THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER MIKE MAJOR Safety Director Local 1-357 On the graveyard shift of Monday, October 30, 1967 at two a.m. an accident occurred at MacMillan Bloedel’s West- minister Shook Mills that took the life of a member of the New Westminster Local of the IWA. The victim was Jeno Tap- ler, married and father of one child, of North Surrey. His employment with the com- pany began on December 22, 1964, and he was considered an experienced and careful worker. The mill immediately stop- ped production until a full in- vestigation had been com- pleted. President Wyman Trineer and business agent John Hachey acted for the Local on the investigation committee, which reports as follows: “J. Tapler was jammed against the No. 2 trimsaw be- tween the guard above the saw and an 8” x 8” x 16’ tim- ber on the chain. “While attempting to push, pull or turn a piece of 8” x 8” x 16’ timber to activate the limit switch to drop sort- er, the workman’s apron be- came entangled on the jagged and untrimmed end of this timber, causing him to lose balance and be drawn into the trimsaw.” TWO MILL WORKERS KILLED: SAFETY MEASURES PROPOSED AFTER ACCIDENT INQUIRIES He was extensively injured on the left arm, shoulder and side. MB has since installed a erash bar which will auto- matically stop the saw if a workman is being pulled to- ward the blade. The Workmen’s Compensa- tion Board is planning to ex- plain to 1,000 mills in the province how this device can prevent accidents. The recommendations of committee were: e Install safety bar, switch and lock to stop chain immed- iately (for both trimsaws). e Install pipe rail, no more than 4 inches from edge of chain table at No. 2 trimsaw position. e Apply non-skid material to floor for both trimsawyers. e Install two-way switch, press to.start, and press to stop, for control of lug trans- fer chains (with inter-lock system between the two trim- saws). e Check and make sure all aprons are in good repair. No holes or tears. On Tuesday, October 31, a coroner’s inquest found death to be accidental with no blame attached. The jury recommended that any new installation be in- spected by the Workmen’s Compensation Board and must have its approval before actual operation of a new in- stallation began. The Local concurred in this reeommend- ation. The investigation commit- ‘tee said: ”We can ask ourselves why this accident happened. Could it have been averted if the recommendations of the in- vestigating committee had been thought of prior to the accident? This is something that no one can answer be- yond a doubt. “At the time of writing Lo- cal safety director, Mike Ma- jor, informs us that the new safety bar, which has an elec- tric switch, will stop the chain within two inches after the bar has been hit. “It is interesting to note that an employee who was a witness at the inquest said that some of the employees had reservations in regard to safety in that area, but upon questioning stated that they had not mentioned this to the employer or plant safety com- mittee. Any time a worker feels that something may be hazardous, it should be re- ported. “This fatality is the first in the Local since four drown- ings in September, 1962. We are certainly hopeful that this will be the last.” Erich Ewert, safety direct- or of Local 1-217 Vancouver reports another fatality. He says: On September 25, 1967, Paul Danyluk was struck by a moving cant while he was on a roll case, and he was knocked into a pit. He died four days later as a result of this accident which broke his neck. This in my opinion was tragic and a needless fatality. Paul Danyluk had been employed by Eburne Saw- mills for some 25 years. Were it not for the hard-boiled atti- tude of this employer, of re- fusing to correct hazards that were reported on many occa- sions, possibly the deceased would still be alive. On several occasions work- ers received broken legs and other injuries as a result of walking on roll casings. This practice is a real hazard in the industry. The workers know this, the Workmen’s Compensation Board knows it and the employers know it. Yet this unsafe practice continues because employers insist on ordering workers to ‘ndulge in this practice. CRESTWOOD WORKERS WIN 80 CENTS AN HOUR IWA Local 1-217 has won a signal victory at Crestwood Kitchens Ltd., cabinet manu- facturers, of Richmond, where base rate employees will gain an 80 cents-an-hour increase as a result of a organizational drive and contract negotia- tions A settlement was recently reached after the newly-or- ganized workers voted 52 to 50 for strike action following what Local 1-217 president Syd Thompson described as an employer campaign that was better than anything the IWA could put up and “that’s ing some.” is is a first contract be- the IWA and Crest- ish Columbia. During the campaign to or- ganize the workers, the basic rate was raised from $1.50 to $2 an hour. In addition to this amount, an across-the-board increase of 30 cents an hour will push the base rate up by FROM PAGE 1 "ASPENITE EVALUATION" settlement in a very difficult situation. The terms of settlement are as follows: e 51 persons—representing approximately 75 per cent of the total work force under evaluation—will share rough- ly $10,000 in retroactive pay, exclusive of overtime and holiday pay. e New category rates—in- creased from four cents to 17 cents per hour—will be ap- plied immediately. © The company will make every possible effort to have the retroactive pay for each incumbent calculated and is- sued prior to Christmas, hir- ing additional office staff if required. As a result of the settle- ment of the dispute the way has been cleared for the nor- mal process of re-evalution. 80 cents in 18 months. The contract also provides nine statutory holidays and health and welfare and med- ical coverage paid entirely by the empl: -er. Thompson claimed that a wage increase just before the strike vote, retroactive to May, was meant to be a bribe to the employees to turn down strike action. The counting of the vote was delayed because of a dis- pute over the eligibility of certain employees to vote. The Local claimed that the Labour Relations Board had accepted ballots cast by four foremen who, in the opinion of the Union, should not have had the right to vote. Thompson said the contract: was a good one and one on which the Local could build in the future in this expand- ing field. ERIC EWERT Safety Director Local 1-217 Another factor in this fatal- ity was that the deceased was expected to help a fellow worker doing a job which was not his own. Was it not for this fact Paul Danyluk would still be with us. These are the four recom- mendations brought down by the jury: e That a gate be installed at the opening to the roll case from the consol, to open to- wards the operator. (This has not yet been done at press- time, only a make-shift con- trol has been installed). e Installa shield over the bottom consol which will not allow inadvertent starting of switches. (This has been done). "e To have installed a prop- er access to the operator’s sta- tion. (This has been done). © That the pit into which the worker fell be filled in to the same level as the roll case. Safety to this employer is all on paper but not the paper money is printed on. If it costs money this employer is deaf to pleas of safe workin conditions. : FROM PAGE 1 “NORTH SETTLES” The IWA is seeking parity with the coast contract. This would require an immediate 50 cents an hour increase on the present base rate of $2.26 an hour. The employers have accept- ed the Munroe Report which recommended 44 cents an hour increase in a two-year agreement, six cents differ- ential and other clauses which fall short of parity. In a communication to In- terior communities concern- ed about the economic effect of the strike, Regional presi- dent Moore said the IWA is prepared to discuss an agree- ment which would allow the employers to adjust to the union’s demands.