ALBERTA STRIKE WON Wages Hiked 22c An Hour Retroactive To June Ist Bae ke tscatianal Waadorhen of Aiasioa Strike conducted by Local 1-207, IWA, at the Imperial Vol. XXIII, No. 22 338 92 2nd ISSUE, NOV. 1956 - VANCOUVER, B.C. Lumber Co. Ltd., in its operations at Marlboro, Blue Ridge, Barrhead, and Kinuso has been settled, with a vic- tory for the Union. The Company agreed to sign a collec- tive agreement providing an immediate wage hike of 22 cents an hour, raising the base rate from 85c to $1.07, and by successive increases to $1.15 an hour during the two- year term of the contract. Dicer Coenell Na 5c PER COPY Ss NEW FEDERATION COUNCIL The strike terminated last week when the Company capitu- lated and for the first time in the history of these operations agreed to sign a contract. Previously, this Company had succeeded in breaking all attempts to establish unionization in the woods opera- tions with wages and conditions set out in a standard agreement. Congratulations Deserved First Vice-President William N. Gray, who negotiated the settle- ment, stated that the strikers had shown remarkable solidarity, under trying handicaps, and that hearty congratulations from the Union were richly deserved. Also assisting in the fight were Fred Lieberg, [WA; Ed Sudhues, and Mike Sekora, staff repre- sentatives. The general strategy of the strike was under the direc- tion of District President Joe Morris, and was backed by the District strike fund. - 2 pe oo ee S oe OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COUNCIL of the B.C. Federation of Labour elected and installed at the recent merger convention. Geated, front row, from left) Pat O'Neal, Pulp and Sulphite Workers); Vic Midgley, Carpenters; Joe Morris, IWA; William Black, President, Hospital Employees’ Union; George Home, Secretary, UPWA; Bob Smeal, CBRE. (Standing, rear row, from left) Stuart M. Hodgson, IWA; Hector Wright, Virefighters; Charles Stewart, Street Railwaymen; Mel Kemmis, Bakery Workers; Bob Beddome, Bev- erage Dispensers; Ray Haines, RWDSU; Ed O’Connor, B.C. Government Employees; Don Dunphy, Steelworkers; William Symington, The new agreement includes provisions for union security in the form of maintenance of mem- UPWA; George Smythe, IWA. IN_ MEMORIAM M. & B. "BRAINWASHING’ "KILLS" SAFETY PROGRAM “Brainwashing”, Canadian style, ordered by Mac- Millan & Bloedel for all employees involved in acci- dents, was reported to a recent meeting of the IWA District Executive Board, with the result that the Union’s job steward organization throughout Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island operations has been alerted in preparation for any action that may be necessary, if the practice is continued. The evidence placed before the IWA Board, including copies of the Company’s instructions to foremen, and safety reports, was interpreted as indicating that it is now the intention of management to shift all blame for accidents upon the employees concerned, and thereby conceal any evidence regarding Com- pany negligence. It is said that the scheme is designed to save the Company millions of dollars, by this simple method of eliminating much of the expenditure hitherto required in meeting its responsi- pilities for accident hazards. Strictly A M. & B. Plan The reports before the Union gave rise to a strong sus- picion that other large lumber corporations are preparing to follow the plan invented in the MacMillan and Bloedel offices. By using the channels provided through its affiliation with the National Safety Council, Chicago, the Union was able to dem- onstrate that nowhere on the continent have safety engineers proposed such a scheme to accomplish accident prevention. Until the contrary is proven, the Union’s officials have found it necessary to proceed on the assumption that some of the larger lumber corporations in B.C. have decided to convert the safety program to their own uses and profit. SEE ALSO “SABOTAGE” PAGE 4 WHAT'S Local Union officials stated that it is clearly the intention of management, in many instances, to by-pass the union entirely in all safety matters, in order to make safety precautions a disciplinary procedure. ‘The procedure outlined in the orders issued to foremen in the Somass Division, M. & B., Port Alberni, is much as follows: Police Methods Used The accident victim is called into the foreman’s office for “a quiet uninterrupted talk”. The “third party” technique is used as sometimes employed during police inquisitions, although no mention is openly made of the use of a rubber hose. The foreman must continue the interview, exerting all necessary pressure to re-condition the mental processes of his yictim, until the injured man is ready to “confess” that he was solely to blame for the accident. “Any suggestions that the accident was caused by non- human factors, such as fog, or ice, poor guard, or rough deck- ing, should be discussed fully until the employee agrees that in the case of fog, it was a human cause, in the sense that he knew of the fog and should have been driving more slowly.” “Confession” Required This deliberate perversion of the ordinary procedures for dealing with evidence as such, established under the British system of justice, it is pointed out, is a refined version of the inquisitorial methods in vogue under Soviet rule. The pressures used to extract “confessions” from the hapless workers are the: pressures which are available to an employer because of the man’s very natural desire to hold his job. It is implied that the worker who fails to sign the “con- fession” of guilt, gets short shrift with management. The foremen, who fail to get the desired results, and bully a “confession” out of every accident victim, face an ugly alter- native, the documents reveal. The instructions read, “If the foreman is not able to get agreement that 99.9% are human causes, there is an indication that additional foreman training is necessary.” Translated into IWA language, this means that the fore- man must deliver thoroughly subdued victims or else. The docu- ment containing this unprecedented order is signed by B. P. Page, Assistant Superintendent, Somass Division, MacMillan & Bloedel Ltd, See “BRAINWASHING” Page 3 bershi wage hike as stated above; retroactive wage adjust- ment to June 1; shift differential of 3 cents an hour; liberalized vacation clauses; three paid sta- tutory holidays; improved hours of work; maintenance of rent, light. and fuel concessions as a matter of contract; $2.00 maxi- mum on board rates; and no dis- crimination against strikers. More than 180 workers were involved in the operations struck, and are now under the protection of an IWA agreement. The IWA is the first union that has suc- ceeded in securing an agreement with the Company which has a notorious reputation in Alberta for opposition to union organiza- tion. Commenting on the situation, District President Joe Morris said, “I warmly congratulate the workers, who have now success- fully concluded a strike against the Imperial Lumber Co. My first hand knowledge of the formidable difficulties confronting them leads me to say that because of the odds, they have made labor his- tory in the Alberta lumber indus- try. “The victory won against Im- perial has instilled confidence in the IWA among the woodworkers in other operations. Many such are now urging that the Union should expand its organizational plans for the province. “The significance of this victory in a depressed wage area cannot be over estimated. It is full vin~ dication for the District. Council in its decision to campaign in Alberta, and lead the fight for better wages as a bulwark against the periodical influx of non-union, under-paid workers into the B.C. woods.” LISTEN TO = Green Gold-CJ0 7.00 p.m. t CJAV - 6:30 p.m. Thursday Thursday > CKPG - Ist and 3rd Thursday- 6 p.m.