Page 12

B.C. LUMBER WORKER

October 4, 1951

Geo. Mitchell Reposts

The UNION’S BUSINESS &

Operators

To Blame

"THE attitude expressed by the Interior operators’ representa-
tiyes before the Conciliation Board hearing the dispute between
them and the IWA clearly exposed the real reasons for the deplor-
able labor-management relations which haye been characterstic

of the Interior industry.

Readers of
this publication
may have sus-
' pected from time
to time that [WA
officers were in-
‘ clined to exag-
gerate for the
sake of making
our points when
we said that the
operators have
shown no inclination to bargain
in good faith as this is under-
stood in industry generally.

Only those members of our
Union who have travelled
through the InteTior and wit-
nessed conditions, and the over-
bearing treatment handed out to
workers interested in organiza-
tion, can fully understand the
situation. As a matter of fact,
we have used remarkably re-
strained language, when we re-
alize the contrast with conditions
at the Coast, and the respect in
which our Union is held.

A few points will illustrate
what I mean. The representatives
before the Conciliation Board
wandered so far from any spirit
of conciliation that they spent
considerable time in an effort to
convince the Board that the IWA
was wholly irresponsible.

It Hurt So...

The only reasons which they
could provide in support of their

accusation was that we didn’t
like the tactics employed by
them and had said so right out
loud in the language that they
understood, and which hurt them
because it was true.

It should be admitted that the
more they emphasized this com-
plaint of theirs the better satis-
fied we were that we had been on
the right track. What could be
sillier than for two well-known
businessmen to occupy the time
of the Board complaining that
the Union had not knuckled down
to their superior status (hic) and
subserviently accepted their no-
tion that workers should bow the
knee umquestioningly to the In-
terior business dictators.

Their words confirmed our be-
lief that we had acted in the best
interests of the lumber workers,
for it is only to them that our
Union acknowledges responsi-
bility. Criticism by the employ-
ers is often the best proof that
the Union is on the job.

The most sickening expose of
their callous disregard of the
employees’ interests was made
when they asked for increased
board rates because of increased
cost of food, when only a few
minutes before they had attempt-
ed to disprove the need of a cost-
of-living bonus for the loggers

Thee Syubol of All That ts Gest
é« CUSTOM TAILORING

aad

EXCLUSIVE
MEN’S WEAR

DELIVERY IN 3 DAYS ~
IF NECESSARY

YOUR CREDIT IS GOOD

416 COLUMBIA ST.

at

e black

NEW WESTMINSTER

Publication date of the next Issue of the B.C. LUMBER *
WORKER is October 18. Deadline for ad copy is October 11

and for news copy October 12.

LOOK
FOR THE

‘

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.

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
Brand” clothing obtainable from your commissary
or favorite dealer.
Made in Vancouver, B.C., by Jones Tent & Awning
Ltd., they are designed through careful study of the
needs and desires of B.C. workmen.

FOR WORK CLOTHING

*UNSTINTED, MATERIALS

OF

DESIGN and

WORKMANSHIP

were on the decline.

@e

” President
Ast Vice-President
2nd Vice-President
rd Vice-President
Seeretary-Treasurer
International Board

Subscription Rates.

Representing the Organized Loggers and Mill Workers of B.C.
PUBLISHED TWICE MONTHLY BY emer
INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (C1O-CCL) E>

B.C, DISTRICT COUNCIL No. 1.
5 DISTRICT O

Address all com
GEORGE H, MITCHELL, Secretary-Treasurer
45 Kingsway - Phone FAirmont 8807-8
“ Vancouver, B.C.

_ Aavertising Representative.
. red as Second Class Mail,
‘, 28,000 COPIES PRINTED IN‘THIS ISSUE

ICERS:
J. Stewart Alsbury
Joe Morris
Stuart M. Hodgson
*. Fred Meber
‘ge H. Mitchell
Tom G, MacKenzie

ions to

$1.50 per annum >

G. A. Spencer
ost Office Dept. Ottawa

because living costs, they said,

To add insult to injury they
attempted to prove that the In-
terior lumber workers are the |
scum of the earth in their opi
ion, because they regarded their
skills on the job as negligible and |
worth much less than workers at |
the Coast.

What we need in the Interior
are employers’ representatives
who have advanced their .think-
ing at least a few years this side
of the Crimean War. They don’t
wear the garb of the Victorian
age, but their minds are crusted
over with the same hoary doc-
trines that were used to convict |
the Tolpuddle Martyrs.

There are probably between 9
and 10 million families in Brit-
ain whose rents are frozen at
1939 levels by the Rent Restric- |
tions Act.

Father: “Let’s buy Junior a
bicycle.”

Mother: “Why? Do* you think
that will improve his behavior?”

Father: “No, but it will-spread
his behavior over a wider area i
the neighborhood.” .

Sun writers
You'll Enjoy!

VANCOUVER

SUN

Phone MArine 1161 for
Daily Home Delivery

Dispute over wage rates caus-
ed a recent spontaneous 40-

|minute work stoppage in the

plant of Crows Nest Lumber Co.,
Wardner, which was settled upon
arrival of Business Agent G. F.
Lieberg, Local 1-405 IWA.
Trouble arose because of a
misunderstanding on the part of
management with regard to ret-
roactive payment of IWA wage

Work Stoppage At Wardner

increases to the date of certifica-
tion, July 17.

Blame for the clash, was
placed on the operators’ repre-
sentative R. Mahoney, Interior
Lumber Manufacturers’ Associa-
tion, who had apparently failed
to notify the company of the
conditions attached to the agree-
ment.

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British Columbia. Ge?
some Banking by Mail
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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.

THE CAN:

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