Les Saar dein aat

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4 ‘June 19, 1952

B.C. LUMBER WORKER

_ IWA STATEMENT FROM PAGE 1

_ OPERATORS BLOCKED SETTLEMENT

(9) Wages paid B.C. lumber workers have averaged

35 cents an hour less than have been paid lumber workers
in Washington and Oregon for comparable work, although
ing costs are now approximately the same. This pro-
the B. C. operator with an advantage in the American

ket, and places the B.C. worker in the position of

ermining
the United States.

Since the IWA membership
took in 1948 to repudiate
Communist control, the affairs of
the Union, especially in such
matters as contract terms, have
been under the control of the
membership through strictly en-
foreed democratic procedures,
The current contract demands
were formulated in the Local
Unions by the rank and file mem-
bers and in delegate conventions
and conferences later.

The demands mentioned above,
were based on the actual needs
and experience of the workers on
the job, and have been so re-
spected by the Union’s officers.

‘imultaneously with the prepara-

of these demands the Union’s
embership declared last Janu-
ary in open convention that if
Satisfactory contract relations
were not established upon termi-
nation of the contract, June 15,
work would cease, This latter
decision was re-affirmed on sey-
eral occasions subsequently, and
constituted a mandate for the
negotiating committee.

Expiry Date Deadline

The instruction received from
the membership regarding the
completion of negotiations was a
warning to the Union’s negotia-
tors as well as the employers,
that they would not tolerate the
delaying tactics used in former
years to weaken the bargaining
Position of the Union. The ter-
mination date of the contract

STALLING

Were all directed toward making
it more difficult for the Union to
properly discharge its responsi-
ilities under the contract.

In the light of these counter-
pecececls from the operators the
lemand for a wage cut when re-
ferred to the membership was
quickly declared intolerable. It
was all the more intolerable in
view of rising living costs ex-
Pperienced, the prospect of further
inflation of prices, and the losses
sustained by many thousands of
workers due to weather condi-
tions during the past year,

, Under the laws of the prov-
ince, sixty clear days are allo-
cated at the end of the contract
asad for completion of bargai,
ing and any Necessary concilia-
tion. Recognizing the need for
genuine bargaining, the Union
was prompt, and throughout the
oes ied period made every ef-

to use the time alloted to

the best advantage ii it
oe ige in reaching a

Unexplained Delays
On April 8, the Union’s pro-

Were communicated to the
ri. » and oss 16, be
'§ representatives present
themselves at the “offices of Forest
Industrial Relations Lid. expect-
ing that bargaining would then
commence, It was not until April
21 that the employers’ bargain-
agents would enter into bar-
fe re
a jay r delay oc-
eurred which were not the re-
ad of the ee, see
an important bearin;
that occurred on the final

on
a strike action became

standards established by the same Union in

was fixed as a result of bargain-
ing at a time in the year when
the Union could most easily
Secure ratification for any deci-
sion by the maximum number of
lumber workers.

The contract demands made by
the Union were prepared in ail
sincerity as being desirable and
necessary -for the well-being of
the workers participating. They
were presented in good faith,
with the expectation that they
would be examined, perhaps op-
posed, but that bargaining would
lead, to some mutually advan-
tageous agreement,

Unlike former years, when
such bargaining was conducted
with some give and take, the
Union this year was confronted
with a declaration by the opera-
tors’ representatives, that noth-
ing proposed would be accepted,
and that they would not sign any
contract unless it provided for a
reduction of. wages. Bargaining
in the atmosphere thus establish-
ed was no longer bargaining, but
a declaration of war on the Union
by the employers,

Everything Ditched

The Union’s non-monetary pro-
posals advanced in good faith
from experience gained in at-
tempting to make the contract
work harmoniously on the job
were brushed aside with counter-
proposals which could only be
described as alarming. They

TACTICS

corresponding period, made its
report on May 25.

The public hearings of the Con-
ciliation Board ended on June 4,
this year, On June 7, we were
advised that our nominee on the
Board, Mr. Lawrence Vandale,
had submitted a minority report,
the contents of which could not
be disclosed to the Union until
forwarded by the Labor Relations
Board.

No Settlement

The IWA was then obliged to
accept the conclusion that the
majority of the Board would not
consider any settlement even ap-
proximating one that would be
aceeptable to the Union. The
Union immediately approached
the Labor Relations Board ask-
ing that all necessary prelimi-
nary preparations be made for a
government -supervised strike
vote on June 18, The Union was
assured that upon reasonable no-
tice, there would be no difficulty
in complying with the ‘request,
on the date suggegted.

_ Further disquieting and re-
liable information reached the
Union regarding delays proposed
to hamper its bargaining rights,
and the membership was apprais-
ed of the situation, in the belief
that a satisfactory settlement
would not be recommended.

The Union’s Negotiating com-
mittee was vindicated in this po-
sition when the majority recom-
mendations were received on June
11, Almost simultaneously the

FOR
Fire - Auto Insurance

-|lots cast gave a mandate to the

Union’s customary balloting on
acceptance or rejection and auth-
orization of strike action was
conducted. Ninety-three per cent
of the members voted, as the bal-
loting was conducted, counted
and certified on the job by the
members in each operation.

Ninety-five percent of the bal-

District Policy Committee to de-
clare a strike situation on June
15, failing any satisfactory settle-
ment.

Democratic Voting

This decision was reached by
secret ballot, and was conducted
with all the procedures custom-
arily employed to protect the
secrecy of the ballot, The super-
vision and tabulation excelled
that displayed by the provincial
government on June. 12 in the
provincial general election. The
results afforded a clear-cut ex-
pression of the will of the mem-
bership. It was beyond the pur-
view of any committee to set
aside any such emphatic declara-
tion.

time their attitude was one of
complete obstruction of any dis-
cussion of settlement, on the pre-
text that the deadline was a
threat, which prohibited any fur-
ther bargaining.

It was pointed out that no
strike orders had been issued at
the time, and that the alleged
obstruction had been known to
them throughout the entire 60-
day period of negotiations. The
representatives of the employers
walked out of the conference of
their own volition, upon indicat-
ing that they were no longer in-
terested in discussing any com-
promise, Corroboration of this
fact can be established by all
others present.

The IWA Negotiating Commit-
tee remained on duty throughout
the evening in readiness to dis-
cuss settlement, but no such op-
portunity was given them. Only
at the eleventh hour was the
membership of the Union inform-
ed that no satisfactory settle-
ment was possible, and that
therefore the cease-work resolu-
tion adopted by the membership
in convention and confirmed by
referendum secret ballot earlier
automatically took. effect.

Dictatorial Attitude

The Union’s negotiators have
been accustomed to meeting with
tough bargainers on the employ-
ers’ side of the table, but never
have they encountered represen-
tatives who engaged in more pro-
vocative tactics, and who were
evidently more’ concerned with
their prestige than with genuine
conciliation. On the other hand,
they evidently expected the
Union’s representatives to

wn
i

Top Dog Says: “Next time Bill
Rea wants to interview a dog
trainer on his ROVING MIKE
show at 8:45 a.m, he can go by
himself !”

Instead of following the usual
procedure, the Labor Relations
Board took the unprecedented
step of suspending the super-
vised-strike vote which ordinarily
would have been held. The Board
informed the Union that it was
liable to be charged with failure
to engage in genuine bargaining
and that the application for a
strike vote would be held in
abeyance,

Employers Quarrelsome

The Union lodged a protest
against this procedure, but com-
plied with the Board’s request to
meet with the employers on June
13. This conference proved fruit-
less. The Union scaled down its
monetary demands in a spirit of
compromise, but the employers’
representatives held firm to the
Board’s majority _recommenda-
tions which involved a wage cut.
No progress could be made in
discussion of any proposals, ad-
vanced.

Under pressure from the Labor
Relations Board, the employers’
representatives attended a brief
conference on June 14, At this

IWA SOUGHT PEACE

knuckle down to every one of
their suggestions and at their
demand, set aside the expressed
mandate of the membership rep-
resented by the Union.

We deplore the fact that the
employers’ interests were repre-
sented by men who fail to under-
stand the psychology of the work-
ers, and who are unable to meet
on ‘these problems in a spirit of
frankness and reasonable give

and take. They could not have
done more to precipitate the pres-
ent situation had they issued a
direct invitation to the IWA to
establish their picket lines from
the outset of negotiations. Lum-
ber workers are not a breed of
men that are easily browbeaten
or cowed into submission to ty-
rannical demands, -The Union’s
negotiators were close to the
minds of the men on the job, and
kept faith with the membership

No Pay

It is grossly unfair on the part
of the operators’ representatives
to suggest that'a strike situation
was forced on them at the whim
of the Union’s officers. The [WA
is so constituted that no group
or individual in the Union can
gain any advantage by precipi-
tating or maintaining a strike
situation. The officers of the
Union on salary, had their sal-
aries discontinued from the mo-
ment that production ceased. The
members of the Union now on
picket duty are serving the Union
without any recompense.

Workers’ Sacrifice

The Union’s officers: are well
aware that the workers and their
families must undergo grave sac-
rifices, far greater than any other
section of the community. They
have chosen to face these sacri-
fices, because they believe that
they are entitled under the cir-
cumstances to better living and
working conditions. They are
meeting these sacrifices bravely
because they have learned from

See WAGE CUT, Page 9

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