THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER COMPANY _ Bob Schlosser, President of Local 1-417, reports that Con- ciliation Officer G. C. Leoni- das recommended the signing of the Standard Southern Interior Master Agreement as the basis of settlement in the dispute be- tween the Union and Hedg- berg Veneer in Valemount, Hedgberg Veneer — pres- ently employing 10 people — is a green veneer plant located at Cedarside, 2% miles south of Valemount on Highway 5, B.C. The Conciliation ‘Officer’s recommendation was made following his meeting with Local 1-417 and the company in Valemount on July 5, 1966. Acceptance or rejection of his recommendation has to be conveyed by both parties to the Minister of Labour prior to July 29, 1966. is press release Presi- dent Schlosser stated: ‘The Local Union will recommend acceptance of the report to its members at a meeting within a short time” but he warned “there is a strong possibility of strike action in this opera- tion if the company continues its present thinking with re- gards to the signing of a col- lective agreement.” Accord- ing to Schlosser, the present rate of pay for females is $1.50 per hour, while the male em- bees receive $2.00 per our. The Standard Southern In- terior Agreement contains a present base rate of $2.17 per hour, eight hours per day and 40 hours per week with over- time thereafter, additional vacation for five and 20 year employees, nine paid statu- tory holidays, a medical plan on a 50/50 basis, a Health and Welfare plan on a 50/50 basis and a number of other fringe benefits “not now being enjoyed by the Hedgberg em- ployees.” - LOCAL 1-80 es estern Canadian Lumber Worker Chemainus Fosvital Mr. Gordon Clee, Chemainus; Miss Karin Gibberson, Chemainus. King’s Daughter’s Mr. Marlee, Lake Cowichan; Mr. John Bessimbinde Westholme; Mr. Evan Williams, Nitinat; Mr. Ole Weberg, ake Cowichan; Mashitar Singh Gill, Lake Cowichan; Mr. Jack Coleman, Cobble Hill t dysmith Hosvital \ Mr. Roy Elmgren, Ladysmith; Mrs. mh Sandy Karr, Chemainus, B.C. LOCAL 1-357 Sisters Lilly Rebeyka and Norma Eddie of the LA of the Local 1-357 IWA visited the following patients in the Royal Columbian Hospital distri- LOCAL UNION SICK LISTS cigarettes, and copies buting candy, of stern Canadian Lumber the We Worker: est Products: N. Turnbull, Hammond; Nanimo, Crown Zellerbach. INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT An improvement in statis- tical methods used to measure industrial output has resulted in a searching reappraisal of the underlying strength of the Canadian economy. Data stemming from the improvement — far more re- fined and comprehensive than any gathered before — has revealed: (1) That the high level of in- dustrial production in Canada is more than 10% higher than was previ- ously recorded. Manufac- turing is more than 13% higher. (2) That the all important advance in Canadian pro- ductivity recently has not been as slight as_ it seemed although it is still ess than in other periods of expansion. (3) That unit labor costs—in direct contradiction to previous i i ave not risen signifi- cantly for the better part of 10 years. Unit labor costs are vital to interna- tional competitiveness. This relieves fears ex- pressed in the govern- ment’s budget white paper this year that in- creases in these costs had endangered Canada’s trading position. That there has been no significant increase in corporation profits in re- lation to production in the last decade. This again is in direct contra- diction of figures arising from the old outpu ta. —From Financial Times article by Robert Stewart, June 13, 1966. LARGEST MEETING inthe history of Local 1-80 IWA. Nearly 3,000 members filled the Curling Arena June 26 to hear Local officers recommend acceptance of the Nemetz report. NEW FRUIT CONTRACT Three thousand members of the B.C. Interior Fruit and Vegetable Workers Union will be asked to vote on a SAFETY MEETING The Regional Executive Board has called a meeting of the Regional Safety Council Officers and the Safety Direc- tor of each Local Union. This meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, Aug- ust 6th, 1966, in the Regional Auditorium starting at 10 a.m. The purpose of thé meeting is to assess the Regional Safety Program and Policy and to prepare recommended changes. new contract that will pro- vide wage increases of up to 20 per cent over two years. The offer comes from the Okanagan Federated Shippers Association, which negotiated on behalf of employers in the fruit and vegetable industry. Unskilled male workers are offered a 15 per cent in- crease on a base rate ranging from $1.62 to $1.68 an hour, and skilled workers 20 per cent on the present minimum rate of $1.74. The association proposes in- creasing the rate for female employees from $1.09 to $1.25 this year and to $1.31 next year. Union business agent Jack Currie said the result of the vote should be known by the first week of August. Up and over! Outdoor action gets into high gear when men and machines tackle the rugged, rock-strewn hill climbs of the Fraser Valley. infer k goer tines sas On the saddle or the sidelines, this can be a muddy, dusty sport —a two- wheeled test of stamina and skill. And after the action, relax back home. with a quenching glass of Lucky Lager. Lucky Lager’s a bold breed of beer, slow-brewed Western-style for man-sized taste. So grab yourself a Lucky. Enjoy beer flavour as big as all outdoors.