10

B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Geo. Mitchell Reports

1e UNION’S BUSINESS

Shingle Mill Problems

REPRESENTATIVES of shingle mill workers who attended

their special conference with members of the District Policy
Committee in Nanaimo, March 21, must now feel that their needs
were properly considered in the deliberations of the Wages and
Contract Conference. The Union is now prepared to champion

their major demand.

The IWA serves
the interests of all) y
the workers in the
lumber industry|
and seeks to bind)” ©
them together that}
the greatest bene-
fit may be obtained)
through the com-|
bined maximum|
strength. Such is
the major purpose of industrial
unionism, which has stood wood-
workers in good stead through-
out the years.

Special Problems

This over-riding consideration

has not blinded the IWA to the

necessity of negotiating adequate |

rates for skilled workers com-
mensurate with their skills and
responsibilities. It has not. pre-
vented the IWA from recognizing
that the shingle mills form a
branch of the industry with spe-
cial problems that cannot be
ignored,

Allthese special problems were
aired at the Nanaimo conference
with exclusive attention to the
needs of shingle mill workers.
These problems were again sur-
veyed in the Wages and Contract
conference when the needs of all
sections of the industry were
welded together into a concrete
program for the whole.

Full Bargaining Strength

This now places the full bar-
gaining strength of the whole
Union behind the major demand
of the shingle workers, as it does
behind the principal needs of the
loggers and other categories. We
are all woodworkers, and all de-
rive our livelihood from the one
industry.

It was gratifying to observe
that the shingle mill workers
grasped this principle and pur-
sued the logical: course to gain
their ends. It was also gratifying
to note that by their action they

won: the respect and support of
their fellow-workers in other sec-
tions of the industry.

The views of the shingle mill
workers, as stated, made clear
that- they have maintained the
tradition of being sound Union
men and not adverse at any time
| to scrapping for their rights,

Every idea proposed at the
special conference had merit, and
if finally adopted, would immeas-
urably improve working condi-
tions in the mills.

Union Label

The existence of piece-work
| yates is bound to conceal many
inequities not readily abolished,
under the system.

The demand for the use of the
Union Label was significant in
view of the recent approval given
; the label by the International
| Executive Board. If this could

would improve the market in the
United States, now hampered
somewhat by an attempted boy-
cott.

It must be noted, however, that
the use of the Union Label is
contingent upon the establish-
ment of full union shop condi-
tions. To gain union shop condi-
tions which will prove advan-
tageous to shingle mill workers
especially, the whole union must
bargain vigorously, as we are
now prepared to do at this year’s
bargaining table.

The shingle mill workers took
the proper avenue for the venti-
lation of their grievances and
made substantial progress. Their
special problems are difficult of
adjustment, and may take time
for final settlement.

The major consideration for
them is that they have won the
most powerful ally for their
cause in the whole-hearted sup-
port of their fellow-members in
the IWA.

Interior Members
Need Support By VIC MAURO

The many and varied pr

‘oblems of the Interior Local

Unions and particularly those of the Cranbrook area should
be of grave concern to all IWA members. Before these
problems can be solved intelligently, a thorough under-
standing of just what they embrace, should be reached.

In my recent visit to this Local,
I was first amazed at its sprawl-
ing nature and the terrific scope
and distances encompassed with-
in its far-reaching boundaries.

Since it is neither feasible nor
practical to service the entire
Local from Cranbrook, the plan
to set up a sub-office in Nelson
should be put into action without
delay. This office could serve the
dual purpose of serviceing the
Western sector as well as assist-
ing in its organization.

Another serious problem, and
one which is peculiar to the Cran-
brook Local alone, is the fact that
they have the last remnants of
the WIUC splinter group still
active in this part of B.C.

It is my opinion, however, that
a concerted organizational drive
early this Spring could send this
rebel union down to final and
lasting defeat. But, as the old
saying goes—“time is of the es-
sence”—and an immediate attack
is of vital necessity.

Bitter Struggle

'The membership in the South-
ern Interior have undergone a
long, drawn-out and bitter strug-
gle in the past few years, The

t,

Fen ae

odds have been high and the ob-
stacles many, and they have not
received too much assistance
from their more powerful bro-
thers on the Coast.

It has been a hard-fought bat-
tle of survival, and victory could
be in sight if the promises of the
District Conyention are carried
out at once.

I would like to take this op-
portunity to express ‘my sincere
pleasure of meeting the many
kind people and my appreciation
of the splendid cooperation which
I received during my stay there.
It is my sincere hope that I may
be able to return soon to visit
with them again.

I am confident they will march
forward to bigger and better
gains, and that the future prom-
ises well for them. I was espe-
cially impressed by their deter-
mination to overcome the many
problems .that consistently con-
front any organization of men
and women who desire nothing
more than a decent way of liv-
ing, and I will watch future de-
velopments in that area with con-
siderable and respectful interest.

be used in the shingle trade, it]

The report stated in part:

“The past year has seen many
changes in the world and national
political scene and we believe that
the dangers inherent in some of
these changes should be pointed
out to our membership. For the
first time within the knowledge
of most of us, our Province is
ruled by a minority government
and their actions have been fol-
lowed ‘with much concern by a
great many of our membership.

Legislation Neglected
This government has made no
effort to introduce into the legis-
lature those necessary changes
to the Industrial Conciliation and
Arbitration Act, Workmen’s Com-
pensation Act, B.C. Hospital In-
surance Act, and other pieces of
labor and social legislation in re-
gard to which the labor move-
ment generally has been clamor-
ing for amendments in order to
make them more effective in car-
rying out their original inten-
tions.

On the national scene it is
entirely probable that we will
have a Federal election some
time in the latter part of the
year and your officers take this
opportunity to urge that each
and every one of you make sure
that you exercise your fran-
chise and also advise you to
urge your friends to vote so
that when parliament as-
sembles again it will be com-
posed of those people who have

Vigilance Urged

Officers’ Report submitted to the Annual Membership
Meeting of Local 1-80, IWA, on March 22, warned the
membership of a continuing struggle for satisfactory con-
tract terms, and urged the utmost vigilance to maintain
the progress reflected in the officers’ review of the Local
Union’s affairs for the past year.

been elected by the vast ma-
jority of the Canadian people
and will have the kind of rep-
resentation that will give the
utmost consideration to the de-
mands of organized labor and
to the welfare of all citizens
of this country.

International View

On the international scene
many important events have
taken place. The undeclared wars
of Korea, Indo-China and Malaya
are still being carried on with
apparently no end in sight. Cer-
tain alarming signs of new de-
velopments in the China situa-
tion by the removal of the pro-
tective naval screen by the U.S.
President and there is evidence
of renewed support being given
to Chiang Kai Shek by the new
American government, and we
believe that our country’s repre-
sentantives at the U.N. should
apply whatever pressure, eco-
nomic or political, that they may
possess in an effort~to prevent
the spread of these undeclared
wars and bring about as soon as
possible a cessation of all hostili-
ties, consistent with the policies
of the United Nations Organiza-
tion, which we support.

We believe that the events of
the past year presage a period of
continued struggle. How bitter
the struggle will be no one can
foretell. The operators of the
B.C. Forest Industries are adopt-

ing a policy of “hold the line”
all additional costs. They are
tightening down on job eondi-
tions. They are attempting to
take away many of the more
favorable job conditions that we
have been able to establish out-
side of the contract at many of
our operations.

Struggle Ahead

It is common knowledge that
they are digging in and preparing
to fight us this year and in order
to offset these actions of the op-
erators and in order to effectively
and successfully wage and con-
clude any struggle that we may
enter, we ask every one of our
members to assume the full re-
sponsibility of their obligations
as a member of this Union—to
take part in the discussions and
decisions of the organization and
to wholeheartedly support the
policy laid down by the majority.

We all must realize out of
our bitter experience of the
past that our best protection
against disaster or defeat in
any struggle that we may enter
into, and the best guarantee of
victory in that struggle is the
solidarity of our membership,
and this solidarity of purpose
will depend to a large extent
on the development of a pro-
gram satisfactory to the mem-
bership as a whole, and our
determination to fight to build
and preserve our Union.

We are proud to be able to say
that this Local Union of the In-
ternational Woodworkers of
America has maintained its place
as the third largest: Local Union
in the whole International, being
only exceeded in membership
strength by the two Urban Lo-
cals of the lower mainland of
British Columbia, the Vancouver
!and New Westminster Locals,”

orb

This advertisement is not published or di: b
. y the Government

On July 23, 1904, Sir Henry Joly de Lotbiniere opened the Fraser
River Bridge—the first bridge to span the mouth of the Fraser
ond provide a direct rail and road link to the United States,

B.C. FURSI'S

In 1904, William Braid: founded B.C.’s first
distillery, and established the standard of quality
that distinguishes B.C. Double Distilled Rye.
Discover for yourself why B.C. Double Distilled
is preferred by British Columbians for its superb
flavour... its light body and mellow smoothness,

THE BRITISH COLUMBIA DISTILLERY CO. LTD.

NEW WESTMINSTER,

The Distinguished Products of British Columbia’s First Distillery

B.C, DOUBLE DISTILLED + B.C, EXPORT + B.C RESERVE + B.C. SPECIAL + B.C. STERLING LONDON DRY GIN

ie

Britis

=