the
branches of the Canadian
Bank of Commerce in
British Columbia. Get
some Banking by, Mail
forms. before you leave
town, or write for a sup-
ply to-your nearest branch
of the Commerce.

BANKING BY MAIL is convenient, easy to do.
See for yourself—today,

OF COMMERCE

80 Branches in British Columbi