B.C. LUMBER WORKER lil No group within the IWA has a keener appreciation of the sacrifices demanded in the homes of the Interior strikers than the members of the Coast Women’s Auxiliaries, formed of the wives of lumber work- ers. This has been disclosed by their efforts in support of the Union’s activities to ease the hardships experienced by women and children in the In- terior IWA households. They point with pride to the fact that the women are again playing a major part in winning the strike, as they did during the Coast strike of 1952. New Auxiliaries One notable feature of the present Interior strike is the or- ganization of IWA Women’s Auxiliaries at a number of the strike ecntres. This is proof, the Auxiliary spokesmen say, of the fact that the wives are giving the strike all-out support. The formation of these Aux- iliaries proved to be the most effective answer to the employ- ers’ propaganda, suggesting that the sacrifices of the strike would prove of no avail, and that all strike relief would be quickly exhausted. ‘When interviewed, representa- tives of the women’s organization requested that their views be made known to the wives of the Interior strikers, They said: A Message “We know what a strike means in the home of a lumber worker. We were through it in 1952. We spent many anxious days won- |dering how we would keep the Kiddies at school properly cloth- ed, and how we would provide them with good food, “In spite of all we endured, we now know that it was worthwhile. We are glad that we stood be- hind our men in their fight for décent living conditions, because we won much better conditions. “Women at the Coast think it is disgraceful that Interior lum- ber workers should be forced to work for $1.52 a day less than our husbands. “We also know that conditions will never be bettered unless the Union fights for a better con- tract. Never will the employers hand anything to the workers, unless they show the backbone to fight for their rights. Worthwhile Struggle “We feel that the strike will be won, when the employers’ re- alize that the women are in this fight with the same fighting spirit as the men. The employers feared this, when their propa- ganda was directed against the women. “We want the women in the Interior to know that we believe their spirit in this strike to be simply wonderful, and that at the Coast we are doing everything in our power to send aid, and plan to make Christmas for the Interior kiddies just as bright as possible. “We also want them to know we believe they will win, if they encourage their husbands to stand firmly behind the Union's fight.” ’ Coast Auxiliaries Send Aid To Strikers’ Wives XMAS PLANS READY Plans for the two Christmas parties of the Women’s Auxil- iary of Local 1-80, .W.A., Lake Cowichan, were completed at their regular meeting, held November 2, in the Union Of- fice. Two new members were wel- comed at the well attended meet- ing chaired by President Loewen. The new members were Belle Chadwick and Betty Donaldson. First of the Christmas parties to be held is the one for the Auxiliary on November 21, at which each member will bring a gift to the value of fifty cents. The Children’s Xmas party will be held December 22, with Sister Perreaux taking care of the ar- rangements. Bingo will be the main high- light of the next social meeting with Sisters Alldred and Atchi- son in charge. The Auxiliary’s evening jack- pot was won by Sister Turner. Tea hostesses for the evening were Sisters Loewen and Per- reaux. Wives Get ‘Scare’ Most vicious type of propa- ganda in the Interior strike has been directed by some em- ployers to the strikers’ wives, in an effort to weaken their spirit. Much of this has been secured and turned against them by the IWA strike com- mittees. Small sample of this innuendo appears in the following excerpts from one such letter: “Dear Mars. We are writing this to the lady of the house because we feel that it is the mother and the children who suffer in case of a strike or a shut-down ... The men who work for a mill with Union have been very for- tunate in being offered last year’s contract for at least five mills without Union certification in the Okanagan-Thompson Valley area have now dropped their basic rate from around $1.80 to $1.10 to $1.00. The current basic wage rate of $1.30 per hour is high or higher than in other basic wage rates in this area. The cities pay from $1.18 to $1.25 and the Fruit Industry pays $1.05 per hour... If there is a strike, the men will be losing a lot of money. The strike pay does not amount to very much as long as it lasts. If there is a strike for a month and else to consider: (a) Is there really a strike fund? (b) How much money is there in the strike fund? (c) The Union claims 8,000 members in the Interior — how much money does that mean for each member? (a) What strike pay are they receiving in the North? (Our itiformation is that they are re- ceiving $7.00 per week rather than the $18.00 that they were originally promised.) "If the umber market does not pick up by Spring, we will not be able to meet the present wages. We will be forced to do one of the following: i. Lumber in the yard must be sold bulk. 2. Wages go down to meet the Alex B: Macdonald Barrister & Solicitor Notary Public 751 Granville Street VANCOUVER, B.C. Telephone TAtlow 6641 SOLICITOR TO THE 1. W. A. ~s Letter market conditions. 8. Remain closed all season.” The record shows that the strikers’ wives who received these letters threw the employ- er’s lies back in his teeth. NEW UNITS FORMED Wives of IWA members on strike at Galloway, B.C. have formed a Women’s Auxiliary and the election of officers on a pro- tem basis was conducted Novem- ber 6, at a meeting held in the Jaffray Hall. Elected officers are: President, Florence McKay; ist vice-presi- dent, Ester Hanson; financial sec- retary, Alice Olson. Steck Lat) Vancouver General Sisters Olive Whitehouse and Mabel Andersen of the WA Local 1-217, IWA, visited the following patients in the Vancouver General Hospital on November 3, distribut- ing candy, cigarettes and copies of the B.C, Lumber Worker. TB PAVILION ©. Biman, Seymour Inlet — Doing ne. A. Telowsky, Gordon Brown Mill, ‘Haney—Looking well. F, Midnight, MacMillan & Bloedel —Doing fine. ANNEX H, Hunter, Prince George—Getting treatment. J. Kishier, Sechelt—Discharged. J. Hofmann, Kelly Logging—Neck broken. Feeling better now. LD.&H, WARD A,, Krone, Prine George—Improv- nj W. Ganner, Turner Logging—Do- ing fine. A. Walsuk, Booth Logging—Cheer- ul, HL Cianwen, Vernon—Feeling. bet- er. Marie Bain, Pacific Veneer—Polio. Cheerful. HEATHER ANNEX L, Delnire, R. J. Morgan—Arthritis, Getting’ stronger. Sisters Brown and Busch of the WA Local 1-217, IWA, visited the following patients in the Vancou- ver General Hospital November 10, distributing candy, cigarettes and copies of the B.C. Lumber Worker. WARD D. R. Mitehell, Powell River—Leg and ‘arm broken, Allen, B.C, Forest Products, Mins- and head in- tre! Island — Har Juries. iy, Port Alberni — Back in- WARD &_ Glenn, Terrace—Back injury. W, Henschke, Comox Lake—Back injury. Engstrom, Port Hardy—Arm and shoulder injury. J. Halishoft, Minstrel Island — Ankle injur 1. Entner, Ocean Falls—I, feeling well. 'T. Lepine, Dawson Creek — Foot ‘amputated. Keresztesy, Kitim: R. King, Selwy —Lost leg. WARDS S&T Carlson, Bendickson Logging, Kelsey Bay—Not feeling well. W.. Warkola, Universal Box Burns. not {—Spinal injury AL ong”. King’s Daughters Fin. Sec. Ed Linder of Local 1-80, IWA, visited the following patients in the King’s Daughters’ Hospital November 16, distributing candy, cigarettes and copies of the B. Lumber Worker, in the Eng- sh, East Indian and Chinese edi- tions. Bill Pipe, Duncan, B.C. Jack Skertechly, Duncan, Injured hand. Chow Yow, Duncan, B.C. Lawrence Stride, Lake Cowichan, B.C,—Injured leg. David Everts, Chemainus, B.C. — Injured in car accident. Harold Veefkind, Duncan, B.C. Clifford Tate, (child) Camp No. 3, Youbou, B.C. BI Richards, BC. Honeymoon Bay, B.C. Bhag Singh, Honeymoon Bay, B.C. Chuck Wilkinson, Cobble Hill — Illness. Wilf Bomford, Cobble Hill, B.C. Jncob Joe, Duncan, B.C. Chow Kee, Mesachie Lake, B.C. Ronald Vatleau, Duncan, B.C. Mra. A. H. Pere. Mrs. Cecil Black, Camp No. 6; You- bou, B.C.—Appendix_ operation. Mrs. James Ferguson, Duncan, B.C. Mrs. Evelyn Tarasoff, Dew, Mildred Shaw, Cowichan Sta- tion. Mrs, Muriel Eaton, Duncan, B.C. Mrs, Deldra Mitchell, Lake Cow- ichan, B.C. Mrs, Mona Anderson, Lake Cow- ichan, B. Mrs. Leita Goulding, Duncan, B.C. Mrs, Dorothy Shillito, Chemainus, , Queen Charlottes | i D. Black, M & K Lumber — Pneu- ‘monia,” Sisters’ Olive Whitehouse and Mabel Andersen of the WA Local 1-217, IWA, visited the following patients in the Vancouver General Hospital November 12, distributing candy, cigarettes and copies of the B.C. Lumber Worker. TB PAVILION oF at aie, Seymour Inlet—Cheer- ul. J. Welowsky, Gordon Brown, Haney Looking well. T, Midnight, MacMillan & Bloedel —Feeling fin ANNEX = A. Hunter, Prince George—Opera- ation, doing fine. S.Gicomettl, Cranbrook — Broken arm. J. Hofmann, Kelly Logging — Broken neck, Coming along fine. BH, Arehibald—Spine injury. Rest- ing. W. Henxchke, Comox Logging — Back injury. Coming along. Marcoflio, Field, B.C—Broken arm. Improving, TD.&H. WARD A. Walsuck, Booth Logging — ‘Cheerful, Canner, Turner Logging — Broken back, Resting, A. Krone, Prince George—Improy- ing. Marie Bain, Pacific Veneer—Polio. Cheerful. HEATHER ANNEX L. Delair, R, J. Morgan—Arthritis. Improving. Sisters Brown and Busch of the WA Local 1-217, IWA, visited the following patients in the Vancou- ver General Hospital from Novem- ber 17 to 24, distributing candy, cigarettes and copies of the B.C. Lumber Worker. WARD D D. Mitchell, Powell River—Leg and arm broken. + A. -Hersley, B.C. Forést Products, ‘Minstrel Island—Ear and head injuries. J. Foman, Prince George, Logging Co. ManeNeal back, G._ Frost, G Strom Heart trouble. Boston Bar — Broken Alaska Pine—Nerve in face removed. J. Sasy, Canal Flat—Check up. Miller, 'Powell River Co.—Tumor. Rydal, Seymour Inlet — Hip in- jury. WARD © Glen, Terrace—Back injury. Engstrom, Port Hardy—Arm and shoulder injuries, | T._Lepine, Dawson Cyeek — Lost s008 Paul Bohi, Alberni Pacific Div. MacMillan & Bloedel—Polio. ugene. Laroxe, Plywood Div. MacMillan & Bloedél—Rheuma- tism, I, Raneier, Alberni Pacific Div., MacMillan & Bloedel — Pneu-~ monia. St. Paul’s Sister Margaret Kamm of the WA Local 1-217, TWA, visited the following patients in the St. Paul's Hospital on November 18, distrib- uting candy, cigarettes and copies of the B.C. Lumber Worker. George Mostrom, Prince George— Leg injury, Coming along fine. Charlie Dun, Franklin. River — Broken thigh. Doing fine. Bob Slater, Kelly Logging—Back injury. Doing well. Bert Sigowin, Thurlow P.O.—Frac- tured hip. Doing pretty well. Jol Bull, Thompson Sound, Buz- ‘d Logging—Broken leg. Im- proving. Norman Peterson, Britannia, River —B.C, Forest—Injured spine. Simon Walker, Northburg Logging —Gland trouble. Feeling pretty well, Clarks Building Frank Yixher, Supply, Penticton — Lost right arm, Coming along pretty well. B.C. West Coast General Brother Fred Whipp of Local 1-8, IWA, visited the following patients on behalf of the Union at the West Coast General Hospital in Port Alberni, distributing candy cigarettes and ‘copies of the B.C. Lumber Worker. Joe Troje, Sarita River Div., Mac- Millan & Bloedell—Broken leg. Peter Santes, R. B. McLean Lmbr. Co.—Injured back. W. E. Kickbush, Sproat Lake Div, MacMillan & Bloedell—Spine and internal injuries. Geo. Kresta, Alberni Pacific Div. MacMillan’ & Bloedel — Infected tooth, Nick Hnennyj, Sproat Lake Div. MacMillan & Bloedel—injury. Ralph Sperling, Somass Div., Mac- Millan & Bloedel—Accident. Tony Zdebink, Alberni Pacific Div. | MacMillan & Bloedel. 367 WATER ST. be Yowll enjoy Christmas Shopping the Easy Catalogue Way SIMPSONS-SEARS LIMITED VANCOUVER 3, B.C. TAtlow 6111 "WHAT — HE TRIED T0 SELL YOU A SUIT THAT DION'T FIT? 7RY THE HUB, MY BOY, AKO CET YOURS WITH EASY CREDIT!“ Home of Union Made MEN’S WEAR AND FRIENDLY SERVICE 45 EAST HASTINGS VANCOUVER, B. C.