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‘Omit Pebticnion ott International Woodworkers of America vt Diswic Covsdt Neb

Vol. XX, No, 5

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Feb. 11, 1952

5c per copy

Vanceuver, B. C.

Federation and Council Officials

Board members E. Orr, George Smythe, H. Coombs, Mike Mihalech, Tony Gargraye. President Dan
Radford was absent through illness.

ELECTED at the annual elections of the Greater Van
January 29, were George Mitchell, President; Dick
‘Treasurer; and Executive Members E. Orr,

°

couver and Lower Mainland Labor Council,
« Henham, Vice-president; Jim Bury, Secretary-
H, Allison, Bud Hodgkins, W. Pierce.

Union’s expansion.

Strong support was given the
demand for a health and wel-
fare plan and travel time for
loggers in addition to renewal
of former demands for improv-
ed_ wages, statutory holidays,
union security, seniority, vaca-
tions, and a guaranteed daily
|-rate for piece workers.

Final consolidation of these
demands and strategy of nego-
tiations will be determined at
a Wages and Contract confer-
ence to be held March 22-23.

Analysis of the possibilities of
a guaranteed annual wage was
submitted to the convention by
District 1st Vice-president Joe
Morris, and after thorough dis-
cussion was referred for the fur-
ther consideration of the Wages
and Contract Conference.

Attendance recorded at the
convention was the largest on
record, and as shown by the re-
port of the Credentials Commit-
tee (Jack Squires, Chairman),
reflected a substantial growth in
membership of all Local Unions.

Opening ceremonies were brief
but impressive. The civic weleome
was extended by the Acting
Mayor, Alderman Halford Wil-
son, who extolled the part played

NEW FEATURES ASKED
FOR 1952-1953 CONTRACT

In a strenuous four-day session, 150 delegates attend-
ing the 15th Annual District Convention of the IWA in the
Hotel Vancouver, January 29- February 1, debated their
problems with a marked intensity of interest, and ad-
journed with an outline of substantial contract demands
for 1952-53, together with a well-planned program for the

Another
Three Cents

Cost-of-living index reported
by the Dominion Bureau of
Statistics for Jan. 1 was 191.5,
representing an increase in the
index since July 1, 1951, of 3.9
points,

The wage rate increase thus
automatically effective under
the IWA master contract is 3
cents an hour; retroactive to
January 1, 1952,

Se
by the lumber workers in the de-
velopment of the province’s na-
tural resources.

Invocation was pronounced by
Rev. Father L. A. Hobson, St,
Anthony’s Parish, West Vancou-
ver. Father Hobson made an elo-
quent plea for the preservation
of the spirit of fraternity, as an
antidote to the twin evils of
monopolistic greed and Com-
munism,

In his keynote. address, District
President Alsbury warned
against a renewal of attempted

See HEALTH, Page 2

Satisfy Us”

The Acting President of the
Federation declared:

“Developments of the past few
months reveal that we now face
the most crucial fight in the his-
tory of the Federation. Three
Commissions will report at the
approaching session of the Legis-
lature on three provincial sta-
tutes of vital importance to the
workers.

We want action on these re~
ports in conformity with the con-
clusive evidence with which we

Convention Strengthens
District Finances

Recommendation of the IWA District Officers set forth

ro) Se

convention.

in their report to the Annual District Convention, January
29-February 1, proposing an increase of the portion of the
per capita tax allocated to the adminstrative requirements
of the B.C. District Council, was approved by the Officers
Report Committee, the Trustees, and subsequently by the

When approved by referendum
of the membership in respect of
the necessary amendment of the
District by-laws, the per capita
structure will be changed by al-
locating 28 cents instead of 18
cents from the dues dollar to the
| eokedely fund of the District

yuncil,

It was explained that this will
involve merely a re-allocation of
reventle as ween the Local
Unions and the District Council
and does not necessarily require
an inerease of individual mem-
bership dues,

pee cacommendations
proved a ass’
ance to the Yocal Unions in the

See FINANCES, Page 2

CONTRACT

DEMANDS

OUTLINED FOR MARCH

Numerous resolutions re-
ceived and considered by the
IWA District Convention on
the subject of contract de-
mands were summarized at
the conclusion in the follow-
ing statement, which was ap-
proved:

“We, the resolutions Com-
mittee, have given careful
consideration to all the reso-
lutions dealing with demands
for this year’s negotiations.
In order to expedite matters,
we haye compiled a summary
of the most desirable and
necessary requirements for
our membership, not neces-
sarily placed in order to their
importance, as follows:

Statutory holidays.

Union Shop

Wage increase across
the board

Travel time.

As to these important
points of negotiations there
are others that the member-
ship feel are equally neces-

sary and should. be given
serious consideration.

A revised seniority clause;
an improved vacation clause;
guaranteed annual wage;
guaranteed daily rate for
piece workers; hours of work
and exemption to it; Section
3, Article XIV.

All resolutions that do not
fall completely under these
headings have been referred
to the Wages and Contract
Conference for consideration
by that body. We would like
to point out that it is the
perogative of the delegates
of this Convention to discuss
‘all the demands submitted in
this summary for the pur-
pose of giving 4 directive to
the Wage and Contract Con-
ference.

Submitted by:
RESOLUTIONS
COMMITTEE,

RAE EDDIE, Chairman,
TONY POJE, Sec'tary.”

|Vague Promises Won’t

-- Alsbury

Warning was served on political parties in British Columbia
that the trade unions expect action on labor legislation the next
session of the Legislature by IWA District President J. S. Alsbury
in opening the Eighth Annual Convention of the B.C. Federation
of Labor. As Vice-president of the Federation, he acted on behalf
of President Dan Radford, unavoidably absent through illness.

supplied all three commissions.

We want action in the form of
statutory amendments before an
election.

I suggest that: we would be
fools if we do not serve notice on
the Legislature that we demand
suitable amendments to the ICA
Act, the Workmen’s Compensa-
tion Act, and the B.C. Hospital
Insurance ‘Act before an election
is called.

Action Wanted

The needs of the workers, in
respect of these Acts is so des-
perately pressing, that any politi-
cal’ party failing in its responsi-
bility to the workers, will do ‘so
at its political peril.

Our attitude must be one of the
uncompromising firmness. We
have waited too long for these
necessary reforms. Our political
leaders now have the opportunity
to show by their actions whether
they mean to keep faith with the
workers. .

We will not be brushed off
again with vague promises un-
til after an election, We will
judge them by their actions
this month in Victoria, and not
by any of their glittering
promises for the distant fu-
ture.”

Convention News

Public date of this issue of
The B.C. Lumber, Worker has
been delayed by a few days to
permit presentation of vital
information regarding the re-
cent IWA District Convention.

Further information, omitted
from this issue for reasons of

space, will be published in the
next regular edition, Fi