2nd Issue, August

B.C. LUMBER WORKER 3

From Page 1

“INTERIOR”

In his report to the Union,
District Sec.-Treasurer George
Mitchell, who headed the nego-
tiating committee in the South-
ern Interior, said:

“The proposed settlement is
the best obtainable under the
present circumstances. If the
Union should be disposed to press
for a better contract by exerting
greater pressure, there is no rea-
sonable assurance that the addi-

tional gains would warrant the| 3

risks. In any event the total
value of the “package” is ap-
proximately the same as the va-
lue of the demands formulated at
the Interior Wages and Contract
Conference by the membership.

If the contract terms now pro-
posed are approved by the mem-
bers of the Union, and the em-
ployers, they will be given effect
next September 1st, without fur-
ther formality. This point de-
serves consideration, because the
report brings the contract terms
in the Southern area up to those
now approved in the Northern
section.

I must direct attention to the
fact that in at least two aspects
the proposed settlement promises
much better things in the future.
This settlement offers a degree of
union security not yet known in
the Southern Interior, and places
the industry in that section on a
forty-hour basis, for unlike the
Northern section, the South has
been on a forty-four hour basis.”

Two-year Contract
The proposed settlement will
extend the master contract
over a two-year period, terminat-
ing, August 31, 1958. This is rec-
ommended in order to enable the

inclusion of the maximum num-
ber of the Union’s demands, as
permanent features of the con-
tract. It also permits time for
marketing plans to be stabilized
in relation to the additional finan-
cial committments.
Wage Increase

2 A wage increase totalling 13

cents across the board is pro-
posed. An increase of seven cents
an hour will be made effective
September 1, 1956, and a further
increase of six cents an hour will
be made effective September 1,
1957. For those categories, ex-
cepting watehmen, where the ca-

tegory rate effective September 1,
1955, was less than the rate estab-
lished for common labor, the
1956-1958 category rate shall be
the September 1, 1955, category
rate plus five and one-half (542)
cents per hour effective Septem-
ber 1, 1956, and a further increase
of five (5) cents per hour effec-
tive September 1, 1957.

Forty-hour Week
A forty-hour work week is
proposed. This will place the
hours of work in the Southern
area on the same basis as already
established in the Northern In-
terior.
5 Additional Paid
Statutory Holidays
It is proposed that during the
contract year, September 1,

1956, to September 1, 1957, two

additional paid statutory holidays,

New Year’s Day and Good Fri-

day shall be added to the list of

paid statutory holidays. It is fur-
ther proposed, that during the

contract year, September 1, 1957,

to September 1, 1958, three addi-

tional paid statutory holidays,

Empire Day, Thanksgiving Day,

and Remembrance Day, shall be

added.
Union Security

The compulsory check-off is

proposed in addition to the
present union security clause,
providing only maintenance of
membership. Under the proposed
new clause, all new employees,
after thirty days’ employment,
will be required to pay dues to
the Union.

More Vacation Pay

It is proposed that employees

with less than five years’ ser-
vice shall receive four (4) per
cent of total earnings as vacation
pay. Those with more than five

years’ service will receive six (6)

per cent of their total earnings

as vacation pay. These new pro-
visions will apply when the
amended “Annual Holidays Act,

1956” comes into effect July 1st,

1957.

Amended Seniority Clauses
It is proposed to amend the
the seniority clauses in the

contract to provide that an em-

ployee transferred to a super-
visory position and subsequently,
ceases to be in a supervisory posi-

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tion, may be reinstated in the
bargaining unit. Job posting is
also recommended.
Improved Leave of
Absence Clause
It is proposed to amend the
leave of absence clause to pro-
vide that an employee elected to

a Union position may be granted

leave of absence for two years,

and that those elected as dele-
gates may be granted leave up to
three in number.

Category Revisions Planned
It is proposed that the agree-
ment shall carry with it the

definite understanding that the

:| employers will negotiate category

wage revisions as soon as pos-
sible, on a plant basis.

Medical Plan Expansion
- Under Negotiations
@ It is proposed that the
agreement shall carry with
it the understanding that medical
plans now in effect shall be con-
tinued and that the expansion of
such medical services to all op-
erations be made a matter of
study with the object of extend-
ing the plan to all operations as
soon as possible.

Labour's Candidates

For the information of its readers, the B.C. Lumber
Worker here publishes the names, and: photographs with
biographical detail of all trade unionists contesting seats
in the pending election, who have declared themselves as

being in support of the legislative aims of the IWA.

The material here published indicates merely the seat,
which the candidate is contesting, and the trade union
status and experience in each instance.

IN COWICHAN
NEWCASTLE

ROBERT M. (BOB) STRA-
CHAN was born 42 years ago in
Glasgow, Scotland, where he com-
pleted his formal schooling. He
came to Canada in 1931 and
worked in various provinces until
coming to B.C. in 1935.

Mr. Strachan has worked in
the mines and mills and he is
well known in the construction
industry of British Columbia,
having served in a supervisory
capacity with a number of com-
panies.

Some years ago he operated a
successful hardware store in Van-
couver which he disposed of prior
to moving to Vancouver Island.
Bob Strachan has long been inter-
ested in the co-operative and
trade union movements. He was

a charter member and director of
the first credit union in B.C. He
has served as President of the
Island Council of Carpenters and
as Provincial President of his
union. His knowledge of educa-
tion costs has made him a con-
firmed opponent of the present
method of land taxation for the
raising of school funds.

He was first elected to the pro-
vincial legislature for Cowichan-
Newcastle in 1952, and was re-
elected in 1953. He is married to
a former Nanaimo girl and they
have two sons and a daughter.
They make their home in Cedar-
District at the north end of Cow-
ichan-Neweastle Riding.

Mr. Strachan was elected Pro-
vineial Leader of the CCF in
1956.