2 B.C. LUMBER WORKER - WAGE PLANS CONSIDERED Pride in the achievements democratic organization, our dis- of the recent IWA District | cussions were centred principally Convention was expressed on the resolution forwarded by by District President Joe | the members of our Local Unions. Morris, when in his post- convention broadcast he re- ported his impressions, and summed. up features provid- ing stimulus to the work of the Union. The District President said in part: “AN of us who attended the convention were impressed by the constructive outlook which was evident throughout all the dis- cussions. The delegates had their vision focussed on certain definite purposes, and the desirability of making progress in the achieve- ment of those purposes. It is for this reason that we may regard the decisions of the convention, in their entirety, as mapping out a forward area, into which our Union intends to move. within the next year. The pro- ceedings were keynotéd by the theme of progress—the progress made during the past year, and the definite possibilities of prog- ress for another year. Once more we may express pride in the democratic processes of our Union. Any impartial ob- server at the recent. convention would be bound to admit that the IWA adheres to its democra- tic traditions” with conscientious fidelity. ~ The membership of the Union was in full control of the Union’s affairs, both with regard to judg- ment of past performance, and plans for future effort. This fact should be known and appreciated not only by the membership, but, should also be recognized by the general public. Our friends and critics alike should know, that whatever their .opinion of IWA policies, these policies originate with the rank and file lumber workers who form the union, and that our ad- ministration is geared to execute these policies. As might be expected in a It was only natural, therefore, that the terms of renewal of the Master Contract in the Coast area should have been one of the’ chief topics oP discussion. Contract Negotiations The large number of resolu- tions received on this subject, made it very clear that the members in all sections of the industry, are not only concern- ed about the inadequacy of thé present contract, but are de- termined upon essential im- provements. Underlying their expressed views is the very firm belief that the resources of the industry, and the profits extracted therefrom by the em- ployers make additional con- tract benefits feasible, and necessary. These proposals ranged over a wide field, and if totalled, would present us with a very, formid- able task in pending negotiations. My point will’ be seen more clearly, if I list the major con- tract demands which were intro- duced for the consideration of the convention. They were wage increase, union shop, nine paid statutory holi- days, improved annual vacation’ health and welfare plan, impro ed hours of work, fare allowance, travel time, guaranteed daily wage for those now on piece work rates, union hiring hall, stand-by time, longer call time, increased night shift differentials, rest per- iods, category rates revision, and guaranteed annual employment. The Procedure No one with common sense imagines that all these important contract conditions can be secur- ed with one bite. I have run down the list for three reasons: (1) the presentation of this long list of demands reveals that .conditions are far from satisfactory for the workers in the lumber industry. In many important respects, they are ESS GUIDE “ESQUIRE” MEN’S WEAR (Graham Mowatt) Complete Stock of Work and Dress Clothing HANEY “THE STORE WITH THE POPULAR BRANDS” BRITISH COLUMBIA Truck Calls at Mesachie Lake, Cowichan Lake, Crofton & south to Shawnigan, Hats Cleaned and Blocked Press While U Wait Phone 360 DUNCAN, B.C. VOGUE CLEANERS })J, LINDSAY LOUTET (C. Bradshaw & Co.) INSURANCE and REAL ESTATE DUNCAN 131 Jubilee St. LAKE COWICHAN BRANCH: = eee MacGREGOR’S MEN’S WEAR | For Everything a Man Wears ‘WORK, SPORT or DRESS We Can Afford to Sell the BEST for LESS! satis First Aid Supplies " Registered Optometrist Argyle Street Port Alberni Phone 1600 WOODWARD STORES (PORT ALBERNI) LTD. “Your Family Shopping Centre” “Closed Wednesdays All Day” Hours: 9-5:30 CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE at the recent District Convention served the delegates well and were assisted by members of the District Office staff. E. Holmes, 1-217, was Chairman, and PF. Allen, 1-85, was Secretary. Others were: Wm. King, 1-71; Peter McDonald, 1-80; Sister Patricia Bates, 1-118; R. Thompson, Skalicky, 1-424, 1-357; F. O’Laughlin, 1-367; Wayne Agnew, 1-405; Noel Gooding, 1-423; P. lagging behind the workers performing comparable work in other industries of this proy- ince. (2) All these proposals were carefully considered by the Convention’s Resolutions Com- mittee and by the delegates. The merits, and relative im- portance were discussed that a sound perspective might be ob- tained of the over-all require- ments of the workers, in rela- tion to our strength of organ- ization. (3) The Convention was re- quired to establish some pro- cedure of selection in order that the more urgent require- ments would be given some priority in approaching nego- tiations. Our procedure will be similar to that employed in previous years. The proposals that met with general favor among the delegates were approved in prin- ciple and referred to the Wages and Contract Conference, which will be held in Vancouver, March 18-14. The advantages. of this democratic procedure are obvious, The membership now has a gen- eval estimate of the needs and views of the workers in the in- dustry. The discussion launched at the Convention will now be continued by the members in the Local Unions. Wage Conference All Local Unions will send their delegates to the Wages and Contract Conference fully in- formed as to the thoughts of the workers on the job. The Union will supply the Conference with accurate knowledge of economic conditions in the industry, ob- tained through our own Research Department. The Conference will then move in a fully democratic way to establish its own priori« ties with regard to all these de- mands, and devise the necessary strategy for negotiations. The Creston Incident The convention was as concern- ed with developments in the leg- islative field as. at the bargain- ing table. As a matter of fact, no resolution provoked more in- terest than the one which dealt with the action of the Labor Re- lations Board in its approval of strike-breaking tactics employed against the IWA. This illustrates the fact that the Convention was fully alive to the necessity of influencing the Legislature, now in session, with regard to the importance of leg? islation which will protect the legitimate rights of organized labor. The Convention, because of this requirement authorized the establishment of a political action committee at the District level, to deal with the legislative aims of the Union- in co-opera- tion with our affiliates.” C'mon now, fellows, admit it— it isn’t the fact that a man stares at your wife that makes you mad. It’s the fact that she enjoys it. WOMEN DELEGATES ATTENDING THEIR FIRST IWA CONVENTION, these four women delegates were part of the delegations representing Locals 4-118 and 1-85, IWA, at the 17th Annual District Convention. (Left to right) Evamay Sharpe, Local 1-118, TWA, Shop Steward at the Victoria Plywood Co.; Betty Wilson, Local 1-83, Grievance Com- mittee Secretary in the Alberni Plywood Plant; Pat Bates, Local 1-118, Local 1-118, Union Committee member at Shop Steward at the Victoria Plywood *Co.; Bonnie Bruce, the Victoria Plywood Co. PARTS Nanaimo é Phone 1515 IRA BECKER & SON Vancouver Island Distributors I.E. L. POWER CHAIN SAWS x “SERVICE Campbell River Phone 94H BRO. McKAY MOURNED IWA District Officers join- ed this week with the officers and members of Local 1-405, IWA, Cranbrook, in express- ing profound regret at the sudden death of Brother Henry McKay, a highly re- spected member of the In- terior Local Union. Messages of sympathy have been forwarded to the members of the Local Union and the surviving members of the family. ‘ The deceased was known as one of the most conscien- tious and Joyal supporters of the IWA in the East Koot- enay area, and had held many responsible posts in IWA activities, Coast IWA members gained a warm ap- preciation of his loyal co- operation on the District Policy Committee during ne- gotiation periods. HENRY McKAY District President Morris stated, “The passing of Bro- ther Henry McKay is a dis- tinct loss to this Union, be- cause of the sterling quali- ties which he brought to the service of the IWA. I know that his death will be mourn- ed not only by his immediate family, but by many of his fellow-titizens because of his kindly and unassuming spirit of service. We tender our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.” ASK ’EM The New York Times was. sufficiently impressed about the issues involved in the Ontario-