a ee provides for maintenance

agreed upon in the Northern
Interior, and already estab-

ing of a three-year agree-
as from September 1, Hitt
to August 31, 1956. It is stipul-
ated that the Union shall have
the right to open negotiations
ninety days prior to the termina-
tion date,

The employers took the posi-
t a three-year contract
enable them to plan and
their marketing ar-
its for the period with
efficiency. From the
int of the Union, it should
noted that our organization is
d of the necessity of ne-
ng a renewed contract each
, until 1956, with the risks

at are always involved.

It also provides the Union in
the Southern Interior with the
opportunity to concentrate or the
organization and welfare pro-
blems of the lumber workers,
without the annual interruptions
of bargaining and conciliation
activities.

2 Union Security
Union Security section
the proposed new con-

‘membership similar to that

in the coast master con-
tract. Additional clauses pro-
hibit any discrimination against
those who have engaged in
strike activity, upon their re-
turn to work.

Tt is the considered opinion of
‘the District Policy Committee
members that the clause, as now
drafted, will better establish the
rights of the workers to organize
and maintain. organization for
bargaining purposes. The new
status gained by the Union will
safeguard these democratic
rights, and enable the lumber
workers to unionize completely
 IWA certified operation, if

desire,

tors is a clear-cut gain
IWA, as formerly the em-
ployers were adamant in their
_ opposition to any form of union
security,
Wage Increase

z ‘The wage increase for the

period totals ten cents. A
wage increase of four cents an
hour across the board will be
made effective on January 27.

An additional wage increase
of three cents an hour across
the board will become effective
on September 1, 1954. A fur-
ther additional wage increase
of three cents an hour will be-
come effective September 1,
1955, On September 1955,
the base rate will be increased
to $1.40 an hour,

An exception exists in the

ease of the box factory work-
ers, who do not now receive the
base rate established for the
industry. However, they will
receive the same rate of in-
crease percentage wise, total-
ling eight cents for the con-
tract period. For the box
factory workers a wage in-
crease of three cents an hour
becomes effective January 27,
1954, a further increase of 24%
cents an hour on September 1,
1954, and a further increase of
2%) cents an hour on Septem-
ber 1, 1955.
My only comment on this pro-
posed wage increase is, that, al-
though it is not all that could
be desired, it is the best obtain-
able under the circumstances,

oe Paid Holidays
proposed revisions of
the master contract provide

for three paid statutory holi-

days, to be granted prior to the
termination date of the con-

I suggest that this new pro-
vision is a significant improve-
ment in the contract, as it is the
first time in the Interior that the
‘Union has secured recognition for
the payment of wages on all
Jegal holidays, without work per-
formed. This represents substan-
tial progress on a matter now re-
garded as of great importance
in present day contract negotia-

tions.

4 ‘The proposed revisions of
the contract now provide for

recognition of seniority rights.

Hitherto, the practice in the

Interior has been to disregard

almost completely length of

service in promotions, lay-offs
and re-hiring after lay-offs.
The contract will now include

provisions for recognition of
length of service, in phrasing
similar to that now found in
the coast master contract. A
special section will provide a
method for re-hiring after lay-
offs which will give preference
to those laid off, when re-
hiring is under way.

In my opinion this new section
in the contract will correct many
abuses of the past, and will help
to maintain better continuity of
employment for those who have
gained experience in the opera-
tion.

Vacation With Pay
5 Conditions regarding vaca-

tions with pay for those
with five years’ service will be
improved in important respects.
The revised section in the con-
tract will reduce the qualifying
period to 1000 days, with three
percent of yearly earnings or
one week, and three additional
days vacation with pay, or pay
in lieu thereof.

This section will enable em-
ployees with five years’ service
to qualify for the additional vac-
ation entitlement with less dif-
ficulty, and will add three days
to their vacation period.

Grievance Procedure
6 A new section in the revised

contract will provide for the
standard grievance procedure,
as now agreed upon in the
Northern Interior, and similar
to that found in the coast mas-
ter contract,

Only Interior workers will fully
appreciate the importance of this
gain. They will now be provided
with a clear-cut procedure to se-
cure redress for any legitimate
grievance, through the recognized
processes. For the first time,
they will be in a position to
police the contract effectively,
and secure its full observance.

Arbitration Procedure
7. Another new section _will

outline a procedure for ar-
bitration. This will be similar
to the arbitration clauses now
included in the Northern In-
terior contract and the coast
master contract.

This will enable the Local
Unions in the Southern Interior
to demand arbitration with re-
gard to a dispute on contract
interpretation not settled under
the grievance procedure.

It will also enable the Local
Unions to police the contract
more effectively.

Summary of Reasons
Tn summary, the main reasons
for recommending acceptance of
the settlement terms as outlined,
are:

(1) The proposed new con-
tract terms offer substantial
henefits to the workers in the
Southern Interior lumber in-
dustry. These would not have
been obtained without the
strike action instituted by the
Union.

(2) The proposed contract
-improyements are, in the opin-
ion of the Union’s negotiators,
the best obtainable under the
circumstances. There is no as-
surance that continued strike

'

Seniority

action would secure any better
terms.

(3) The new status assured
the Union, under the union se-
curity clause, will offer pro-
tection to the workers in de-
veloping a stronger and more
efficient bargaining organiza-
tion. The IWA in the Southern
Interior has secured, for the
first time, a real opportunity
to build a strong trade union
for their protection.

(4) The proposed revision of
the contract will enable the es-
tablishment of yastly improved
working conditions, and the
correction of long-standing
abuses.

I am well aware that many
problems distressing the Interior
lumber workers remain unsolved.
The District Policy Committee,
and those of us who were respon-
sible for the final negotiations
would sincerely prefer to report
more generous terms of settle-
ment. We exerted the utmost
pressure upon the employers to
secure the best possible terms.
We then faced the results in a
realistic manner.

Strike Won Settlement

The strike has won for the
workers inyolyed important
benefits that they would not
otherwise have gained. We are
not warranted in expecting
them to undergo further sacri-
fices on the slim chance that
the employers might concede
further improvements. It is the
part of commonsense to accept
a “package deal” which under
the circumstances secures not-
able progress both now and for
the future.

The IWA has no apology to
make, either for its strike action
or for the terms of settlement.
Our Union has been completely
vindicated. The living and work-
ing conditions of lumber workers
in the Interior have been bet-
tered in a degree that would not
have been attained, had the [WA
failed to challenge the position
originally taken by the em-
ployers,

Tribute to Strikers

On behalf of B.C. District
Council IWA, I desire to pay tri-
bute to the magnificent struggle
waged by the IWA members who
held unbroken picket lines since
October 28rd. Only those who
have been on the spot can fully
appreciate all that they have en-
dured in the way of  strike-
breaking pressures, and the hard-
ships of reduced income during
zero weather,

Most of the workers involved
had little previous experience in
strike action. It is therefore all
the more to theii credit that they
capably mastered the necessary
strategy to meet the employers’
maneuvers, and maintained a
loyal solidarity in support of
trade union principles throughout
the long siege.

Appreciation

The militant spirit and self-
sacrifice shown by the Interior
strikers commanded the admira-
tion of all coast trade unionists,
I believe that I should express
appreciation for the generous
financial support which made vic-
tory in this strike possible.

Tn this I include the members
of our affiliated unions, who
made generous donations, in xe-
Sponse to our appeal. I also wish
to thank those who contributed
so readily to the Children’s
Christmas Fund and the winter
clothing drive. In this way the
trade union movement of the pro-
vince demonstrated a striking and
fraternal unity, that is a good
omen for its future growth.

This settlement ends an im-
portant chapter in IWA his-
tory. Our Union has fought for
and retained the right of all
lumber workers in the pro-
vince to bargain through the
Union of their choice on an
industry-wide basis, with unity
of purpose and action. It is
with greatly increased confi-
dence in our Union that we

may face the future,

FROM PAGE 1

“AFL CRIME”

pickets, when it was discovered
that they were using a “scab” to
take “hot” lumber from the plant
for use in construction,

It was also disclosed that the
refusal to respect the picket line
was a ruse to undermine IWA
strike action.

Representatives of the Carpen-
ters were called into conference
With the IWA strike committee.
It was explained that the IWA
could not move its picket line
back of the construction job with-
out trespassing on company prop-
erty. E
Permission to cross the picket
line was refused by the IWA,
and immediately defied by the
Carpenters’ representative.

It was also explained that the
carpenters’ action was making a
farce of the strike at the plant.

Strikebreaking Campaign

It then became apparent that
the AFL representative was act-
ing in collusion with the employ-
er, for all the striking workers
were then subjected to an intens-
ive campaign to join the Lumber
& Sawmill Workers’ Union, with
the promise that they would be
back at work before Christmas.

Representatives of the employ-
ers visited’the employees at their
homes to induce them to join the
AFL Union. A form letter threat-
ened a lock-out, unless they con-
formed to this request, to return
to work, and accomplish the de-
certification of the IWA.

AFL Asked Injunction

Bernard Bens, Vice-president
of Local 2318, United Brother-
hood of Carpenters & Joiners,
then joined with the employer in
seeking an injunction against
IWA picketing. His statement
formed part of the employers’
affidavit submitted to the Judge.

The Judge granted an injunc-
tion, but in modified terms per-

IWA.

This proved to be the signal
for a vicious campaign of mis-
representation against the IWA
by the employer, the AFL union,
and the local press, which appar-
ently intimidated a number of
the strikers into surrender.

Picket Line Crossed —

The AFL Union's members im-
mediately started crossing the
picket line daily and have con-
tinued to do so every working
day since.

IWA De-certified

Next move of the AFL repre-
sentative was to apply for certi-
fication even while the IWA
strike settlement was pending.
Suspicious haste was shown by
the Board in granting the AFL
request,

The circumstances of the case
have been brought to the atten-
tion of the Provincial Council of
the United Brotherhood of Car-
penters & Joiners, with the sup-
port of many members of that
Union who are highly indignant
at the betrayal of trade union
principles. It has likewise been
protested by other AFL unions
in the area,

SASK. SETS
UP BOARD

REGINA (CPA) — Saskatch-
ewan has set up a seven-man
committee, composed of labor and
management representatives, to

consider changes or improve-
ments in the provincial Work-
men’s Compensation (Accident

Fund) Act, Labor Minister C. C.
Williams has announced.

The committee consists of a
chairman, three employers’ repre-
sentatives and one representative
each from the CCL, TLC and the

mitting peaceful picketing by the

Railway Brotherhoods.

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