Bg B.C. LUMBER WORKER Ist Issue, February tion undertaken by agree Greater share of the blame for the delay was placed on the em- sployers who have shown an un- willingness to assume additional wage costs and consider that re- grading within the present cost ‘structure would meet the intent of the agreement, In explanation, the Officers re- ‘ported: “Due to circumstances beyond the control of the Union, the com- pletion of job evaluation in the plywood plants and the negotia- tion of a wage adjustment based thereon, has encountered unfor- seen and unavoidable delays. “The union's experience in this regard was essentially a matter of pioneering new and more scien- tific methods of establishing cquit- able wage rates geared to tech- nological change, to ensure an eventual benefit to the plywood workers, It is expected that these benefits will compensate them for these unfortunate delays. Time Under-Estimated “It must be admitted that at the outset, the District Policy Committee, as well as the employ- ers, underestimated the time re- quired to train the evaluating team and complete the survey in all plants. This highly technical undertaking has now reached the stage where certain objectives in the necessary and related negotia- tions may be determined, “It must also be admitted that only a few of the Union’s negoti- ators have the opportunity to ac- quire the technical knowledge necessary for intelligent conduct of negotiations on the subject. A great deal of time and considerable ground work has been necessary to ensure successful negotiations on a highly involved subject in a manner that would likely prove satisfactory to the workers con- cerned, “In discussions with the em- ployers’ representatives, it has been impossible to establish any area of agreement with regard to such basic considerations as the spread between wage levels and the direction of the ascending curve determining the degree of application to all wage categories. _ “In the opinion of your officers, these two factors must be negoti- ated so as to ensure not only that the spread between wage levels is adequate, but also that the ap- In Job Plans : Plywood Plants lained In Report Unavoidable delays encountered in negotiating a revised wage structure in plywood plants, based on the job evalua- nent with the employers, were frankly explained by the District Officers of the Union in their annual report to the membership in convention. plication is such as to bring the maximum benefit to the most workers. Negotiations Deadlocked “These matters were not in- cluded in the 1957 negotiations. It was impossible to gain con- sideration of this special prob- lem’ during the 1957 industry negotiations, and after the 1957 settlement, the employers’ rep- resentatives claimed that it would be impossible for them to entertain any additional wage costs. They proposed that the evaluation be confined within the present wage costs. This, of course, was rejected by the union. An impasse developed which at this date the union has not been able to resolve, “An excellent job of evaluation has been done. A wealth of valu- able information has been ob- tained. On the basis of this in- formation, negotiations will be pressed at an opportune time. The timing of these negotiations is now important. Precipitate action might easily jeopardize a satisfac- tory settlement for the plywood workers.” Doctor (to patient): “Let me know if this prescription works. I'm having the same trouble my- self.” REGISTRATION DESK at the Victoria Labour Institute was a busy spot the morning of January 25th, for Betty Graham, in charge of registering attending students. Reuther Plan Outlined DETROIT (CPA)—With typical foresight and invent- iveness, the United Automobile Workers of America has undertaken a stirring campaign for a ta: haring program which opens new aspects of major trade union policies. The whole UAW bargaining program was overwhelmingly rati- fied by the special convention Announcing the program at a press conference preceding the convention, UAW President Wal- ter P. Reuther said that this n proposal was “an attempt to rai: collective bargaining~ above the level of a struggle between com- peting economic pressure groups.” The final program adopted by the convention will provide the ammunition which UAW councils Declines Shown OTTAWA (CPA) — Consumer pri ada’s ten regional cities saw declines registered in five of them betwen November and December 1957, Dominion Bureau of Statistics. s, Nfld., which is reckoned on the all cities except St. John June 1951=100 base. St. John’s Halifax .. Saint John Montreal Ottawa Toronto . Winnipeg c Saskatoon-Regina . Edmonton-Calgary Vancouver . ¢ indexes for Can- ccording to the The base 1949=100 applies to Nov. ’57. Dec. ’57 109.8 109.8 121.2 109.8 123.4 123.4 123.4 123.4 124.4 124.2 126.4 126.1 121.2 121.6 120.2 120.1 11919) 120.0 123.6 123.9 here. will fire at the three major auto companies when the agreements expire in May. The farm equi ment industry will also be in- cluded when contract time rolls around. Sagging Economy Mr. Reuther stated that one of the effects of the UAW propos- als if adopted would be to help bolster a badly sagging economy. The auto industry is operating at only 65 per cent of éapacity. Pros- pects are that about 5,300,000 cars will be built this year compared with capacity of up to 10,000,000. “The basic need of the economy if we are to avoid the danger that the recession will spiral downward is for a mas: jon of consumer purcha power,” he declared after pointing out that a basic problem today is over-supply of productive capacity and a lack of buying power. The UAW president contended that a shorter work week would help to offset unemployment in the industry but it might reduce purchasing power. Waiving credit for the formula put-before the con- vention the UAW leader said that it “was based on the formula used by the corporations themselves for computing executive bonuses.” Employees Should Share Declaring that during the past 10 years General Motors execu- tives have shared $600,000,000 in bonuses, Mr. Reuther said, “We propose that the company’s 500,- 000 hourly rated employees in the ‘United States and Canada share also. We believe that if our plan had been in effect over the last ten years, each of those 500,000 employees would have received an average of $600 a year, or a total of $6,000 each.” The UAW plan, which takes the place of earlier predictions that it would go after the 30-hour week, asks the auto companies to dis- tribute annually to their employ- ees 25 per cent of earnings that run about 10 per cent of net profit. Profit-sharing plans are not new to industry but this is the first time that a major AFL-CIO af- filiate has miade it part-and-parcel of its demands. Rebates On Purchases The UAW suggests that the consumer also be cut in on com- pany profits through rebates on purchases. But this idea will not be included in the bargaining de- mands, Going after a shorter contract than the current one which was signed for three years, the auto union is also asking for a general wage increase larger than the present annual improvement fac- tor, This is now 2% per cent or six cents an hour, whichever is greater, Patronize Our Advertisers _—___ copy February 11th. Publication date of the next issue of the B.C. LUMBER WORKER is February 16th. Deadline for ad copy is February 10th and for news 2nd Vice-President rd Vice-President Seerotary-Treasurer 45 Kingsway Advertisi BCLoncesWornen Repreventing the Orgontved Loggers aiid Mill Workers of B.C. 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