Shetek Sie wiins Sioa

B.C. LUMBER WORKER t

a indisputable economic facts,

y of Reckoning”

» During the rebuttal, Carl Winn
stated: va

“The Employers’ efforts to be-
fuddle these negotiations and to
clutter up this presentation be-
fore the Board with the pro-
foundness of the foreign markets
leaves us cold. We are as well
aware of what is going on in the
foreign markets as are the Em-
ployers.

We not only know what has
been sent over there in recent
years and what is being sent at
the present time and at what

__ CHALLENGE”

prices but we also know what is

BREAKDOWN OF SALES DOLLAR

M,&B,
Net Profit 9.0
Paid in Dividendw Bie

Retamed in Business
come
Ww eX, Si
Materinin
Exeixe and
Other Expenser ..
Depreciation & Depletion

M, & B—MacMillan & Bloedel Ltd.

C.M.A.—Canadian Manufacturers? Association Survey
U.S.—Weyerhueuxer Timber Company.

being projected as the trend and
prospects for the next seven
years.
“We doubt very much that the
Employers are as well informed.
“We will not permit the Em-
ployers to throw around state-
ments loosely this year that leave
insinuations that the lumber mar-
ket is going to the ‘dogs’ and
that our people are going to be
faced wit! employment if the
companies are forced to give us
any kind of a wage increase.
“We were pushed around in
negotiations last year but a
day of reckoning is now on
hand.”

Company

8.0e

3.0¢

G.0c
12.06
28.00
46.00

Oe

Board Hears Fare
Allowance Case

Provision for fare allowance
to loggers required to work in
remote and isolated camps was
one of the demands emphasized
by the IWA Negotiating Com-
mittee before the Conciliation
Board.

The following extract from the
Union’s brief illustwates the ar-
guments employed in support of
the demand:

“This proposed article has ref-
erence to workers who are re-
quired to go to camps in isolated
areas at an out-of-pocket cost to
them which seriously reduces
their earning power and consti-
tutes an unreasonable penalty for
their willingness to go out to
areas where the labor supply is
at a premium,

In an effort to make it worth-
while for good workers to go out
to such locations, and in the in-
terest of providing stability in
those camps, the Union is sub-
mitting the proposal that the
fare to and from these camps,
after a reasonable length of time
on the job, be paid in full.

Such provisions are already in
effect between the operators and
the Union in a number of out-
lying camps but up to the pres-
ent time nothing has been writ-
ten specifically into the Contract.

Since there is no guarantee as
to the length of time a man may
be employed in any of these out-
lying camp operations from the
time he commences work, fare
costs can materially decrease his
net hourly return on his labor.

Since the average fare from
‘Vancouver to these camps vary
from a few dollars to $60 one
way, let us use an example of
what a $30 one-way fare does to
a worker’s net earnings,

Typical Case

Let us take a hypothetical case
of a worker that’ goes to work at
an outlying area on a job that
pays an hourly rate of $1.75. He
pays his fare of $30 one way to
get to his job and after he has
been there only a month he is
laid off due to weather conditions
or something else beyond his
personal control,

He has to return to Vancouver
at a cost of another $30 to him.
His gross earnings for the 30
days of work would amount to

From this we would deduct

0 for fare which would give

net earnings for the 30-day

$360 or

a a

seriously effected.”

hour oy nearly 15%.

Now this is not just an isolated
case or instance that we have
cited. A great many men, in the
course of a year, are sent to these
camps and shortly after they get
there the camps close down
through no fault of the men.
This results in an unreasonable
situation and it is causing the
Union great concern at this time.
We believe that it is the respon-
sibility of the Employers to as-
sure these men, in advance, that
if they live up to certain qualifi-
cations that they will not suffer
financial loss for having gone to
these outlying camps, not only to
veceive a reasonable return for
their efforts but also to further
the interests of this industry and
to increase the profits of the
Employer.

Q.C.I. Wage Differential

There is a-wage differential in
the Queen Charlotte Islands of
9¢ per hour for all loggers in
that area which was instituted
during the war years and agreed
to by the War Labour Board at
that time as being a way of re-
imbursing the people who work-
ed on this Island, for the fare to
and from this point.

This differential has been con-
tinued since 1947 by mutual
agreement of the IWA and Stu-
art Research ‘as a condition of
employment in that area. This
same 9¢ proposition has been ex-
tended to various isolated points
on the mainland.

The IWA also has under con-
tract at the present time the
Kitimat Constructors which pro-
vides for the payment of fare
one way after 80 days of service
and both ways after 60 days.
This, of course, is considerably
better than the clause the Union
is presently requesting in these
negotiations.

It is the Union’s contention
that these various differentials,
which have been in effect for
years, be inserted into the con-
tract as afi established condition
of employment and that where
they are not presently existing
that steps be taken to include
such conditions as part of the
contract itself,

A favorable recommendation
from the Board as to the prin-
ciple involved in such isolated
eases would be of mutual benefit
to both the Employer and to the
members of our Union who are

FROM PAGE 1

“WINN WARNS UNION”

‘presented these past couple of
days. In essence it is a presenta-
tion of the same old “singing the
blues” that has been the pattern
over the past few years,

The words are a little different
but the tune is the same. I guess
the Employers figure these old
arguments have bamboozled the
Board in the past and will again,
I think they grossly underesti-
mate the intelligence of this
year’s Board.

In the past the Employers have
brazenly issued “souped-up” fi-
gures and made exaggerated
statements without any necessity
for proving them with supporé-
ing evidence. This year they are
being called upon to prove every
“wild” statement they make.
There are many red faces when
such proof is called for, I assure

you.
Weakest Yet

In our opinion the Employers’
brief and presentation was. the
weakest in our memory, the rea-
son for this being the yery im-
portant fact that economic con-
ditions are so good in the indus-
try and the Employers are enjoy-
ing such a tremendous business
this year that it is virtually im-
possible - for Forest Industrial
Relations to set forth any strong
arguments favoring the Employ-
ers’ position of no wage increase.

We have a couple of more
rounds coming up in the way of
rebuttal—and we are well pre-
pared.”

Kenney Statement

Research Director, Ed Kemney,
said:

“We presented a number of
Exhibits before the Board and
some of them should interest
you, I will mention a few of the
more important ones at this time
to give you an insight into why
we think we have an excellent
case this year, if judged on its
merits as we trust it will be.

We pointed out in one exhibit
that while the IWA received 5%4¢
last year in a wage increase, the
pattern for all of Canada was for
10¢ and over. (63.9% of over
1,600 contracts studied, covering
62% of over 600,000 employees,
received 10 cents or more per
hour in wage increase last year.)

Market Improving

We pointed out that orders be-
ing received this year in the lum-
ber industry are running approxi-
mately 20 percent more than a
year ago— discounting the unfi-
nished U.K. order of that period.

We pointed out that production
is 8 to 10 percent greater than
last year. Shipments are 6 to 8
percent above a year ago. Ex-
port trade is 20 percent more
than last year.

Prospects Bright

In general the Employers are
heading toward their greatest
sales year in all history. The
only thing that stands in their
way is a shut-down of operations
if the Conciliation Board’s recom-
mendations do not meet with
your approval, or if the Employ-
ers refuse to accept the Board’s
recommendations,

We have pointed out to the
Board that prices are still high
enough to insure continued good
profits to the Employers and at
the same time allow you to share
more in proportion than you have
to date.

Profits Increased

We showed in our exhibit
that since 1946 the Employers’
profits have increased from $13
million to $26 million in just
five companies. This represents
a 100 percent increase, During
this same period your wages
have increased 64 percent and,
if we include the cost-of-living

cent. Had you shared propor-
tionately in the profits over
these past six years your pres-
ent rate of pay would be 15
percent higher than it is right
now.

Woodworkers Behind

We pointed out to the Board
that our wage increases have not
kept pace with the increases
given in other industries in this
|'same area. We are now 165 cents
behind industries that in 1949 we
were ahead of by 2 to 5 cents.

We pointed out that recent
wage settlements in this area for
this year have followed a pattern
of 3%4c to 7%4c an hour increase
which have put these other in-
dustries even farther ahead of
us for the ensuing year.

We pointed out that the new
tax structure will save the Em-
ployer 2 percent on the first $20,-
000 and 8 percent on all above
$20,000, For one Company alone
this will amount to nearly $1
million.

We also pointed out that the
dollar exchange between the U.S.
and Canada is now nearly the
same and that the Employers
will gain another $1% million in
the next 12 months as a result of
this,

These are but a few of the
economic factors which we pre-
sented to substantiate the fact
that you are entitled to a sub-
stantial wage increase and that
the Employers can easily afford
to give it to you.”

Hard employers and tough
foremen build the strongest

unions,
x #

The thing opened most often
by mistake is the human mouth.

MATERNITY

213.

= 01953 Cree Srammyre,

“You must be a non-union ‘man.
When I slapped your baby, he just.
turned the other cheek.”

IWA MEN
LIKELY
CHOICES

Although the final election re-
sults will not be known until
after the final count which com-
mences June 30th, predictions are
freely made that at least five of
the seven IWA-PAC candidates
will emerge victors in the battle
of the ballots. -

John Squire (Alberni), Local
1-85; Tony Gargrave (MacKen-
zie), Local 1-217; Rae Eddie
(New Westminster), Local 1-357;
Bill Thompson (Salmon Arm),
Local 1-417; and Frank Howard
(Skeena), Local 1-71 are all con-
ceded to have the best chances
of winning their respective rid-
ings.

GOT T0

cents a day.

bonus, the increase is 75 per-

WHAT HAVE YOU

Ost?

A valuable watch? A ring you just couldn’t re-
place? Important papers? Savings Bonds?—Any
small personal possession you would hate to lose?

Then why risk loss? Why even worry about it
when complete protection—against fire, theft and
Joss — costs so little? You can rent a Safety
Deposit Box at the B of M for less than two

Bring your valuables to your nearest
B of M branch as soon as you can.
always pays to play safe.

* WY BANK

Toa wires cuss

Bank or MonTREAL
Canadas First Sank A

WORKING WITH CANADIANS IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE SINCE 1817