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vy
“Threat

involving the Union of which he is
a member,

In a statement on the matter,
IWA District President Joe Mor-
ris said:

u,, Morris’ Statement

“It is quite obvious that the
Provisions of the Labour Relations
Act have been followed in this in-
stance, as in countless other bar-
gaining unit applications. The cir-
cumstances, as reported, do not
warrant that any exception should
be made in the case of Mr, Pitre
and the Sierra Development Co.

“In my opinion, he has entirely
misconstrued the intent of the
Legislature in the enactment of
the Labour Relations Act. The
stature protects the interests of
the employer even more adequately
than those of the employees.

The Proper Method

“Certification originally rested
on the selection by a majority of
the employees of a legal bargain-

ing agency. Collective bargaining

is an established national policy,

and is the democratic and orderly
way to determine employer-em-
ployee relations in respect of wages
and working conditions.

“Certification, which must be
followed by the usual bargaining
procedures does not rule out con-
sideration of Mr. Pitre’s profit-
sharing plan. As a matter of fact,
it could provide for a plan that
would be mutually satisfactory.

“The alternative course, pro-
posed by Mr. Pitre, if introduced
inté industry generally, would des-
troy all hopes of orderly adjust-
ment of labour-management rela-
tions, and invite outright anarchy
in this field.

“Tt is on this basis that the en-
tire trade union movement must
support the position taken by the
Steelworkers, and oppose a moye,
which can only be regarded by
organized labour as an attempt to
revert to the employer policies of
of fifty years ago, which denied
employees any right to negotiate

the terms of their employment.”

ae

PANY CREW, at Rocl

Alberta 1-207 Steadily
Raises Contract Conditions

IWA organization in Alberta is steadily raising contract
conditions for the lumber workers in that province in a degree
that offers a striking contrast with conditions which existed
before the advent of the IWA, reports Financial Secretary
Bill Gray, Local 1-207 TWA, recently.

Local 1-207 IWA has been suc-
cessful in negotiating and signing
a contract with Edwards Lumber
Co. which gave all employees an
increase of 15 cents per hour and
three or four categories in excess
of 15 cents per hour; maintenance
of membership and compulsory
check-off; four paid statutory
holidays and the other standard
provisions contained in the rest
of the contracts in Alberta.

Atlas Lumber Co.

A Memorandum of Agreement
kas been signed with Atlas Lum-
ber Co, at Rocky Mountain House
which will give the crew an in-

crease of four cents per hour on
September Ist, an additional three
cents on April 1, 1959 which brings
this operation in line with the
other contracts in the lumbering
industry and establishes the base
rate for labour at $1.22 on April
1, 1959. These two contracts are
for a one year duration.

The Local Union has also open-
ed negotiations with Western Ply-
wood (Alberta) Ltd., Zeidler Ply-
wood Corporation and Imperial
Lumber Co, Ltd., the latter com-
pany has six operations under con-
tract and application has been
made for certification for the
seventh,

North Western Pulp

North Western Pulp & Power
Ltd. resumed operations early in
July. The Local Union was suc-
cesful in negotiating amendments
to the existing contract based on
one year duration.

Obed Lumber Co. Ltd.

The Local Union has been ne-
gotiating with Obed Lumber for
some considerable time and re-
ceived the report of the concilia-
tion officer this week. The Local
Union rejected the conciliation of-
ficer’s report and asked the govern-
ment to set up a Conciliation
Board. This employer who has
been in the lumber industry in
Alberta for years still proposed
to pay 85 cents an hour for labour
for the first thirty days of em-
ployment and has consistently re-
fused to meet the conditions ne-
gotiated with the other operations
where the Local Union has con-
tracts.

Congress Acts To
Meet New Crisis

Keen disappointment on the part of Canadian Labour

Congress representatives in attendance with the conclusions
reached at the National Winter Employment Conference was
indicated at the recent meeting of the Executive Council of
the Congress, reported, District President Joe Morris, follow-
ing his attendance at the Ottawa 4-day session. He intimated
that the Congress would spearhead a vigorous campaign to
prevent any recurrence of the unemployment crisis experi-

=
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SAME B.C. FAVOURITE \

BUT STILL THE

\ WHEREVER FINE BEER is]

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aes a=

——_ —

ENJOYED!
—-

Now brewed in accordance with the
exacting “‘quality control’ standards
established during the past two-thirds of
a century by its parent organization, the
Calgary Brewing & Malting Co. Ltd.

CARIBOU BREWING COMPANY LTD,

Breweries: PRINCE GEORGE AND PRINCETON

layed by the Liquor Control
‘of British Columbia

enced last winter.

It had been disclosed by govern-
ment officials, he stated, that eco-
nomic losses caused by seasonality
of employment totalled more than
$300 million,

Proposed Remedies

Mainly the suggestions offered
by the conference were under the
following heads, i!

The use of economic incentives
such as accelerated depreciation,
preferential rates of interest, and
lending facilities to promote winter
scheduling of construction and de-
velopment.

A general publicity campaign to
continue the policy of moulding
Canadian attitudes with regard to
the feasibility of winter construc-
tion activity.

A thorough survey to determine
the true nature and scope of sea-
sonality of employment in Canada.

Other specific suggestions in-
cluded insistence by Federal and
Provincial Governments on the
scheduling of construction and
ordering by Governments and
Crown corporations so as to stimu-
late winter employment. Some
favored the development again of

a “shelf of public works” and that

a survey be made of projects
readied by municipal and pro-
vincial governments but with re-
gard to which they were unable
to proceed because of lack of
funds.

One city reported a back-log of
works projects amounting to $850
million with borrowing powers not
in excess of $30 million.

Trade Unions Active

Vancouver Labour Council has
called a conference of all Secre-
taries, Business Agents, and staff
members of affiliated Local Unions
to discuss plans to meet the de-
veloping menace of unemploy-
ment.

The B.C. Federation of Labour
will review the situation in October
at a pre-convention conference re-
presentative of the entire trade
union movement in the province.
This will be a prelude to decisions
by the convention itself, which are
expected to be of more than ordi-
nary significance,

On all sides there appears to be
a determination that earlier action
than was taken last year will be
necessary to arouse the public to

Seaway
Check
Made

Teamster Chieftan Hoffa
will have to reckon with the
Canadian Labour Congress in
his plan as announced recent-
ly to form alliances which will
bring all union activity on
and around the St. Lawrence
Seaway under his control.

The question of jurisdiction as it
affects the Congress affiliates was
well ventilated at the recent meet-
ing of the Executive Council,
stated Vice-President Joe Morris
in his report to B.C. unions,
Action that may be necessary
has been placed in the hands of
the Congress officers with power
to act in the name of the central
labour body in accordance with
constitutional provisions:

Almost simultaneously, Presi-
dent George Meany announced in
the name of the AFL-CIO, a ban
on all alliances with the expelled
union in the U.S.

* This decision was reached by the
AFL-CIO Executive Council in
its recent sessions at Unity House,
Pa., as being in accordance with
policies laid down at the last con-
vention.

It was reported eariler that
President Hoffa had made arrange-
ments with other “unions which
would give him control of this key
to marine transportation on the
East coast, to be used as a lever

the pending danger.

against the AFL-CIO,