B.C,

LUMBER WORKER

February 21, 1952

o
SNUBBED AGAIN!

" By J. STEWART ALSBURY,
District President

"THOSE of us who were members of the delegation from the B.C.

Federation of Labor to wait upon the Provincial Cabinet, Feb-
Tuary 20, returned from Victoria with bitter disappointment that
organized labor had once more been treated like a “poor relation”.
We received little more than a courteous hearing from the

Government.

The impression

seems to have

seized the minds

of our leading|

politicians that

the trade unions

are merely try-

ing to bully them

into dispensing

enactments that

will ‘‘feather-

bed” the unions.

They have quite overlooked the

fact that we .were in Victoria

because of the urgent need of

thousands represented by the
trade unions.

When we examine all that is

involved in some of the recom-

mendations of the reports of the

Enquiry Boards, we see most

clearly that delay in the enact-

ment of labor legislation spells

continued misery for many.

Hospital Insurance Urgent

We asked that amendments to
the Hospital Insurance Act be
introduced this session. Unless
this is done, many of those in
the low-income bracket will be
required to make the effort to
pay premiums they can ill afford,
or sacrifice their protection un-
der the scheme, .

The Board of Enquiry agrees
that they should be exempt under
the Act, and have their premiums
paid for them. Delay simply
means that their distress con-
tinues that much longer.

The plight of the chronic cases
who are too frequently released
from hospital before other care
can be provided is one that needs
immediate relief,

Now that co-insurance charges
have been found to be not only a
hardship, but also a source of
confusion, why should any fur-
ther time elapse before the condi-
tion is remedied. I suggest that
without an amendment eliminat-
ing co-insurance the hospitals
will now be thrown into hopeless
confusion.

Compensation Legislation -

The same situation exists with
“respect to Workmen's Compensa-
tion. The Commissioner recom-
mended no more than was abso-
lutely necessary to patch up a
distressing situation, It will re-
quire adoption of all his propos-
als to place the administration of
compensation even within strik-
ing distance of a solution of the
problem.

His recommendations may be
found by labor to be far from
adequate, nevertheless, their
adoption would be infinitely pre-
‘ferable to the proposed delay.

Widows’ Pensions
On one point, immediate action ,

i

is necessary by the Provincial
Government. The pensions for
widows will in future be increas-
ed from $50 to $75 a month, but

this inerease does not apply to

present awards.

The Commissioner states that
the widows are in dire straits due
to the rising costs of living. He
points to the necessity of special
action by the Provincial Govern-
ment, apart from the accident
fund, to alleviate their circum-
stances. Here again is another
acute need that admits of no de-
lay in the remedy.

‘The rapid development of B.C.
industry makes it imperative that
we correct the abuses that have
crept into the official supervision
of collective bargaining and con-
ciliation. If there is any further
delay, the peak of bargaining
activity will be passed, and we
will face many unnecessary risks
of industrial upheaval.

These questions could now so
easily be given satisfactory’ ans-
wers if our, Government would
realize that-the real purpose of
government is the welfare of the
people, and not the struggle for
office to gain for a few followers
the rewards of office.

1-118 Officers
Installed

Secretary George Mitchell, of
the B.C. District Council No. 1,
installed the Local officers of Lo-
eal 1-118 for the coming year.

The Local officers are as fol-
lows:

President, J. MacKenzie, First
Vice-president, C. Crockett, Sec-
ond Vice-president, W. Muir;
Third Vice-president, Ranzit
Singh; Financial Secretary, Ed
Haw; Recording Secretary, Sam
Cook; Conductor, N. Salisbury;
Warden, Bob Anderson; Trustee
(8-year), Ernie Knott; Trustee
(2-year), J. Crouch.

Secretary Mitchell then ad-
dressed the meeting on the com-
ing negotiations and very force-
fully pointed out that the mem-
bership were desirous of many of
the conditions asked for through
Convention action and it was the
responsibility of the active union
members to give good leadership
during the coming negotiations.

He also spoke briefly on the
major demands to be presented to
the employers during 1952 nego-
tiations.

The membership gave Brother
Mitchell a hearty vote of thanks
for his efforts. *

i eas para

ICA MINORITY BRIEF “LOST”

Attempted suppression of the minority
report submitted by Arthur Turner, MLA,
member of the Board of Enquiry, dealing
with the ICA Act was quickly challenged
by Harold Winch, MLA, when the report

was first tabled. .

Although the deletion of the minority

enquiry.

report from the official volume was de-
fended by Attornéy-General Wismer, the
Premier finally undertook to remedy the
yiolation of Parliamentary precedent. All
copies were re-called, re-printed and re-
issued with the complete resultd of the

$2000 Raised By 1-80
For Three Widows

Families of the three men
killed last November in the
Comox Logging and Railway
Co. operations are richer to-

day, thanks to the 1-80 Sub-
Locals of Ladysmith and Na-
naimo, who, by putting on a
concentrated drive, succeeded

in raising over $2000 for
them.

Tony Poje, Business Agent
for Local 1-80, IWA, pre-
sented the cheques to the
widows, Mrs. Hamilton, Mrs.
Serniagotto, and Mrs. Sutton
who were deeply apprecia-
tive.

MORRIS, SEKORA WIN

20% FOR 1-424 MEN

An overall wage gain of 20%
was won by District 1st Vice-
president Joe Morris and Inter-
national Organizer Mike Se-
Kora, acting for Local 1-424,
IWA, in conciliation proceed-
ings at the Fort St. John Lum-
ber Co. and Wilson Freight-
Ways Ltd. both of Dawson
Creek.

Provisions of the Contract are
almost identical with that of the
present Northern Interior Agree-
ment and will bring to the work-
ers a_wage gain of 15%, effec-
tive January 1, 1952, and the
cost of living clause ‘applicable
March 1, 1952. A further increase
of 5 cents per hour will become
effective April 1,

The contract was submitted to
a membership meeting on Febru-
ary 21 in Dawson Creek by Mike
Sekora for ratification.

Delegatés Mike Sekora and C.
H. Webb reported to a general
membership meeting of the Ques-
nel Sub-Local on February 17, de-
cisons taken at the IWA District
Convention held recently in Van-
couver.

Harry Neal, former Sub-Local
officer, and long-time employee
of Sinclair Mills, has been ap-
pointed Assistant Business Agent
of the Quesnel Sub-Local, IWA.
The IWA District Office will par-
tially finance the salary and ex-
penses of Business Agent Neal.

‘Action is being taken by Local
1.424, IWA, against the Upper
Fraser Spruce Mills Ltd., over
the unjust dismissal of the Com-
mittee Secretary, who, according
to the Company’ Superintendent,
had fle audacity to complain,

1-80 Meets
March 16

Annual meeting of Local
1-80, IWA, will be held in the
Odeon Theatre on Sunday,
March 16, commencing at 10
am.

International President A.
F. Hartung has been invited
to speak, The nomination of
the Local Union’s officers for
the ensuing year will be a
Major item of business.

CAMP “L”
NOW 100%

IWA committee at the Cana-
dian Forest Products Camp “L”,
Englewood, proudly announces
that their camp is now one hun-
dred percent IWA. A new slate of
officers recently elected wer
M. F. Moore, secretary; C.
Hegman, chairman; W. Koziner-
chuck, shop steward,

Two Brothers from the camp
were lucky winners at the Log-
gers’ Ball held in Vancouver last
December—Pete Staven winning
a fine Gruen wrist watch and
Myles Moore winnig a pair of
Head’s “Champion of all Light-
weight” Caulked Boots.

Despite adverse’ weather condi-
tions, the camp is still operating
smoothly and with the worst of
the winter nearly over, it is ex-

will ‘soon be

under instructions from the camp
committee, about the poor food.

Since signing the last contract,
not only have the mill operators
raised by 15 cents a day the price
of the food but have lowered the
quality. The crew are unanimous
in their opinion that the food has
deteriorated badly in the last few
months and are wholeheartedly
supporting the Union in its ef-
forts to have the Secretary re-
instated.

6 Delegates
From 1-118

The IWA Wages and Con-
tracts Conference, to be held in
March, will be attended by six
delegates from Local 1-118,
IWA who were elected at a re-
cent meeting. They were:

S. A. Muir, E. Knott, C.
Crockett, L. Rowney, J. Peace,
E. Haw.

Alternates: E. Sudhues, G.
Van Humbeck, R. Anderson,
E, Rolls.

ALSBURY
INSTALLS
1-405 HEADS

Newly-elected officers of Lo-
cal 1-405, IWA, ‘Cranbrook,
were installed by District
President J. S, Alsbury at the
quarterly meeting held Febru-
ary 17.

They were:

Walter Hartfield, president;
Arthur Danstrom, 18t vice-presi-
dent; Clifford Sinclair, 2nd vice-
president; Executive Board mem-
bers, Roy Thompson, W. S. Weir,
Harry Lightburn; Peter Ber-
kosha, financial secretary; H.
Larsen, warden; Fred Barnhardt,
conductor; George Knezacek (one
year), George Webster (three
years), Steve Kasmar (tw,
years), trustees. e

Following installation tm
meeting was addressed by the
District President, who explained
the plans outlined by the District
Convention for the expansion of
IWA activity in the Interior.

Many matters relating to deci-
sions of the convention and the
approaching negotiations were
dealt with during the President’s
remarks. 5

Albert Schikowski was elected
Business Agent for the_ Local
Union.

Investigation will be conducted
by the shop stewards to deter-
mine results of immigration in
the district.

A vote of thanks was accorded
retiring President James White
for his faithful service.

6

Patient: Joe looks a lot better
after his operation. What did you
operate on him for?

Doctor: We took away a brass
rail that had been pressing
against his instep for years.

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