B.

Cc. LUMBER WORKER

February 11, 1952

IWA Mourns The King;

‘God Save The Queen!’

Action First

LEGISLATIVE “musts” for the workers of British Co-

lumbia could not have been stated more explicitly than
were done by the recent conventions of the IWA and the
B.C. Federation of Labor.

The Legislature of British Columbia, when it meets on
February 19, will face imperative demands which must
take precedence to political maneuvers, in a pre-election
period.

Three commissions will report on the administration of
three Acts of vital importance to workers—the ICA Act,
the Workmen’s Compensation Act and the B.C. Hospital
Insurance Act.

The importance of these reports, already too long de-
layed, makes immediate action on their contents of equal
importance. These reports constitute the main business of
the session. That recommendations for reform should be
translated into effective legislation is the first duty of our
politicians. wa

The pressing interests of the workers demand that a
full session should be held, and its work completed before
the province is plunged into a provincial general election.
The mandate for these reforms has already been secured.

Since the session has been summoned, it should pro-
ceed to transact-the business of the province. The province
is in no mood for political shadow-boxing.

Political parties which propose postponement of the
workers’ business until after a general election are parties
that will delay any action until the eve of another election
four years hence. Unless concrete action is taken before
an election, the purpose can only be to evade the issues
indefinitely.

The workers are already sick of promises that still
remain unfulfilled. Another political “double-cross” will
be hard to take. The party that makes a bid for popular
support at the polls on nothing but promises, rather than
performance, will face a storm of indignation.

The political parties are in a spot where they can’t fool
anybody. They will have every opportunity to legislate for
a better ICA Act, a better Workmen’s Compensation Act,
and a better Hospital Insurance Act.

They know the intense interest among the workers in
these questions. They know that they must meet the work-
ers at the polls very soon. They know that the workers
know this, and are not going to lose this golden oppor-
tunity to make their points.

: The party that wants the workers’ votes in the ap-
proaching election must give their votes in support of the
workers’ interests inside the Legislature before they even
start to talk about votes at the polls.

Milestone For ‘52 .

‘THE proceedings of the 15th Annual ‘District Convention
IWA in British Columbia have marked another im-
portant milestone in the amazing progress made by the
organized lumber workers. After a firm consolidation on
ground gained in 1951, the IWA is on the march again.
The vitality of the IWA may be measured by the fully
democratic spirit of its deliberations. The rank and file
members were seen in complete control of their own
affairs. Policy and program alike were built from the bot-
tom up and not from the top down. The decisions of the
assembly were the “grass-roots” decisions of those who

man the lumber industry. __ :
The worth of the convention may be measured by its

decisions. They are reasonable and intelligent. They are’

capable of accomplishment. They were made with force of
a responsible organization intent on the fulfillment of its

responsibilities. :
See next column

The main outline of the next master contract was
shaped with vision and realism. The considerations of bet-
ter wages, better hours of work, better vacation and holi-
day conditions, better seniority, better union security were
given painstaking attention. In addition, new features,
demanded by changing conditions, such as health and wel-
fare, safety, and guaranteed wages were examined closely,
and important new demands formulated.

Wage rates are always important, but wage rates are
subject to fluctuation, especially in purchasing value. The
delegates wisely determined to add to the contract fea-
tures which have other and more permanent characteris-
tics.

The IWA has again earned the congratulations of the
labor movement in the province. As the premier union it
has set a pattern that will elevate the standards of all the
workers. :

The IWA also deserves the congratulations of the
general public. It is exerting its full strength in an orga-
nized effort that will build greater prosperity for all the
people of the province.

FEDERATION
LEADERS
ELECTED

Election of officers at the an-
nual Convention of the B.C,
Federation of Labor returned
the following:

President, D, Radford, CCL;
ist Vice-president, J. S. Als-
bury, IWA; 2nd Vice-president,
H. Allison, CBRE; 8rd Vice-
president, Joe Morris, IWA;
Secretary - treasurer, George
Home, UPWA; Executive Com-
mittee Members, E. Orr, United
Steelworkers; Mike Mihalech,
United Mineworkers; Robert
Smeal, CBRE; Herbert Coombs
Longshoremen; Lawrence Van-
dale, IWA; George Smythe,
IWA; Tony Gargraye, IWA.

No Thanks
To Coalition

The Editor:

With a Provincial election
likely in the near future, it now
seems an appropriate time for
thank you’s to our present Co-
alition Government. We can look
back on some very cute schemes
imposed on a long suffering pub-
lie by this conscientious Govern-
ment.
The B.C.H.I.S. is a good
scheme if handled properly. but
it developed into quite a_racket
the way our so-called Govern-
ment raised the premiums and
foreed co-insurance on us. We
can thank them at least for show-
ing us how not to run a public
service efficiently.

We can thank them for letting
us pay the three percent sales
tax on, nearly everything we buy.
Thanks for the very fair compul-
sory car insurance and a special
thank you for the oil pipeline. It
was very thoughtful of “Buss”
Johnson to install a pipeline from
Alberta, especially now that a
potential oil supply has been un-
earthed within our own province.
When we go to the polls, fellow
voters, we can be thankful to
Boss Johnson, Boss Anscomb, and
their cohorts for showing us the
contempt they have for the pub-
lic‘and this time if we are smart
we won’t let them hoodwink us.
Make a wise choice when you
yote and then we can all be
thankful for a long time to come.

Bob Brandt,
Local 1-357, TWA.

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