2 B.C. LUMBER WORKER LOGGERS TRICKED, CHARGES FIEBER “Legal trickery” is charged by Financial Secretary Fred Fieber, Local 1-71 IWA, in a statement made this week denouncing a strategy devised by Forest Industrial Relations Ltd. in conjunction with Canadian Forest Pro- ducts Ltd., intended, he states, to,disqualify employees for fare allowance, and which may also disqualify many for Unemployment Insurance benefits. The latest legalistic twist to contract interpretations, attribut- ed by Local 1-71 officials to the stratagems of legal luminaries attached to FIR makes the or- dinary Christmas shut down at Englewood this year a requested leave of absence period for all crew members. A notice posted by tne man- agement states that the Engle- wood Division will operate dur- ing December to the extent that men are available to handle pro- duction and construction jobs. This interesting preface is re- garded as legal fiction because everyone connected with the op- eration is well aware that for years crew members have quite properly spent the Christmas season with their families. The notice then proceeds to inform employees desiring to join their families on the occa- sion of Christmas that they are expected to make application for leave of absence. Mysteriously, the notice when it appeared set the date for ap- plications on the day immediately prior to that on which the Fin- ancial Secretary had left for Englewood to discuss the matter with the company officials. When he arrived he was presented with a situation already precipitated by the Company. At a later date, District Presi- dent Joe Morris jomed with Fin- ancial Secretary Fred Fieber in a vigorous protest to Forest In- dustrial Relations Ltd. FIR of- insists on the unprecedented “Scrooge” attitude seen in the convenient invention of those who are determined to exploit legal loopholes in the contract at Christmastime, states the Local Union officials. . ficials were unwilling to take any action to set aside a move which contravenes all the customary goodwill relations elsewhere found at the Christmas season between employers and employ- ees, It has been pointed out to the officials of the company as well as FIR, that the notice has a double-barreled and harmful ef- fect, If upon return in January, the camp is closed down for snow within a few weeks, the em- ployees could be disqualified for fare allowance under the terms of the contract, not having worked either the twenty or forty days after a shutdown, This could be done because the Christmas holiday season could be described as a leave of absence period for all those, who in order to observe Christmas, had signed away their contract rights under the new trick prepared for them by FIR’s legal advisor. The second harmful result would be that having taken tech- nical leave of absence under this form of coercion, they may be disqualified for Unemployment Insurance benefits. Reports reaching the Local Union's office are to the effect that crew members at Englewood are “boiling” and that their in- dignation at such barefaced “chi- selling” is likely to breach the usual channels of grievance pro- cedure, especially as FIR now Now Available New I.E.L. Model HM Power Saw with diaphragm carburetor, 5 H.P., weight 28 Ibs. $272.00 complete with 28” attachments, Cutting attachments available from 16” to 32’, IRA BECKER & SON Vancouver Island Distributor LE.L. CHAIN SAWS Nanaimo, B.C, Phone 1515 Campbell River, B.C. Phone 309F HANEY BUSINESS GUIDE “ESQUIRE” MEN’S WEAR (Graham Mowatt) Complete Stock of Work and Dress Clothing “THE STORE WITH THE POPULAR BRANDS” HANEY BRITISH COLUMBIA DUNCAN BUSINESS GUIDE LOUTET AGENCIES LTD. INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE Duncan: 131 Jubilee St. J. Lindsay Loutet Lake Cowichan: South Shore Road Gordon R. Loutet PORT ALBERNI BUSINESS GUIDE MacGREGOR’S MEN’S WEAR _ We Can Afford For Everything A Man Wears @ WORK, SPORT or DRESS _ WOODWARD STORES (PORT ALBERNI) LTD. “Your Family Shopping Centre” “Closed Wednesdays All Day” Phone 1600 To Sell The. . BEST For LESS) Hours: 9 - 5:30 WAGE OFFER MADE PORTLAND, ORE. — Re- presentatives of 7,000 IWA members employed by the Weyerhaeuser Timber Com- pany met here today to discuss the 22¥5 cent package offer of the Company, which they will submit to the workers in ballot form beginning immediately. Meeting in the International Offices of the IWA, the Weyer- haeuser delegates discussed the proposal which calls for seven and a half to 15 cents in wage inereases averaging nine cents per hour; a pension plan costing ten cents per hour, and improve- ments in vacation and holiday clauses amounting to three and a half cents. Don Downing, Chairman of the IWA’s Northwest Regional Ne- gotiating Committee, stated that “This package proposal will cost the industry 22% cents per hour. “The pension proposal will be- come effective June 1, 1957,” Downing said, “and this is the first employer-paid pension pro- gram to be negotiated in the lum- ber industry.” Approximately 900 employees are now eligible for benefits ac- cording to Company estimates and employees who retire prior to that date (June 1, 1957) will also be covered when the pro- gram goes into operation. “A drop of 200 hours in hourly requirements to enable a worker to qualify for a paid vacation will vastly increase the number of men receiving such benefits,” Downing stated. WATSON’S No. 108 LUMBER GLOVE Cut from new soft tan Pearl Mule Split leather. These gloves are reinforced with double sewn thumb strap and wrist patch for added strength. A B.C. Product Union Made by JOHN WATSON LIMITED 127 EAST SECOND AVE. Vancouver, B.C. Local 1-71, IWA, 18 West “Hastings § couver, B.C., have cheques in their office for the follow- ing members: E. Marshall, J. Mitten, P. Corbeil, R. M. Allen, J. ¢ Gimmy) Anderson, all formerly employed at Jennis Bay Logging. Also ULC Book of J. Anderson. R. Strang, formerly employed at Northern Pulpwood Beaver Cove Camp. John Johnson, R. Janes, F. H. Russell Logging Co. James, all formerly employed at John, Planinsic, Alex Matheson, Henry Brown, Malcolm Dun- ford, all formerly employed at Kelly Log, Juskatla. E, Olson, N, A. Greba, B. K, at Dumaresq Bros. Westman, all formerly employed W. Pilchowski, formerly employed at Western Logging Co. These cheques may be claimed by calling or writing to the Local Union office and supplying suitable identification. FALLERS’ RATES NOW RESTORED Recent conference between Financial Secretary Fred Fieber, and the company of- ficials at Englewood Camp resulted in a restoration of rates for fallers and buckers, which it was claimed, had been arbitrarily lowered by the local management. The dispute which provoked the fallers and buckers into stop- ping work for three days to lodge their protest, arose from the ap- plication of a rate set for long log quarters to short log quar- ters and right-of-way falling. At the time the company set a rate for long log quarters, it was understood that on return to short log quarters, the minimum basic rate of $1.25 per M would again apply. It is alleged by the Local Union officials that a new Company efficiency expert misread the agreement and ignored the exist- ing understanding, insisting upon the rate of $1.13 plus the $4.96 daily rate. When satisfactory adjustment of the grievance could not be secured, the point of view held in one camp was supported by the fallers and buckers in the other two camps. This solidarity demonstrated in three camps, re+ sulted in recognition that the rates in the agreed-upon sche- dule had been improperly whit- tled down for the short log quarters. Railway Speeders Another grievance was also ad- justed in the Beach Camp, with reference to the operation of the speeders on the railway. It was held by the Union that the railway rules were being dis- regarded by the fact that a brakeman was not assigned to a speeder required to haul railway cars. It was also pointed out that the speeders were hauling pas- sengers, with standard railway equipment, without the services of a brakeman. This was regard- ed as being unsafe. A meeting was arranged at Beach Camp, which was attended by the Unions’ representatives, an officer of the Railway Depart- ment, and Company officials, A solution was worked out to the satisfaction of all concerned. 8% INCREASE IN PRODUCTION OTTAWA (CPA) — Canada’s industrial production rose eight percent in the first nine months of this year, compared with the same period in 1954, according to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics’ September, 1954 the index show the third quarter of this year. index of industrial production. Compared with ed a rise of 10.9% at the end of Compared with last year, manufacturing production was up by 11.1% in September with durables up nearly 16%. non-durables 7.2% higher and HUB HUMOR "Maybe we caninteresthim ina mouth organ!" Everything in clothes and fur- nishings for the man on your gift list, Ask about our FREE CREDIT PLAN in buying them. 1-71 Meets December 21 Annual convention of Local 1-71, which will be held in Vancouver, December 21st, is attracting more than or- dinary interest, it is predict- ed because of the resolutions now being received at the Local Union office. A fully representative at- tendance from all camp Sub- Locals and committees is an- ticipated. Problems which have arisen with regard to the policing of the contract in the operationsof large logging corporations are due for more than ordinary at- tention, state the convention officials. > To make a hit with an antique dealer, greet him with: “What's new?” i