4 : B.C. LUMBER WORKER The Real Issue ATTEMPTS either to belittle or exaggerate the value of the proposed “package” settlement now under consideration by the IWA membership will not improve the status of the Union nor the cir- cumstances of the lumber workers. The essential facts stand out plainly. They are not concealed. False assumptions and wishful thinking will not clarify the central issue. The choice to be made is the logical outcome of steps taken to meet a changed situation in a realistic way. The Union’s membership formulated contract demands which dealt exclusively with working conditions, and purposely omitted any wage increase proposal. The Negotiating Committee, in following its instructions, grasped the opportunity to bargain with the operators in a down-to-earth fashion. The Committee could only bargain, and bar- gaining involves a great deal of give and take, before any agreement can be shaped. Bargaining gets nowhere, if, at the same time, the parties attempt to entertain onlookers with a blow-by-blow account of their exchanges. The one important item of information for them is the final result. Unwise publicity would freeze the Union’s strategy, and expose it to open at- tack later, if the bargaining fails of results. Any Union in a dispute must either conduct some shrewd bargaining, as circumstances per- mit, or prepare to “slug it out” on the picket line. After weeks of strenuous bargaining, the Negotiating Committee emerged with the best possible “package” that could be secured under the Conciliation procedure. It was just that, nothing more, and nothing less. Immediately they placed this result before the membership. The “package” had sufficiently at- tractive features to be worthy of consideration. It presented a choice which could only be made by the membership. The membership will now exercise that choice. No one, least of all, any member of the Nego- tiating Committee, pretends that the settlement terms proposed are all that were or could be desired. They are simply the best obtainable under the circumstances. The all important question is “Where do we go from here?” The question is not to decide whether the “package” is liked or disliked, nor whether the actions of the Negotiating Committee are likely to be popular or unpopular. : The question is whether any further steps to prolong the dispute would better -the circum- stances of the lumber workers. If the proposals are accepted, on the reason- ing that “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”, undeniably important benefits will be gained by the membership of the Union. If the proposals are rejected, it follows that the Union’s case must be publicly re-opened before a Conciliation Board. The precautions previously taken with regard to publicity, will make it possible for the Union’s spokesmen to make a completely fresh approach to the issue. Past experience with Conciliation Boards gives little hope that any Conciliation Board this year would deal any more favorably with de- mands which are concerned solely with working conditions. Rejection of a Conciliation Board’s recom- mendations would leave the Union in exactly the same position as now held, with no better hope of a better settlement. The one remaining alter- native course of action would be to plan for strike action, with no guarantee that the final results would be appreciably better than those now in hand. After carefully weighing all the factors, com- monsense will agree with the view expressed by the Policy Committee, that the settlement which ig now possible, is one which coincides with the best interests of the lumber workers. i JIM EXTOLS VIRTUES OF UNION SHOP The Editor: For years union shop has been the major point in negotiations but the operators, have been able to wiggle out from under by various tactics, until now their last refuge is the workers liberty. They are worried about being forced to make.a worker join a union, or to maintain his dues in the organization that make all his benefits, which union mem- bers enjoy possible, yet they, the operators, have no qualms when one of their overseers send a worker down the road, whereby taking away that persons liveli- hood. Now this is the feeling of a rank and file worker, a member of the IWA., we cannot be secure with the open shop. The open shop means the door through which the union man goes out, and the non-union man comes in to take his place. Sure Protection The open shop furnishes, and always has furnished, the best possible means of detroying the organization of the men. The union shop is the only sure pro- tection for the trade agreements, and the defence of the individual. The Master, naturally dis- charges those who have been most active in the union, who in- terfere with his business, who are ever agitating for higher wages, better conditions and shorter hours. He naturally employs those who are most complaisant, those who cannot afford to lose their jobs, those whom he can bring to be dependent on his will. The open shop means uncer- tainties, anxieties; it is a co stant menace to union men’s in- terests. He realizes that his job is dependent on his having an interest in the union. Men who belong to unions and accept their responsibilities, can- not be persuaded to pay dues and make sacrifices for the bene- fit of the non-union men who work by their sides, and who are always the first to claim and re- ceive the benefits of every struggle made by the union, bene- fits they receive without danger, without labor, and without cost. ANS %- Your Space Boys! Better Life To prevent trade unionism from being conquered in detail, to keep its members from being thrown out through the open door to maintain the best conditions in the industry, and strive for others better still, all these need the effort of every union man. Without the right to protect themselves in a union by refusing to work with those whose weak- ness or stupidity make them un- faithful to their cause, trade unionism cannot hold that which it has won, still less go forward to a better life, James E. Ray, Sub-Local Woss, IWA, Englewood, B.C. “WE BUY IT, BUT NEVER OWN IT” The Editor: As a beginning one may quote: “Figures lie, and liars figure.” An item appeared in the 18th of May issure of the Sun news- paper, by the Canadian Manufac- turers Association regarding their profits, and which is obviously intended to be misleading. Such information should be challenged by the union, as it is intended to make the public be- lieve the C.M.A. is a benevolent institution whose profits are small, and in contrast the unions appear exorbitant in their de- mands. What was put forward repre- sented the claims of 1003 manu- facturers, whose sales netted them the handsome sum of seven and a quarter billion dollars, $7,250,000,000, in 1953. Imperial Oil The capital of these companies is given as five and one half bil- lion dollars, and no doubt much inflated over the original invest- ment. For instance the Imperial Oil Company sold shares at $13.00 each, and these are now worth on the market around $35.00. A capital increase of 270 percent, and incidently the capital in- crease is not taxable. According the amounts for sales, and capital, they grossed an income of 182 percent, or a gross profit of 32 percent on the capital amount. On DIAMONDS, JEWELRY, SILVERWARE, FURS Readers Think They state their net profit was 5.2 cents on the sales dollar, and paid 4.6 cents income tax on the sales dollar, and which at this point makes a profit of 9.8 per- cent, making a split with govern- ment. On the seven and a quarter bil- lion sales, the profit and income tax comes to $710,500,000, which deducted from the sales amount leaves $6,539,500,000. The number of employees is given as 457,537, but the wage amount is not given. Assuming an average wage of $2500.00 per year, the total wage amount would be about $1,150,000,000, and this bring the remainder of six billion and a half odd down to $5,389,500,000, Big Joker The big joker is the charges on capital in the shape of bonds, depreciation, ete., and here the assumption is vague, but allow- ing 10 percent on the capital sam stated of five and a half billion, there is $550,000,000 to deduct from the remainder, and this leaves $4,839,500,000. The last amount taken as ma- terial costs for manufacturing, was parlayed with the expendi- ture of the wages estimated into seven and a quarter billion sales income, which comes to a profit of 21 percent. Under the system of financing pursued, the consumer of any manufactured product, buys on the instalment plan, the manu- factory, as a charge is included in the price for capital replace- ment, as well as interest on the same, and which is termed de- preciation. Simply stated the - public buy the manufacturing system, but never own it. Wm. S. White. Alex B. Macdonald Barrister & Solicitor Notary Public 751 Granville Street VANCOUVER, B.C, Telephone TAtlow 6641 SOLICITOR TO THE 1. W.A. AND ALL VALUABLES Immediate Cash? No Red Tapet Unredeemed Diamonds for Sale B. C, COLLATERAL LOAN BROKERS LT. 17 EAST HASTINGS, Cor. COLUMBIA PAcific 3557-8