B.C. LUMBER WORKER

ist Issue, February

be spreading, of the suppression

is expected.

Officials Bar
| Injury Claims

Warning was issued this week in the District Officers’ Re-
port to the IWA Convention regarding a practice, now found to

of compensation claims by management personnel.

Evidence is at hand showing where some officials have misled -
the injured workmen as to his rights, and so “doctored” the state-
ment of claim as to ensure almost immediate rejection by the
Workmen’s Compensation Board. Further action by the Union

of essential evidence in support

Union Alerted To
Legislative Aims

Political education and legislative activity went hand in
hand it would appear from the joint officers’ report tabled
this week in the Annual IWA District Convention. In-

creased participation in those

activities which focussed at-

tention on the drive for better labour legislation resulted, it

was claimed.

Main outlets of legislative acti-
vity were by means of direct re-
presentation on the B.C. Federa-
tion of Labour and the Canadian
Labour Congress,

Special reference was made to
the widespread discontent with the
administration of the Workmen’s
Compensation Act, and the steps
taken to remedy the situation,

The reports stated,

Legislative Activity

“At every opportunity, your of-
ficers participated in necessary
representations to Provincial and
Federal Governments on behalf
of the Trade Unions to secure
improved labour legislation.

“In the national field, the Dis-

trict President, acting in his capa-
city as a Vice-President of the
Canadian Labour Congress, as-
isted in the preparation and pre-
sentation of the brief placed before
the Prime Minister and Members
of the Federal Cabinet. This re-
presentation for the I.W.A. en-
sured the inclusion in the brief of
proposals directly relating to the
welfare of lumber workers in this
province,
.W.A. representatives on the
B.C, Federation of Labour took an
active part in the preparation of
proposals for consideration of the
Provincial Cabinet. District Of-
ficers actively participated as of-
ficers of the Federation when
representations were made to the
Government.

“Legislative proposals advanced
previously by the I.W.A. were
dealt with on that occasion, Be-
cause of the urgency of many of
these proposals, continued pres-
sure has been exerted to impress
upon the Government the need for
remedial action,

“Increasing dissatisfaction
with the limitations of the Work-
men’s Compensation Act and its

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712 Robson St.

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administration, made it neces-
sary for the I.W.A. to act in
concert with other affiliated
unions and demand necessary
reforms. The District Safety
"Director assisted the officers of
the Vancouver Labour Council
and the B.C. Federation of Lab-
our in the compilation of evi
dence and preparation of a brief
for the consideration of the Pro-
vincial Cabinet. Your officers
assisted in conferences called to
consider trade union policy in
this respect.

“The position of the Union was
mainly determined by its experi-
ence in presenting the claims of
its members to the Board. Al-
though many claims have been
satisfactorily adjusted as a result,
the severity of interpretations
placed upon the Act discriminated
unfairly against many for whom
protection was originally intended.
The situation will demand further
attention during the present ses-
sion of the Legislature.

Political Education

“The political education pro-
gramme outlined at the last Dis-
trict Convention has been ad-
vanced through meetings of the
District Political. Education Com-
mittee and the committees esta-
blished for a similar purpose by
tle local unions. It is gratifying to
note the excellent results achieved
by the local unions in this.

“We are pleased to record. the
fact that another two I.W.A.
members won seats in the House
of Commons in the last general
election. In this Province, Bro.
Tom Barnett, Local 1-85, was
re-elected, and Brother Frank
Howard, past President of Local
1-71, and Brother Arnold Peters
of Ontario, joined him.

Three active I.W.A. members
are seated in the Provincial
Legislature: Brothers John
Squire, Local 1-85; Tony Gar-
grave, Local 1-217, and Rae
Eddie, Local 1-357.

“Last year, the Vancouver Lab-
our Council energetically cam-
paigned for the election of three
labour representatives on the Van-
couver City Council, Although the
candidates were not elected, the
campaign served to focus public
interest on Labour's stake in civic
affairs, and the urgent need for
labour representation on the civic
level. Two of the candidates were
LW.A. members. The vigorous
campaign waged by the Labour
Council, it is believed, has laid the
basis for success in the future.”

Board of B.C. A\
Basle Accident Prevention.

180 West Hastings Street

ee

CHECKING the large list of registered students at the Victoria Labour Institute held January 25-26th, are
seated, left, George Droneck, John MacKenzie; standing left, Earl Kinney, Betty Graham, Dan Radford.

IWA Diligently Serves
Educational Purposes

Weekend and seminar pro-
grams designed to make trade
union education more access-
ible and more enlivening to
the rank- and file members
enormously stimulated inter-
est in. this vital project, stated
the IWA_ District Officers
this week in reporting to the
delegates from Local Unions
in attendance at the Annual
District Convention.

Most recent accomplishment has
been the establishment of a Dis-
trict Education Committee, which
has outlined co-ordinating acti-
vities for the Local Unions.

The ICFTU Banff Seminar was
regarded as one of the major edu-
cational events on the IWA
calendar.

In this connection the report
stated. z

Educational Program

As a result of the deliberations
of the District Education Commit-
t,ee the Union’s programme in this

respect has been more clearly out
lined The recommendations of this
Committee, designed to gain closer
co-ordination of effort, have been
forwarded to all local unions.

Your officers have attended and
assisted staff seminars, both at the
Provincial «and local levels. This
has greatly assisted preparations
for an expanded educational pro-
gramme throughout the local
unions.

Banff Seminar

Your officers participated in
the plans made to extend trade
union hospitality to delegates
from Latin America en route to
the I.C.F.T.U. Seminar in Banff
last midsummer. Brother Ed
Haw, Local 1-118, was named as
the official delegate, and several
of the District Officers attended
the seminar sessions. The I.W.A.
local unions combined to make
one of the largest financial con-
tributions toward the expenses
of the seminar.

In cooperation with the affili-
ated Unions, the B.C. Federation

of Labour and the Vancouver Dis-
trict Labour Council arranged a
banquet attended by trade union-
ists in the Vancouver area at which
a fund-raising campaign to sup-
port the Banff seminar was launch-
ed. Arrangements were in the
hands of District 2nd Vice-Presi-
dent S. M. Hodgson, as Chairman
of the Federation's International
Affairs Committee.- Guest speaker
on the occasion was Brother Bill
Kemsley of the New York office
of the ICFTU.

Members of the District Staff
have actively assisted as instruc-
tors at all weekend Educational
Institutes held under the joint
auspices of the Canadian Labour
Congress and Labour Councils.
They have also assisted as re-
quired in the educational work
promoted by local unions.

It is noteworthy that a number
of LAW.A. local unions have spon-
sored bursaries designed to aid
deserving university students from.
LW.A. homes, with special re-
ference to courses in silviculture.

AFL-CIO Expulsions Seen |
As Ultimate Labour Gain

Attendance of the District
President at the recent con-
ventions of the Industrial
Union Department and the
AFL-CIO enabled District 1
to gain first-hand informa-
tion regarding the situation
resulting in the expulsion of
the Teamsters and other in-
ternational unions, it was ex-
plained in the District Of-
ficers’ report to the Annual
Convention this week.

The action taken by the parent+
body in this respect was given ex-
planation which appears below:

“The District President was

selected as one of the six I.W.A.

INSTRUCTION IN INDUSTRIAL FIRST AID

available through Correspondence Courses leading to Industrial
First Aid Certificates approved by the Workmen's Compens:
Correspondence Course in Timekeeping and

ion

THE INDUSTRIAL FIRST AID ATTENDANTS ASSN. OF B.C.

Vancouver 3, B.C,

delegates to attend last year’s con-
ventions of the LU.D. and AFL-
CIO, This has provided this Dis-
trict with firsthand information on
developments of great significance
to the entire Trade Union moye-
ment.

“The action taken by the AFL-
CIO convention to expel three
large affiliates on the findings of
the Ethical Practices Committee
and the recommendation of the
Appeals Committee, has been
closely followed with grave con-
cern by your officers,

“The facts as reported to us,
reveal that the expulsion was di-
rected against a small group of
officials who had violated their ob-
ligations as Trade Union officers,
and was not directed against the
membership of the unions in-
volved. Every opportunity was al-
lewed for the unions concerned to
correct matters. They were grant-
ed full rights of appeal to the
AFL-CIO convention, Finally, it

"AFL-CIO did not intend to ini
ate any jurisdictional conflict, for
‘the door was being kept open for
reinstatement when corrup prac-
jtices were repudiated by the
members and democratic trade
union standards restored.

IWA Probity Maintained

“We are proud of the fact that
our Union has been entirely free
of such practices, and we know
that the contemplated structural
changes will adequately safeguard

the integrity of the union in the
future.

“Your officers believe this union
should give firm support to the
jPosition taken by the AFL-CIO
on ethical practices within the
trade union movement, whatever

be the

may
quences,

immediate conse-

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