BRINGING the conciliation

Marathon to a close was a
job reserved for Brother Carl
Winn. It was a short summa-
tion,

After distributing copies of a
large chart which clearly and
succinctly presented the Union’s
ease, Brother Winn finished with
a few quiet remarks, He compli-
mented the operators’. group on
their conduct during the long,
tiring series of conciliation meet-
ings.

Then he thanked Chairman
Lynn and Board members Smeal
and Robson for their patient at-
tention to the immense amount
of material presented by both
sides. Not to be outdone in the
use of warmer sentiments, the
operators’ spokesman, Mr. Hef-
fernan, expressed similar feelings
for his group.

Chairman Lynn then compli-
mented both sides on the ex-
tremely high tone which prevail-
ed during the long sessions, The
Board would now retire and pon-
der the mass of exhibits pre-
sented by both sides, he said.

Grueling Experience
Thus, on Friday, June 9, a
tough, grueling series of con-
ciliation meetings ended. One
must not assume that because
the level of conduct was rather
gentlemanly that the sessions
were not hard fought. It was
a grim business and it was car-
ried out in dead earnest by two
groups of very serious men.
The “Action” attracted the at-
tention of a small but highly in-
terested gallery representing
both the'Union and the Opera-
tors. The most interesting ob-
servation to impress itself on the
gallery was that the pace was
set and maintained by the Union.
Despite the high-priced talent
available to the Operators’ group,
they were never able to get away
from defensive rear-guard action.
If ever a group showed respect
for its opponents it was John
Billings and Company.

Able Presentation

There was excellent reason for
this feeling on their part. The
Union’s case, as master-minded
by Brother Ed Kenney, wag a
beautiful piece of production.
The calibre of the Union’s effort
forced the FIR contingent to

+ abandon any thought they may
have had about just coasting
along.

Some of the Operators’ gallery
came back again and again, each
time registering more than a
gleam of respect for the Union’s
handling of its case.

Employers’ Dilemma
When FIR presented the Em-
ployers’ case, using elaborate
charts mounted on a tripod to
illustrate various contentions,
gallery members lit fresh cigar-

ettes and settled back to ride out
a dull period.

Then Brother Kenney spot-
ted some glaring discrepancies

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in a chart. He could haye been
derisive. He could have ripped
the thing to shreds. Instead,
he adroitly pointed out the
faults and “helpfully” explain-
ed to FIR’s man Ross how the
illustrative features could be
improyed. There is yery little
defence against this type of
finesse. FIR men registered a
mingling of embarrassment
and annoyance.

The Empldyers’ group had a
very healthy regard, not only for
Ed Kenney’s slide-rule mind, but
also for Brothers Winn, Morris,
Hodgson, Fieber, ete. They were
still on the defensive, even when
presenting their case.

Exhaustive Rebuttals

Came the time for rebuttals.
This can be a very tedious part
of the Conciliation process.
Spokesmen for each side read
carefully prepared briefs, copies
of which are presented to all
members. Such a brief repre-
sents .an enormous amount of
work in preparation. Carl Winn
handled most of this difficult
chore for the Union.

With all this effort, the observ-
er at Conciliation meetings has
the impression that the whole
thing is futile. One works hard
to prepare and present a case,
but in the end, the side which
wields the biggest stick, or which
is best prepared to use this stick,
will win,

Pertinent Question

The question, “What is the
.Value of Conciliation?”, was ask-
ed of a number of Conciliation
Board attendees representing
both sides. Most of those ques-
tioned felt that Conciliation was
merely a continuation of nego-
tiations and that the work done
at conciliation rightfully belong-
ed to negotiations, therefore
Conciliation was a waste of time.
Only one man out of the cross-
section questioned felt that Con-
ciliation had a measure of value.

Actually no attempt is made
to negotiate during Concilia-
tion. There is no bargaining,
no dickering. It is simply a
court to which both sides pres-
ent their cases in the best man-
ner possible, though without
feeling any particular dread
over a possible adverse decision
from the Board.

IWA Met Test

Tt is felt by at least a few
Union Officials that the Concilia-
tion process merely provides the
employers with extra stalling
time; and further, that a Con-
ciliation Board Chairman ap-
pointed as he is by the Labor
Department, will be inclined to
lean toward employer interests.

Be that as it may. Regardless
of the real value of Conciliation,
the IWA negotiating team have
done an extremely thorough job
of preparing and presenting a
sound case. At the time of writ-
ing, the Board’s decision is not
available. But whatever the
opinion that is finally handed
down will be, no IWA member
need feel that his representa-
tives have not done the best job
possible.

CREDIT

Credit Unions attending.

Election of new officers, rou-
tine reports and discussion of
topics vital to the welfare of the
Credit Unions kept the delegates
busy during the meet. Special
attention was given to reports
dealing with the progress of the
Credit Union National Associa-
tion and CUNA Mutual Insurance
Society. This last-named organi-
zation is at present serving eight
million credit union members in
North America.

Progress Reviewed

The B.C. Credit Union Presi-
dent, Mr. Farley Dickinson, re-
viewing the progress of the Cre-
dit Union movement in B.C.
stated that loans made by the
Credit Unions in B.C., since in-
corporation in 1931, now total
Well over sixty-five million dol-
lars. Over two hundred thousand
loans have been made by Credit
Unions to its members in that
period.

Since 1944 the movement has
grown from nineteen thousand
members, to a total of seventy-
five thousand, at the end of 1952.

More Conventions

Two afiiliate organizations help
their Conventions the day pre-
vious to the B.C. Credit Union
League Convention. B.C. Central
Credit Union and the C.U. & C.
Health Services Conventions were
held on June 25, in New West-
minster. B.C. Central Credit
Union is a composite organiza-
tion embracing all local Credit
Unions in the Province, provid-
ing facilities for their banking,
and granting loans to local cre-
dit unions during their peak per-
iods of loan demands, To date,
B,C. Central Credit Union has
loaned well over eight million
dollars to the various credit

GB now

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UNIONS
FORGE AHEAD

The B.C, Credit Union League held their 14th Annual
Convention in a two-day session, June 26-27, in the Hagles
Hall, New Westminster, with 400 delegates from 280 B.C.

unions throughout the Province.
Approximately 150 delegates at-
tended this Convention.

C.U, & C. Health Services was
organized to give security and
protection to members of Credit
Unions and co-operatives. Now
covering nearly thirty thousand
residents in the Province, the
Society is approved by the Cana-
dian Medical Association, B.C.
Division. The society is also
licensed by the Superintendent of
Insurance for the Province.

The value of claims paid in
1952 totalled $259,000, and the
number of claims paid totalled
17,000. Benefits include Medical
and Surgical services, home, of-
fice and hospital calls by the phy-
sician or surgeon — specialist
services—consultation services.
anaesthesia and laboratory ‘ser-
vices — X-ray, radium therapy,
ete. Approximately 150 delegates
are expected to attend this ses-
sion,
ca 8 Os ee
eee

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WITCH HUNT

The Boss carried the “red” ban
too far, so a hotel maid in Me-
Cloud, Calif., is back on the job
wearing red shoes and fingernail
polish—also red.

But her union had to go to bat
for her to win the ruling that
maids can wear what they please
so long as they’re neat and law-
abiding.

And if you think it strange
that the union should be the CIO
Woodworkers, you haven’t been
in this—quite literally—neck of
the woods, The whole town is
crganized by IWA Local 6-64
and the hotel belongs to a lumber
company,

The maid’s supervisor had or-
dered her not to come to work in
the newly-purchased red shoes,
and to remove the nail polish, The _
local, in the interest of good labor
relations with the company, de-
cided “the union should look into
the reasons for controversial or-
ders given to members at work.”

So local officials took the red
shoes—with the maid not in them
—and set them on the desk of the
hotel’s assistant manager. “We
asked him if he saw anything
wrong with the shoes. He said
he couldn’t,” said the local’s
spokesman. “The member is
again wearing red shoes and even
some red fingernail polish.

“And when the red shoes wear
out, she might even get a pair
of green ones or maybe some
other color, or maybe even
another pair of red shoes. Who
knows? Thanks to her union,
that’s her business.”

No. 844 B

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