B.C. LUMBER WORKER

May 21, 1953

pai aa eae

PAPER MAKERS
TURN TO IWA_

_ One thousand workers in the Howard Smith Paper
_ Mills, Cornwall, Ont., have declared their lack of confi-

The IWA-CIO commenced its
campaign in Cornwall after re-
ceiving numerous requests from
workers at the Howard Smith
plant for assistance in building
an aggressive industrial union
local. The requests of the How-
ard Smith Paperworkers for
liberation from the old AFL
Union came shortly before the
Canadian Congress of Labor as-
signed the IWA the job of uni-
fying the Forest Product Work-
ers of Canada, including wood,
pulp and paper, into one large
union, capable of protecting the
workers’ interests.

Challenge Accepted

The IWA accepted this chal-
lenge and has launched its drive
to bring unity into the ranks of
all workers in the Forest Indus-
tries and its by-products. The
necessity for this move can be
seen in negotiations now going
on between the Pulp & Paper

dence in their former AFL bargaining agency, and have

turned to the IWA. An application has been made by them |
to the Ontario Labor Relations Board for- establishment

of bargaining rights through the IWA.

Companies and the AFL.

The Companies are requesting
a wage cut in an industry which
has and is reaping them millions
of dolars in -profits. Only one
strong union can fend off the’
wage cutting demands of the
operators.

CCL - CIO Leads

The GIO and the CCL through
industrial unionism have led th
parade for Canadian workers i
the great industrial units in Ca-
nada. For all of Canada’s major
industries including Steel, Auto, |
Packing, Textile, Rubber and
Coal are under the banner of the |
CIO and the CCL.

The workers in the last great
section of Canada’s industry, the
Forest Products, including pulp
and paper workers, are now tumn-
ing to the IWA to duplicate the
achievements of other great CIO
and CCL Industrial Unions.

CCL SPEEDS
F.E.P. BILL

Firm stand of the Canadian Congress of Labor against
all forms of racial or religious discrimination was made
explicit in a statement made by CCL Secretary-Treasurer
Donald MacDonald when, by special arrangements, his
voice was heard over the IWA Green Gold radio program,

May 14.

“These are busy days in Ottawa.
Parliament has been rushing to
complete its business before the
coronation and a number of bills
have been referred to special
committees of the Commons for
detailed study. That is a custom-
ary practice. The committees
meet in a more informal atmos-
phere than prevails in the House
of Commons and they are able
to take evidence and listen to the
views of people and organiza-
tions outside parliament.

Legislation Watched

It is part of the responsibility
of the Canadian Congress of La-
bor as a central labor organiza-
tion, to watch the proceedings of
these committees, and recently
we have made representation to
the Industrial Relations Commit-
tee on two bills which are of con-
siderable interest and importance
to both organized labor and the
general public.

One of these deals with Fair
Employment Practices and is de-
signed to combat the discrimina-
tion against individuals because
of their race, color or creed. The

other bill has to do with check
off of union dues.

FEP Bill

The Fair Employment Praec-
tices Bill is sponsored by the
government and was introduced
in the House of Commons by the
Minister of Labor, the Hon. Mil-
ton Gregg. We, in the Canadian
Congress of Labor, are stréngly
in support of the principle of this
bill. A free and democratic labor
movement is traditionally oppos-
ed to discrimination.

The constitution of our orga-
nization states our position in
these words ‘The Canadian Con-
gress of Labor stands unequivoc-
ably, the equality of treatment,
regardless of race, creed or color,
and recommends to all affiliated
organizations that they oppose
discrimination on these grounds
wherever it may appear.’ As a
matter of fact, this bill which is
now before parliament, prohibits
discrimination by Unions as well
as by employers. We certainly
have no objection to this because

Moy 29th.

Ist Vice-President
2nd Vice-President
Brd_ Vi oer a
8 -Treasure
International Board Member

Publication date of the next issue of the B.C. LUMBER WORKER
is June 4th. Deadline for ad copy is May 28th and for news copy

PUBLISHED TWICE MONTHLY BY
INTERNATIONAL: WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (Cl0-CCL)
B.C. DISTRICT COUNCIL No. 1, <=>

DISTRICT OFFICERS:

“ Address all communications to
GHORGE H. MITCHELL, Secretary-Treasurer
45 Kingsway - Phone FAirmont 8807-8
Vancouver, B.C.

Authorized as Second Class Mail, Pest Office Dept., Ottawa
24,000 COPIHS PRINTED IN THIS ISSUE

J. Stewart Alsbury

Joe Morris
M. Hodgson
. Fred Fieber
eH. Mitchell
‘iiiiam N. Gray

Feo

$1.50 per annum
G. A. Spencer

Illustrated is the Cruiser’s
|. Stag of pure virgin wool
in mackinaw or kersey.
Mackinaw plaids are either
red and black; green and
black, or blue and black.

pack pocket in back, which

These are two of the

or favorite dealer.

Notice the four large pockets in front, and the large

feature of both mackinaw and kersey garments,
Brand” clothing obtainable from your commissary

Made in Vancouver, B. C., by Jones Tent & Awning
Ltd., they are designed through careful study of the
needs and desires of B.C. workmen.

LOOK
FOR THE
NAME

opens at both sides... a

many designs of “Pioneer

FOR WORK CLOTHING
OF
UNSTINTED MATERIALS
DESIGN and
WORKMANSHIP

jONEER
7 BRAND

REGISTERED

we have nothing to fear from it.

Deserves Support

We believe that the measure
is one which deserves the whole-
hearted support of parliament,
and of the Canadian people as a
whole. It provides penalties to
be imposed on those who are
found to be practising discrimi-
nation to the provisions of the
bill.

Unfair Practices

Now we have no illusions that
the compulsory sections of this
bill will suddenly reform employ-
ers who may be inclined to
practice discrimination. But we
do think that having a specific
law, supplemented by educational
activities, will do much to im-
prove the situation. Canada is a
country of many peoples, whose
joint effort makes our land what
it is. Yet we all know that there
is still a tendency perhaps not as
strong as it once was, but there
js still a tendency to place em-
phasis on groups of people be-
cause of their nationality, their
color or their religion.

These discriminatory practices
differ in various parts of the
country. In some places for in-
stance, the fact that one is
French-Canadian may be a seri-
ous handicap to say the least, in
obtaining a job. In another sec-
tion there may be bitterness
against anyone who is a Jew. In
some places the fact that the man
or woman is of dark skin places
very definite restrictions on the
contribution he or she can make
to society.

Prejudice Fought
Such practices are, of course,

contrary to our democratic be-

liefs and to the basic philosophy
of Christianity. We, in the labor
movement have fought against
these prejudices for many years.
The Ganadian Congress of Labor
and the Trades and Labor Gon-
gress of Canada have worked
jointly to meet this problem. So
it is natural that we welcome the
government sponsorship of this
bill, We do feel, however, and
ve pointed this out to the com-
mittee, that in some respects the
original bill needs strengthening.

We are anxious to see that
definite provision be made for an
education program to accompany
the law and widen its acceptance.
We feel that a serious weakness
of the original measure is the
failure to specifically prohibit the
use of employment application
forms which include questions
about the racial origin, creed,
color or nationality of the person
looking for work.

OTTAWA — If the ratio of
police to the population is any
guide, British Columbia must be
a rough place while Prince Ed-
ward Islanders are comparative
angels.

D.B.S. reports that at last
count the ratio of police per 1000
population was highest in British
Columbia at 2.8 and lowest in

B.C. RATED TOUGH

Prince Edward Island at 0.9.

Newfoundland had the second
highest ratio at 2.5 followed by
Alberta with 2.0, Ontario with
1.9, Quebec with 1.5, New Bruns-
wick with 1.3, Manitoba with 1.2,
Nova Scotia with 1.1, and Sas-
katchewan with 1.0, The national
average was 1.7 policemen for
every 1,000 people.

Money

When you want to send money by mail,
use Canadian Bank of Commerce money
orders. You can buy them at any'Com-
merce branch in British Columbia. They
can be mailed safely — can be cashed
readily. Be safe when mailing money.

Use Canadian Bank
Orders.

See for yourself—today.

THE CAN.

Orders!

of Commerce Money

BANKING BY MAIL is convenient, easy to do.

TAN: BANK

OF COMMERCE

80 Branches in British Columbia

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