thewestern canadian 34,000 copies printed in this issue lumber worker Published once monthly as the official publication of the INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA Western Canadian Regional Council No. 1 Sth Floor, 128: Editor—Patrick S. Kerr Affiliated with AFL-CIO-CLC jest Pender Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6E 4B2 Phone 683-1117 Business nager—Wyman Trineer Forwarded to every member of the IWA in Western Canada in accordance with convention decisions. Subscription rate for non-members $2.00 per year. The(itizen Published by the proprietor, Southam Inc., at 1101 Baxter Road, Box 5020, Ottawa, Ont. K2C 3M4 William Newbigging Publisher J. Howard Gaul Russell Mills General Manager Editor William MacPherson Nelson Skuce Associate Editor Managing Editor Bennett playing It’s easy to see, as they might say in British Columbia, where Premier Bill Bennett is “coming from.” He’s scared stiff that the NDP will win the next provincial election, and so he’s contrived a provincial economic re- covery program that is clearly design- ed to fool most of the people some of the time. Bennett has announced that civil service salaries will be limited to 10 per cent increases. That is blatantly unfair, because across Canada, civil service increases have not been out- running the rate of inflation. In fact, B.C.’s 40,000 civil servants have won only eight per cent wage hikes in each of the past three years, perhaps making them the group of unionized working Canadians who have fallen farthest behind inflation. It is already obvious that the B.C. labor movement, arguably the na- tion’s most militant, is going to fight back. And that may be the confronta- tion Bennett seeks to try to thwart the NDP. political games If the public can be conned into believing that the Socred government is on the right track, and if the NDP ties to labor can be exploited, it’s pos- sible that Bennett can reverse his par- ty’s declining fortunes. But it is bra- zenly dishonest. No provincial government alone can reverse economic fortunes that are dependent on national policies. Premier Bennett is not going to revit- alize the lumber industry with his po- licies. He’s not going to get interest rates down. He’s not going to bring down the rate of inflation. He could demand that the federal government institute the policies to acconiplish those goals — but he and his provincial colleagues would have to be prepared to accept the interven- tion and authoritarianism that would imply. Instead, Bennett plays political games — at the expense of a public service that has done more than its share to hold down government costs. B.<. Witt APOLOGIES on Bhewy HART RNG tm ntRepucita couTROLs FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR HERE IN Be. + WHY? BECAUSE EVERYONE WILL BLAME THE UNIONS FOR ThE RESULTING CHAOS. TWEN TLL CALL AN ELECTION. Ve g (os ves, cor wu IF) THEY BLAME You MORE THAN THE UNIONS ? TYPICAL SOCIAL CREDIT NEANDERTHAL « NDP PROPOSAL The Editor: I recently released a 40-page proposal for economic recovery in British Columbia. Our program for economic recovery pays particular attention to forestry, housing, small business, vocational training and student employment, tourism and commun- ity development, the food industry, and mining. These new measures would create some 48,000 jobs, and cost the treasury approxi- mately $309 million. I have proposed 26 specific undertakings, and have been extremely gratified by the positive response of the business and labour sector. Everyone wants British Columbia to “get back to work”, regardless of politics. I write to tell your readers that the full text of the proposal is now available to any citizen who requests it. I would be grateful for your comments and criticism, and for any practical proposals you could make for economic recovery in our province. Please write me at the address below. Yours very truly, — Honourable David Barrett Leader of the Opposition Legislative Buildings Victoria, British Columbia TASK - FORCE TOUR The recent cross-country economic devel- opment tour by federal New Democrats was a forum for widespread public discontent on the failing Canadian economy. NDP leader Ed Broadbent, who joined the 11-day tour inits final days, said thathehad seldom seen such a mood of frustration and anger at all levels of society. Groups representing a cross-section of Canadian society presented briefs to the task-force’s members expressing the same concern — the budgetary policies of the Liberal government will damage the econ- omy permanently. MPs Nelson Riis and Bob Rae, who co-chaired the task-force, heard from busi- ness groups, trade unions, management, individuals and student groups in the tour, which began in Vancouver and hit major centres across the country before its final stop in Montreal. The central concern of Riis, the MP from Kamloops-Shuswap, was that the effects of the fedeal budget will leave lasting scars on the social fabric of Canada. MUNRO ELECTED IWA Regional President Jack Munro has been elected to the Board of Directors of Medical Services Association. M.S.A. is British Columbia’s largest non-profit Health Benefits Association providing a range of Extended Health Benefits, Dental Weekly Indemnity, and Travel Protection Programs. At present MSA is administering a number of Benefit programs for IWA member groups. Maurice Walls, [WA Evalu- ator, is retiring from the Board, having served in a number of capacities including President of the Association. 4/Lumber Worker/April, 1982