B.C. LUMBER WORKER NS OF. LOCAL 1-85 By ROVING REPORTER After spending a day around Local 1-85, I had a headache sorting out my impressions. I had uncovered so many in- teresting angles, that I ran myself into a, mental bottleneck, trying to decide which should have top billing. All of which STATE OF THE INDUSTRY goes to prove that Local 1-85 the better trade union sense. When I worked all my ideas over for a while, I realized that I could tell folks that the officers and members of Local 1-85 are a friendly bunch, that-they are in- variably courteous to all who enter their premises, and certainly that they do a solid job for the lumber workers in the Port Alberni and Tahsis areas. & This Tells The Story But most of all, the attitude, the spirit, and the fighting strength of Local 1-85 was made known to me, when its genial President, Walter Allen, flanked by some of his fellow officers told me the story of the now- famous plywood plant lock-out. Ever since I heard the story, which was only told partially in the dailies, I have been bursting at the seams of my underwear to broadcast it. It gives one a great feeling that workers will make a stand, as these workers did, for trade union principles, As I-can only tell the story in skeleton form, our readers must in their imaginations, add the color given it by Walter Allen, who, as he told it, clearly reflect- ed the calculating and self-sacrific- ing determination with which the Local and the plywood workers staged their battle for the defence of trade union rights, 5 Printers’ Strike It all started with a strike in the plant of the local weekly and job printing plant, operating under the name of the West Coast Advocate. The members of Local 1-85, as always, declared their full support of the striking ITU. When forms, printed behind the picket line, started to appear in the M & B plywood division, the workers who are required to fill in these production and lost time forms for their machines, ‘immed- iately filed a protest against the use of “hot” material. No “Hot” Material The argument finally involved the Local Union's officers. One ‘thing led to another, and event- is a big and active “show” in ually a Stubborn general manager declared that the workers would use the forms provided, or’else. That same afternoon, faced with a flat refusal by the Union, coupl- ed with an offer to provide “fair” forms at their own expense, the manager in a radiocast ordered the afternoon shift not to report. The Union went on the air at the same time, and warned every worker to report at the usual time. When approximately 350 work- ers reported for work that after- noon they were met by a mana- gement order to return home. Illegal Lock-out Charged The Local Union forthwith filed a charge with the Deputy Minister of Labour, alleging an illegal lock- out. As stated in their own lang- uage, the employer had used “job action” against the workers, The Department of Labour des- patched a Conciliation Officer to the scene, and conferences were held almost continuously through- out the week end following the Friday on which the lock-out oc- curred. An exceedingly interesting dev- elopment on the Friday evening was the settlement of the West Coast Advocate strike, by the com- plete capitulation of the employer, and his outright acceptance of the ITU terms. Considerable speculation has been rife as to the part: played in this settlement by the powerful influence in the community of the M &B interests> Suffice it to say, that the following day the Local was advised, that not only was the material about to be printed by the Advocate quite “fair”, but that the ruling was given retroactive effect, extending to jobs done dur- ing the strike. Crisis Developed ‘The upshot of these developments was tha: the Local Union was faced with the -necessity of ex- tended “job action” throughout all the M & B operations in the area. So intense was the feeling Aristocrat. REAL | Anniversary RYES | Viscount... Special Reserv: MELCHERS nods Vg 4 DRY | Garrison Club (The Luxury Gin) GINS | London Club (The Cocktail Gin) ) - 8 years old 5 years old 4 years old .. S years old - melchers AND QUALITY BRANDS that such action was in contempla- tion, and management could not overlook the rapid pyramiding of regional industrial strife. When at ten minutes past eleven | on the following Sunday evening a settlement was forced upon management that would enable the return of the workers to the plant in full strength, without further loss of time, both parties realized that the local radio station was off the air. CJAV was persuaded to resume broadcasting, and the maintenance workers were called to the job on a schedule that en- abled the production workers to The solidarity of the plywood workers in the first instance, back- ed later by the unity of all workers in other sections of the industry in the area, as it was expressed through these events, tells the whole story about the kind of Local Union that has been built in Port Alberni. STATE OF THE INDUSTRY follow closely. PLYWOOD SHIPMENTS § 492,292 | M.Se.Fe. 732,538 M. Sq.Ft. Up 49% 1954 FROM PAGE 1. “HODGSON” Secretary-Treasurer MacDonald has also announced that the Dis- trict official has been appointed to represent the C.C.L. at the Sixth Commonwealth Trade Union Con- ference which is also being held in Geneva. His appointment has been ap- proved by the International Ex- ecutive Board, B.C. District Coun- cil No, 1 Executive Board; and Local 1-217. This is the first time that the LW.A. has been given the op- portunity of sending one of their members to any of the above men- tioned world conferences. In a statement to the press, President Hartung noted that this is the first time a trade unionist from western Canada had been given the privilege of attending top level conferences, and he was particularly pleased that a mem- ber from the I.W.A. should be chosen. , Delegate Hodgson has been very active in international affairs since being a full time staff member of the I.W.A. and has been a strong HEAD’S Champion of All Lightweight e LIGHT CRUISER Caulked Boots © Featuring High Carbon Steel Oil Tempered Boot Caulks FOR SURE GRIP Another Favorite for Mill HEAD’S famous : “SAFETY TOE BOOTS” Workers W. J. HEAD BOOT 7 tet Hastings Sr. (PA. 4844) “HEADS YOU WIN” FACTORY LIMITED Vancouver, B.C, (EEE Eae supporter of the I.C.F.T.U. since its inception. * - He will leave Vancouver ap- proximately on May 13th and will return in the middle of July. While overseas, he hopes to make a tour of Europe to gain first hand in- formation on post war recovery and to get a clear idea of what the actual labor picture is in 1955. As he served four years during the war in the Royal Canadian Navy, his duties then took him to many of these countries which he will now be revisiting. In his capacity as a delegate to the ICFTU, he intends to offer support for the educational work of the Confederation such as last year’s Calcutta Seminar, in which I.W.A. Education Director Joe Miyazawa played an important part. ATTEND YOUR UNION MEETINGS | SAN FRANCISCO — TAILORS — LOAN MONEY ON "Suits, Overcoats, etc. Loggers’ Boots, Sleeping Bags, Suitscases, Radios, Watches and Rings Expert Watch Repairing UNREDEEMED | Suits and Caulk Boots For Sale MAIL ORDER 52 West Hastings Street VANCOUVER, B.C.