2 Wage Freeze Protested Immediately prior to the government-supervised strike vote in the Northern Interior, following a decisive rejection of the majority report of the Conciliation Board, District President Joe Morris in a special broadcast for the area urged support for the Union’s protest against a wage freeze. The President said in part: “The major issue in this vote is the urgent need for a wage in- crease. The Conciliation Board ignored the evidence and weakly assented to the employers’ de- mand that wages jin this area should be frozen for another year. In effect, the majority of the Board said, that because the Union did not propose a two-year contract term that therefore no wage increase would be recom- mended. The employers, quite naturally agreed with the Board, because it offers them an oppor- tunity to improve their profit pos- ition. “We must now make it clear in the only way possible that con- siderations of the workers’ human welfare must come before in- creased profits. The most em- phatic way to do this is by a ‘Yes’ vote tomorrow. “Because the employers are now well able to pay a wage increase there is absolutely no justifica- tion for their proposed wage freeze for another year.| Market conditions are steadily improving just as the Union predicted during the negotiations. All reliable re- ports indicate that this improve- ment in the market will continue because of the expanding housing Programs in Canada and the United States. Independents Settling “It is most significant that some employers who do not. bargain through the Northern Interior Lumbermen’s Association have agreed to wage increases setting much higher base rates than the present base rate of $1.53 an hour maintained by the NILA. Neth- erlands (Overseas) Ltd. has signed an agreement with a base rate of $1.68 an hour. Western Plywood Ltd., Quesnel, and Quesnel Planer Mill have already advanced the base rate in- their operations to $1.64%4 an hour with a further increase to $1.70}4 an hour next year. “Other independents in the In- terior have accepted the same improved wage pattern. In addi- tion the employees in the opera- tions I have named have secured other important contract benefits, which have substantially improved their working conditions. “The independent operators are signing agreements with the Un- jon granting base rates from 11 cents to 15 cents an hour above the present rate in this area for the simple reason that they find it good business to do so. They gain more efficient production and are able to take full advantage of the expanding market demand. “Their action reveals that higher wages are possible without in any way crippling the industry. Higher wages are made possible by the increased productivity of the industry. When we analyze the labour costs per unit of pro- duction, it is seen that wages can be increased substantially without making any serious addition to the total costs per unit. “A recent issue of Business Week states, ‘Increased productiv- ity is reducing unit labour costs, and with companies doing a big- ger volume of business, is already boosting profits.’ |That describes the situation in the Northern In- terior lumber industry. A study prepared for the Gordon Royal Commission shows that productiv- ity per man-hour, in the period 1948 to 1955 in manufacturing in- dustries has risen by 21.5%. “T suggest that it would be, not only to the advantage of the lum- ber workers. but also of the whole community, if the employers are compelled by a strike vote to raise wages instead of boosting their profits. It is quite evident that if they succeed in persuading lumber workers to continue work- ing for the present sub-standard wage scale, that they will merely provide themselves with the op- portunity to make still higher profits, “They will gain a decided ad- vantage over producers in other competitive areas at the expense DUNCAN BUSINESS GUIDE LOUTET AGENCIES LTD. INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE Duncan Lake Cowichan J. Lindsay Loutet Gordon R. Loutet 131 Jubilee Se. S. Shore Road HANEY BUSINESS GUIDE “ESQUIRE” MEN’S WEAR (Graham Mowatt) Complete Stock of Work and Dress Clothing “THE STORE WITH THE POPULAR BRANDS” HANEY BRITISH COLUMBIA PORT ALBERNI BUSINESS GUIDE MacGREGOR’S MEN’S WEAR For Everything A Man Wears te WORK, SPORT or DRESS yr We Can Afford To Sell Tho BEST For LESS! WOODWARD STORES (PORT ALBERNI) LTD. “YOUR FAMILY SHOPPING CENTRE” Closed Wednesdays All Day Phone 1600 Hours: 9 - 5:30 DE LA ORGANIZACION REGIONAL INTERAMERICANA OF THE INTER-AMERICAN REGIONAL ORGANIZ ATION OF WORKE res 5 BOGOTA COLOMBIA r 3-12 | DICIEMBRE § DECEMBER eit ERICANA DOS TRABALHADORES TINENT) J DES TRAVAILLEURS ORIT CONGRESS PUBLICITY POSTER painted by the well-known Mexican painter Monferrer, for the IV Con- tinental Congress, which will among other things elect a General Secretary, and an Executive Board to administer the affairs of the organization fcr the next three years. of their employees, for they are now able to sell more lumber at higher prices*in the American market. “TI ask lumber workers in this area to note that the Southern Interior lumber workers were of- fered a wage increase of 3% each for two years. They have re- jected this offer, for the reason that they believe it to be inade- quate, and are taking the neces- sary action in the matter. No Discrimination “I suggest to Prince George and district lumber workers that there is no reason why they should be expected to perform the same work for less money than that which will be paid to the lumber workers in the Southern part of the Interior. They are producing for the same markets, and the same prices. It is important that the voters tomorrow should back SAW CHAIN 257% DISCOUNT 24” 1.E.L. $17.35; 28” 1.E.L. $20.15; 32” 1.E.L. $24.00 24” McC D-44 $18.90; 25” Homelite EZ $19.95 Write for details JAY'S MAIL ORDER BOX No. 66 up their union in fighting this un- fair discrimination, “As every lumber worker’s fam- ily realizes, the present wage rate has not enabled them to keep up with rising costs of living. The increased costs of living have al- ready wiped out the last wage increases negotiated. Living costs are continuing to soar. The index is at the all time high of 126.0, with food costs still rising. Every point rise in the price index means a substantial cut in the value of the wage dollar. “I ask lumber workers when they vote tomorrow to consider just what the position will be in their homes, by their votes if they consent to endure another year at the present sub-standard wage rates. A wage freeze for another year most certainly means a serious lowering of their fami- lies’ living standards. At the same 30” McC D-44 $23.10 BURLINGTON, ONTARIO time it will mean greater pros- perity for the few persons who own and operate the mills and camps. Subsidizing Profits “To continue the present wage rates for another year, would simply mean that the lumber workers would be subsidizing the increased profits of their employ- ers out of their own drastically lewered living standards. “The employers have refused to consider a fair and reasonable adjustment of wages to provide for rising living costs. They are able to do so. Misleading Statements “The propaganda which some employers have used in an effort to influence tomorrow’s vote, in- dicates their anxiety to continue production on the present highly profitable basis. In many respects their comparisons with coast wage earnings are far from accurate. The plain facts are that the costs of living in the Prince George area are higher than at the coast, and the average earnings at the coast are much higher than in the Prince George area. The IWA has made a determined effort to bring Interior wages more closely in line with coast wages, in order to wipe out a grossly unfair dif- ferential. If no wage increase is secured at this time, this differen- tial will be much greater at end of the contract period now.” cots < i