B.C. LUMBER WORKER

9

By A. R. MOSHER
lian Congress of Labor

President, Canadi

DURING the past year, considerable progress has been

made in Canada, both in the field of Labor organization
and in Labor relationships. Workers in increasing num-
bers are becoming organized in unions of their choice, and
the’ right to organize and bargain collectively is being
respected more widely than ever by industry.

From the standpoint of con-
tinued productivity, Canada’s
record has been highly satisfac-
tory. The loss of time because of
strikes or lockouts has been very
considerably decreased, repre-
senting a notable addition to the
national income, as well as en-
abling Canadians generally to
improve their standards of living.

Market Expansion

The industrial expansion of Ca-
nada has been maintained at a
high level, with new industries
being established across the na-
tion, and the confidence of the
investing public, both at home
and abroad, has been shown by
their willingness to participate
in many new developments, tap-
ping our natural resources and
making new wealth available to
our people.

It is very gratifying to me to
note that legislation was adopted
by the Federal Government since
last Labor Day, outlawing dis-
crimination on grounds of race,
color, creed or religion in all em-
ployment under federal jurisdic-
tion, and also providing for a
voluntary check-off of union dues.
The adoption by the Canadian
railways of the check-off plan,
following the settlement nego-
tiated last year, had made this
form of union security more gen-
erally acceptable than in the past
year. In short, unions are being
recognized as important elements
in the industrial system, and in-
stead of opposing them, enlight-
ened employers are finding that
the unions perform a service
which is reflected in production
figures and harmonious relation-

ships.
Outlook Good

The outlook for employment in
Canada appears to be favorable,
in spite of the fact that certain
industries are finding it difficult
to carry on under present condi-
tions. There is some difference of
opinion as to the effect which cut-
backs in defence production will
have on Canadian industry, but
this appears to have been largely
discounted in advance, and there
are good reasons for believing
that our economic and industrial
progress will continue.

In our present circumstances,

there is no justification for any
Jack of employment at good in-
comes for Canadian citizens. We
have probably a higher percent-
age per capita of skilled workers
than any country in the world.
We have abundant natural re-
sources and technical and mana-
gerial ability. We also have a
growing population, with increas-
ing demands for goods and ser-
vices. Obviously, nothing but our
failure to use our collective in-
telligence in handling our affairs
would permit our nation to suf-
fer a serious economic setback.

Cushion for Depression

In any event, we have a whole
structure of social security meas-
ures which were not in existence
in the depression years, and
which would undoubtedly help to
ward off a depression or cushion
its effects. Unemployment insur-
ance, family allowances, old’ age
pensions, savings plans, minimum
wages, and similar schemes, all
help to maintain purchasing
power and keep up demand for
industrial products,

The improvement in wages
which Labor unions have been
able to obtain f6r their members
are also an important factor in
stabilizing the economic system
of the nation. What has been
achieved in this respect repre-
sents an important contribution
toward the public welfare.

New Canadian Status

Canada is rapidly gaining an
enviable status among the nations
of the world, not only because of
her productive capacity and her
resources, which, if not unlimited,
are much greater than.could have
been originally anticipated, but
also because the Canadian peo-
ple have shown a willingness to
assume the burden of defence
necessary for the preservation of
freedom, and a generous attitude
toward other countries in need of
what Canada can supply.

We are therefore justified in
hoping and expecting that the
world is becoming a better place
in which to live, and that the evils
of injustice, poverty and distress
which have plagued the human
race almost from the beginning
of time are being abolished.

A CHALLENGE

(From CANADIAN LABOR)
“ORGANIZE the unorganized” has been a basic prin-

ciple of the Canadian Congress of Labor from its

foundation. It is not, therefore, surprising that Secre-

tary-Treasurer MacDonald, in presenting the resolution
that was adopted, was the key speaker on this topic at
Jast month’s World Congress of the International Con-

federation of Free Trade Unions.

affiliate.

The CCL endorsement of the Regional Activities Pro-
gram of the ICFTU to assist poverty-stricken, exploited
workers in Asia, Africa and Latin America has been
proven in concrete terms. This Congress -has the envi-
able record of the highest contribution, in proportion to
the number of workers it represents, of any ICFTU

The resolution endorsed by the representatives of the

other labor organizations throughout the free world was
a pledge and a challenge. It promised that the CCL
would maintain its previous record and invited other

national Jabor federations who were financially able to

do so to match this record.

The total is important, because of the given three-
year objective of $50,000, It is no less important because

the help given by thousands of CCL members to their
oe brothers in other lands. The annual contri-

bution per member averages out to less than the price

e of cigarettes.
rests with all.

The responsibility to aid

Bitter |
Strike
Faced

TORONTO (CPA) — The
strike at Noranda Mines,
Rouyn, P.Q. may well go on
for six months, William Sefton
of the United Steelworkers
told the Toronto and Lakeshore
District Labor Council reecntly.

Some 1,600 workers are on
strike at the gold and copper
producing mines after failures to
reach an agreement with the
management. The issues involved
are union security, a reduction to
44 hours in the work week and a
wage increase of 30c an hour.

Mr. Sefton said that Noranda
President, J; Y. Murdoch, had
threatened “If you want to strike,
we will meet you in three months
and see if you still want to strike
and then we will see you in six
months.”

» Strike Breaking

William Mahoney, Assistant to
Steelworkers’ Director C. H. Mil-
lard, has charged that the com-
pany is trying to destroy the
union and that the refusal of the
company to discuss wages and
other issues until demands for
the check-off were withdrawn,
was a blind to cover this attempt.

IWA-CCL PROGRAM —
MERITS SUPPORT

IWA members in all sections of the province will have
the opportunity in the next three months to improve their
knowledge of the trade union job.

This is the promise of an interesting program pre-

pared by the Research and Education Department of the
IWA, acting in cooperation with the Canadian Congress

of Labor.

Classes will be held at’ the fol-
lowing points on the dates indi-
cated:

MISSION, Lécal 1-367, IWA,
September 26-27. ‘

NANAIMO — Island Labor
Council, October 3-4.
VANCOUVER — Van. Labor
Council at UBC, October 24-25.
VICTORIA — Victoria Labor
Council, Oct. 31 - Noy. 1.
VERNON — Locals 1-417 and
1-423, IWA, Nov. 7-8.
CRANBROOK — Local 1-405,
IWA, November 14-15.
PRINCE GEORGE — Local
1-424, IWA, Noy. 14-15.

Training courses will be con-
ducted in the following subjects:
Job Steward’s Duties, Grievance
Procedure, Trade Union History,
Labor Legislation, Local Union
and Sub-Local Administration,
Economic Trends, Public Rela-
tions and Community Service.

Instructors who will assist with
the program include Howard
Conquergood, CCL Education Di-
rector Ed Kenney, IWA Research
Director, Gower Markle, United
Steelworkers’ Educational Direc-
tor, Joe Miyazawa, Associate Di-
rector IWA Education Dept.,
Marty Levinson, CCL Director of
International Affairs, and experi-
enced IWA officers.

All the instructors listed may
not be available for all the
schools, but the number of in-
structors will depend largely on
the number of enrolled students
and classes,

District Officers of the IWA
stressed this week the importance
of the widest possible participa-
tion by IWA Local Unions and
the membership in educational
opportunities calculated to lend
added strength to the Union’s
development.

MODERNIZE
CAMPS!

The Editor:

‘After many years spent work-
ing in various logging camp
cookhouses, I am still astounded
that the camp owners will spend
thousands of dollars for equip-
ment provided it’s for cutting or
hauling timber, but they won’t
spend one cent on modern ma-
chinery for speeding up work in
the cookhouse.

Meat grinders, bread slicers
and mixing machines are rare
things in most camps. I guess
they think the fellows working
there have it too soft, but when
one works a 70-hour week in
these places it’s no picnic.

Kitchens, dining rooms, store-
xooms, bake shops and lunch
rooms are behind the times, too,
being poorly laid out, which
causes needless walking for the
kitchen staff. In some camp din-
ing rooms there are tables so far
away from the dish-up table that
a quarter mile walk is covered
in a round trip.

If the operators were smart
they would have some of their
experts get to work clearing up
these conditions and everybody
would be happy.

Union Member,
Alice Lake Logging,
Port Hardy, B.C.

JUST DUMB
OR...

The Editor:

I have just read about your
need for news items in The B.C.
Lumber Worker and, while at the
moment there is nothing of in-
terest going on here at the Bridge
Lumber Co.,.I recall an amusing
incident that took place about
four years ago, which I believe
is worth printing.

While running an illegal pool
on a boxing match between the
old champ Joe Louis and Jersey
Joe Walcott, I found myself with
a few tickets still on hand and

the time fer the fight getting
closer,

‘on. Your Space Boys!

Looking around the mill yard
in desperation for possible buy-
ers, I spotted one of the clean-up
men pushing a wheel-barrow
across the yard, Dashing over,
I asked him if he was interested
in buying a ticket on a fight.
“Who's fighting?” he asks.
“Louis and Walcott,” I replied.
“What time is it on?” is his next
question, “Bight o’clock,” I ‘ans-
wered. “Where at?” he wants to
know. So I tell him Madison
Square Gardens in New York.
“Heck!” he says, “I can’t go
there, I’m working.”

Shop Steward.

OVERLOOKED

‘The Editor:
This is the time of year when

Local Unions are discussing reso-
lutions to be sent to the CCL

Convention, Most of them deal

Readers
Vein

with subjects" -om which there is
general agreement, bitt~now and
then there is a resolution daling
with some public welfare ‘that

creates quite a degree of argu-~

ment.

In this category is a resolution
that urges the Government to
provide inmates of Penal Insti-
tutions with Unemployment In-
surance stamps while they are
confined.

Job Urgent

Because of the urgent need for
him to get a job, he must accept
the first chance offered whether’
it is suitable or not. Suppose
there are no jobs, what is he to
do? Some of us are of the opin-
ion that if he were credited with
U.I. at a small cost to the Gov-
ernment, he would be enabled to
look around for suitable work
without the fear of being sent

back to prison.
“Billar”

A Real Union Shop

And No Mistake!

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association with the management of The Van-

couver Sun to produce the daily issues of Western

Canada’s leading newspaper that go into two out

of three British Columbia homes.

The Sun is happy

to be a real Union Shop throughout, with agreeable
relations with all its organized crafts and’ personnel.

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