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HOW AND WHY IWA AUXILIARIES WERE FORMED =|

(From the “Lumberworker”, Sept., 1936)

The date is February 27, 1935 — the place,
Lake Cowichan, B.C.

A house to house canvass was conducted
in Cowichan Lake to find members for a
women’s auxiliary to Local 2782 of the
Lumber and Sawmill Workers’ Union. At
the first meeting seven members joined and
in 6 months the membership tripled.

Dances were organized to aid them by
raising funds for their needs. Included in
these needs were the visits to the Duncan
and Chemainus hospitals. The hospitals

_ were always full of patients injured in
camps and mills. Most of them had no near
relatives or anyone to care if they received
proper attention or not. Copies of the
“Lumber Worker” as well as books and
magazines were given to the men.

The dance they sponsored brought the
Union to the forefront, as it was the first
time in the history of Cowichan Lake that
anything in the nature of a dance, social or
meeting had been arranged wholly in the
interests of the workers in the lumbering
industry.

The Auxiliary was instrumental in
having a twenty mile section of road
improved between Cowichan Lake and
Duncan. A resolution was passed at their
‘meeting and sent to the Minister of Public
Works, followed by a 500 name petition. The
government improved the road.

The Auxiliary also played an active rolein
raising funds for the striking relief camp
boys, longshoremen and the Canadian
Defense League. Meetings were held to
acquaint residents with their struggles.
Sports days and parties were held for the
children. :

The Auxiliary celebrated their first
anniversary with the staging of the first all-
union affair to be held in the District.
Invitations were sent to other union mem-
bers.

When the Loggers’ strike broke out in
1986, the Auxiliary assisted both financial-
ly and morally and was largely responsible
for the solidarity of the loggers.

A Union Club House was financed by
taking up collections at dances. Funds were
raised to improve the picket camp which
was used during the strike.

Funds were also raised to aid the “B.C.
Lumber Worker” who in 1936 was cele-
brating its 5th anniversary of publishing.

Most important, funds were raised to pay
off debts contracted in the recent strike.

In closing business in September, 1936,
the Auxiliary decided to seek a charter from
the American Federation of Labour. They
also vowed to assist the formation of other
auxiliaries in the surrounding area.

1934 — First Auxiliary set up in
Vancouver. (Lumber and Sawmill Workers’
Union.) It is believed the first Secretary was
Muriel Bradley (now Mrs. Lloyd Whalen).
Mrs. Whalen is employed as secretary to
the Vancouver and District Labour Council.

1935 — February 27th — Cowichan Lake
Auxiliary formed: Cassie Beech, President;
Edna Brown, Secretary-Organizer. April —
Port Alberni Auxiliary formed — the most

- pressing need was to save the Workers’ Hall
from a tax sale so workers in the district
could get together for meetings and dances.
Every logger and sawmill worker could feel
welcome to enter and be at home.

1936 — ist industry-wide strike took
place with camp 3 & 6 Youbou leading the
way. Cowichan Lake Auxiliary played a
large part in giving financial help and
moral support. ‘

1937 — Portland — Edna Brown becomes
District President of the Women’s Auxil-
iaries in B.C.

The name of International Woodworkers’

of America was adopted and a convention
was held in Victoria.

1938-39 — The Blubber Bay Strike,
which saw police brutality and terrorists use
violence against strikers. People were
evicted from company houses, food was
scarce and was brought in by outside”
groups. Bob Gardner became a martyr to the
IWA when he died in hospital after being
taken from a jail where he had been badly
beaten by Constable Williamson. William-
son was later convicted of assault and jailed
6 months. If ever the need for auxiliaries
was present, it was then.

1943 — The first IWA Ladies Auxiliary
Conference was held.

1945 — 8rd Annual Ladies Auxiliary
Convention held in Port Alberni. Attempts
by the IWA were being made to organize the
Interior of B.C.

1949 — Charters were issued to ladies
auxiliaries under the IWA to Local 1-80,
Duncan, B.C. April 7th, Vancouver, B.C.
April 14th, (Local 1-217), Courtney Local 1-
863, May 17th and Port Alberni, B.C. Local
1-85 Port Alberni, B.C.

1950 — IWA Charter issued to New
Westminster Local 1-357 on May 4th.

1953 — IWA Charter issued to Prince
George, B.C. December 7th (Local 1-424).

1954 — Charter issued to Cranbrook,
Local 1-405, January 27th. A strike beganin
the North in September followed by the
southern Interior in October. Strikebreakers
were brought in from Alberta. The strikes
continued until after Christmas 1955. It was
the first serious challenge faced by the
newly formed auxiliaries in Prince George
and Cranbrook.

1957 — Local 1-417, now based in
Kamloops, had its head office in Salmon
Arm, B.C. It was here that Local 1-417
Ladies Auxiliary came into being. They
received their charter on November 22, 1957.

In 1959, the Coast Locals were to see their
longest strikes ever when 27,000 wood-
workers walked off the job on July 6th, and
stayed off for 70 days. Auxiliaries in the
areas involved rallied behind the strikers.
Many problems arose and morale became
an important part of the strike.

From 1960-1966 there was relative calm
on the labour scene. In- May, 1962, two
charters were granted to auxiliaries; one at
Kelowna, Local 1-423 and Local 1-71
Vancouver. Important strides were being
made in gaining benefits for workers, for
example, the Health and Welfare Plan.

An equitable situation was developing in
the Interior Locals; the fact was they were

, falling further and further behind the Coast.

Contract expiry dates were far apart.

In 1967 these frustrating developments
resulted in one of the longest strikes ever
held in IWA history. What ensued was a
three-way battle between politicians, em-
ployers and employees. While 5,000 workers
started the strike, the 1,000 Northern
workers returned to work in a few weeks.
That left the 4,000 Southern Interior
workers to grind on for a devastating 72
months — hungry sometimes, hopeless
sometimes, but determined nonetheless.

Ladies’ Auxiliaries in the area gave their
support to the Union. Dances were held to
boost morale, costs kept to a bare minimum;
coffee and sandwiches were served at Union
meetings. Food hampers were sent to people
in dire need wherever possible.

The women of the Auxiliaries and the
wives of the workers bore the brunt of verbal
abuse from suffering store-keepers in the
market place. The media placed the blame
mostly on the Union, Fierce letter battles
énsued in the local Salmon Arm Observer in
the form of letters-to-the-editor. A member of
the Auxiliary at the time answered every
letter printed on the side of the employer,

actually getting the last say, before the
newspaper itself called a halt to all letters
about the strike.

Perhaps this could go on record as being
the last time a Ladies’ Auxiliary had to face
“tough times”, that is, until the years 1982
and 1983 in Revelstoke, B.C.

Now, let’s talk about “the good times”.
The good times seem to have spelled the end
for many Ladies’ Auxiliaries.

In examining past records we find a trend
had developed to voice an opinion at each
Regional Convention . . . largely ignored by
most Locals. ‘

The large New Westminster and Vancou-
ver Locals cared enough about you and your
families to personally wrap thousands of
Xmas gifts for the children of workers in the
Lower Mainland.

On an occasion in 1953, 20,000 sandwich-
es were made and given out to strikers on the
picket line. The auxiliaries worked in the
soup kitchens in the bad times and could
again.

They would not have done these things
without the support of the Officers and
members of their Union or the loyalties of
the women involved. A unique example of
people caring about people.

Some valiant efforts were made by
members of Auxiliaries to gain help and
recognition from Local Union members, but
support dwindled.

We would like to assume a positive
viewpoint by saying that despite the fact
there are only three Auxiliaries represented
here, (Local 1-357, New Westminster, and
the Revelstoke and Salmon Arm sub-locals
of Local 1-417), we still consider the idea of
the Ladies’ Auxiliaries to your Union a good
one. We are alive today because we still
believe in Section 2 of our Constitution and
By-Laws which reads as follows:

“The object of Ladies’ Auxiliaries shall be
to assist their respective Local Unions in
their education, organizational, political
and social activities,”

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN — WE
ARE NOT A SOCIAL CLUB, our objectives
are more serious.

The clues to our survival are that we have
had the support of our sub-local and of our
Local 1-417 Officers based in Kamloops and
New Westminster Local 1-357. Along with
that help we have had a steadfast, loyal
group of women who truly believe in the
Union spirit.

Sisters and Brothers, this will be the last
meeting of the Ladies’ Auxiliaries at the
Regional level unless more Auxiliaries are
formed. Perhaps some of you are giving a
silent cheer, but, itis a time of sadness for us.

We will make one more attempt at
organizing at the grass-roots level by draft-
ing a letter to be sent to all Locals asking for
opinions regarding the viability of Ladies’
Auxiliaries. We will be hoping for good feed-
back but can accept your negative opinions
as well. 1934 was the founding year of
Auxiliaries; 1984 would bring us to our 50th
year of support for your Union; we would
like to think it might go on for another 50.

We wish you as always, a successful
convention. These are difficult times for our
Union requiring every possible strength.
Let’s work together for more of the “good
times”.

Respectfully submitted,
Members of the IWA Ladies’
Auxiliary at their 40th Region:
Convention. .

Host Delegates: Local 1-417
Ruth Keskinen, Judy McMillan
Salmon Arm Sub-Local

Dodie Kelly, Audrey Frausel,
Revelstoke Sub-Local.

12/Lumber Worker/Fall, 1983