4 . B.C. LUMBER WORKER ~ Second Issue, EDITORIAL Naked Facts ‘THE Interior strike situation presents the IWA with the gravest crisis in its history since 1948. The lumber operators have made it so. They have deliberately pro- voked a situation in which they hope to crush the Union and oust it completely from that area. ’ 2 * The Union acted in good faith throughout the bar- gaining and conciliation proceedings, striving to secure by peaceable means the required remedies for intolerable conditions and sub-standard wages. The intent of the employers, previously disguised, was laid bare at the conferences immediately prior to the strike deadline. Their whole purpose throughout has been to bludgeon the workers into acceptance of the wage scale found just across the Alberta border, which pro- vides a base rate of only 80 cents an hour. To accomplish this purpose they must first destroy the Union’s foothold in the Interior. For three years they have used methods of naked and brutal dictatorship to - scare the workers into submission to their low-wage plan. The Interior employers are reaching for the-economic prize of triple-plated profits. They control one-third of the lumber production in the province. The profits ordi- narily secured by Coast producers who must meet the same market conditions are not enough in the books. of the Interior lumber barons. The Interior producers .have the lowest stumpage and royalty costs. The dominant employers have profited by the contracting system. For years they have forced down their employees’ wage scales below those established elsewhere in the industry. Now they intend to force upon the Interior workers a still. more degrading discrepancy in living standards as compared to the standards accepted by the province that still greater profits may be ac- cumulated. : These ulterior motives provide the only reason for their adamant attitude of rejection toward all contract improvements, whether involving cost or not. This atti- tude on the part of the employers has always made a farce of all bargaining and conciliation. It is an. anti- labor attitude which has now defeated the efforts of local business men to accomplish mediation. Stripped down to the naked facts, the issue in the strike is now the right of the workers to organize and bargain collectively. The employers obstinately refuse to allow their employees any voice in determining their working conditions. Their attitude is one of outright dictatorship. Under such circumstances the Union need offer no apology in these circumstances, for taking strike action, as the only remaining alternative to a complete surrender of all rights. : The Union cannot shrink from this fight, even if it desired to do so, however long and costly it may be. The . matters at stake are of vital concern to every lumber worker in the province. . The Union is fighting for the right of free men fo claim decent standards of living and working by demo- cratic means in a democracy. ca ' Vote “Yes” "THE appeal made by the IWA District Executive Board for membership approval of the proposed special assessment of $1.00 a month will bring home to every lumber worker the nature of the threat to which the Union is now exposed by the conditions which forced strike action in the Interior. : It is a strike which demands the full mobilization of IWA resources, because it is a strike that must be won in protection of the Union’s most vital interests. The organized employers have attacked the weakest spots in the [WA organization in a savage effort to smash the growing strength of the IWA, and thereby gain the opportunity to beat down wages. The Interior woodworkers have met this powerful offensive manfully. The sacrifices demanded of them today are being made not only on their own behalf but in defence of standards for which Coast workers must fight tomorrow, if the Interior battle’is lost. The Union cannot allow wages in the Interior to be depressed, as desired by the employers, without facing the inevitability of wage-cutting at the Coast as well as in the Interior. - The situation was stated frankly by the District President in his message to the Union on the subject. He said: “Because there is the prospect of a long and bitter fight, we must make certain that we have sufficient funds to meet any emergency over a period of time.” “We must add to our present reserves, so that our Interior brothers can face a prolonged battle with confi- Bee earnestly suggest to each IWA member, when called upon by his Local Union, to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on this recommendation that he consider all that is involved in this Interior fight. f . (SEE NEXT COLUMN) COMING UP ECONOMIC GUIDANCE OFFERED The Editor: After reading a report, on La- bor Relations, Social and Eco- nomie Trends, compiled by our International Department of Re- search headed by Bro. Ed Kenney and staff, it came to my attention that due to the recent layoff of employees in different sections of our industry and the shorter work week brought into affect by the employers in many of our plants and logging camps, the time has now approachéd, when we as members in the IWA have to take a sound position, in re- gards to our well being, while we are earning our livelihood from the wood industry in B.C. Below will follow quotations taken from that report, which I am sure will help to act as a guide in our everyday domestic affairs. “The peak of business activity has been reached and there will be a gradual decline all along the economic front during the next 12-month period. Business by all normal standards will still be good but the “honeymoon” is over. The bottom is not going to fall out and there is no depres- sion immediate. Money will buy more goods in the next 12 months but not so many people will have it to spend. This is deflation. “The purchasing power of our working population must be maintainéd if we are to prevent a ‘slide-back’ to an unstable econ- omy. As defense spending de- creases and the ‘tight money’ policy of the present administra- tion increases, all the resources of labor, business and govern-| ment will be needed to meet a threatening challenge to our pres- ent high standard of living.” Suggestions: . Do not buy articles that force you into long-term credit position, In other words, live for the next 12 months as near to a pay-as-you-go policy as is pos- sible. Do not go into debt beyond your present status if you can help it. 2. If you are paying on the instalment plan for “luxury” items make every effort’to pay off such indebtedness as soon as pos- sible by an occasional extra pay- ment. 3. If possible for you to save a little money each month try your best to do so and put it aside for the period ahead when it will come in mighty handy. ~ 4. When the government tight- ens its money policy, as it is presently doing, then it is time for us working people to follow a similar policy with our earnings. 5. Spend but spend wisely and only for necessities. You will be in trouble if we encounter a seri- ous slump in business, after the next 12 months, and you find yourself burdened down with too many monthly instalments to pay. The aforementioned five sug- gestions are submitted for your serious consideration, Our work- ing people are in debt “up to their ears” in the great majority of cases. Now is the latest hour for you to make serious efforts to reduce your present debts and to incur no more long-term (one year or “Would he be willing to perform the work in which he is now engaged for $1.52 a day less as now required of his brother in the Interior? Is he willing to allow another lumber worker to do so, and undercut his present wage standards?” There is only one answer to these two questions for any self-respecting lumber worker. It is to support the strike fully by voting “Yes” for the assessment, and thereby indicate that he is in this fight to a finish, i shoulder to shoulder with his Interior brothers. Readers Think! more) debts until business con- ditions become more stable and normal, In closing, I hope the above in- formation will be of service to all us in the IWA. I remain, Gordon (Pat) Paterson, Local 1-217. LOCAL 1-367 TENDERS APPRECIATION The Editor: May I take this opportunity, on behalf of the members and Executive Officers of Local 1-367, IWA, to thank the District Offi- cers for the splendid co-operation we received from the District in the Union Institute, held recently at the Bellevue Hotel, Mission It is felt by Executive officers of this Local Union that such educational programs are a vital necesisty of the strengthening of the organization generally, We are looking forward to the time when we can again hold a Union Institute within Local 1- 67. Fraternally yours, W. Lowery, President. Canadian food producers pro- duced only 1,485,561 pounds. of spiced pork and spiced ham in the second quarter of this year as compared with 26,246,585 pounds in the same quarter of 1952. Alex B: Macdona Barrister & Solicitor Notary Public 751’ Granville Street VANCOUVER, B.C. Telephone TAtlow 6641 SOLICITOR TO THE |. W.A ANS On DIAMONDS, JEWELRY, SILVERWARE, FURS AND ALL VALUABLES Immediate Cash! 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