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IWA EXPOSES
AFL “CRIME”

District TWA Officers moved this week to lodge an

appeal against the decision of the Labor Relations Board
granting certification to the AFL Lumber and Sawmill
Workers’ Union in the operation of the Creston Sawmills

Ltd., Creston.

Simultaneously, International
Representative, Clayton Walls,

ig for Local 1-405, IWA,
iat ‘irculation among B.C.
le unions a full statement of
tircumstances, alleging that
ts of the AFL union against
TWA while on strike to be
of the “blackest of trade
crimes”.
eal against the decision of
bor Relations Board has
heen made on the grounds that
the Board in such instances is re-
quired to grant a hearing, and
that an erroneous decision can be
reversed.
Bias Suspected

As far as can be discovered by
IWA officials, this is the first oc-
casion a contested certification
has been granted without first

“WHAT'S
INSIDE

holding a hearing for both par-
ties, and a representation vote.

The appeal is awaiting the
consideration of the Board, it
was reported this week.

Certification in the Creston
Sawmills has been held by the
IWA since 1944. Subsequently
difficulty was experienced con-
stantly by the Union in the main-
tenance of a satisfactory labor-
management relations due to the
continued undercover opposition
of the employer.

Pressure Exerted

It is alleged that the employees
were subjected to considerable
pressure, when the government-
supervised strike vote was held
last October. The result was a
small majority against strike ac-
tion.

When the over-all strike vote
in the area favored strike action,
the workers in the plant accept-
ed the majority decision and
established their picket lines.

In the sixth week of the strike,
members of the United Brother-
hood of Carpenter’ and Joiners
crossed the picket line to engage
in the construction of a dry kiln.
This action was protested by the

See “CRIME” Page 3

TRADE
RATES
URGED

Increased pressure will be
exerted on the employers to
secure adjustment of trades-
men’s rates as proposed by
the 1953 Conciliation Board
as a result of recent confer-
ences representative of coast
IWA Local Unions.

At a meeting of IWA staff
representatives held in the Steel
Hall, Vancouver, January 19, a
thorough analysis was made of
the perplexing problems con-
fronting skilled tradesmen in thé
lumber industry. -

A further conference under the
joint auspices of Local 1-217,
1-357, and 1-367 was held in New
Westminster, January 24.

It was made apparent that the
growing dissatisfaction of trades-
men throughout the industry is
at a boiling point.

‘Action Speeded
The IWA District Council will
continue the effort to resolve the
problem as speedily as possible,
in accordance with the desires of
the tradesmen.

District officials expressed the
view that unless the matter is
given more serious and prompt
attention by the employers, labor-
management relations in the in-

|.dustry will suffer grave disturb-

ances,

freen Cold—-CJOR

)| cumstances, and their views were endorsed unanimously

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SOUTH INTERIOR STRIKE
GAINS BETTER: CONTRACT

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Approval this week by IWA members on strike in the
Southern Interior of the strike settlement terms, nego-
tiated by the Union’s spokesmen, and recommended for
acceptance by the District Policy Committee, ended a long
and hard-fought struggle waged since October 23 with
substantial gains for the strikers.

Events moved rapidly to this climax, as Judge A. E.
Lord prepared to open his enquiry into the Southern In-
terior dispute. Possibilities of settlement emerged as the
employers indicated their readiness to make concessions,
which previously they had refused to consider. ;

Formula for settlement was achieved in special con.
ferences by District President Joe Morris, Ist Vice-Presi-
dent William Gray, 8rd Vice-President Fred Fieber, Sec-
retary-Treasurer George Mitchell, Financial Secretary
Howard Webb, Local 1-424, Associate Research Director
ef Se-Miyare way and Financial Secretary Jack Strong, Local

-423.

They reported the terms negotiated to the District

Policy Committee as the best obtainable under the cir-

by the committee’s members. * : £S

Unfavorable weather conditions delayed the final tabu-
lation of the membership voting throughout the Southern
Interior, but incomplete returns indicated a majority for
acceptance of more than 80 percent.

NEW CONTRACT BENEFITS

In summary, the new contract provisions won as the
result of the strike settlement are: ;
1. DURATION OF CONTRACT, extended for-a three-
year period, September 1, 1953, to August 31, 1956, with
provision for the opening of negotiations 90 days in ad-
vance of the termination date.

2. UNION SECURITY in the provision for mainten-
ance of membership as agreed upon in the Northern In-
terior, plus a clause prohibiting discrimination against
strikers upon return to work.

8. WAGE INCREASE, totalling 10 cents for the con-
tract period, with an immediate increase of 4 cents an
hour across the board, an additional increase of 3 cents an
hour, September 1, 1954, and an additional increase of 3
cents an hour, September 1, 1955.

Box factory workers, not in receipt of the base rate
now established in the industry, were awarded propor-
ionate increases percentage-wise, totalling 8 cents an hour
for the contract period. e

4, THREE PAID STATUTORY HOLIDAYS: Domin-
ion Day in the period September 1, 1953, to August 31,
1954, plus Labor Day, in the period Septémber 1, 1954, fo

LISTEN TO
7.00 p.m. ¢

Thursday §

August 31, 1955, plus Christmas Day in the period Sep-
tember 1, 1955, to August 31, 1956. F
5. SENIORITY RIGHTS as now established in the
Coast master contract, plus a special clause to extend
preference to those laid off in re-hiring.
6. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE siniilar to that now

agreed-upon in the
master contract.

Northern Interior and in the Coast

° 7. ARBITRATION PROCEDURE similar to that now
recognized in other IWA contracts.

8. VACATIONS WITH PAY clause reducing the quali-
fying period for two weeks vacation in respect of thos
with five years’ service to 1000 working days, and the
additional days’ vacation-with pay or pay in lieu thereo!

OFFICIAL STATEMENT

In commenting on, the terms of
settlement in a report to the
Union, which accompanied the
District Policy Committee’s re-
commendation of acceptance, Dis-
trict President Joe Morris stated:

“The settlement formula was
worked out in conferences with
the bargaining representatives of
the lumber operators during the
past week. We reached agree-
ment on terms which we could
recommend to our principals on
the eve of the enquiry scheduled
to be conducted by Judge A. E,
Lord, and which is now indefin-
itely postponed, The possibility of
settlement emerged when the op-

Saturday

CANT

7.05 p.m. ¢

erators’ representatives were per-
suaded to make concessions ©
major points which up to that
time they had refused to con-
sider favorably.

The settlement proposals were
considered at a full meeting of
the IWA District Policy Commit-
tee attended by representatives
of the strikers. The Committee
members were unanimous in the
decision to recommend acceptance
by the IWA members on strike,

Three-Year Contract

The proposed revisions in the
master contract for the Southern
Interior are conditional upon the;

See “WINS” Page 3

6.30 p.m.
Thurs

:CJAT