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Operators’ Absurd “Proposals” Rejected:

Ottsat rAteine oite Jcbornational Woodworkers of America rb. Dacia Conc tat

Vol. XX, No. 11 May 1, 1952

=S*

5c per copy

Vancouver, B.C.

FIGHTING PROGRAM SET

FOR INTERIOR

IWA members in the Interior of British Columbia will
mand a substantial wage increase at least equivalent
the Coast increase now under negotiation, it was de-
termined by the Interior Wages and Contract Conference
at Kelowna, April 27. Fifty delegates representing the
four Interior Local Unions unanimously endorsed contract
demands bearing striking similarity to those now under

consideration at the Coast.

Major Interior IWA contract
demands are:

Wage increase across the
board.

Paid statutory holidays.
Health and welfare plan,
Forty-hour week.
Union shop.
Revised seniority provisions.
Improved vacation provi-
sions,

Other technical revisions of
contract terms. 4

Policy Committee
Policy Committe to which..will
be referred all matters relating

to bargaining strategy was form-
ed of three members of the Dis-

trict Policy Committee with a

representative from each one of
the Interior Local Unions. Pres-
ent contract expires on Septem-
jer 1.

Resolutions of the conference
authorized the Interior Policy
Committee to negotiate the fol-
lowing points of contract revi-
sion:

All contract rates to be sub-
ject to agreement by the Union.

Inclusion of category rates
in the wage schedule.

Provision for two rest per-
iods daily.

Leave of absence for mom-
bers on union business.

See ‘INTERIOR’ Page 2

North-West IWA
Strikes 40,000

Rejection by '700 lumber operators in the Pacific North-
west States of contract terms satisfactory to the North-
west Regional Negotiating Committee of the IWA led to
strike action by 40,000 lumber workers after the strike

deadline of midnight, April 28, had been passed.

~ Nine IWA* District Councils ;
from five Northwest States con-
sulted with the Negotiating Com-
mittee, and finalized strike plans,
prowcaaly authorized by referen-
lum ballot of the membership.

Only company to reach a set-
tlement was the Weyerhaeuser
Timber Co.

The only other offers that have
been made were from the Wil-
lamette Valley Lumber Opera-
tors Association and the Coos
Bay Lumber Company, whose of-
fers were not acceptable to the
Northwest Regional Negotiating
Committee.

“All the other associations and
independent operators have made

no offer whatsoever, except to re-
sign the presently existing agree-
ment, despite the fact that they
are well aware of the settlement
with Weyerhaeuser Timber Com-
pany, covering some 8000 work-
ers,” said International: President
A, F. Hartung.

The Weyerhaeuser Timber Co.
settlement calls for 734 cents an
hour wage increase, 6 paid holi-
days, 2 cents an hour increase in
the night shift differential, bring-
ing it to 6 cents and an improved
vacation clause which reduced the
seniority requirements from 5 to
3 years for a two-week vacation
and other improvements.

GREGG HEARS
IWA PLAINT

IWA officers presented the
Union’s point of view on immi-
gration when a CCL delegation
waited upon Federal Labor
Minister Milton Gregg during
his recent yisit to Vancouver.
Unplanned immigration was
held to be damaging to the in-
terests of both the new arrivals
and those already established
in employment. Investigation
was promised by the Minister.

District President J. Stewart
Alsbury and District Secretary-
Treasufer George Mitchell stress-
ed the effects of any unseasonable
influx of Europeans on employ-
ment conditions in the lumber
industry. No objection was voiced
against immigration planned to
meet the actual needs of indus-
try, but the arrival of new Ca-
nadians during slack. periods
caused the serious displacement
of experienced loggers.

Financial Secretary Jacob
Holst, Local 1-363, IWA, drew
from the Minister the assurance
that immigrants after 2 months’
employment could receive the
equivalent of Unemployment In-
surance benefits for a period of
one year from a special fund ad-
ministered by the UIC.

District President Alsbury un-
dertook to furnish the Minister
with a full report on conditions
resulting from unplanned immi-
gration as experienced by lumber
workers.

Radio Log

GREEN GOLD—
Thursday, CJOR, 7 p.m.,
Vancouver

LOCAL 1-85 IWA—

Thursday, CJAV, 6:30 p.m.
Port Alberni

LOCAL 1-357 IWA—

Saturday, CKNW, 7:05
p.m., New Westminster

“WAGE CUTS” ANGER IWA

- WHAT’S
INSIDE

Singling out of the IWA as the chief target for a con-
certed effort of the organized employers in B.C. to roll-
back wage demands of all trade unions was alleged by
IWA District President J. S. Alsbury in a radio address

|| this week. The wage-cut proposed by the lumber operators

was construed by him as a vicious attack on the Union
which the IWA would fight with all its resources.

He said:
fos as it ignores pertinent facts,

Forest Industrial Relations
Ltd, has issued a press release

which is completely misleading
Be ee RS

We have no apology to make
to our membership or to the
general public for the course

pursued by the committee.

* We adhered to the mandate of
the IWA membership in the firm
belief that the demands of the
membership were in accord with

Major Contract

Proposals On
Pages 4-5

their needs and would serve the
greater good of the communities

See ‘ALSBURY’ Page 2

h Sra 8

*

PROFITS HIGHEST EVER;
WAGE CUTS PROPOSED

Stalemate was reached in negotiations between the
IWA and Forest Industrial Relations Ltd. on the 10th day.
of bargaining talks Wednesday, whereupon the District
Negotiating Committee made immediate application for
the services of a Conciliation Officer.

Opening of the second stage in negotiations found the
Union in the position that all its demands had been reject-
ed by the operators’ representatives. Counter-proposals
made by Forest Industrial Relations ‘Ltd. proved wholly
unacceptable to the Union, as not only were wage cuts
proposed but new and restrictive contract provisions were
outlined. :

FOE Rea 2 Ie *

x ke

STATEMENT OF’
NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE;

This year, as in the past, the IWA is faced with the
problem of ironing out a satisfactory contract for its
membership in the Coastal region. Approaching the
matter in a sound and sensible manner, the Union sub-
mitted justifiable demands to Forest Industrial Rela-
tions Ltd. on April 8th.. Among these demands were
both monetary submissions—viz., “wage increases, paid
statutory holidays, health and welfare, etc.”, and tech-
nical points—viz., “seniority, leave of absence, accident
prevention and union shop clauses”.

The Union Representatives met. with Forest Indus-
trial Relations Ltd., and receiving no proposals from
them with respect to monetary matters, attempted to
iron out. Some of the proposed technical changes. No
progress was made in these discussions. In the late
afternoon of Friday, April 25, the Union received its
first intimation of the Employers’ position with respect
to monetary items.

xk kek Ok

IWA Demands Ignored ji

Forest Industrial Relations’ reply to the Union’s
proposals was a complete surprise. They indicated they
were not interested in the principle or validity of the
Union’s submission. The Operators’ Representatives
pleaded industrial bankruptcy, and suggested the pre-
posterous proposal that the: membership subsidize the
lumbering industry for one year.

For the past three months, the people of British
Columbia have been subjected to the most intensive
propaganda campaign ever instigated. Certain promi-
nent lumber operators, syndicate writers and govern-
ment officials have attempted to paint the blackest pic-
ture possible, for the future of the lumber industry.
All this, in spite of the fact that the consolidated profit
of operations represented by Forest Industrial Relations,
in these negotiations, are at an all-time high.

. SS Se

“No...No...No ...” Wails F.LR.

Attempts are being made to accuse the TWA of
putting small operators out of business, through their
wage demands, when it is a fact that the monopoly
lumber barons are “squeezing” the small operators
through “artificially forced” log prices. The operators’
only reply to our demands for health and welfare,
improved hours of work, and paid statutory holidays is:
“NO—it is a cost item”.

On the other hand, their reply to technical changes
in the contract, which cost the industry nothing, and in
fact would assist in solving many labor-management
problems, was the same “NO”.

When asked the question, were there any points in
the Union’s non-cost items, to which the operators
could agree, a spokesman for Forest Industrial Rela-
tions replied, “No, there is none.”

The Union wonders “who is trying to kid whom”.

To propose a backward step by slashing wagés dur-
ing this era when our Province is experiencing its
greatest industrial boom, can only be construed by the
Union as being unrealistic.

Finding ourselves in this position, the Union
plying to the Labor Relations Board of B.C.
services of a Conciliation Officer.

is ap.
for the