B.C. LUMBER WORKER _“TRADES’ RATES OKAYED” Negotiations had commenced in September, 1953, but after a survey had been made of the tradesmen’s rates in all the major operations, a staff meet- ing in January laid plans for an intensive campaign to reach a Successful conclusion. He stated: “The Committee was able to establish the Union’s original objective which was to fix basic minimum rates in each classification. Further meetings resulted in upward revision’ in all skilled and improver rates, with retroactive application as from January 16, 1954.” “This plan proved unsatisfac- tory to the Union, however, and further meetings were held, as a result of which a 5-cent-an-hour inerease was granted to all filing room personnel.” “The District Committee rec- ommends acceptance of the pro- posal to the tradesmen, We be- lieve that we have reached the limit of any further gain at this time.” “We would refer you once again to the wording of the Con- ciliation Board’s report, and what has been accomplished with that indefinite proposal. “The first point we set out to establish was basic minimum rates for each category and clas- sification, This has been done, Secondly, we set out to define job responsibilities. This also was achieved. Thirdly, we set out to place the skilled worker in a relative job position to the rest of the industry. The committee believes that all the tasks en- trusted to us have been achieved.” Final Proposal: Tradesmen’s Rates The following is the final pro- posal as agreed to between the Union’s Committee and F.LR. as a basis for settlement Skilled Mechanic .. $1.93 Improver 1.78 Helper . 1.59%, This would cover the following trades: millwrights, pipe-fitters, mechanics, electricians, boiler makers, blacksmiths, and welders without tickets. It has been agreed that rough carpenters will be placed in the Improver category: Machinist .. $1.9814 Machinist Improver 1.8344 Machinist Helper ......... 1.641% Welder with ticket 1.981% Painter ... 1.83%, Painter Improver .. 1.724 Painter Helper .. 1.49 Filers and fitters and other categories in the Filing Room with the exception of Helpers will reecive a $.05 per hour across- the-board- increase. All rates to be retroactive to January 16, 1954, Definitions 1, MECHANIC: The Mechanic must be quali- fied to carry out the following responsibilities. Repair, replace, new work, con- struct, build, tear down, re-build, and to be able to direct Assist- ants. 2. IMPROVER: The Improver shall be quali- fied to assist the Mechanic and, upon instruction of the Mechanic, shall be’ able to carry out the above-named duties, - 8. HELPER: The Helper shall assist the Improver and/or the Mechanic and work under their direction and instruction. General The Mechanic shall be required to have, and shall not qualify for the Mechanic’s rate unless he has a full°tool kit of the neces- sary tools to perform the job for which he is hired, with the ex- ception of stationary machinery which shall be the responsibility of the Company, and any other machinery or tools which shall not be deemed to faJl within the responsibility of the Mechanic. The Improver shall be required to have and maintain a basic tool kit and to be in the general pro- cess of building up the necessary tools to equip himself for the job of a Mechanic, when such an opening arises. The Helper generally shall not be required to own tools and shall use those designated to him by the Company or the Mechanic. However, in his own interest, he should commence the process of building up a tool kit. The Union agrees that in op- erations where there are not suf- ficient Mechanics in a depart- ment or category to take care of emergency breakdown, that we will agree that the available Mechanics shall work together regardless of their category des- ignation to place the mill in operation at the very earliest opportunity. We further agree that wher- ever_the Mechanic’s category is required in an operation and there’ is not sufficient work to employ the Mechanic full time at this designated category, that we will agree he may be assign- ed other duties commensurate with his capabilities and when necessary combination rates will be negotiated. At the New Westminster rally, the acceptance of the report was urged by President Lloyd Wha- len, Local 1-217, and Andy Smith, Past-President Local 1-357, in speeches which outlined the dif- ficulties overcome, and the im- portance of actual achievement reported. The speakers agreed that al- though better terms might be desirable, there was no satisfac- tory alternative to acceptance under the circumstances. Lloyd Whalen stressed the fact that many workers had been raised as journeymen from an average rate of $1.76% to $1.93 an hour. Many improvers ad- vanced from $1.59 to $1.78. These gains were not to be scoffed at, he urged. District President Morris, after addressing the New Westminster meeting, left for Port Alberni, where he was the committee’s spokesman at the meeting sum- moned by Local 1-85. FROM PAGE 1 “BLACK THURSDAY” its members would know that throughout British history of the past century, the workers have always found ways and means of resisting and defeat- ing any form of repressive legislation directed against their democratic freedoms. If this Bill becomes law, and is enforced in the spirit with which it has been framed, it will open a stormy chapter in the labor history of this proy- ince. We may assume that a gov- ernment which is so prejudiced against trade unions as to draft such a Bill, is a government that will put the screws on labor, when that Bill becomes law. This political’ attitude is one that invariably breeds un- rest and defiance among the workers, with rapid deteriora- tion of labor-management rela- tions, Today may well become known as Black Thursday for the B.C. Labor movement. When one adds up all the re- strictions now placed on the col- lective bargaining of trade unions, it is not any exaggera- tion to say, that this Bill is a political trap for labor. Unless unions can bargain on terms that enable them to ap- proximate the economic power of the employers, . bargaining be- comes a farce, As workers, our only bargaining card, that com- pels respect, is our ability to pro- duce under fair conditions, and our right not to work when sub- jected to unjust conditions of employment. Legal Trap We condemn the Bill as a legal trap for labor, While in the trap, the Unions can be beaten to the employers and their The workers will We are not fooled by the pre- tensions of the Minister. The conception behind this Bill is that the Unions must be crippled, and carved up. The statements made by some leaders of the party in power make this very plain |They say that the workers as organized have too much strength and that as a result the workers are enjoying an undeserved lux- ury living. ‘The powers behind the govern- ment in Victoria are demanding that wages be depressed, and to accomplish this purpose they are prepared to clamp a form of dic- tatorship on the trade unions, when in dispute with the em- ployers. To Hurt the IWA It hurts the IWA, and we be- lieve it was intended to hurt the IWA, because the IWA has been held up by government support- ers in the Legislature as the big bad wolf of the provincial econ- omy. They are so ill-informed on the subject, that from the Min- isterial benches they kept refer- ring to the IWA as the IWW, an organization which was wiped out of existence in World War One. No Surrender The government has forgotten first that the trade union move- ment is here to stay as a per- manent part of our social struc- ture, and secondly, that through the years, the trade unions have fought and sacrificed to gain rights, which they will not now surrender without a bitter fight. These involve their full rights of citizenship, the right to organize freely, associate freely, and bar- gain freely with their employers for the use of their labor power. The government apparently takes a view that the trade are enemies of society, whereas the members of trad unions and their supporters among the working-class, form the bulk of the population. Noth- ing could be more dangerous than a deflationary move at the pres- ent time to depress wages in or- der to inflate profits. It is the spending of the wage earners in B.C. communities that forms the main prop of business activity i the province. From Page 1 ‘DECISION’ before Christmas, and the days preceding and following New Year's Day. A test case was prepared deal- ing with the claim of Ted Bul- lock, Ladysmith, and steps were taken to carry the appeal to the Umpire. Before final action became necessary, the decision was re- versed, and the claim approved. This sets a precedent for all such cases, and adjustments are being made. It is announced by Financial Secretary Ed Linder Local 1-80, that an application must be made in each case for any amount owing by reason of the ruling. Think less about the High Cost of Living and more about the Cost of High Living. HAAKON BERNTSEN Will Annie May Welker Berntsen, wife of Haakon Berntsen and relict of Joseph Hutton dec’d, please com- municate with — John McConnell 420 CENTRAL BLDG, VICTORIA, LAWYERS SHUNNED A prominent Canadian Union- | ist, Russell Harvey, recently took a swing at the legal profession during a public debate in To- ronto on labor relations. Lawyers, he suggested, should stay away from the bargaining table “because a lawyer is train- ed to win a fight; he is not trained to conciliate a problem.” Harvey then swung with his right at his hosts, the Law So- ciety of Upper Canada, when he said that labor would never be convinced that the law is not slanted against them. A church in our town had a notice on its lawn bulletin board of the sermon for the following Sunday that. read: LIQUOR, THE ENEMY OF MAN. Right across the street a church was announcing its ser- mon for the next Sunday .as follows: 3 LOVE THY ENEMY. Mike Drabad Will Mr. Mike Drabad or anyone knowing his present whereabouts please contact the IWA District Office, 45 Kingsway, Vancouver, B.C, who have information for his benefit regarding the death of his cousin Mr. Michael Benski, who named him as a beneficiary under an insur- ance policy. EMPLOYERS GET BIGGER PROFIT SLICE At a forum sponsored by the Law Society of Upper Canada last week, Eamon Park, repre- senting the United Steel Work- ers, gave a trade union version of the economic facts of life. “The national economic pie is larger,” he said, “but the slice of the pie going to corporations is larger, too. Total wages and salaries in 1951 were four times as large as in 1926. Total pro- fits, however, for the same year, were more than eight times those of 19262 =~ PROVINCES INCREASE BENEFITS Following are the 1953 highlights of amendments made to Workmen’s Compen- sation Laws. MANITOBA—Disability com- pensation base raised to 70% from 66%% of average earn- ings; dependent’s allowance rais- ed $8 to $20 a month for child under 16, orphan’s’ allowance raised $10 to $30 a month; all widow's pensions brought up to $50 a month and funeral allow- ance raised $50 to $200. _ NOVA SCOTIA—Waiting per- iod reduced from seven to. five days; dependent child’s pension inereased $5 to $20 a month and orphan’s pension increased $5 to $30 a month. ONTARIO — Labor normally ‘| vesident in Ontario and working for an Ontario company now covered if on business outside province for more than six months; interprovincial bus, truck and aireraft employees now covered by accident compen- sation; monthly widow allowance raised $25 to $75; child under 16 allowance raised $13 to $25 a month; orphan child allowance raised $15 to $35 a month. YOU ARE A UNION MEMBER Barter? Is Your All Union Barbers Display This Shop Card Does Your Barber? 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