THE LUMBERWORKER - 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION/ FROM SEPT. 1937 to SEPT. 1987 11 301 Regular, 500 Fraternal Delegates A.F.L. Fraternal Delegates Cheered As They Speak; Delegates Join Plylock Pickets As the Timber Worker went to press Wednesday, the convention was still in session, on its sixth day. A large part of Tuesday's session was spent in hammering out the Constitution (a full report will appear in succeeding issues of the TIMBER WORKER). The membership in referendum, decide whether the Interna- tional headquarters is to remain in Seattle, or move elsewhere. President Pritchett, in the chair, charged that there was deliberate filibustering going on, dragging out the convention, and wasting money and time; he stated he would do all in his power to halt it because of the waste involved. The committee to review -the transcript of charges against Ray Nouska and Jack Schcettler, members of the Timber Worker staff when the paper was the organ of Local 2 in Aberdeen, found that charges of misfeasance and nonfeasance in office and neglect of office duties and obligations to the local were justified against Nouskg and Schoettler, and further stated that “all parties concerned, in* cluding the board of control and the joint board of control were guilty of gross neglect” in the situation that developed. ‘These recommendations were concurred in by the delegates. The convention was still debating the constitution late Tuesday afternoon, Ernest Young, Ward Willmarth and others of the Columbia River Distriet Council attacked President Pritchett and some of. the execu- tive board for their stand on hot cargo. Pritchett: saed: “We can’t win public opinion by extending the lockout to the waterfront and putting more men out of work, thus playing the lock-: out game ef the bosses and the A. F. of 1.” Pritchett stated strikes are of most value when they are timed right. Monday’s session of the Convention upheld the expulsion of Fred Lequier, former second vice-president. Lequier was suspended by the Midwest District Council for conduct unbecoming an 1. W. A. officer. It was voted 106 to 101 to allow the press into the convention. A” motion to exclude the Daily Worker reporter was lost, 106 to 136. The recommendation’ of the constitution committee to reject an amendment limiting officers to 4 years was upheld, 146 to 91. Monday's session was marked by day-long discussion on the recommendations of the Constitution committee. PORTLAND, Ore—Writing a new page in labor history, a total of 301 regular delegates, 41 alternates, and 500 fraternal delegates met at Woodmens Hall, Portland, beginning last Friday, December 3, in the First Constitutional Convention of the I. W. A. Of the. fraternal delegates, close to 100 came from the Ladies Auxiliaries, Foremost in the work of the delegafes was the forging of.a new constitution, which would be a powerful weapon toward the organiza- tion of the more than 1,000,000 unorganized woodworkers of the nation. Working toward unity in the industry around the March contract negotiations was also one of the most serious tasks before the dele- gates. ENDORSE PEACE PROPOSALS Toward the end, the convention unanimously endorsed the “peace adopted jointly by representatives of the I. W. A. and the A. FL, and added President Harold Pritchett and Vice-President 0. M., Orton to the 1. W. A. committee which will deal with the proposals (printed elsewhere in this issue). CHEER FOR POLITICAL ACTION The rafters of the Convention Hall shook with the prolonged applause greeting the speeches of Howard Costigan, executive secre- tary of the Washington Commonwealth Federation. Lt. Go. Victor A. Meyers of Washington, who is to run against scabby Mayor Dore in Seattle, and Senator Byron Carney of the Oregon Commonwealth Federation, all three of whom stressed the necessity of independent political action by labor. The AFL---IW A Peace Proposals On The Portland Situation PORTLAND, Ore.—The special committee of 9, elected by the convention in regards to the “peace plan” for Portland (proposed by A. F. L. and I. W. A. representatives at the meeting sponsored by Attorney David Robinson of the Inter Faith Council) recommended concurrence in the policies outlined in the “peace plai The special committee further proposed that Harold Pritchett and 0. M. Orton be added to the I. W. A. committee dealing with the peace proposals and that all final decisions worked out between the I. W. A. and the A. F. L. Oregon- Washington Council go to the mem- bership affected for ratification. Accepted By Convention These proposals of the special committee were concurred in by the Convention delegates. The propos- als in the “peace plan” had been previously endorsed by the I. W. A. Executive Board, which met prior to the convention, and by Portland Lumber and Sawmill Workers Lo- cal No. 3. It was explained in the conven- tion that picketing of mills where scabs have been brought in to re- place I. W. A. members will not be halted under the terms of the proposals. It was also explained that the recruiting of members to the I. W: A. is not prevented under the “raiding” clause. The “peace proposals” follow: This conference composed of three representatives from the C. 1. 0. and three representatives from the A. F. of L. have held many ses- sions since their appointment. We have examined a mass of details incident to the controversy now ex- isting and as a result of such de- liberations and negotiations we have agreed as follows: 1. It is agreed as a. matter’ of policy that hostilities in the ranks of labor have been harmful and effort should be directed to effect a merger of the two factions. 2. It is recognized that perma- nent settlement of the difficulty is dependent on an agreement being reached by the A. F. of L. and the C10. Diss special issue of “The Lumberworker’ like those of the past fifty years (and more), was printed by Broadway Printers Ltd., a fully-unionized Vancouver firm. Broadway Printers, B.C’s oldest union printing company, was established in 1911 by Federick Blockberger. In 1932, management was assumed by his son Ben, himself a long- time union printer who in the early 70’s was honoured by the International Typographical Union for over fifty years’ contin- uous membership. The firm is continued in the same fine tradition today by the grandson of the original founder, Dick Blockberger, and a fourth generation consisting of Tom and Mary, great grandson and great grandaughter respectively, now working in the company. Over the decades, despite having to weather financial difficulties such as wars and depressions, and despite not always being paid precisely on time, the Blockbergers’ firm has served almost all of the labour press, as well as that of the CCF, the NDP, and the progressive side generally. It is inter- esting to note that in over three-quarters of a century of operation the company has yet to experience its first labour grievance or its first strike. Labour owes “Broadway” a lot, and your Editor takes this opportunity to salute everyone in the outfit, past and present. Clay Perry EDITOR