THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER 2nd Issue November, 1963 Distillers’ Brief Leaves Them Crying It takes all kinds to com- plete a royal commission re- port and the Association of Canadian Distillers has made its contribution to the study of Canada’s tax structure. Predictably, the distillers seek tax relief — from “ex- orbitant and discriminatory taxation.” For some reason, said the distillery brief, the industry has been singled out for ex- tremely heavy tax imposts in relation to other consumer goods and the relation of tax to selling price has reached “astronomical figures,” rang- ing from 443 per cent to 636 _ per cent. The association produced figures to show that a case of whisky leaving the distil- lery at $8.40 will cost the con- sumer $49.92, The sad part for the in- dustry, it said, is that the in- dustry just can’t increase prices because “taxation has carried retail prices to a point close to diminishing returns” —the line where the consum- er declines to buy the product. . It complained about excise duty — now $13 per proof gallon compared with $4 in 1935; the 11-per cent federal sales tax, provincial markups of some 70 per cent and — in many provinces — a retail sales tax. There was barely a dry eye in the Commission’s meeting place when the down-trodden distillers had completed their case. New Voters? The House of Commons committee on privileges and elections has taken a lead from Saskatchewan and en- dorsed the lowering of the voting age to 18 — with no indication that the House of Commons will reject this recommendation. 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This took 100,000 workers from out of their jurisdiction. Hutcheson acted swiftly in retaliation to form the Oregon-Washington Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers into which he gathered his few re- maining supporters. He maintained local union charters at points where he could muster 10 members and grab- bed the funds in hand with the sanction of the courts. The Carpenters’ attack was mounted mainly in Portland, which they regarded. as the base of opera- tions to strangle the IWA. Developments in Portland set the pattern of attack for all the principal lumbering centers in Oregon, Washington and California. In 1937, the Portland and Columbia Basin lumber workers bore the brunt of the attack, for they had affiliated with the IWA in a body: At the outset, the AFL had not a single timber local in the area. ‘Hutcheson planned to starve the IWA into submis- sion by the use of a boycott on IWA-produced lumber. With the threat of a boycott he succeeded. in closing Portland mills. Unquestionably, he was in collusion with the employers who dreaded the CIO and who also knew that the Carpenters had not scrupled to use the boycott to force employers into line elsewhere. The resulting unemployment brought acute distress to IWA members and their families. The Union was hard pressed to find means to feed hungry people. An urgent appeal for assistance before the CIO Executive Council reported 3,500 families in desperate need. The fighting spirit of IWA workers in these circumstances won unstinted praise from their CIO allies. When the employers, faced. with the loss of millions, attempted to reopen the mills, the struggle reached a critical stage. The Carpenters were able to exert pres- sure on the employers through the AFL central labor bodies and the Building Trades Councils. A select AFL committee directed the attack and levied AFL members to secure funds for the anti-IWA campaign. Dave Beck, head of the Teamsters’ Union, entered the fight in sup- port of the Carpenters. He claimed that IWA truck drivers were poaching on the Teamsters’ jurisdiction. IWA truck drivers required protection. Even the wives carried. base- ball bats to protect their men. The police did little to quell the prevailing terrorism. Every attempt to resume mill operations brought AFL and CIO forces into direct conflict. In the seven larger Portland mills, the IWA was able to demonstrate a membership ranging from 68 to 92 per. cent of the crews. The Carpenters blandly ignored this fact and BIG $22.00 Price Reduction off List on All Model 275 This new beauty has more USABLE power for its weight (the 72 cu. in. motor weighs only 2112 lbs.) than any other saw you’ve ever used. If YOU want to chew up timber like matchsticks and watch your pay packet grow, get hold of one NOW. ‘nuff said! OF A BONUS ON AN POWER THE CLASSIC CANADIEN 270 a Division of Bristol Aero-Industries Limited, Vancouver BROS. SALES LTD. VANCOUVER 4, B.C. MUtual 4-7758 claimed the establishment of Carpenter charters behind every IWA picket line. Every settlement proposal was rejected by the Carpenters unless it included the stipu- lation that IWA workers return to Carpenter affiliation. Whenever a mill was re-opened with an IWA crew, it was picketed by the AFL-Carpenter committee. The employer was faced with the boycott on his output. In some instances, the IWA, with the aid of the ClO Long- shoremen and maritime unions, managed to load and clear lumber cargoes. An IWA squad would travel to California ports, appealing to the workers concerned to ignore the boycott. Hutcheson had ordered the Carpent- ers not to drive a single nail into ClO wood. It is note- worthy that rank and file carpenters soon ignored this order when CIO lumber was actually delivered on the job. AFL and IWA water-borne pickets patrolling the mill booming grounds added to the tension with their naval engagements. In some instances employers would open a mill. with an AFL crew under police protection, and with in- junctions against the IWA pickets. Often violence oc- curred and the troops were brought to the scene. Intervention by the officials of the National Labor Relations Board gradually brought the Carpenters to book. The IWA announced its intention to accept the NLRB decisions based on a check of membership cards against company payrolls or free elections. The Car- penters protested the NLRB procedures and. finally found - themselves boycotting a Federal agency and Federal law. They joined the employers in attacks on the Wagner Act. Although accused by the Carpenters of being sub- servient to the CIO, all the Board actually did was to provide the lumber workers with an opportunity to vote in the free selection of a union of their own choice. By vigorously campaigning in every representation election, the IWA won control of all but one of the larger Portland mills. In 1938 and 1939, the struggle shifted to NLRB hearings and elections. At many points, however, direct action with roughneck tactics was experienced. The scenes witnessed in Portland were duplicated in all the important lumbering centers. The results varied accord- ing to the endurance of IWA workers who, at first, had given their allegiance to the IWA. At the end of 1939, the Carpenters, with their vastly superior resources, had one-third as many woodworkers as the IWA. The lumber workers in British Columbia successfully resisted all at- tempts to topple IWA organization in their industry. The IWA weathered the dark days of this struggle with flying colors. The Union retained its dominant posi- tion in the lumber industry through the support of the woodworkers in the key, pace-setting operations. Most important of all, IWA members had. success- fully’ defended their independence and the right to govern their own affairs. (TO BE CONTINUED) SS =Did you know. That as many as six aircraft a minute, from all the world’s major airlines land or take off at London’s International Air- port. Things are not quite that brisk at Ocean Falls, B.C. As a matter of fact, one scheduled flight’a day is the normal traffic, and that one is by B.C. Air. Lines. To or from Ocean Falls, or any point on British Columbia‘’s coast, fly B.C. Air Lines regular schedule or charter flight. BC. AlR LINES........ FOR FULL FLIGHT INFORMATION Contact your Nearest B.C.A.L. Agent HEAD OFFICE: CR. 8-8466 VANCOUVER’