Cc. LUMBER WORKER June 5, 1952 5 FOULS EVERY dirty punch in the book has been thrown at the IWA in the present negotiations to secure a con- tract settlement before June 15. With no referee to stop a foul, the Union must defend itself with harder ° and faster in-fighting. The IWA is far from groggy, and can still throw a punch or two and stay in the centre of the ring. When it is realized as it must now be realized, that the operators were carrying the fight to the IWA, not merely to knock down wages, but to knock out the IWA, the present situation can be more readily understood. Nothing would please the operators more than to pound the IWA through the ropes, and keep the IWA out of the ring for some time to come. It would be just lovely for the operators if they could pursue their merry profit- making way with no one to question their tactics. In all that was said on behalf of the operators during bargaining and conciliation talks, more was done to des- troy than build sound labor-management relations. It may be expected that employers and employees are ‘likely to disagree on wages and working conditions. It is not always to be expected that those who have responsi- bility for the conduct of the industry should display the venom that has colored the words of the employers’ rep- resentatives on the present occasion. Due to the attitude of the employers, negotiations have developed into a bitter fight to win an argument rather than to do what is right and just for all con- cerned. : : “At the present moment, the operators are more con- cerned that they should maintain their imagined prestige, in order that they might dictate instead of reason, when terms are under discussion. The employers were angered by the Union’s references to the profits made in recent years. In their minds, profits are sacred, and should never be discussed with the great unwashed. As a matter of fact, profits form a part of the earnings of the industry. It is only logical that those whose labor made profits possible should be admitted to discussions on the distribution of such earnings. The profits now accumulated are tangible. The pros- pects on which the workers are expected to gamble are figments of the employers’ imaginations. The existence of huge profits provides the starting point in any discus- sion to determine whether the Industry can pay higher wages. Profits provide a cushion for the employers, whereas the workers have had no opportunity to cushion themselves against the uncertainties of the future. The operators have waxed exceedingly angry because the IWA set a deadline for the completion of negotiations which coincides with the termination date of the contract. They have described this decision as a time-bomb set to go off, whether or no. If they faced the facts, they would be forced to admit that the Union followed the only logical course, in the light of past experience. The law prescribes a specified period for negotiations. This period allows sufficient time for all necessary decisions, if both parties get to work in a genuine endeavor to work out a settlement. But it takes two parties to make a deal. The fixing of a deadline was a reminder to the Union as well as the operators that procrastination in’ making decisions leads to sorrow. 3 Any objection to the deadline set can only be based on a desire to so prolong negotiations that through sheer weariness nothing will be done to improve conditions for the workers. It has now been disclosed that the demand for a cut in wages was merely a tactic to force the IWA to accept the kind of contract that the employers had previously de- cided upon. It has irritated the employers this year to find that the Union’s negotiators stood up to them and refused. to be bluffed. The employers’ representatives became peevish and arrogant in turn, and peevish and arrogant men are usually more interested in their pettiness than progress toward settlement. Not once, but many times, it has been remarked that present negotiations as conducted by the employers’ bargaining representatives, fell far below the standards set in former years. There has been a complete failure to understand the responsibilities placed upon the Union’s negotiators, and little thought given to the psy- chology of the men on the job. The foulest blow of all was the effort to so delay the conciliation proceedings that the Union might be embar- rassed by their own deadline. No doubt, the hope existed that the Union would be tempted to engage in strike action illegally. This would be accepted as a signal to pounce on the Union and hack it to bits. It might be expected of small men that they would delight in such a situation. By no stretch of the imagina- tion can it be described as the policy of far-sighted busi- ness executives who desire labor-management relations that will contribute to the ultimate prosperity of the industry. Such policies only sow anarchy, deeply-rooted bitter- ness, and would disrupt employer-employee relations for many years to come. Such policies are an open invitation to a return to the violent turbulence which marked the early days of lumbering. The IWA has been given every provocation and every Siete. ot Bluffing a reason to fight. Compliance’ with all the procedures of bargaining and conciliation has produced no results. The employers have opened up no possibility of bargaining, for anything, not even a few technical improvements in the contract, Since the IWA must fight, the IWA will fight. The only effective answer to the employers’ declaration of war is a united and emphatic “Yes” on strike action ballots. If the employers are not then convinced that the workers mean business about a better contract, and treat their demands with some consideration, the fight is on. The employers’ investment capital is, of course, im- portant for the industry. But the owners of the industry should never forget that without labor, no wealth is created. They should also remember that the days of slavery are over, and that free men will insist on the right to some voice in determining the conditions under which they labor. OIL WORKERS GET 15 CENTS DENVER (LPA) — After the Wage Stabilization Board set a 15-cent pattern for agreements already reached, CIO Oil Workers President O. A. Knight, May 16, advised his locals to settle on that basis, and the 17-day nationwide strike of 100,000 appeared over, Knight led a coalition of 22 CIO, AFL and unaffiliated unions in a strike for 25 cents, later cut to 18. The industry had rejected nationwide bargaining, and the workers had quit after three postponements, Industry mem- bers of WSB had held out for 10 cents, 5-DAY WEEK ADVOCATED OTTAWA (CPA) — A fresh blow in his campaign for the five- day week for federal civil serv- ants was struck recently by CCF whip Stanley Knowles. < SPECIAL In a full-length speech on a procedural motion by Finance Minister Abbott, Knowles pointed out that “the majority of both in- dustrial and office workers are already on the five-day week”. He also noted that large numbers of government employees, were already on the shorter week. Among them are people work- ing for the CNR and some 11 other independent government agencies (7,000 in Central Mort- gage, Polymer and Canadian Ar- senals alone). In addition, he stated, regular civil servants in the Toronto area- now work a five-day week, There was no rea- son, he felt, why government workers should not all share the benefits now enjoyed by a sub- stantial minority. Sharing “The whole idea in advocating the five-day week is that with the increased produetivity of our modern economy it is axiomatic that a share of that increased productivity should be passed on to those who produce the nation’s wealth,” he declared. “You do that in various ways. You do it by the scale of wages, by the prices that you pay for farm pro- ducts. You do it by social secur- ity and in various other ways. OLD KEG A real Rye Whisky at a popular price. Made from Rye Grain mashes and matured in oak casks under controlled conditions. UO NGO NEGRYE) LONDON DRY GIN Distilled from grain mashes and rectifled over finest quality im- ported botanicals. The ideal Gin for Cocktails, Collins, etc, FROM COAST TO Coast IT's MELCHERS MELCHERS DISTILLERIES, LIMITED This advertisement is not published or displayed by the Liquor ANS B. C. On DIAMONDS, JEWELRY, SILVERWARE, FURS AND 71 EAST HASTINGS, Cor. COLUMBIA Control Board or by the Government of British Columbia. - ALL VALUABLES Immediate Casht No Red Tape! Unredeemed Diamonds for Sale COLLATERAL LOAN BROKERS LTD. PAcific 355