Ze B. Cc. LUMBER WORKER CRITICS NOW FIND IWA O.K. IWA officers, who last year were attacked by their critics in business cricles for alleged irresponsible action were ex- tremely interested this weel, when the following story ap- peared in the Vancouver Sun, quoting the remarks of a for- mer member of the Labor Relations Board. The report read as follows: “British Columbia’s construc- tion industry today appealed to building trades unions to “follow the line” of International Wood- workers of America by foregoing a general wage increase this year. : Macgregor Macintosh, manag- er of Construction Industrial Re- lations, bargaining unit for the majority of B.C.’s building con- tractors, said: “IWA officers are to be con- gratulated on the realistic view- point of their 1954 contract requests. They have put the wel- fare of B.C, ahead of their own immediate desires for a wage increase.” The big woodworkers’ union Is seeking eight fringe improve- ments but has decided against seeking a cash pay boost. Macintosh said “the IWA has fully established itself as the leading B.C. union in responsi- bility as well as size’ and he called on the 21 union groups in the construction industry “to accept a like responsibility”. He added, “The construction industry’s wage bill in 1953 was $80,000,000 for industrial pro- jects but for 1954 there Is not $80,000,000 worth of industrial business planned in this pro- vince”.” FROM PAGE 1 No “Disguise” tion of two, does not apply to the whole working force, but the proposals in their entirety will also enormously improve the working and living standards of the workers in ways that cannot be reckoned in dollars and cents. Four of the items proposed for revision of the contract cannot properly be described as cost items. They can easily be ac- cepted by the employers with a view to stabilizing labor-man- agement relations and continu- ous employment of skilled workers. Mutual Benefit We believe that acceptance of our demands will benefit the em- ployer’s competitive position on the world market: Everything that we propose. will result in higher morale, and improved efficiency in production. > ‘We are bound to agree that no one can reliably forecast market conditions beyond the year’s end. Our program is therefore de~ signed so that we may truth- fully say to the employer, ‘As you protect the conditions of the employees in the way we sug- gest, you will protect your mar- Kets. ‘The more efficient produc- tion required to meet world com- petitive demands is based on the well-being of the workers’. GEORGE WHATMAN! Will anyone knowing the present whereabouts of Graham W. Whatman, be- lieved to have worked in a logging camp at Redonda Bay, in September, 1953, please contact the IWA Dis- trict Office, 45 Kingsway, Vancouver, or Mrs. Joan Whatman, 273 Enfield Cres- |] cent Winnipeg, Manitoba. NEY BUSI NESS GUIDE “ESQUIRE” MEN’S WEAR (Graham Mowatt) Complete Stock of Work and Dress Clothing “THE STORE WITH THE POPULAR BRANDS” HANEY ~ BRITISH COLUMBIA DUNCAN VOGUE CLEANERS | Truck Calls at Mesachie Lake, Cowichan Lake, Crofton & south to Shawnigan Hats Cleaned and Blocked Press While U Wait DUNCAN, B. Phone 360 BUSINESS GUIDE J. LINDSAY LOUTET (C, Bradshaw & Co.) INSURANCE and REAL ESTATE DUNCAN 131 Jubilee St. LAKE COWICHAN BRANCH: Old Post Office Building MacGREGOR’S MEN’S WEAR For Everything a Man Wears WORK, SPORT or DRESS We Can Afford to Sell the BEST for LESS! PORT ALBERNI BUSINESS GUIDE MacDONALD’S PHARMACY Prescriptions, Drug Sundries, irst Aid Supplies Registered Optometrist Argyle Street Port Alberni WOODWARD STORES (PORT ALBERNI) LTD. “Your Family Shopping Centre” “Closed Wednesdays All Day” Hours: 9 -5:30 FASTEST WAGE SETTLEMENT... EVERY FROM PAGE 1 year by important improve- ments in working conditions, which do not affect the costs of production in the same man- ner as a general wage increase. firmly by the delegates attend- ing the conferénce that the coast lumber operators are well able at the present time to finance a general wage in- crease. The volume of production and sales has steadily increased during the past two years, al- though there has been a small downward adjustment of prices. Our most reliable estimate in- dicates that this situation will be maintained during the bal- ance of the year. The Workers’ Best Interests In balancing the undeniable needs of the lumber workers against the forseeable economic possibilities, our Union consid- ers that the best interests of the workers will be served this We are concerned that the employers should not find cause in any new wage demands for curtailment of production or reduction of the working force. We have reasonably exact knowledge of the requirements which will be placed upon them throughout the coming year to maintain and stabilize their ex- port sales on a sound competi- tive basis. We are therefore prepared to renew the contract, incorpor- ating therein the present wage seale, that the employers may have the utmost scope in plan- ning to meet all emergent con- HIKE WAIVED tingencies in the export trade. We will expect the employers to reciprocate and take all pos- sible measures to retain the present working foree in con- tinuous employment. We will also request the em- ployers to reciprocate by agree- ing to a revision of the contract with respect to working condi- tions in such manner as to re- move injustices and promote stable and efficient Iabor-man- agement endeavour to expand the market for B.C. lumber. In our bargaining talks with Forest Industrial Relations Ltd. and independent operators, which open in mid-April, we will present eight such pro- posals, all designed to improve working conditions, and thereby stimulate efficient production.” Local 1-80 Retur Annual meeting of Local 1-80, IWA, held in the IWA Hall, Duncan, in nominations for election of the Local Union officers, again named President Tony Poje and Financial Secretary Ed Linder, unopposed on the mem- bership ballot. The meeting was addressed by District President Joe Morris, who dealt at length with the Union’s efforts to adjust trades- men’s rates and the aims of the IWA with respect to coast nego- tiations. Lively discussion centred around the proposal that the term of office for Local Union officials be extended to two years. The proposal was finally defeated. Reports of the Building Com- mittee disclosed a satisfactory state of affairs with regard to the completion of the new build- ing. Subsequent to the meeting the with respect to delegates elected. B.C. District Council Tony Poje, Nanaimo, B.C.; James M. Milmore, Chemainus, B.C.; Jens Erickson, Nanaimo, B.C.; George Smythe, Camp No. 6, Youbou, B.C.; Stanley Heys, Ladysmith, B.C.; Lorne Johnston, Duncan, B.C.; Ed. Linder, Lady- smith, B.C.; William Cox, Lake Cowichan, B.C.; Robert Hopkins, Youbou, B.C.; Ernest Boulet, Lake Cowichan, B.C.; Frank Tel- ford, Parksville, B.C.; Albert L. Smith, Port Renfrew, B.C. Island Labor Council Laurence Jones, Northfield; Peter Wilkes, Chemainus, B.C.; Balloting Committee comprised of | Tony Poje, Nanaimo, B.C.; John Kenneth Parsons, Allan Nena |B. Colwell, Ladysmith, B.C.; Gil- James Milmore, Peter Wilkes,! bert Schofield, Ladysmith, B.C.; Harold Kenyoh, William Cox, and ; Elof Sundquist, Nanaimo, B.C.; R. Bouchard, reported as follows | Stanley Heys, Ladysmith, B.C. IRA BECKER & SON Vancouver Island Distributors LE.L. POWER CHAIN SAWS * PARTS SERVICE U ; Nanaimo ns Poje Nanaimo Sub-Local of Local 1-80, IWA, at its Annual Meet- ing, February 28, elected the following officers: Chairman, Alistair MacLeod. Ist Vice, V. Dawes. 2nd Vice, D. Dawes. 3rd Vice, Alex Poje. Financial Secretary, C. F. Pierce. Recording Secretary, George Moore. Conductor, Elof Sundquist. Warden, Knute Holmstrom. Trustees: Jens Erickson, Manne Hanson, John Erickson. Tony Poje, President of Local 1-80, was present, and addressed the meeting, discussing matters relating to the approaching Wage and Contract Conference and the need for supporting the One Dollar Strike Assessment Refer- endum. %s Duncan Sub-Local ‘nancial Secretary Ed Lin- der installed the officers eer Duncan Sub-Local of Local 1-80, IWA, elected at the Sub-Locals! Annual Meeting, in ¢] Hall, Grae Elected officers were: Chairman, Lorne Johnstone. Ist Vice - Chair Kenyon. rarer" 2nd Vice-Chairman, A. Nel- son. Secretary, Ralph Poilievre, Dodds, ‘ Conductor, A. Phone 1515