wes Vancouver IWA IWA MEMBERS ACCEPT SLOAN PLAN ENDS LENGTHY STRIKE Settlement of the 45-day strike in the Coast lumber industry came with dramatic suddenness on July 29, when Chief Justice Sloan planed to Vancouver at the request of the IWA Negotiating Committee to supervise the drafting of an agreement on terms approved by membership vote the previous Sunday, and which would enable immediate and safe withdrawal of strike pickets, in operations accept- ing the agreement. At the end of a week’s media- tion effort, the Chief Justice re- leased a statement in which he stated that a formula for settle- ment acceptable to both parties had not been found possible. On his own responsibility, he offered recommended terms of settle- ment, The IWA Negotiating Committee undertook to submit the recommendations to the mem- bership, and report back at noon on the following Monday. Voting, which was conducted at all Local Union centres Sun- day, July 27, was promptly tabu- lated and reported to the Chief Justice as agreed. He was in- formed that a majority of the membership favored acceptance. In the meantime, it was learned that the operators’ representa- tives had requested an extension of time. This made it necessary for the Negotiating Committee to instruct that the picket lines be held until the approved agree- ment had actually been signed. A statement issued by the op- erators demanding immediate withdrawal of picket lines Jed to widespread confusion as to their intentions, with the result that the further intervention of the Chief Justice was considered necessary. . The Chief Justice placed his signature on, the agreement to indicate his wililngness to arbi- trate any disagreement that might arise in the final drafting of the amended master contract. He also undertook to act as me- diator, should it be required, dir- ae permissible wage revision in December, now prorsed for in the new agreement, WHAT'S INSIDE As quickly as the agreement ‘was signed, District President J. Stewart Alsbury spoke on a series of radio broadcasts, in- structing all IWA members that the strike had ended, and that they should hold themselves available for a return to work. Sawmills immediately com- menced calling employees back to duty. Logging companies act- ed with less haste, because of ex- isting log supplies and the expec- tation of a forest closure on ac- count of fire hazards. When the agreement was sign- ed, sixteen operations were ex- cluded, as either they had reject- ed the agreement or had not re- ported to Forest Industrial Rela- tions. With very few exceptions, these operations subsequently signed with the IWA, as strike action was continued against them without abatement. Immediately, Local Unions took steps to secure agreements with operators bargaining inde- pendently of Forest Industrial Relations Ltd., to establish a uni- form panibean, of settlement throughout the entire industry, Members ote On spy NA y a Yo WAN \ Offical Pebttation of the Intonnational Wooduorhers of America nt. vis CovscitNe.2 Vol. XX, No. 16 Ls JULY 31, 1952 5c PER COPY VANCOUVER, B. C. SETTLEMENT AS SIGNED Terms of the agreement signed on July 29, and wit- nessed by Chief Justice Sloan are, in summary, as follows: at A wage increase of 51;- cents-an-hour across the board, establishing a new base rate of $1.35 an hour. 2) The continuation of the present cost of living bo- nus, which at present amounts to 11 cents an hour. 3, Three paid statutory holi- days — Christmas Day, Dominion Day, Labor Day. G Provision for re-opening of wage negotiations in December, upon application from either party, with Chief Justice Sloan acting as me- diator, if required. 5 Withdrawal of all picket lines immediately, and all employees to hold themselves in readiness for return to work, Chief Justice Sloan to draft clauses incorporat- ing terms of settlement in master agreement. His deci- sion, after mutual discussion, to be final and binding. FW The employers to drop all injunction proceedings, and to release the Union and its officers from all damage or other claims before the courts. 8 No member of the Union to’ be discriminated against because of strike ac- tivities. Any employee on holiday, or unable to return to work immediately, not to | be discriminated against. The husband was laid off three days before the strike deadline. As he had suffered the amputa- tion of one leg, he took the op- portunity to travel to Vancouver for necessary treatment. His wife and two children remained in their house on company prop- erty, as he expected to return later to his employment as me- chanic. When. strike action appeared to be effective the sub-contractor called on the wife and ordered ‘her to leave camp the same after- noon. His methods of intimida- , tion frightened her, especially as Loggers Blast Cruel Eviction With a scathing condemnation of the cruel treatment accorded the wife and small children of logger Stan Mc- Conkey by the Selwyn Logging Co., Q.C.L., sub-contractor for Alaska Pine and Cellulose Co. Ltd., during the recent strike, Local 1-71, IWA, instructed legal counsel last week to find redress in the courts for the victimized family. she was not able to communicate immediately with her husb@nd in Vancouver, She sold her store of groceries on hand in order to pur- chase ‘tickets for the plane jour- ney on which the employer in- sisted that same afternoon. .On arrival in Queen Charlotte City she was cared for by friends until her husband learned of her light and placed funds at her isposal. Later she travelled to Vancou- is but’ upon attempting to re- See EVICTION Page 2 SECRET ALLOT DECIDES ISSUE Spectacular series of membership mass meetings in 14 IWA Local Union centres on July 27 signalled the end of the strike, when voting, conducted by secret ballot, gave a majority in favor of accepting the recommendations of Chief Justice Sloan. Recommendation of the District Policy Committee was for acceptance. 2 Interior Asks Conciliation Conciliation Officer Robert Forgie has been appointed by the Labor Relations Board to hear the disputes between the IWA and the Northern and Southern In- terior lumber operators. Conferences to explore the pos- sibilities of this phase of concilia- tion are now scheduled. Reliable observers report that the gulf between the operators and the Union was so great when bar- gaining deadlocked, that the ap- pointment of Conciliation Boards may be inevitable. Efforts will be made to speed the conciliation proceedings. to overtake the delays caused earlier, when the operators’ bar- gaining representatives professed to be unprepared to deal with the Union’s demands. Delays Again The District Policy Committee, to which has been added repre- sentatives of the Interior Local Unions, attended a series of con- ferences in Prince George and Vancouver, during which the de- mands of the Union were pre- sented forcefully. It was found then that the operators preferred to sit out the strike then in pro- gress at the Coast. Quarterly Meet August 16-17 Quarterly meeting of the IWA B.C. District Council will be held in the Moose Auditorium, Vancouver, on August 16-17, commencing at 10 a.m. On the preceding day, August 15, the quarterly meeting of the District Safe- ty Coucil will meet in the Patricia Room, Hotel Geor- gia, at 10 a.m. Members of the District Policy Committee were in attendance at the meetings and explained the developments ‘which lay be- hind the recommendation. Bal- lots were then distributed, and as the members filed out of the meetings they dropped their ballots in boxes provided for the purpose. Tabulation was then undertaken and reported by the elected tabulation committees to the District Office the folowing morning. Local 1-217 Largest meeting was that sponsored by Local 1-217, IWA, in the Exhibition Forum, Exhibi- tion Park, where approximately « 5000 IWA members assembled. Chief spokesmen on the occasion were President Lloyd Whalen and Financial Secretary S. M. Hodg- son. 4 Almost rivalling the Vancouver meeting for a large attendance was the assembly of Local 1-357, IWA, members—4000 strong—in the Queen’s Park Arena, New Westminster. District President J. S, Alsbury and Business Agent Rae Eddie were the featured speakers. * 4 The Fraser Valley was effec- tively covered by a series of shmeetings at Hammond, Mission, - Harrison Hot Springs and Hope under the auspices of Local 1- 367, IWA. District Secretary George Mitchell, and Local Union ‘ officers Neil‘Shaw and W. Frank- lin debated the issues at these rallies, all well attended. Vancouver Island On Vancouver Island, Locals 1-118, 1-80, 1-85, and: 1-363 held meetings simultaneously at Vic- toria, Chemainus, Lake Cowichan, Duncan, Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Port Alberni, Courtenay, and Campbell River. At all points a record attendance was reported, with intense interest in the out- come of mediation. Loggers’ Rally A loggers’ meeting was staged by Local 1-71, IWA, in the Pen- der Auditorium, Vancouver, on the same date. Logger members of Local Unions other than Local 1-71 were on hand and recorded their votes, A noteworthy feature of all meetings was the freedom of de- ‘bate, with members expressing ‘views both for and against ac- ceptance. 5 See BALLOT Page 2