B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Now We Know

LuMBErR workers will realize from the facts
contained in the report made to the Local Unions,
that the members of the IWA Negotiating Com-
mittee had no alternative but to press for an im-
mediate move into conciliation proceedings.

Lumber workers will also realize that the atti-
tude expressed by the operators at this stage is a
reliable indication that the Union must fight every

" inch of the way for any concession in the way of
contract improvement.

The employers stated flatly that they would not
agree to any of the proposals made on behalf of the
Union. When pressed, they made the ridiculous
proposal that an agreement be reached to sign last
year’s contract without change. Previously they
had required consideration of eighteen points, all
of which, if accepted, would narrow the provisions
of the existing contract.

Evidently the operators feel that they can safely
assume the-attitude of treating the IWA demands
as beneath any serious consideration.

A month has elapsed since the Union’s Negoti-
ating Committee formally presented a proposed
revision of the coast master contract on ten major
Points.

It was to be expected that the employers’ re-
presentatives would take every advantage of the
time element to wear down the patience and per-
sistence of the IWA spokesmen. Such has been
their custom, and the operators have never been
distinguished either for originality or imagination
in breaking new ground for labor-management
relations.

The appointment of a Conciliation Officer will
introduce a new element into the negotiations. The
terms of the proposed contract are now definitely
a matter of dispute, and steps toward settlement of
the dispute become the responsibility of the Minis-
ter of Labour. <

As negotiations take on the form of a dispute,
there is only one possible attitude for members of
the IWA. As the employers have deliberately pro-
voked them into a dispute they must so conduct
themselves as to win. To win, what is now some-
thing much more than a polite argument, they must
employ the tactics that are necessary in a dispute.

The tactics that win an industrial dispute for
any union, are those which are based on the spirit
of the workers concerned. That spirit must be now
expressed in terms of thought, speech and action
on the job, and in the Local Unions.

The employers have made it clear that they will
do no more than they are forced to do. They are now
making an appraisal of the temper of their em-
ployees, to see how much they can get away with,
and avoid serious trouble.

The strength of the workers lies in the fact that
they are indispensable to production. The strength
of the Union lies in its ability to demonstrate that
the workers are sufficiently united in their collec-
tive bargaining effort to demand a voice in setting
the conditions under which production may con-
tinue.

Ask the workers on the job if they want the
conditions already presented by the IWA. Tell
them that the employers have said ‘‘No’’ to every
demand. Tell them that the employers may be ex-
pected to tell a Conciliation Officer that these de-
mands were invented by the Union’s officers, and
that the workers on the job are not in the least
concerned whether they get any contract improve-
ments or not.

If all the workers in every operation now
started to talk and act with some emphasis about
the very points which they insisted previously that
the Union should make, the employers would
quickly know where they stood.

They are now making the kind of money that
will make it sensible for them to get down to busi-
ness and work out a reasonable settlement

‘on Your Space Boys!

JOB STEWARDS’
AID PROPOSED

The Editor:

May I suggest Union members
begin to think about providing
some remuneration for Job Stew-
ards. Every time a meeting is
called, to nominate members for
various capacities, there is usually
a round of headshaking. We all
think we have such good reasons
to refuse even the smallest office;
not qualified, or just too busy with
other matters.

In my own case pursuit of a
unique interest, I consider of the
utmost importance, rules out ad-
ditional activities. Consequently,
I feel I should aid in the provision
of some compensation for fellow
employees willing to perform
duties I refuse to perform myself.

Extreme Modesty

The attitude many members
take may suggest extreme mod-
esty. But, I have other ideas in

AUTOMATION
STUDIED
BY CIO

WASHINGTON (CPA) —
The Congress of Industrial Or-
ganization is to hold a national
conference on automation here
in the near future, the Director
of the CIO Committee on Econ-
omic Policy has announced.
Committee Director, Stanley
Ruttenberg, said that the con-
ference which will be attended
by automation experts from the
academic and professional world
as well as labor and industry
representatives, will “examine
both the qualitative and quantit-
ative implications” of automa-
tion.

Ruttenberg noted that: “Auto-
mation has already made radical
changes in the economic life of
America. Labor, government, and
industry have voiced their concern
about the meaning of the new
technology. Research in this field
is expanding, but there is little
public knowledge and understand-
ing of its actual meaning or its
probable effects,’

Industrial Revolution

The Joint Congressional Com-
mittee has warned that the U.S.
was faced, with “something in the
nature of an industrial revolution’
with the possibility that “literally
millions of both white-collar and
factory workers may be displaced
in the matter of a few years by
the products of the electronic

that regard. If we want the other
fellow to properly perform tasks
around our Mill we should I think,
be willing to, at least, pay his
Union dues.

Personally, I think there is far.
too much voluntary work being
done in the Union for the many
idle members who are ever ready
to criticize yet, seldom ready to
suggest even cigarette money be
sacrificed to compensate such ob-
jects of criticism.

I intend to start a petition at
our Mill to raise enough to pay
our Shop Steward’s Union dues,
and I hope the reaction to such,
and also to this letter, will be
most favourable.

Respectfully yours,
Albert F.*Crowder.

CLOSED SHOP
GETS LAWYER

SAN FRANCISCO (CPA)...
A California attorney, Byron L.
Dusky of Oakland, received a
three-day jail sentence recently
for not paying his “lawyers-
union” dues.

Dusky was arrested in municipal
court for practising law in the
state while under suspension from
the State Bar Association of Cal-
ifornia. All practising lawyers in
California must be members in

Readers
Think!

ALBERNI ~
LOCAL
THANKED

The Editor:

At the last meeting of this
union the members passed a vote
of thanks to the members of the
I.W.A, at Port Alberni, who so
ably assisted us in the recent strike
of our members against the pub-
lisher of the Port Alberni Advo-
cate,

The result was that we were
able to get a union contract coyer-
ing members of the 1.T.U, We
consider that the help of your
members was largely responsible
for bringing this about. We would
ask you to make known to your
Port Alberni members our best
thanks.

Fraternally yours,
Victoria Typographical Union,
No. 201.

H . Warren,
Secretary.

“OLD DOC”

Dr. R. Llewellyn Douglas has
moved his Dental Office from
9 East Hastings St. to 712
Robson St., Vancouver, B.C.

NEW ADDRESS

good standing of the Association.

Inadequate glasses can

MA, 0928

age.”

Use, Abuse and Age

eyes change with use, abuse and age. A thorough
examination by your optometrist will detect any
need for a change in your present lens prescrip-
tion. Your precious eyes merit the professional
care,-technical skills and the finest scientific in-
struments offered by optometrists,

Abramson & Hollenteng

OPTOMETRISTS

734 GRANVILLE STREET

Ground Floor — Vancouver Block

cause headaches. Your

MA, 2948