< Ist Issue, July B.C. LUMBER WORKER From Page 1 “Conciliation” all results of this vote gave the Union a mandate authorizing Strike action, with a majority be- tween 65% to 70%. large number of operations which had reported an overwhelm- ing majority for strike action on the Union’s own strike ballot were closed down just prior to the su- pervised vote, otherwise the lat- ter vote would have been larger. A most significant feature of these results is that all but three of the large operations voted de- cisively for strike action, “It should be explained here that our Union bargains with the emplo: represented by Forest Industrial Relations Ltd., on an industry-wide basis for employees in the logging, sawmill, plywood, and shingle sections throughout the coast area, “We bargain for and sign one master agreement, which governs the terms of the agreements signed with all individual opera- tions. It is for this reason that our Union has always arrived at de- cisions respecting this agreement on the basis of the over-all ma- jerity vote of the members in the area, No Hasty Action “This Union has no desire to take hasty action to call for a strike on the part of those who voted in favour. There will be no such action, until all sections of the Union’s membership have been consulted. We have time to make our decisions with due deliberation, whether or not we exercise the strike mandate, and if so, when and where. On the other hand we do not intend to let matters be delayed indefin- itely. “This Union has never thought of strike action except as a last resort, when all other means have failed to obtain a just and hon- ourable settlement of a major dis- pute with our employers. Our concern’ continues to centre on the terms of the coast master agreement. “This determines conditions for 28,000 workers, some of whom are employed by the employers bar- gaining through Forest Industrial Relations Ltd., while others are employed by a large number of employers bargaining indepen- dently. Our Union must consider the well-being of the entire work- ing force in industry, as well as those directly concerned with these negotiations. “We consider it to be most un- fortunate for good employer-em- ployee relations, that some em- ployers adopted a threatening attitude with their employees im- mediately prior to the supervised strike vote, and we take serious objection to the deliberate mis- representation on the part of their spokesmen, “Contemptible Trickery” “They concealed from their employees the fact that the recomenéations of the Concilia- tion Board weaken many pro- visions of the master agreement. The language used glossed over the fact that the award of the Board proposes to give their employees a very much worse contract. The Board’s report, if implemented, will take away from their employees a number of important contract provisions negotiated in past years, and found beneficial to the employ- ees. The workers in the indus- try were led to believe that if they voted against a strike they would suffer no change in con- tract conditions. Assurances given them of this sort amounted to contemptible trick- ery. “Cut to Shreds” “Everyone familiar with the present master agreement, will realize how the Conciliation Board’s recommendations will cut many important contract provi- sions to shreds, “If, for instance, the Board’s proposal regarding seniority is implemented, the present seniority provisions can be made a com- plete farce. If the Union agrees to the proposition made by the Board that the present contract provisions for fallers and buckers need revision, we are consenting to deprive this group of workers of protection under the agree- ment for their contract rates. “Suppose we agree to the recommendation regarding board rates for the loggers, we imme- diately agree that these rates are to be raised on the occasion of the first wage adjustment in the future. “Further, the recommendations G-58 4338 West 14th Ave. THE NEW IMPROVED GOUGER CHAIN YOU HAVE ASKED US TO BUILD @ FASTER BORING @ EASIER FILING @ SMOOTHER CUTTING SAW CHAIN @ GREATER STRENGTH @ LONGER LIFE GOUGER SAW CHAIN CO. 519 Parkdale Avenue North HAMILTON, ONTARIO Phone or Write for Dealership DAVE DRYSDALE, West Coast Representative VANCOUVER 8, B.C, Phone ALma 3697-R MONTE LAKE clash between management of the Pondosa Pine Lumbe! r Co. Ltd. and the crew caused the employees to establish an information picket line immediately. Later, they were compelled to withdraw when confronted by an injunction. The issues will now be dealt with in court. (From left) T. Yamada; R. Yamada; Ed Timmath, Plant Chairman; Bill Gallagher, Job Steward, and Bob Ross, Business Agent, Local 1-417, WA. of the Board propose a distinct violation of collective bargaining principles, when it suggests that certain contract conditions should be removed from the field of ne- gotiation and be made subject to rulings of the Department of Labour. Dangerous Precedent “The Board introduced a dan- gerous precedent for all workers, in its recommendation that the time-tested formulas for wage de- termination should be set aside. It suggests that in future, the over-riding consideration in fix- ing wage rates should be the abil- ity to pay wage increases, as de- termined solely on figures pre- sented by the employers, without regard to any impartial fact-find- ing, and without regard to those factors which bear directly on the lives ‘of their employees, “We face depresed living stan- dards, if no consideration is to be given the rise in living costs, in- creased productivity in the lum- ber industry, and the comparable wage standards now established in adjacent industries. I again point to the fact that, from the outset, the IWA presented a wage de- mand considerably less than the increases already granted to the majority of the unionized workers in British Columbia. Non-Cost Items Ignored “The main argument advanced by the employers with respect to the alleged precarious prospects for their future, does not apply to the non-cost items of contract re- vision proposed by the Union, which have been ignored. “The employers will in no way jeopardize their financial position, or marketing prospects, if they make a genuine effort to reach an amicable settlement on matters which will not cost them any addi- tional financial burden, but which are matters of constant irritation on the job. “T refer to such matters as the difficulties now experienced in the job application of the provisions dealing with the hours of work, seniority, and entitlement to holi- days. As the negotiations began on March 17th, we are at a com- plete loss to understand why these non-cost items could not have been dealt with as evidence of the employers’ good intentions, apart from their unwillingness to make any concessions of mone- tary value. Will Still Confer “T would here re-state the pos- tion of the IWA, which we have consistently followed throughout. As Chairman of the Union’s Ne- gotiating Committee, I may give the firm assurance that we are still prepared to confer with the employers in an effort to resolve this dispute in a manner that will best serve the welfare of our mem- bers and the community at large. “Tf necessary, our Union is pre- pared to review its original de- mands and consider any reason- able compromise, if this will bring about a just and amicable settle- ment. We are still prepared to explore any avenue that will lead to a settlement acceptable to the members of our Union. Government Aid Sought “Acting on behalf of our mem- bership, the District Policy Com- mittee has instructed me to re- quest the further services of the Provincial Government to open the way for discussions between the parties, so that further at- tempts may be made to resolve the existing dispute. “However, if our efforts in this direction fail, or are fru- strated, we have no other al- ternative but to report such fail- ure to the members of our Un- ion, and prepare for whatever i aS G co fi LOGGERS’ AND LUMBERMEN’S CHOICE For Over 35 Years Watson's Leather JOHN WATSON LTD. > Gloves Union Made by VANCOUVER, B.C. Interior In Conciliation IWA negotiations for the Northern and Southern In- terior contracts will now re- quire conciliation, it was an- nounced this week. When preliminary bargaining talks deadlocked, application was made by the IWA Negotiat- ing Committee to the Depart- ment of Labour for the ser- vices of Conciliation Officers. Mr. J. C. Sherlock has been appointed for the Northern Interior. The Union is asking a fif- teen per cent across the board wage increase. action may be necessary to secure a, just and honourable solution for their problems. “Whatever may develop out of this crisis, we can assure the mem- bers of the IWA, as well as their friends and neighbours, that any action taken by our organization in the immediate future will be de- cided upon with due regard to the welfare of the whole community, as well as that of the members of our own organization.” 1-423 Officers Installed Newly-elected officers of Local 1-423, Kelowna, were installed by District Secretary - Treasurer George Mitchell at the recent membership meeting. They were: President, Jack Welder; ist Vice-President, Frank Stitch; 2nd Vice-President, George Major; 3rd_ Vice-President, Bill Schu- maker; Financial Secretary, Bill Muir; Recording Secretary, Noel Gooding; Warden, Fred Colton; Trustee, Jack Knorr. Committees elected at S & K Plywood were reported as fol- lows: Plant Committee — Bill Schu- maker, Chairman; Jim Egerton, Elmer Heitt, Jack Duckworth, Walter Johnson, Job Stewards—Bill Schumaker, Jim Egerton, Elmer Heitt, Jack Duckworth, Walter Johnson, John Weninger, John Flechl, Alfredo Calissi, Tod Sanders, Marj Ram- bo, Martha Andres, Bob Bain, Wayne Turcott, Frank Stishenko, Howard Rankin, Safety Committe — Bill Schu- maker, Jim Egerton, Elmer Heitt, Jack Duckworth, Marp Rambo,