2

B.C.

LUMBER WORKER

“CONTRACT”

5. Fare allowance, from point
of hire to place of employment,
and return.

6. A daily rate for fallers,
buckers, and pole cutters.

. 7. An industry-wide joint con-

tributory medical plan.

8. Contract changes to clarify
certain sections in the contract.

9, A guaranteed daily rate for
shingle sawyers and packers.

10, Revision of category rates
in the plywood, shingle, and
other sub-sections of the lum-
ber inudstry.

Members of the Negotiating
Committee are: Chairman, Joe
Morris; Secretary, Fred Fieber;
William N. Gray, $. M. Hodgson,
Walter Allen, J. MacKenzie, and
Tony Poje.

Commenting on the Union’s
“package proposal”, the District
President, Joe Morris reported

over the Green Gold radio pro-
gram:

Full Coverage

“I wish you to note, that the
Union has given full considera-
tion to all sections of the industry,
the sawmill workers, the loggers,
the workers in plywood plants and
in shingle mills. Not every de-
mand stated will effect every sec-
tion, if granted, but the whole
negotiating program deals with
the most pressing problems in
each and every section.

This ensures that the wo S
in all four major sections can “go
all out” in support of the negotia-
ting program, for their united
strength will be employed to get
for each section, exactly what each
section has considered necessary.
Let no one forget, that our barg-
aining strength, is ‘the strength
developed by, the combined effort

of the workers in all sections of.
one industry.

By the same token Iet no one
forget, that all sections of this
Union will fight as readily for any
one section, as it will for across
the board considerations.” —_,

At another point he said: “We
propose a wage increase of ten
cents an hour across the board.
Please note that in last year’s
negotiations we decided to waive
any wage demand. Since that time
production in the industry has in-
creased in an exceptional degree,
and shipments to the export mar-
kets have surpassed those of the
previous years.

Other advantages enjoyed by the
employers we will bring to their
attention at the bargaining table.
They are well able to concede this
wage increase. Their own reports,
and the official statistics make that
plain.

Increase Reasonable

The increase proposed is a
reasonable amount, and is to be
considered as part of the “pack-
age” demanded. Improvements in

working conditions are to be given

PRODUCTION, SHIPMENTS RISE

Steady increase in the production of sawn lumber and shipments by the B.C. lumber
industry was shown in the compilation appearing below, and which was examined by the
recent Wages and Contract Conference as one important phase of the economic conditions
under review.

November
December
TOTAL

B.C, COAST PRODUCTION
Sawn Lumber
M. Ft. Bd. M.
1954
174,589
210,121
235,644
215,192
219,014
240,607
217,172

% Change: 1954-1953= 6.6%
1954 - 1952 = 23.7%

*Projected 12-month total from 11-month actual.
B.C.

January
February
March -

September
October
November
December
TOTAL

COAST SHIPMENTS
M. Ft. Bd. M.

1954
135,503
213,504

% cheeses 1954 - 1953
1954 1952

9.1%
23.8%

*Projected 12-month total from 11-month actual.

Source: “Production, Shipments and Stocks on Hand of Sawmills in B.

1953 1952
199,363 183,610
204,342 185,304
222,138 200,544
212,428 211,362
213,821 233,128
210,769 111,060
188,426 9,086
204,657 209,939
222,361 217,766
223,043 230,522
210,320 194,686
213,801 183,762

2,525,469 2,170.769

1953 1952
184,152 176,830
196,150 175,432
225,948 211,365
224,882 228,064
230,076 244,764
217,341 150,340
180,579 7,A15
194,133 199,591
216,300 208,588
210,772 217,114
203,032 185,857
192,964 178,250

2,476,329 2,183,610
C?” DBS,

a

Union No. 25.

the Province is

100%

THE VANCOUVER PROVINCE HAS
“AGREEMENTS WITH THE
FOLLOWING Unions:

Vancouver Typographical Union No. 226,
‘Vancouver Printing Pressmen and ‘Assistants,

Electrotypers" and Stereoty; Union Van-
couver and Victoria he

Vancouver Mailers Union No. 70.

Vancouver Newspaper Guild No. 207.

Vancouver Photoengravers’ Union No. 54

For complete coverage of Labour news, it Pays
Province.

-Produced

to Read The

equal emphasis.

Another conclusion you will
be bound to reach upon careful
examination of the demands, is
that, summed up, they are reason-
able. They will not place an undue
burden on the industry, despite
anything that the operators may
say. When analyzed, it will be

seen that some of them apply only
in certain sections of the industry.
Others will be seen as the comple-
tion or expansion of conditions
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FROM PAGE 1

“UNITY”

at our disposal in the way of moral
and financial support, There will
tions, but we will not be relieved
of the job of battling for better
conditions in the lumber industry.
I mention this, because we should
not grow complacent, and accept
the illusion that any formula on
paper for organization can be an
effective substitute for the closely-
knit and fighting team-work of
workers in the day-to-day struggle
for better wages and conditions.

I share with the members of the
IWA, the firm belief that unity is
imperative in the interests of the
workers in Canada and the United
States. Too long our forces have
been divided, in the struggle
against ‘united and highly organi-
zed anti-labor interests. Our con-
victions on this score have been
so firm, that we were not prepared
to accept any imitation of the real
article. In addition, we considered
that the gains made by our own
Union, in its own field should not
be lost.

Major Considerations

Before examining the main feat-
ures of the agreement, it might be
well for us to consider those prin-
ciples, which we feel should be in-
corporated in the terms of any
merger.

One basic consideration has al-
ways been that nothing should be
done to undermine the bargaining
position won by this Union after
years of struggle. Whatever may
be the structure of organization
developed to express unity the
reality of established contract con-
ditions, and the prospects of better
conditions should not be sacrificed,
for any less important considera-
tions. In our thinking, we have
placed the needs and_ interests of
the workers on the job before all
other considerations.

Unity should be developed to
serve their interests with greater

and not less efficiency and
strength. We must build on the
experience of the past, and take
care not to throw away the sub-
Stance for the shadow. The wel-
fare of the workers must be the
only yardstick permitted to meas-
ure the value of any steps pro-
posed.
Industrial Unionism
Our Union has fought for
and maintained the princi-
ples of industrial unionism
in the lumber industry of
this province. We realize
that only on the basis of
industrial unionism can ef-
fective bargaining strength
be exercised for the lumber
workers in facing the well-
organized owners of the in-
dustry.
Any attempt to return to
a craft form of organization,
under conditions as they
prevail, would invite dis-
aster for the limber work-
ers, as in years gone by, it
brought disaster to the steel
workers fighting the Big
Steel Corporations.

One final and vital point we have
considered, and that is the preser-
vation of membership. control of
the union’s affairs. [WA members
would rebel, I am certain if they
were required to submit to forms.
of internal government which they
have successfully overthrown in
the past.

Every phase of administration
in the IWA is now subject to
membership control, by the “fre-
quent use of the membership ref-
erendum. We would not have it
otherwise, notwithstanding, the
claims made on behalf of the
methods in vogue in some other
unions.

Agreement

Promising

We may now turn to the agree-
ment to ascertain whether its
terms are likely to preserve the
foregoing principles regarded by
the IWA as being vital. I am
pleased to say that the terms of
the agreement promise to do so.
It remains for our International
Convention to stipulate that these
terms are unmistakably written in-
to our Union’s conditions of affili-
ation with the merged federation,
when it is finally set up.

It is stated in the principles of
merger as set forth that the in-
tegrity of each affiliated union will
be maintained. No other affiliate
will be permitted to raid the estab-
lished collective bargaining rela-
tionship of another affiliate. If
this is given effect, as we under-
stand it, it will mean that our
present bargaining position will be
left intact.

Jurisdictions Intact

It is also stated that each af-
filiate, upon joining the merger be
guaranteed that it will retain in
the merged federation its prior
jurisdiction, This meets one of
the points raised by me earlier. In
our case, steps must be taken to
protect us in the opportunity which
we have successfully developed
with regard to the membership
potential remaining in the lumber
industry. The agreement provides
for the establishment of machinery
to deal.with friction likely to arise
where duplications occur.

We are relieved to note that
provision has been made for the
inclusion of both craft and in-
dustrial unions in the new fed-
eration, In the lumber industry
we must be on the alert to en-
sure that the principle of indus-
trial unionism is not whittled
down in our industry.

We have learned the great
value of a union which embraces
all the workers from one in-
dustry in one fighting. organi-
ation, using the strength of the

of every single individual and
section.

Both labour organizations agree
to wipe out all discrimination on
the basis of race, colour, or creed.
This will mean a big step forward,
for in many sections of the move-
ment, the principles of brother-
hood and democracy have been
violated in this vital respect.

The agreement expresses the
determination to keep the merged
federation free from communism or
corrupt influences or any influence
opposed to free and democratic
trade unionism. I believe, that this
will meet with the approval of
IWA members, because of their
bitter experiences in this district.

Principle Retained

We find a further assurance re-
garding industrial unionism, when
we read in this agreement that a
council of industrial organizations
will be set up within the merged
federation. Apparently, in this re-
gard, the American Federation of
Labour has reversed the position
taken in 1935, when it refused to
grant sanction to the organization
of then unorganized mass produc-
tion industries, on the basi8 of in-
dustrial unionism.

This change of heart is a most
encouraging outcome of the pres-
ent negotiations, and should help
materially to clear the way to-
ward successful completion of the
merger. a

I find that the governing body
of the new federation will be a
conyention to meet once every two
years. The delegates to the con-
vention will vote the per capita
membership of the unions they
represent.

Our District Convention gave
approval to action leading toward
organic unity. I know that the
majority of the delegates found in
the proposed agreement surpris-
ing progress toward the solution
of problems which formerly were

whole to serve the well-being

considered incapable of settlement.

f
}