August 6, 1953

‘Leading CCL trade unionists in British Columbia this
week surveyed the situation as it exists between TLC and

CCL Unions in the province

and gave serious considera-

tion t6 measures necessary to protect their interests
against jurisdictional invasions by some TLC union officials
at a number of strategic points.

Only reassuring features of
the situation were that top level
CIO and AFL officials in the
United States have endeavored
to promote a working truce with
regard to jurisdictional clashes.
Likewise, the Vancouver Labor
Councils, TLC and CCL, have
also mutually agreed to pour oil
on troubled waters.

Rank and File Opposed

Rank and file members of trade
unions in both camps are dis-
tressed, according to reports, be-
cause for the most part CCL
trade unionists have given loyal
support to TLC strike issues, and
in many instances rank and file
TLC unionists have reciprocated.

One leading CCL official diag-
nosed the trouble as originating
with a few TLC organizers, who
have been making unscrupulous
attempts to secure dues-paying
members the easy way, in dis-
regard of trade union ethics and
with little thought for the inter-
ests of the workers involved.

IWA Attacked ¥

‘The IWA suffered considerable
provocation during recent weeks,
dué mainly to the unethical ac-
tivities of a few representatives
of several TLC unions.

In sawmills throughout the
Lower Mainland and Vancouver,

Island, consistent efforts have
been made to organize the en-
gineers in the AFL Operating
Engineers’ International, by
separating the engineers from
the bargaining rights already
established for them by the IWA.

This attack on the security
established by industrial union-
ism has caused deeply-rooted bit-
terness within the IWA — has
jeopardized the security of the
engineers concerned — and has
incensed IWA workers to the
point where they are ready to
refuse AF'L-produced steam.

Penticton Sawmills

Most flagrant instance of a de-
liberate attempt to undermine
the IWA is found in recent events
at the Penticton Sawmills Ltd.
Since certification in 1945, the
IWA has been fighting for a de-
cent agreement with a notorious-
ly anti-union employer.

“The Treatment”

When, on-the eve of Concilia-
tion proceedifigs, and when the
employer could see no escape
from signing’ an agreement, the
representative of the Carpenters
& Joiners moved into the plant.
‘That this was done at the invita-
tion of the employer became more

than a suspicion with IWA offi-
cials, when they found him com-
fortably operating from within
the employer's office, with auth-
ority to summon the employee,
one by one, and give them the
“treatment”.

IWA officials in the Interior,
who have been fighting to get a
fair deal for these employees who
have suffered the most vicious
form of exploitation seen in many
a day, bitterly censure the action
of the TLC representative, claim-
ing that he is acting as a “front”
for an anti-labor campaign.

Packinghouse Workers
Attacked

Simultaneously, Packinghouse
Workers in the Okanagan Val-
Jey have been denied their right
to select a union of their own
choice, by granting of a blanket
certification to an AFL Union.

The CIO union has again ap-
plied for certification, but this
will not be processed by the LRB
until the matter is settled in the
courts. In the meanwhile, the
Packinghouse Workers’ Union
has applied to have all dues paid
to the AFL Union held in trust,
until a decision has been rendered
by the courts.

Steelworkers Threatened

In Vancouver, the Steelwork-
ers’ Union has been forced to
apply for an injunction, restrain-
ing the Labor Relations Board
from taking a representation vote
in two plants under conditions
obviously intended to eliminate
the Steelworkers’ certification in
a plant where they have held
bargaining rights for eight years,
and where the employees have
signed a petition 100 pereent in
favor of Steelworkers’ member-
ship.

The circumstances reveal the
devious tactics employed. Form-
erly the Steelworkers held the
bargaining rights in the Vancou-
yer Iron Works. The associated
company under the Vancouver
Machinery Depot, the Vancouver
Engineering Works, was certified
by the International Association
of Machinists, AFL.

Recently the parent company
decided to move the plant of the
Engineering Works closer to the
Tron Works and name it “Plant
2”, At the same time plans were
made to reduce the staff in the
Iron Works and increase the staff
‘of the Engineering Works,

Situation Capitalized ,
This situation was immediately

capitalized upon by the Machin-

copy August 14th.

Publication date of the next issue of the B.C. LUMBER WORKER
is August 20th. Deadline for ad copy is August 13th and for news

BC Louse

President ....
«Ist, Vice-President,
2nd Vice-President
rd Vice-President
| tale Alene
International Board

Subscription Rates...

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d as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept.,. Ottawa

Representing, phe Organized Loggers and Mill Workers of B.C.
PUBLISHED TWICE MONTHLY RY
INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (C10-CCL)
B.C. DISTRICT COUNCIL No. 1.

DISTRICT OFFICERS

Address all communications to
GEORGE H. MITCHELL, Secretary-Treasurer
45 Kingsway - Phone FAirmont §807-8
Vancouver, B.C.

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William N, Gray
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ASK FOR IT BY NAME

-AT YOUR COMMISSARY
OR LEADING STORES

The treatment by which canvas is made
water repellent to produce ‘‘DRY-BAK”
is a development and exclusive process of
Jones Tent & Awning Ltd., and is entirely
processed in our own plant. You should,
therefore, look for-the name ‘“‘DRY-BAK”’
on every garment as your guarantee of
obtaining the finest water repellent can-

vas clothing obtainable.

Ask for it with

or without interlining.

ists who applied for a blanket
certification covering both plants,
although they did not have a
single member in the Iron Works
certified to the Steelworkers.

When the LRB investigated the
records, it was found that the
Steelworkers then had an over-
all majority in both plants.

Second Attempt

Again the parent company re-
duced the staff in the Iron Works,
and almost immediately the Ma-
chinists made a renewed applica-
tion for blanket certification, hop-
ing to gain the point at a time
when the Steelworkers’ member-
ship had been decimated.

‘Again the employees, holding
membership in the Steelworkers,
without a single exception, sign-
ed the petition asking for bar-
gaining rights through the Union
of their choice. This time the
LRB decided to hold a repre-
sentative vote, and issued a bal-
lot on which the name of the
United Steelworkers did not even
appear.

When faced with this bare-
faced attempt to wipe out all
their rights, under what appear-
ed. to be collusion between an
AFL union and the employer, the
Steelworkers applied for and
secured an injunction restraining
the LRB from taking the vote,
until it could be conducted under
proper: conditions.

The contention of the Steel-
workers is that under the cireum-
stances, the AFL Union and the
employer are enabled to deter-
mine which union the employees
of one plant shall join. Reasons
for their de-certification should
first be established.

Courts to Decide

The whole question will be
aired in the courts within the
next week. In the meantime the
GGL officials are wondering just
what lies behind this latest move
of TLC representatives.

The TLC move appears to be
all the more flagrant in the view
of CCL officials inasmuch as the
rate established by the Steel-
workers is higher than that now
negotiated by the Machinists.
The Steelworkers have estab-
lished working conditions, such
as the union shop, paid statutory
holidays and vacations in their
plants. which far excel those
secured by the rival union.

These facts lead them to sus-
pect that a few TLC officials, in
defiance of the known opinion
held by TLC rank and file mem-
bers, are seeking to bolster their
own official careers by coolly ap-
propriating in agreement with
the employers a “ready-made”
organization, and thereby greater
dues revenue,

Race Bars

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LPA) —
In 1943 U.S. unions discriminat-
ing against Negroes in one way
or another represented 18.7 per-
cent of the total union member-
ship. Today that figure is down
to 4 percent or less.

Of these unions which in 1943
discriminated, 75 percent do not
today. So delegates to the tenth
annual Institute of Race Rela-
tions at Fisk University were
told, July 8. The figures were
the result of a special study by
the Jewish Labor Committee, and
were reported by Emanuel Mu-

Go

ravehik. He said the gains “toss
into the teeth of the communists
their big-lie that discrimination
against Negroes on the economic
front has become more intense.”

Muravehik pointed out that 20
international unions now have
special fair practice departments,
spending about $500,000 on these
programs; employers who once
used racial antagonisms to de-
press wages no longer find it
possible or profitable in the face
of a strong trade union move-

ment.
wl

Matt

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