B.C. LUMBER WORKER

‘EDITORIAL

THE ISSUE

EMBERS of the IWA now have the direct responsi-
bility of deciding whether they will accept or reject
the unanimous recommendation of a Conciliation Board
to set the base rate for the current contract year at
$1.49—a fixed increase over the present base rate of 14

cents.

The District Policy Committee, in accordance with
the pledge made earlier, has promptly taken the neces-
sary steps, by which the rank and file membership may
exercise the right of final decision in regard to the terms

of settlement.

Accompanied by a full statement of all the facts, the
Union’s negotiators have submitted the recommendation
that the conclusions of the Conciliation Board be ac-
cepted, as a basis of settlement, even though these con-
clusions fall far short of legitimate expectations.

The recommendation for acceptance is based on a
careful appraisal of all the- circumstances, and the firm
belief that the best interests of the lumber workers will

thus be served. s

s. It now becomes the duty of every member of the
Union in the Coast area to size up the facts, and register
his or her decision as required in the light of the facts.

Spokesmen for the Union do not pretend that they
are satisfied with the award. During conciliation pro-
ceedings they took greater pains than ever before to
demonstrate the need and feasibility of a much better
settlement.

They are now forced to the conclusion that the pro-
posed settlement is the best obtainable under the cir-
cumstances. It is presumed that the report will be
accepted by the operators.

The most formidable circumstance to surmount is the
popular belief, outside the Union, that conditions in the
lumber industry will not permit any greater increase of
labor costs.

If the members of the Union so direct, however,
the unanimous award could be rejected as inadequate. It
will then become the responsibility of the membership to
count the costs of such rejection, and undertake all that
will be involved in direct conflict with the employers.

Rejection of the recommendations would set in motion_|

.__full-scale_nrenarations for strike action; “Subject 10 ap-

proval of such action by the membership. It has become
apparent to the Policy Committee that the prospects of
gaining any substantial improvement in the terms of
settlement are so faint this year that the Union is not
warranted in assuming all the risks involved in these

more drastic steps.

At the same time, it is plain commonsense to estimate
honestly whether the members in all sections of the
Union are well prepared at this time to assume the sacri-
fices which would be demanded of them in a strike.

On the other hand, acceptance of the proposed terms
of settlement with incorporation of the present 9-cent
cost-of-living bonus in the base rate is a most desirable
measure of protection in view of price fluctuations. An
additional five cents on the hour adds up to a settlement
which is as favorable as any secured this year in the

province’s basic industries.

_ It is an occasion when it pays to grasp the substance
instead of reaching for the shadow. The substance is a
$1.49 base rate which represents a mark for which the

Union has long striven.

It should not be overlooked that the report of the
Board opens the way to further consideration of category
rates, and better terms for shingle mill workers. Certain
classifications of tradesmen now have the definite pros-
pect of remoyal of long-standing grievances. G

In negative terms, the proposed settlement represents
the defeat of the employers in their attempts to impose
worse contract conditions. This is especially true on the
subject of board rates, for the Board did not approve the’
proposed increase of board rates by 75 cents per diem.
By maintaining the present uniform rate of $2.25, the

Joggers were protected against an indirect wage cut. ”

Acceptance of the recommendations, which emerge
from the conciliation proceedings will place the Union in
an excellent position to consolidate gains already made,
and mobilize its strength for further improvements in
working conditions.

It will furnish proof to the general public that the
Union is not only mindful of the welfare of its members,
but will not act irresponsibly with regard to any disrup-
tion of the, lumber industry.

- When all the pros and cons are carefully weighed, it
will be found in balance, that the actual gains now made
by dint of determined struggle, should be held, without
assuming further risks, as maintaining a rate of progress

NEXT JOB

What
Our

The Editor:

‘A counter measure to the op-
erators’ refusal for a Union Shop
and Hiring Hall, would be a small
IWA information bureau, located
close to where most of the hir-
ing is done, such as Vancouver.

‘An up-to-date survey of all
West Coast camps and their con-
ditions could be taken and made
available at this bureau to log-
gers, before they hire out. Gen-
eral information such as distance
of camps, fares, camp conditions,
accommodation, grub, high-ball-
ing, combination jobs, or any-
thing else relating to the welfare
of the loggers, would be very
useful to them in keeping clear
of “gyppo” camps.

The gyppo outfits operate
mainly because the majority of
loggers have no way of finding
out conditions existing in these
camps until arriving there. After
they get there, shortage of
money forces a high percentage
of them to stick it out until they
can make enough to leave.

With an IWA information
bureau keeping the loggers in-
formed, it would not be very long
before the operators would have
to clean up poor camps or go out
of business.

It would help, too, if a close
watch were kept on company
hiring offices to check the low
practice of selling jobs for a bot-
tle or money and saving the best
jobs for their friends. This was
quite common in the past and
could easily happen again if jobs
grow scarce,

I am sure any number of dis-
abled woodworkers on compensa-
tion or pension would be glad to
handle an office of this kind for a
small remuneration and it would
be a great service to the men of
the woodworking industry.

Union Member.

ADVICE

‘The Editor:

It is a very serious situation
when one man can influence a
group of working men into dis-
owning or refusing to join an

Your Space Boys!

organization that has done as
much for them as the IWA. He
may give a little but, you may
rest assured that the profits will
much more than make up for it.
No matter how good things look
now they can always be better
and unless you have a strong
militant labor organization they
can be taken away from you
easily.
Union Policy

Don’t forget, that if you don’t
belong to the Union you have
little or nothing to say about the
conditions you work under nor
about the policy carried out by
the Union. You reap the bene-
fits but do nothing to help gain
them. It is your responsibility to
yourself and to your fellow work-
er to help keep the conditions
you now have and to strive for
better ones through the medium

Vein

of your Union. These conditions
were not given to you, they were
won by hard and bitter struggles
fought by men before you. It is
high time the working class re-
alized that, as individuals, they
can attain little or nothing; but
as a solid organization they
would become a body not to be
persecuted and abused as they
haye been until now.

Poje Case

The case of Tony Poje is a
frightening example of how the
working people are being perse-
cuted. There is a man who, by
doing what he believed in and
thought was right, is in prison.
Think of how his wife and child
must feel. If this is allowed to
carry on it could happen to you.

0. R. OLSON,

Local 1-71, IWA.

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