pea En aahasfinal BU ood basta] Almsilos' sh vinta Grain ra. Vol. XIX, No. 98 Oct. 18 1951 SS 5e per copy Vancouver, B.C. Editorial ® Balanced Representation WA members in British Columbia have a vital interest in the election of their International Officers for two main reasons. They desire the election of men who have proven their loyalty to the democratic principles of trade unionism as upheld by the IWA. They desire that the top leadership of their Union shall be of sufficiently representative character as to foster and maintain international unity of action in the trade union cause. For these reasons, the B.C. delegates at the recent International Convention advanced the names of two trusted B. C. members'for international offices—Tom Mac- Kenzie as International 2nd Vice-president and Rae Eddie as International Trustee. @ Support of these candidates does not imply lack of confidence in the other contestants. It means that the IWA membership in the B.C. District expects due recognition of its place in the International union. B. GC. delegates in attendance at the Denver Convention haye been reluctant to believe that the omission of a B.C. member from the delegation to attend the forthcoming CIO Convention in New York was designed to isolate Brit- ish Columbia from any share in policy-making at the international level. The B.C. members have never been isolationist in sentiment, and have proved their loyalty to their interna- tional affiliations. IWA members in District 1 fought the Communists to a standstill on the issue of secession,-though this meant the temporary sacrifice of all their resources. Since that-time, the B.C. members have built the strongest single district in the International Union, with a membership now approximating 30,000. Almost one-third of the International’s revenue is derived from British Columbia where, in the lumber if- dustry, the IWA is the sole bargaining authority for the lumber workers. Taxation without adequate representation has always been a fruitful source of friction. Balanced representation is always desirable in the interests of harmony. Further- more, it cannot be denied that the B. C. District can make an important contribution in many ways to the growing prestige and strength of the International Union. The requirements of the situation must be stated bluntly, lest they be overlooked in sectional rivalries. The IWA members in the B.C. District have won the right to an opportunity, which will enable them to cement, as they desire to do, the solidarity of the IWA Interna- tional. Election of the candidates from the B.C. District will demonstrate, as nothing else could, that the International boundary does not divide IWA ranks nor. impede IWA democratic action. IWA WINS TAX FIGHT Special income tax conces- sions haye been granted for B.C. lumber workers as a re- sult of application made on their behalf by the IWA Dis- trict Officers. Representations made to the Income Tax Department set forth the manner in which earnings were compulsorily re- duced by the summer-long for- est closure. Briefly the ruling provides: For those who lost Jess than a month’s work, no adjustment. For those off work for more than a month, but less than two, one full tax-free month will be allowed between now and December 31. For those who lost more than two months off work, two full tax-free months will be allowed before the end of the year. INTERIOR VOTES ON STRIKE Interior operators have rejected the majority recom- mendations of the Conciliation Board, it was reported to the IWA District Officers at press-time for this issue. Majority recommendation of the Conciliation Board in the IWA dispute with the Northern and Southern Interior operators has been recommended for acceptance by the IWA District Policy Committee. Ballots have been issued enabling Interior IWA members to indicate acceptance or rejection. A second ballot will determine whether strike action will be approved im the event that the majority report is rejected by the employers. Voting ends October 24, IWA CANCELS ‘ORG DEAL WITH CIO Major organizational change was ordered by the recent The prospects of a settlement were thoroughly canvassed at a meeting of the IWA District Policy Committee on October 5, immediately the report of the Board had been released. Al- though not all the Union’s de- mands had been upheld by the Board, it was considered that the and largest-ever IWA International Convention in Den- ver, Colorado, when a resolution sponsored by the B.C. District Council carried by an overwhelming majority and returned control of the Organization Department to the Union by cancelling the agreement with the CIO. The resolution stated that the reasons which caused the direc- tion of this department to be turned over to the CIO no longer exist, and claimed that the Union should exercise the rights which pertain to all other international unions. In asserting full autonomy for the IWA, it was claimed that the administrative strength of the Union now justifies the move, and that a sounder organization’ pol- icy would result. When imple- mented, the contract with the CIO will not be renewed. 1941 Origin The agreement with the CIO dates back to the International | Convention of 1941 when weak- nesses which had developed due to Communist intrigue necessi- tated that organization activities be strengthened by a close work- ing arrangement with the CIO. Since that time the Director of Organization has been appointed by the CIO National Office, and given full authority over the IWA organizational staff. See ‘IWA’ Page 2 Council Meets November 3-4 Quarterly meeting of the B.C. District Council, which meets in the Pender Auditor- ium, 339 West Pender St., Van- couver, November 3-4, will re- view the question of overtime in the light of recent develop- ments in British Columbia lum- ber industry. - Mackenzie Runs For 2nd Vice-President Names of two IWA members from British Columbia were nominated and placed on the hallot for election of Interna- tional Officers at the Interna- tional Convention, Denver, Col. October 1-5. They are Interna- tional Board Member Tom Contest for the post of Inter- national Board Member from B.C. District 1 lies between Wil- liam N. (Bill) Gray, Local 1-217, IWA, Vancouver, and Jacob (Jack) Holst, Financial Secre- tary, Local 1-363, IWA, Court- enay. Ballot for the election of In- ternational Officers carries the following names as nominated at the International Convention. For International President: J. E. (Red) Fadling and A. F. Hartung. For Ist Vice-president: J. E. (Jim) Dicey and Burk Christie. For 2nd Vice-president: Claude Ballard and Tom Mac- Kenzie. For Sec.-treas.: Carl Winn. For ‘Trustee: Rae Eddie and Walter Belka. majority award of the Board of- fered contract terms of sufficient merit as to enable an amicable settlement with the employers. Reasons for the decision of the IWA District Policy Committee were found in the vastly improv- ed €onditions which would result from acceptance by both parties of the majority award, as fol- lows: The base rate for Interior will be the same as at the Coast—$1.29 14. The cost-of-living bonus, es- tablished at the Coast, will be extended to the Interior—ti- cent-an-hour for every 1.3 rise in the index. A five-day week will be established with overtime rates for Saturday production work, and two consecutive days of rest for construction and main- tenance workers. The compulsory check-off will apply in all IWA-certified , operations as a condition of employment. Two weeks vacation with pay after five or more years continuous service will apply throughout the whole Interior. A 5-cent-an-hour night shift differential will be added. Provision will be made for category rate revisions. The grievance procedure will be improved. A minority report was sub- mitted by the companies’ nominee on the Board, Mr. McDiarmid. He recommended a wage increase of See ‘Strike’ Page 2 See ‘Policy’ Page 10 MacKenzie, nominated for the office sof 2nd Vice-president, and Rae Eddie, New Westmin- ster, Local 1-357, nominated for re-election as International ‘Trustee. WHAT’S INSIDE CONTENTS Page Candidates ........,... 3 Editorials IWA Pix Safety President Union Business ... 12 TOM MacKENZIE, Local 1-217, IWA, couver, B.C., Interna- tional Board Member and can date for the office of Interna- tional 2nd Vice-president. WILLIAM N. (BILL) GRAY, Local 1-217, IWA, Vancouver, Secretary of the IWA District Safety Council, candidate for the office of B.C. District Interna- tional Board Member, , RAE EDDIE, Business Agent, Local 1-357, IWA, New Westmin- ster, B.C., candidate for re-elec- tion as International Trustee. JACOB (JACK) HOLST, Finan- cial Secretary, Local 1-363, Cour- tenay, candidate for the office of B. C. District International Board Member.