4 . B.C. LUMBER WORKER - Major Demands FROM now until June 15, the main topic of interest among IWA members will be the five major demands now en- trusted to the IWA Negotiating Committee for presenta- tion to the lumber operators on April 15. These demands originated with the rank and file mem- bership. It is now the responsibility of every [WA member to make certain that every lumber worker clearly realizes what he stands. to gain if a united and determined support is given these objectives. They may be re-stated here, with the main reasons for inclusion in the new master contract. 1 A wage increase of 35 cents an hour across the board to be added to the present base rate of $1.29%4 and the 14 cents cost-of-living bonus to establish a new base rate of $1.78. The evidence before the Wages and Contract Confer- ence and the District Policy Committee fully justifies the proposed wage increase. Costs of living have risen steadily since the last contract adjustment. With only minor fluc- tuations, prices continue to show inflationary tendencies. There is no prospect that they will decline in any substan- tial degree. It is proper, therefore, that wages should now be adjusted in a more permanent way to the higher level that is evidently here to stay. a The profit position of the operators warrants the pro- posed increase, for the earnings of the leading corporations have been maintained at unprecedented high levels: The market outlook for the coming year is excellent, as witness their ambitious plans for expansion. 2 Pay for all statutory holidays. This demand conforms with the present trend in in- dustry generally. There is no reason why lumber workers should be discriminated against in this rsepect. Provision is made in the law for community observance of these holidays, with the intention that all workers in the com- munity might relax from the work routine, and join with their familes in community recreation. If pay is deducted for a statutory holiday, that week’s earnings are lowered accordingly. A holiday then becomes nothing more than a day’s lay-off without pay. Hourly- rated employees should gain the same treatment as monthly-rated employees, who almost invariably are paid for holidays. 3 A Health and Welfare Plan. The day has passed whén lumber workers may be re- garded as expendable, to be worked under exacting and hazardous conditions, and then thrown on the scrap heap when disabled or worn-out. The IWA asks for an employer- paid plan, which will insure the worker against the risks of ill-health and the consequences of non-compensable dis- ablement. Such a plan should be administered by trustees selected by the Union. 4 Travel time for loggers. This demand is given high priority because of intoler- able conditions which have developed during the past few years. Men employed in logging operations are often re- quired to travel from two to.three hours before and after their eight-hour day, to reach their work from the assem- bly point in the operation. The rule should now be estab- lished that the logger’s working and travelling time within the operation should not exceed the stipulated eight hours per day. 5 The Union Shop. The IWA has accepted and ‘discharged important re- sponsibilities in the lumber industry respecting labor- management relations in a manner that deserves greater confidence on the part of the employers. The Union should, threfore, be granted genuine security in those relations. The IWA is determined to gain the union shop, chiefly because it is the only truly democratic outcome of collec- tive bargaining. The Union bargains under the law for all the employees. It desires, therefore, that all the employees should share inthe decisions affecting their welfare, and accept responsibilities in regard to such decisions. It was well stated by the Secretary of the Negotiating Committee, Walter Allen, x “We are not dismayed at the prospect of opposition from the employers, for they have always found reasons to refuse our legitimate demands in the past. x We won our demands in the past, when we were united and determined within one. strong union. We will win our demands this year to the extent that we are able to express at the bargaining table, a real and militant solidarity among all lumber workers. We look for - this with confidence. 5 oer IWA member is urged to play his or her part in developing unity on the job behind these demands, so that the employers’ propaganda cannot possibly weaken our urpose. y We'll get just what we are ready to fight for in an , organized way, and what we are after is worth the The Editor: The term “proportional repre- sentation” is more familiar to the IWA members, I believe, than the camouflaged name of “single transferable ballot” or “alternate vote”, The Encyclopedia Britannica treats the single transferable bal- lot as a synonym for P.R. but places the “alternate vote” aut- side the P.R. system altogether. P.R., or “proportional representa- tion”, according to its sponsors, is intended to give “majority con- trol with minority representa- tion”. Hitler Used It Hitler got into power by P.R. and the opponents still claim that the Nazi rise to power was made possible by the disgust of Ger- mans with the inefficiencies of that system. Eire has P.R. and also has five political parties in the Dail. Mr. DeValera once said it was mak- ing a farce of democracy. Here’s what you can expect or might expect when you go to vote; In all probability you may get a ballot paper which may be almost a foot long. You can give a definite first choice or vote to only one person (it’s a good thing to know who your candidates are and what they represent) against whose name you may mark the figure.““1”, But you then may ex- press an opinion for other candi- dates, marking their names 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, etc., in order of prefer- ence, Personally I’m going to enter my one and only definite choice with the figure “1”. That way I'll know that no other political par- ties will be drooling over the thoughts of my other non-exist- ent choices like dogs after one bone. of A Farce B. C.’s former leader of the op- position described the “Bill” as weird, fantastic and one of the most shameful bills ever intro- duced in any parliament in Ca- nada, There seem to be enough loop- holes in the Act to always cover the employers’ tracks, I resent having the Labor Relations Board interpret the democratic consti- tution of my union. I resent the fact that my union cannot prose- cute an employer when he is not bargaining in good faith except WESTMINSTER HARDWARE LTD. Electrical and Marine Supplies Begbie & Front Streets Phone N.W, 302 New Westminster ent.ICA Act be scrapped and democratic one drawn up. I sug~ gest that we substitute Saskat- chewan’s Trade Union Act for the with the Board’s permission. I deeply resent the fact that you cannot take your strike vote without the Government looking over your shoulder: Woneing men ICA Act, are not children and I resent the fact that we are being talked to A. E, (Sandy) Naylor, Local 1-357, as such. 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