ORS. B.C. LUMBER WORKER 2nd Issue, December “BREAD-FOR THE HUNGRY IS OUR JOB" .. . Jodoin By CLAUDE JODOIN President, Canadian Labor Congress As Canadians we can look back on 1956 as a year of accomplishment. There has been new growth and vigor in our, country and there has been an increased awakening of a spirit of justifiable national pride. For those of us in the labor movement, 1956 stands out as the year in which we attained a long-sought objective—the merging of the two largest central organizations into one body — the]: Canadian Labor Congress. This event had, of course, sig- nificance beyond the actual ranks of the organizations involved. Organized labor has now reached proportions which make its poli- cies and actions of national im- portance. The desire for unity had been long-standing and when a merger was accomplished those actively participating gave sin- cere support through action to their dreams. As a result a new organization, representing 1,050,- 000 Canadian men and women, has come into being and, during 1956, has become a smoothly functioning organization with far less difficulty and fewer problems than might have been anticipated. Now we enter 1957, the first full year of the Canadian Labor Congress as a functioning orga- nization. We know that as a unit- ed organization we are better equipped than ever before to make labor's contribution to the welfare of our country, and the importance of this contribution is likely to increase in this and the other years to come. Inflation Threatened Canadians enjoyed a large measure of prosperity in 1956. Economie conditions were, in fact, so good that toward the end of the year fears of inflationary trends were expressed. Once again there was an effort in many quarters to place the blame on lahor. Organized labor has in the past sought, and will continue to seek better. conditions for all workers. We are convinced that such efforts are essential to an expanding economy; and surely vo one will suggest that Canada has reached the limit of her pos- sibilities of economic expansion. The facts clearly prove that with reasonable improvements in wages and working conditions, now over a period of a good many years, the country has prospered. Those who -have tried to block labor’s efforts by predictions of doom have proven poor prophets. Labor realizes the responsibilities of its position, both in relation to its membership and to the coun- try as a whole. Our unions see no reason to cease efforts to ob- tain justifiable improvements. In fact in the face of radical tech- nological changes and in the ex- tension of automation, which we may expect in 1957, it is essential Publication date of the next issue of the B.C. LUMBER WORKER is January 3rd. Deadline for ad copy is December 27th and for news copy December 28th. BC Lonpent Representing the Organized Loggers end Mill Workers of B.C. PUBLISHED TWICH MONTHLY ON THH FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAYS BY. International Woodworkers of America. District Council No. 1 » DISTRICT OFFICERS: = President Ist Vice-President 2nd Vice-President 8rd Vice-Presiden’ Secretary-Treasurer International Board Member —. Address all communications to GEORGE H. MITCHELL, Secretary-'Treasurer 45 Kingsway - Vancouver, B.C. Subscription Rates. Advertising Representative —___.G. A. Spencer Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept., Ottawa 27,500 COPINS PRINTED IN THIS ISSUE KVORKER (CIO-CCL) .. .. Joe Morris ‘William N. Gray jtuart M. Hodgson Fred Fleber George H. Mitchell —-——— Walter F, Allen Dickens 6261-2 $1.50 per annum from Scandinavia to you AQUAVIT ., A Different Drink Youll Really Enjoy a/s VINMONOPOLET, OSLO, Norway Obfainable at all B,C. Liquor Stores ‘This advertisement is not published or dis; Liquor Control Board or by the Government layed by the British Columbia. CLAUDE JODOIN that a high level of purchasing power be maintained in Canada, if there is to be a market for the goods which can now be produced in increasing quantities. Legislation Pending We think also that this is a time when steps could be taken to meet other national problems. With a high level of employment there is an opportunity to intro- duce an industrial pension plan. Many workers are now contribut- ing in one form or another to pinas which will supplement the entirely inadequate old age pen- sions when they reach retirement. The need for some more orderly approach to industrial pensions has been widely recognized, and the longer action is delayed the more complicated the introduction of such a plan will become. Increasing concern ‘was ex- pressed during 1956 at the pro- portions of the problems we face in education. This is a matter which is in provincial jurisdiction, but the need is of such proportion that the co-operation of all levels of government is urgently neces- sary. It was because of this that our Congress recently urged the calling of a dominion-provincial conference on education to seek approaches to the problems which will inevitably increase as. the years go by. We hope that 1957 may bring a concerted and order- ly effort to meet our country’s educational needs. International Affairs Critical During 1956, the international situation changed dramatically. ‘Phe Polish people won a measure of freedom. The Hungarians threw off the yoke of their op- pressors only to be brutally crush- munist imperialism. The Middle East burst’into open war which Nations and to spread over the threatened to destroy the United whole world. The Canadian gov- ernment, in this perilous moment, took the lead in measures to re- store the authority of the United Nations, stop the fighting and establish an international police force. This is the right policy. The Labor Movement has stead- fastly supported, and will sup- port, the U.N., knowing that if the U.N. breaks down, all that Labor has won, and even civiliza- tion itself, may be wiped out. But the best hope of peace lies not in settling disputes, but in preventing them. A world in which two-thirds of the people are underfed is the fertile seed- -| ground for war. If we are all to have peace, we must help those hungry people. During 1956, the Canadian government increased its aid to under-developed coun- tries, but it must be increased still more. But this bread for the hungry is not just a task for govern- ments, It is also a job for the trade union movement. In Canada, strong unions have immeasurably contributed to raise the workers’ standard of living. Strong unions can do the same for the under- developed countries; but their workers cannot build such unions without our help. That is why the Canadian Labor Congress and many of its affiliated unions and their individual members are vol- untarily making regular contri- butions to the International Con- federation of Free Trade Unions, to organize workers in Asia, Af- rica and Latin America; and we are proud that the ICFTU has chosen a great Canadian trade unionist, Mr. C. H. Millard, form- er vice-president of the Canadian Labor Congress and Canadian Director of the United Steelwork- ers, to direct this work. Free, democratic trade union- ism, solidly established in‘ every country in the world, would be one of the best and surest foun- dations for international peace and justice. To the laying of that foundation, strong and deep, the Canadian Labor Congress in 1957 will devote an increasing propor- tion of its time and energy. Conciliation Judges Criticized ST. CATHARINES — George Burt, Canadian UAW director, ed once more by Russian Com- criticized the appointment of.judges as conciliation board chairmen and said their whole background and social life directed their sym- pathies towards management. He said conciliation boards served no useful purpose in Canada. Daoust Appointed TWUA President NEW YORK—Harold Daoust, Canadian director of TWUA since 1951, was appointed special assistant to the TWUA president in charge of organizing. Paul Swaity of Selkirk, Man., was named act- ing Canadian director of the union. Canadian Unemployment Figures OTTAWA—The number of Canadians looking for work at Octo- ber 18 was 157,400, down 1,400 from a month earlier as a result of the recall of Ontario automobile and allied industry workers, the National Employment Service reported. Electricians Win Wage Boost VANCOUVER—A 57-cent an hour pay boost in a two-year con- * tract will give 1,000 lower mainland electricians a base rate of $2.99 an hour next October. The IBEW members reached the new agree- ment after rejecting a conciliation offer of 28 cents. CLC Presents Brief, January 23 OTTAWA—The presentation of the annual legislative brief to the federal cabinet by the Canadian Labor Congress has been sched- uled for January 23. Banks Pay Overtime TORONTO—Three chartered banks announced plans to pay em- ployees time and one-half for overtime and other banks were ex- pected to follow suit in a move to head off union organizing activities among Toronto bank employees. About 10% of the eligible Toronto bank workers were reported to have already joined the Office Work- ers Union. The payment of overtime, described as “long overdue”, was welcomed by CLC vice-president Cushing in Ottawa. Ontario Compensation Earnings Increased TORONTO—Maximum coverage under the Ontario Workmen’s Compensation Act will be raised from $4,000 to $5,000 from January 1, WCB chief assessor D. H. Brawley announced. The new maximum compensation receivable, at 75% of earnings, will be $3900 annually. = For your convenience in sending money out of town or : abroad, use our money orders and foreign remittances. For details, call at our riearest branch — we have more than 700 to serve you. THE CANADIAN BANK OF COMMERCE SS = SENDING MONEY -out of town? RW-136 100 Branches In British Columbia