: S aanennnESIEnneneneeemnenmmmmmnennemeenne eeeeeeee een 9 RATE OKAYED Otel Pedtintion ot the Itornational Woodworkers of America Diserlet Counc Ne = Vol. XXI, No. 13 S JULY 2, 1953 - VANCOUVER, B. C. 5c PER “COPY INTERIOR DEMANDS STATED Negotiations for revised master contracts in the In- terior have now been opened by the IWA District Nego- tiating Committee with bar- gaining conferences sched- uled in Vancouver, Kelowna and Prince George. The demands advanced by the Union are as follows: Wages An across the board wage in- crease of 18¢ per hour for all employees. 3 Elimination of the present cost-of-living clause. Increase in the night-shift dif- ferential to 6¢ per hour. Establishment of, a basic rate of $1.48 per hour. Union Security Full union shop clause. Statutory Holidays The Union is asking for pay- ment of all Statutory Holidays, either named or declared, also overtime pay for all work done on Statutory Holidays. The Sta- tutes of B.C. ask that 9 such holidays be observed. Hours of Work Forty-hour, 5-day work week for all employees, .and other necessary technical changes, Vacations With Pay ~ A technical change in this clause to provide employees who have worked in an operation for five years with two ‘weeks’ vaca- tion with pay. The Agreement at present has 1,250 days instead of B years. Grievance Procedure A change in the clause to pro- vide for a Shop Steward to ac- company a worker with a grie ance, in the first stage, and also to have anyone from the Local Office instead of the president only in the fourth step. Arbitration A change to provide arbitra- tion in the case of a discharge of an employee, also the Union to be able to apply to the Labor Re- lations Board for a Chairman. Duration of Agreement A change in the present clause ' to provide a termination date of June 15th. A determined effort will be made by the Union’s negotiato: to raise the present base rate in the Interior—$1.30 an hour—to the level of the proposed new base rate on the Coast. See INTERIOR Page 3 WHAT’S INSIDE MoM M Seok oie % % Union Moves For Acceptance MM MM MM Om Settlement of the IWA Coast contract dispute has now been made possible. Basis of settlement has been outlined in the unanimous recommendation of the Conciliation Board for a 5c-an-hour wage increase across the board, with incorporation of the present 9-cent cost-of-living bonus in the base rate. If accepted, this will set the base rate at $1.49—a fixed increase of 14 cents. Unanimity achieved by the Conciliation Board mem- bers on the wage question implies that this proposal is likely to be accepted by both parties. The IWA District Policy .Committee moved imme- diately to place the terms of the proposed settlement before the IWA membership with a recommendation for acceptance. Local Unions will hold mass membership meetings at ‘all strategic centres next week-end to enable rank and file consideration of the terms of settlement. Prevailing opinion as expressed through the District Policy Committee is that the proposed settlement is the best obtainable under the circumstances, although dis- appointing in many important respects. The considered opinion of the Committee was that the welfare of the lumber workers would best be served by acceptance of the award. It was pointed out that the alternative course of strike action, with its risks and faint prospect of substantial improvement in the terms, would not now be warranted. An additional factor inflwencing this view were the agreements now negotiated in the other basic industries of the province, such as mining and fishing. Acceptance of the recommendations will open the way to adjustments in tradesmen’s and maintenance em- ployees’ rates with increased wage standards for power- house workers in accordance with prevailing rates in the area. The Board refused to accept the proposal of the em- ployers that board rates be increased beyond the present uniform charge of $2.25. Board member, Robert Smeal, the Union’s nominee, indicated by dissent on the point, that the question of union security is still regarded as a vital one by the Union. Full text of the report signed by all three members of the Board is given below. THE REPORT The decision of the Board is that the 1952-53 Master Agreement remain in effect for another year with the following changes: WAGES 1. Consolidation of cost of living bonus 9c per hour into the base rate which would involve cancellation of cost of living bonus clause in existing agreement. 2. A. general increase of 5c per hour to all employees. : The Board recognizes that there are certain operations which might be termed marginal ones where operators may experience difficulty in meeting the wage increase recommended. We trust that in such cases operators and the union will endeavor to arrive at terms of settlement without stoppage of work. CATEGORY REVISION We recommend that Tradesmen and Maintenance em- ployees’ rates be referred to a committee of Union and Management for study. Engineers’ Rates — Standard Minimums ~ Engineers, 2nd Class Engineers, 3rd Class Engineers, 4th Class Firemen - To the above will be added the 9c cost of living bonus which is incorporated into the base rate under “wages” plus the 5c per hour general wage increase. SHINGLE SAWYERS AND PACKERS We recommend that the Union and Management agree upon a formula which at the present production rates will increase the incentive to produce No. 1 shingles. In arriving at an dppropriate formula the parties should bear in mind that no employee should receive less than his present rate of pay and for this purpose the mini- mum formula should be on a two-to-one basis. SENIORITY Upon request of the Union a list will be supplied by the Company setting out the name and starting date with the Company of each regular employee. However, such request shall not be granted more than twice during the term of this agreement. The Company will advise the Union once each month of changes to the said list. In any case where an employee has been transferred by the Company to a Supervisory position and at a later See REPORT Page 3 UNION’S NEGOTIATORS IWA NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE as they assembled in the Geo rgia Hotel for the final session of the Conciliation Board which heard their dispute with the Coast lumber operators. (From left, se ated) Ed Kenney, Carl Winn, Joe Morris. (From left, standing) Joe Miyazawa, Doug Ferg, Walter Allen, Fred Fieber, Stuart M. Hodgson, J. MacKenzie.