B.C. LUMBER WORKER

WINN URGES N

EW AND

SOUNDER RELATIONS

In a forthright statement over the Green Gold radio program, July 9th, Interna-
tional Secretary-Treasurer Carl Winn urged acceptance of the Conciliation Board
report, and expressed the need for a move realistic and- humane approach to labor-
management relations in the lumber industry.

When introduced by District
President Joe Morris, who out-
lined the terms of the Concilia-
tion Board report, the Interna-
tional official said in part:

“You have just heard President
Joe Morris read the Conciliation
Board award and the Policy Com-
mittee recommendation for ac-
ceptance. This recommendation
of your Policy Committee was
reached after nearly two full
days of careful deliberation.
Many factors were analyzed and
every avenue of reasoning ex-
plored thoroughly.

Some Bad Features

The Conciliation Board’s award ‘|
fell considerably short of the
mark set by the’ Union in nego-
tiations this year. The failure of
the Board to recommend some
additional paid holidays, and its
silence on the union shop demand
proved real ‘stumbling blocks’ in
the Policy Committee discussion.
It is conceded, by all, that our
membership is not pleased with
the ‘holiday’ and ‘Union Shop’
phases of the award, in particu-
Jar.

However, in weighing all the
adverse factors of the award
against the dire results another
strike in the industry this year
would have on the overall econ-
omy of B.C., it was decided that
we had to take a long look at
some other important considera-
tions in arriving at a final recom-
mendation,

New Pattern Needed
I am not going to go into detail
at this time as to what these
other important considerations
were, except to say that they re-

lated to the very definite hope
that a new pattern of labor-
managment relations, arose from
this year’s negotiations.

Such a new pattern of think-
ing—if it materialized, and we
think that given a proper chance

it will sueceed—can mean taking}.

a big step toward stabilizing the
lumber industry in British Co-
lumbia. It can do a great deal to
bring’ about a better understand-
ing between this Union and the
Employers on the problems which
confront both sides in everyday
living and working together.

To speak of ‘cooperation’ be-|

tween labor and management in
this industry, after some of the
things which have transpired
over the year, probably borders
on ‘heresy’ to many of our peo-
ple, But we are going to speak
of ‘cooperation’ because we sin-
cerely believe that therein lies
the answer to many mutual prob-
Jems. We must weigh the com-
mon good and general welfare of
all our. people above anything
else.

Mainstay of Economy

The lumbering industry con-

stitutes better than 40 percent
of this Province’s economy. The
policies of this Union and the
Policies of the Employers have
to be directed along the lines
of building this section of our
economy as strong, as stable
and as sound as it is humanly
within our power to do.

Both this Union and the Em-
ployers have been irresponsible
in the past in meeting some of
the problems of this industry

“Work For Common Good”

squarely and trying to solve them
realistically. The International is
completely convinced that we
have now reached the point where
both sides must put their houses
in order and work together for
the betterment of this industry.

Union Not “Soft”

At this point let me say that
nobody should be so naive as to
think this means the Interna-
tional Woodworkers of America
are growing ‘soft’ or that we in-
tend to relax, even for one min-
ute, our vigilance over matters of
strict Union policy in dealing
with the Employers. Such is not
the case, I assure you. We have
had serions differences of opinion
with the Employers in the past
and we will have them in the
future. :

But this is not to say that we
should not join forces in those
matters relating to this industry
which mean full employment,
steady income for our people and
a reasonable return to the Em-
ployer on his financial invest-
ment,

Resources for Common Good

This is our industry just as
much as’ it is the Employer's.
God gave man these resources
for the common good of all. We
haye just as much stake in its
success or failure as have the
Employers. It is to our bene-
fit that this industry continues
to ‘boom’,

It is to our benefit that this
industry be expanded and well
managed. It is to our benefit
that it be able to operate on
prices that keep it competitive
in a world market and still
bring a reasonable profit.

It is to our benefit that the
Employers are aggressive and

in the marketing
of the industry. It is
benefit that the Em-

makes money. It is to

our benefit that small efficient
operators remain in business
as well as the large ones.

Union Takes Initiative

The Employers have been re-
luctant to take this step, of join-
ing forces for the common good,
and so has this Union—up to this
time. Now we—the Union—are
taking the initiative in this direc-
tion because we see in such a
course the distinct and important
Possibility of strengthening the
economy of this great industry.

Tf this result can be obtained,
our Union members and their
families are going to gain far
more than they ever will under
a short-sighted policy of ‘let the
Employer worry about his busi-
ness and we'll tend to ours’.

On the other hand, if the Em-
ployers are not willing to take
this. step with us, then the re-
sponsibility for any future break-
downs in the economy of this in-
dustry must rest solely with
them and the public must so un-
derstand.

Satisfactory Features

I want to say that while we
think we were entitled to more
benefits than the Conciliation
Board recommended, none-the-
less we should look upon it as
being, all things considered, a
satisfactory award — particularly
if it carries with it the desire of
the Employers to treat our rela~
tionships with more respect and
equality during the contract year,
We think that the attitude of the
Employers’ representative on the
Board gave some indication that
the Employers may be ready to
treat us more like grown men in
the future, rather than as the
‘little boys’ of the past. If such
Proves to be the case then we
will have come a long way, ina
couple of months, toward a bet-
ter understanding and better in-
dustrial relations,

Last year the Pulp and Sul-
phite Workers received a 10.cent
per hour increase (5 cents of
which was a cost of living bonus
tied permanently in the base
rate).

Two Years—19¥,¢

The Conciliation Board award
gives us 14 cents per hour in-
crease (9° cents of which is cost
of living bonus tied permanently
into the base rate). Thus, tak-
ing last year’s five and one-half
cents and this year’s fourteen
cent recommendation into con-
sideration, we*stand to receive
19%% cents per hour increase in
wages, in a two-year period,
which, by any standard of meas-
urement, must be considered
‘quite good’.

Your Negotiating Committee
have performed their function
this year in a thorough and com-
petent manner. Their earnest ef-
forts in behalf of the membership
and their realistic approach ‘to
complicated problems deserves
your complete trust and support
when you come to consider their
recommendation that the Con-
ciliation Board’s award be ac-
cepted.

Joe Miyazawa, Associate Di-
rector of Research and Education
for Canada, did a splendid job of
digging up facts and figures in
the preparation of the Union’s
brief. His cool, objective ap-
praisal of many factors has been
a great asset to us,

Many other men in the Union
assisted us this year in advisory
capacity: They are too numerous
to mention and for fear of over-
looking someone we just want to
say ‘thanks’ to all those who, in
any ‘way, contributed of their
time and energy in our behalf,

Smeal’s Work Good

Last—but by no means least—
Bob Smeal, our representative on
the Conciliation Board, must
come in for particular praise and
commendation. We were most
fortunate that a man of Bob
Smeal’s ability and personality
was willing to serve our member-
ship in this capacity. 4

The Union’s prestige and case
before the Board was greatly en-
haneed by the fact that Bob is
both a sound Union man and a
sound independent thinker,

~ Fifty Gears Aigo -

An important chapter in the labor per of British Colum-
bia was told in telling language recently by Mamie Maloney
in her column “In One Ear’, in The Vancouver Sun, : The
B.C. Lumber Worker, in recognition of its significance to the
trade union movement, reproduces the article below.

In The Sun’s Fifty-Years-Ago feature the other day there was
an item to the effect that “Ladysmith went wild with excitement as
the coal strike ended and the men prepared to go back to work at
the old terms.” é a

The very next day it said the miners had reversed their decision
to go back to work because of “new stipulations” by the mine owner,
the “stipulations” being, of course, the “black list” which meant
that the company wouldn’t give their jobs back to men who had
been active in the strike.

T’ve talked to old timers since I came to Ladysmith about that
strike of 50 years ago and the one in 1912 which lasted for two
years and which left a once prosperous town flat on its back for 20
years until logging came along to replace the coal economy which
had been its mainstay.

The wounds of those strikes are still not completely healed 50
years later.

THE SCARS GO DEEP...

Fifty years ago labor had no “rights”. International unions
were unknown and the term “collective bargaining” hadn’t been
heard of, Strikes were doomed before they even started.

Yet, knowing the cards were stacked against them, that there
wasn’t a chance of an eight-hour day ora decent living wage except
at the discretion of the mine owners, Ladysmith coal miners were
among those who made the early sacrifices. without which labor
today would still be in the position of serfdom it occupied half a
century ago.

And the scars eft by that sacrifice are still apparent in this
town. Families were split down the middle when one brother would
give up and become a “scab”. The feeling is still there, even unto
the third generation. -

FOR A PRINCIPLE .. .

Wives and children made the sacrifice too. One old lady has
told me she owed over $1000 in grocery bills at the end of the strike.

For months a local grocer, who also happened to be a friend
of the mine owner, gave credit to the strikers. Then the mine owner
came to him with the ultimatum that it would be the end of a
beautiful friendship if he didn’t cut off their credit and refuse them
food. The grocer, however, continued to hand out food through the
back door. The strike cost him $8000 but he couldn’t see women and
children go hungry.

And go hungry the strikers did. But not the scabs. As a matter
of fact it was flaunting his full lunch pail in front of the near-
starving strikers’ families that caused a bomb to be thrown into a
seab’s house. To protect the lives of his family he picked up the
live bomb and threw it out. It cost him his hand.

The militia was called. There was street fighting, windows were
broken and houses wrecked. Some of the strikers went to jail, yet
one of them, years later, was elected to the legislature where he
saw many of the privileges he had so bitterly fought for become law.

ONLY TIME CAN HEAL .. .

The 1912 strike didn’t end. It petered out, When war came in
1914 the starving miners had no alternative but to jo up. Many,
of course, had left the town to seek work elsewhere. You could buy
a house for $50, For 20 years Ladysmith remained almost a “ghost
town” until logging came into take up the slack.

Since that time the combination of organized labor and a more
enlightened attitude on the part of employers, coupled with good
times, has restored prosperity tovthe town and helped to cover up
the deep scars left by the old coal mining strikes.

But the miners’ sacrifices were not in vain. If it hadn’t been
for the determination of these men of 50 years ago, the willingness
of their families to face economic disaster for the sake of a prin-
ciple, labor would not have the security it enjoys today. ,

It’s been such a long hard struggle. Many lives were lost in
long ago strike battles and tear gas and policemen’s truncheons were
familiar implements in strikes up to 20 years ago. The rights that
labor has won have been paid for in blood and tears, If some bitter-
ness still remains it is not surprising.

CARELESS PEOPLE —

BRITISH

DR. C. D. ORCHARD

1
Deputy Minister of Forests

B.C.

~DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS

CAUSE

60%

‘s FOREST FIRES!

va-F r

ST FIRES.
COLUMBIA FOREST SERVICE :

eM
R. E. SOMMERS
Minister

es HON