B.C. LUMBER WORKER i July 2, 1953 . Teams With | To Oust IWA : t violations of the ICA Act by the owner of the nticton Sawmills Ltd., Penticton, were alleged this week the officers of Local 1-423, and District Ist Vice-Presi- William Gray. Attempts to secure an agreement for IWA have been obstructed by suspected collusion be- ELECTED Local 1-118 Board Awards Holiday Pay Local 1-118, IWA, scored against the Colwood Timber Mills -Litd., Victoria, recently when an Arbitration Board in a majority decision held that the Company was required to recognize Thanksgiving Day as a paid statutory holiday for workers ordered out on fire-fighting duty the following was then reached, with the result week for wages as low as $120 IWA in 1945, but no agreement that membership strength dis- and working conditions deteriorated until they became notorious throughout the Okana- gan Valley, Men worked a 7-day a month. Sanitary conditions were scandalous, Any employee who ventured to make a com- plaint was promptly fired. The employees were organized again this year by Local 1-423, assisted by Vice-President Gray. A total of 70 members, 98% of the erew, signed up on the check- off with the IWA. The employer was given notice to bargain. Bargaining Refused ‘The employer ignored this no- tice, and shortly after, the Inter- national Representative of the Carpenters & Joiners was found tween the employer and a rival AFL Union. ‘The mill was certified by the seated in the employer's office. Men were instructed to take time off, one at a time, in order to be interviewed by the AFL official. At the same time, employees were approached by company of- ficials in an effort to persuade them to repudiate their connec. tion with the IWA. Crew Remains IWA A meeting of all employees was staged by the AFL repre- sentative, at which the superin- tendent and other company rep- resentatives appeared in an obvi- ous attempt to influence the crew members in favor of the more docile AFL Union. Despite all the obstacles placed in the way of IWA organization, Vice-President Gray reports that the crew members have remained solidly in support of the IWA, and the Union’s demands for a satisfactory agreement. SMEAL FINDS UNDERSTUDIES - Unusual distinction was re- cently won by two IWA offi- cials when they satisfactorily substituted in an emergency as representatives of another Union before a Conciliation ‘Board. The story, which may now be told, concerns the dilemma in which Board member Bob Smeal was placed when the IWA Con- ciliation Board’s proceedings were extended several weeks be- yond the original calculations. Bob Smeal, as representative of the CBRE in Victoria, was responsible for the presentation of evidence before another Con- ciliation Board, hearing a dispute between his Union and Scott & Peden Ltd., wholesale feed mer- chants, Victoria. . As delay followed delay, the point was reached when he could no longer remain in Vancouver to aid the IWA without risking a set-back for his own Union be- fore the Victoria Conciliation Board. : So much was at stake for the IWA at the time, that ways and means were canvassed to make it possible for Bob to stay in the lumber workers’ fight which was at its most critical stage. “Stu” Hodgson and Walter Al- len were drafted for emergency |) duty, and were carefully briefed by the CBRE official. They ‘planed to Victoria, arriving at 10:30 a.m., and, after consulta- tion “with the local negotiating committee, had their brief and argument ready for presentation before the Board at 2 p.m. The argument and rebuttals occupied | | 3% hours, and they were on their way back to Vancouver at 6:15 p.m. It is reported that the Scott & Peden employees were highly pleased with the effective presen- tation made on their behalf and the results. Needless to say, the substitution enabled Bob Smeal to continue his able efforts on behalf of the IWA without loss of time. “ESQUIRE” MEN’S WEAR (Graham Mowatt) ; Complete Stock of Work and Dress Clothing “THE STORE WITH THE POPULAR BRANDS’ BRITISH COLUMBIA PORT ALBERNI B MacGREGOR’S| MEN’S WEAR We Can Afford to Sell the BEST for LESS! USINESS GUIDE MacDONALD’S PHARMACY Prescriptions, Drug Sundries, First Aid Supplies Registered Optometrist Argyle Street Port Alberni WOODWARD STORES (PORT ALBERNI) LTD. !MLA-Elect, Alberni. day. District President Joe Morris was the union’s nominee on the Board, with J. A. Byers as Chair- man. Mr. Horne, the company’s nominee, dissented from the ma- jority opinion. The majority award found that the men had reported for work on the day after Thanksgiving Day as required, but had been forced to accept fire-fighting ‘duty under orders of the District Forester. It was decided, therefore, that they had complied with the intent of the agreement, and that the next regular working day after the holiday for them should be considered as that which follow- ed the cessation of their fire- ‘| fighting duty. The Company’s argument was based entirely on the actual phrasing of the agreement, and the fact that the operation had to close down when the men were unable to work, with considerable loss. LOGGERS ft RAE EDDIE Local 1-357, MLA-Elect, New Westminster. IWA,