<} B. Cc. LUMBER WORKER To Cut Benefits Bargaining talks, dealing with the terms of the coast master contract finally deadlocked ‘as the members of the IWA District Negotiating Committee and Forest Industrial Relations Ltd., employers’ representatives strove to bridge the gulf between conflicting viewpoints. In a release to the Union, the IWA spokesmen described’ the proposals of the employers as de- signed to weaken the contract, and provoke constant labor-manage- ment friction. The intentions of the employers on various points are summarized below, with explanatory comment ‘on each item.’ * These are the proposals tabled by Forest Industrial Relations on behalf of the operators: 1. To re-negotiate the board rates in order to allow for the alleged increased costs of cook- house operations, This proposal is firmly op- posed by the Union, for reasons that will be obvious to all log- gers. 2. To add a clause to the con- tract, which would require em- ployees to work at straight time on Saturdays, when a 40-hour week hhad not been completed, because of breakdown or weather condi- tions. The Union has always fought against any such infringement _ of the 40-hour week, and will continue to do so. 3. To add a clause to the con- tract which would permit the em- ployer and his employees to make a joint application for an overtime permit to work a 48-hour week in logging operations. This clause has always been ee ee A ae ie opposed by the Union as a dis- tinct threat to the 40-hour week. 4. To add a clause to the con- tract which would give the em- ployer the right to negotiate a new minimum basic rate for falling and bucking, when the employer acquires a new stand of timber of higher quality than previously con- sidered. This proposal introduces a new factor in conditions estab- lished for fallers and buckers under the 1954 settlement, which could be applied to their dis- advantage. 5. To incorporate the hourly and daily rates now paid to piece- rate workers into the contract rate, This proposal has never been favored by the Union, for ex- perience has shown, that when this is done, the gains represent- ed by the hourly and daily rates, soon disappear. G. To delete the provisions of the contract which now ensure ad- ditional vacations with pay for cookhouse and bunkhouse em- ployees. This is a proposal which has always been firmly opposed by the Union as, in the absence of the present contract provisions, they would be deprived of pro- tection in this respect. 7. To delete the provisions in the present contract which now Judged Canada’s Finest Beer For the last four years the jury of international brewing experts at the International competitions for Canadian Brewers have awarded Lucky Lager the Star of Excellence— symbol of Prize for Canadian Beers BRUSSELS 1950 © LUXEMBOURG 1951 ANTWERP 1952 PARIS 1953 FREE HOME DELIVERY LUCKY LAGER BREWERIES (1954) LTD. or by the G T.L.C. - C.C.L. ENVOYS AT UN. LABOUR'S ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS is explained in front of the ICFTU display at the head- quarters of the United Nations. Photographed from left: Leslie Wismer, TLC research and publicity director; Derek Bedson, secretary to the Canadian delegation to the UN; Gordon Mcllwain, Canadian director, Inter- national Chemical Workers’ Union; Jack Williams, CCL public relations’ director; and Monty Montgomery, assistant Canadian education director, United Steelworkers. cover the hours of work for cook- house and bunkhuose employees. This proposal has always been opposed by the Union, as these workers could then be deprived of necessary protection by the cancellation of the existing Wage Order of the Board of Indust- rial Relations. 8. To exclude all those called “office employees” from the prov- isions of the contract. This proposal-is intended to restrict the bargaining rights of the Union, and fails to describe properly those to be deprived of the benefits of the contract. 9. To exempt casual employees and students from the union secur- ity clause in the contract. This would result in a consid- erable reduction of the number now required to pay union dues, ‘through the check-off. 10. To give the employer the right to demote, in addition to the existing rights to discipline and discharge an employee for proper cause. It has always been held by the Union, that any such contract provision is open to grave abuses. 11. To so revise the grievance procedure that a grievance may be outlawed after fourteen days lapse between steps. « This has always been opposed by the IWA, as likely to place an unfair handicap on workers, where conditions of employment require more time for the satis- factory handling of their griev- ances, and is intended to limit the benefits of the grievance procedure, E 12. To add’a provision to the contract under which management would have the right to act through a grievance procedure against the employees, This proposal would enable the employer to state a griev- ance, and compel the Union to deal with it under the conditions of the new proposed grievance procedure. 13. To provide that no one may serve on an Arbitration Board who has any direct interest in the proceedings, or who has partici- pated in the grievance procedure, or who has been employed by the Union. This proposal is intended to restrict the Union in its choice of representatives, during arbi- tration proceedings. | 14. To provide that in case of a reinstatement, after an arbitration award, the employer may make a deduction from the award on ac- count of any earnings secured by the reinstated employee during the period of suspension or. discharge. This proposal: would subject the worker reinstated to a fur- ther penalty, not hitherto im- posed, and which could easily cause serious hardship. 15. To provide that the ex- penses of arbitration shall be en- tirely borne by the losing party. This: proposal would severely penalize the Union in the event of an adverse decision, to the amount of all costs charged by the Board Chairman, and mem- bers, and in addition all such costs as might be incurred by the employer in opposing the Union, 16. To relieve the employer of any obligation to deduct ‘dues covering a period of lay-off. This would transfer to the employer the right to determine exoneration, a right which is now vested in the Union. 17. To add a provision to the contract which would wipe out the employers’ obligations in res- pect of matters provided for in the regulations of the Board of Industrial Relations, This is contrary to the posi- tion always taken by the Union that protection afforded by the agreement should not be ex- posed to the whims of govern- ments in power. 18. To make the existing hours of work provisions apply to “pro- duction work” and not to “pro- duction employee”, This is an obvious attempt to restrict existing benefits, 3 ICFTU Honored BRUSSELS (CPA) — The Austrian Post Office has agreed to issue a special postage stamp commemorating the Fourth World Congress of the Inter- national Confederation of Free Trade Unions which meets in Vienna, Austria from 20th to 28th May next. The stamp will have a face value of one Austrian schilling. Plans for the meeting of the 55,000,000 -~ member organization, which represents workers in 75 different countries, are now well advanced. A meeting of the ICFTU Executive Board will be held before the Congress from May 16 to 18. Canada will be well represented at the Congress. Four delegates from the Trades and Labor Con- gress—Bernard Shane of the Gar- ment Workers, Andrew Cooper of the Carpenters and two others will be present. Top TLC officers will not be able to attend since the TLC annual convention coincides with the Vienna meetings. The Canadian Congress of Labor will be represented by Donald MacDonald, Secretary - Treasurer of the CCL, William Mahoney, Assistant to the Canadian Director of the United Steelworkers, and possibly some other CCL mem- bers, Agnes Macphail Honored OTTAWA—Agnes Macphail, first Canadian woman to enter Parliament, was honored on the 33rd anniversary of her entry to the House of Commons, Following an all-party ceremony in the Commons chamber, a bust of the pioneer woman MP was unveiled in the Parlia- ment buildings, METAL WoRK | PREPARING ROOM V sam is not published or displayed by the Liquor Control Government of British Columbia. SEE OUR PRODUCTION-LINE SPECIALISTS in BODY WORK - WHEEL ALIGNMENT and PAINTING 1 or 2 DAY “QUICK ACTION” SERVICE - a es A ttt A SS SD BODIE COLLISIONS LIMITED 1150 Seymour St., Vancouver “We are an All-Union Shop” bee ed UICK-ACTION CAR REPAINTING SERVICE 25.000 WATTS INFRARED BAKE OVEN BOOTH HIGH-GLOSS. FACTORY FINISH ay Soturdoy : 8 1 to 12 1