Education

OVER a single weekend, the educational pro-

gram of the IWA, promoted in cooperation
with the CCL Educational Department, recently
expanded its scope in an unusual and effective
manner.

The plan to hold three Institutes simultan-

eously was a radical departure from the plans of |

former years, but in its bold conception proved
entirely successful.

This year’s plan enabled the Institute Direc-
tors to make provision in the treatment of each
subject for advanced classes to accommodate
those students who had made a start in former
years. This prevented any neglect of individual
attention for those entering an Institute for the
first time. It gave those who had covered the
elementary work the satisfaction of forging ahead
with their chosen topic.

Another valuable feature of the plan for the
IWA was that it enabled the Union to throw
almost its entire available staff into the program
without any serious disruption of the Union
activities.

This brought into the active service of the In-
stitutes virtually all the District Officers, and
many of the staff. It also enabled the Educational
Department of the IWA to bring all its resources
into the work, without discriminating against any
section of the Union.

Perhaps the most valuable feature of the plan
was that it resulted in the development of educa-
tional training staff, among IWA members,. who,
hitherto, had not found scope for their abilities,
when only one Institute at a time was held. This
year the work was equitably distributed, and the
result was to give experience to all staff members
with ability in the field of trade union education.

This was a far-sighted plan, because now the
Union can bring into the service of its educational
needs a larger number of men who have proved
themselves as instructors and who have gained
confidence in their ability to impart knowledge to
others. .

IWA participation, both at the student and
instructor level this year placed a new emphasis
upon the importance attached to trade union edu-
cation by the Union. The woodworkers’ organiza-
tion gained by its cooperation with other CCL
affiliates. Education is something in which isola-
tion is folly. The greater the area from which the
trade unionists attend such sessions, the greater
the enthusiasm, the greater the benefits for each
participating union. ;

It was made evident from the attitudes ex-
pressed by the students as they left the Institutes
that trade union education of this character pays
rich dividends. Not only were they enthusiastic
about the courses, but they displayed a determina-
tion to put their newly-acquired knowledge into
good use on the job.

When the rank and file members gain such
opportunities to master the problems involved in
the administration of their own affairs they un-
dertake the collective effort of union organization
with greater confidence, and face the high-priced
experts on the payroll of the employers. with as-
surance. ~

One of the worst enemies of the working-class _

has been ignorance. Wherever ignorance reigns,
suspicion and misunderstanding undermine unity
of action. Where men act with confidence in their
knowledge, greater good will be found in posi-
tive action and the purposes of organization and
brotherhood tower above the scheming pettiness
of small minds.

In any democratic organization, it is the ignor-
ant man seeking power that is to be feared be-
cause of the wreckage of organization hopes left
in his trail. f i

Where a trade union democracy is in a position
to call into its service men who have well-trained
minds, and a deeply ingrained vision of the possi-
bilities of team-work, inspired by informed and
mutual trust, success of organization is assured.

Thanks!

The Editor:

George Droneck, our business
agent in Vancouver, sent me a
copy of the October issue of the
B.C. Lumber Worker, and I am
writing to extend you our ap-
preciation for the fine picture-
spread on the union label on
pages 5 and 8

Brother Droneck has written
us on several occasions of the
excellent support given to our
campaign by the International
Wood Workers, which I know
has helped make your member-
ship one of the most label con-
scious labor groups on the con-
tinent.

I hope you will convey to your
associates how much we appreci-
ate your co-operation.

With best wishes, I am

Fraternally yours,

Howard D, Samuel,

Director, ACWA
Label Campaign.

Union |*

GAW In Can.

TORONTO—The guaranteed
wage has been won for the
first time by a Canadian labor
union.

Beginning Sept. 1, 1957, the
5000 Ontario employees of Mas-
sey-Harris-Ferguson Ltd. will be
eligible for company-paid unem-
ployment insurance. It will be in
addition to benefits they receive
under the Federal Government’s
unemployment insurance plan.

New Contract

The company and the United
Automobile Workers Union
(CIO-CCL) announced Monday
that the principle of the guaran-
teed annual wage has been in-
corporated into a new contract
they signed Saturday. ,

The contract still must be rati-
fied by employees at the M-H-F
plants in Toronto, Woodstock and
Brantford.

Starts Sept. 15

The company agrees to start

paying into an unemployment
fund next Sept. 15. When the
fund is built up to an agreed
limit, employees who are laid off
can draw from it in proportion to
their length of service and wages
earned.

The plan, however, is not an-
nual, nor does it pay an employ-
ee’s wages. It guarantees him a
minimum of 65 percent of his
wages for four weeks and 60 per
cent for a further 22 weeks — a
total of half a year,

Rosie had made it clear to Ho-
mer that she would like to marry
him but her domineering, strong-
willed battle-ax mother didn’t ap-
prove. Homer wanted to know
why. fii

“Well,” Rosie finally admitted,
“she thinks you’re effeminate,”
Homer said, “Well, compared to
her, I probably am!”

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