Otscat Pebtiation of tte International Weoduorhers of America

Diserlet Counell Ne. 2

Vol. XXI, No. 15

a

AUGUST 6, 1953 -

S&S

VANCOUVER, B.C. Sc PER COPY

EDITORIAL

Howard,

EMPLOYERS SPLIT

ee kw *& kk *

UNION ORDERS STRIKE
VOTES. WHERE REQUIRED.

kw woe & wok

Acceptance by the majority of the lumber operators
in the Coast area of the contract terms recommended by
the Conciliation Board was communicated’ to the TWA
District Policy Committee in session, August 2, when
the decision was reached to sign contracts with the
assenting employers. At the same time, preparations
were made to apply for strike votes in the operations
of employers who had rejected the proposed wage

Interior Action

"THE facts about wages and working conditions in the

Interior lumber industry which face the IWA, compel
the thoughtful attention and most vigorous action on the
part of the entire Union.

In summary these facts are:

The basic wage rate is now $1.52 a day below the
rate now negotiated for the Coast area. S

Working conditions under the existing Interior con-
tract terms are substantially inferior to those established
at the Coast. nei

The Interior lumber operators have, up to this point,
made a determined effort to block any contract improve-
ments; seeking through low wages to gain a marketing
advantage over Coast producers.

The 1952 Conciliation Boards in the Interior awarded
a wage increase of 3% cents an hour and three paid
statutory holidays, which the employers refused to grant
their employees. ° Pe

The employers’ attitude this year is exactly the same
as last year — a determined refusal of any contract
improvements.

“Interior Jumber workers perform the same work and
have the same living requirements as lumber workers at
the Coast. They produce lumber which commands the
same prices on the same markets as Coast lumber.

The Interior employers share the same opportunities
for profit-making which have been enjoyed by the Coast
operators, and in many instances secure a larger return
on their investment by reason of low operating costs.

The only reason for the marked difference in wages
and working conditions as between the Coast and the
Interior is the anti-labor attitude of the employers’ com-
bine and greed for expanding profits.

The employers’ combine has unscrupulously exploited
the economic conditions. endured by workers in the In-
terior to bludgeon them in past years into submission of
their own contract terms. “

The IWA has an unanswerable argument on behalf
of the Interior lumber workers before the Conciliation
Boards which will hear the evidence at an early date.

The solution of the Union’s problem will be found in
the following steps:

The will to fight and win, which was evident among
the Interior lumber workers last year must now be
expressed in practical and realistic organization on the
job, closely related to the Local Unions.

The Interior lumber workers themselves must accept
the responsibility to unite in an organized effort that will
make their determination unmistakably clear to the em-
ployers. Every man in every operation must say to
himself and his fellows, “I’m 100% behind the IWA fight
for better contract terms, and I’ll do everything I can to
prove it to the boss.”

The Interior lumber workers themselves must act to
make their Local Unions strong and well-managed, for
the purposes of the Union.

On this basis of solidarity and militancy, plans of the
International and District to assist can be made effective,
and thereby the cooperation of the Coast Local Unions
will count in the Interior contract battle.

The spotlight must be turned on the evidence which
the IWA is prepared to place before the Conciliation
Boards. It is evidence proving the possibility of the
better living and working to which Interior workers are

entitled.
See “INTERIOR ACTION” Page 3

Gray On
Boards

Efforts of two Concilia-
tion Officers, Messrs. John
Sherlock and Robert For-
gie, failed last week to
resolve the IWA dispute
with the Interior lumber
operators. Application has
now been made for the
appointment of two Con-
ciliation Boards.

Plans for the presentation of
the IWA case were outlined at
the August 2nd meeting of the
District Policy Committee, at
which a full representation. from
Interior Local Unions attended.

It is anticipated that hearings

See “BOARDS” Page 3

increase. -

The report tabled before the
IWA negotiators indicated that
114 employers had accepted the
Conciliation Board’s report in its
entirety. Thirty-five employers
had accepted the report with the
exception of the recommendation
for a wage increase. Five em-
ployers had not indicated their
wishes, and another four had
wound up their affairs.

Within a few hours of the
Committee’s decision, the num-
ber of those employers willing
to sign on the proposed terms
increased to 126 and the num-

ber objecting to a wage in-
crease was reduced to 28. The
number of workers employed in
those operations withheld from
the general agreement is ap-
proximately 1500.
Only One Bargain

The Conciliation Board’s rec-

ommendation on wages was for

the acceptance of an across-the-
board increase of five cents, with
the incorporation of nine-cents-
an-hour cost of living bonus in
the base rate, raising this rate to
$1.49 an hour. *

Following a lengthy and care-
ful review of the entire situation,
the Committee, which was repre-
sentative of all Local Unions,
reached the conclusion that, fol-
lowing industry-wide bargaining
and conciliation, only one wage
structure would be equitable un-
der the circumstances to all con-
cerned,

It was considered that applica-
tion for government - supervised
strike votes in 27 operations
would: not necessarily close the
door on opportunities for amic-
able and satisfactory settlements,
but would make the Union’s posi-
tion unmistakably clear on a mat-
ter of vital policy.

Fieber Warns Loggers

Emphatic warning to all loggers hiring out for Coast

camps was sounded by Financial Secretary Fred Fieber,
Local 1-71, IWA, over the July 30th Green Goid radio
program when he accused the Boyd Logging Co., Minstrel
Island, of “flim-flamming” men seeking employment with
a “trick partnership contract” of questionable legality.

Information in possession of
the Local Union revealed that
men hiring out to the company
were being persuaded to sign up
as “partners” with terms that de-
prived them of their rights as
employees and gave them no
privileges as “partners”.

As pointed out by the Local
Union official, men signing the
contract in question, would not
be partners in reality, but would
be agreeing to work for extreme-
ly unfavorable wage rates, pay-
ment of which might be deferred
indefinitely.

The employment conditions at
Boyd Logging Co. described as
an evasion of the law and union-
ization, were denounced by Sec-
retary Fieber in the following
words:

“In Local Union, 1-71, we have
encountered an unusually brazen
attempt to flim-flam loggers on
the part of this employer. As we
have good reason to suspect that
the phony set-up is intended to
prevent unionization of the camp
and secure cheap labor, our Lo-
cal Union is issuing a warning to
all loggers hiring out for the
Coast camps.

Trap for Unwary

When I explain what this em-
ployer has rigged up-as a trap
for unwary loggers, you will

agree with me that he is trying
to start a new system of slave
labor in the province.

I should say at once, that we
believe that he is violating the
law, and for this reason we
have asked for an investiga-
tion through the Attorney-

General’s Department. In the

meantime, we are extremely
anxious that no logger should
be induced to sign away his
rights to a fair wage in return
for his labor.

The plan invented by this. op-
erator is to hire men in Vancou-
ver and tell them that they are
to enjoy the status of partners
in his logging operation. He asks
them to sign an agreement of
partnership, with all the- condi-
tions so neatly wrapped up in
legal language that it appears to
be quite regular. The contrary

See “WARNS” Page 3

IWA REQUESTS
PROSECUTION

Conciliation Board proceedings, opening this week in

Penticton in the dispute between the IWA, Local 1-423,
and Penticton Sawmills Ltd., is likely to lead to the dis-

closure of lurid details in a bitter fight waged for years by
the employer against legitimate trade unionism. 2

That the employer has pro-
voked the Union beyond the
point of endurance is evidenced
by the fact that, simultaneously,
application has been made to the
Labor Relations Board by the
IWA for permission to prosecute
him for unfair labor practices.

AFL Raid
Although the IWA has been
certified for some years, and de-
nied an agreement, the AFL,
Carpenters & Joiners, have mov-
ed into the situation with the

encouragement of the employer,
in an effort to obtain certifica-
tion, and thwart the attempt of
the IWA to establish the IWA
Interior contract in the plant.
The representative of the rival
union was established in the em-
ployer’s office, and the employees
were ordered to report to him
on company time, one by one.
Intimidation Charged
The IWA Local Union officials
claim that the employers used
See PROSECUTION” Page 3

WHAT'S

The IWA scored a devastating blow against the pre-

ally to the opportunity provided

to hear all views on the major

INSIDE

Page

Locals .

Editoriels
IWA Pix

vailing apathy in the Federal election campaign, when
4000 persons responded to the call of Local 1-217 to hear
the spokesmen of the five contending political parties on
the same platform at the Exhibition Forum, July 30.

From start to finish, the meet-
ing, chaired by President Lloyd | Whalen, responded enthusiastic-

Green Gold—C0

9.15 p.m. ¢
Thursday §

LISTEN TO

questions before the electorate.
Each of the five speakers got
his share of jeers, catcalls, and
cheers, but the good-natured tone
of the meeting was well main-
tained by the presiding IWA

Union Airs Political -Issues

official.
Equality Maintained

Speakers drew lots to deter-
mine the order of speaking, and
were each allotted 15 minutes,
with an additional five minutes
for yebuttal.

See “ISSUES” Page 3

7.05 p.m.
Saturday

(KAN

6.15 p.m.
Thursday

CJM