Ze CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER Moore’ Federation of Labour. Then it was generally agreed that while wage increases were obviously necessary, greater emphasis should be placed on other contract benefits, such as reduced hours of work. “Tt can now be said that the general level of wages and . contract fringe benefits has been substantially raised, as in the case of the IWA. Whether this advance has kept pace with the rapidly increasing productivity is an open question. We may as- sume that the uniform results achieved indicate a behind- the-scenes agreement by the organized employers and the government to hold the line within prescribed limits. “Tt can also be said that gains made in this Province compare favorably with set- tlements made in the United States. Across the line, wages and fringe benefits have risen about 3.8%, while productiv- ity gains have risen about 3%, a year since 1947. “As in Canada, automation and other technological changes have posed large problems for the trade unions in an economy plagued by a shortage of jobs. Resistance to cut-backs in jobs has been responsible for trouble in the construction and transporta- tion industries. The main feature of the Autoworkers’ settlement was supplement- ary unemployment benefits. “The Steelworkers settled for a many-fringed package of longer vacations, plumper pensions, and lay-off benefits —but no wage increase. The higher production per worker has more than offset the in- creased labour costs. Unques- tionably, these settlements were influenced there, as here, by various forms of gov- ernment intervention. Now in direct opposition to the Presi- dent’s announced policy, the AFL-CIO is mobilizing sup- port for the 35-hour week. The same factors now in- fluence bargaining in British Columbia. The same prob- lems must be faced with new bargaining techniques. “Our analysis of the situa- tion shows that all the larger unions negotiated settlements without strike action. Con- tracts signed range in dura- tion for two, three, and even four years, This feature of the settlement trend gives reasonable prospect of stabil- ity in labour -management relations, at least until 1964. This period of industrial truce will enable the unigns to make adequate preparations for the next phase of the struggle. “From now until 1964, trade union members must consider ways and means to deal adequately at the bar- gaining table with such prob- lems as reduced hours of work to spread the available employment, and job security - as threatened by technolog- ical changes, in addition to wage rates. “Over and above the pos- sibilities of collective bargain- ing, the trade union movement must spur public action and public planning to make pro- vision for displaced workers. In the lumber industry we face the major and related problems of wage revision and the retraining of workers dis- placed by mechanization. The new machines are wiping out. old jobs, to some extent creat- ing new ones, a process which demands an overhaul of our wage structure. INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE Duncan Lake Cowichan HANEY J. Lindsay Loutet Gordon R.. Loutet HANEY BUSINES ESQUIRE MEN’S WEAR (Graham Mowatt) Complete Stock of Work and Dress Clothing “THE STORE WITH THE POPULAR BRANDS” 131 Jubilee St. BRITISH COLUMBIA PORT ALBERNI BUSINESS GUIDE MacGREGOR’S MEN’S WEAR For Everything A Man Wears * WORK, SPORT or DRESS We Can Afford To Sell The... * BEST For LESS! Woodward ~ stores (PORT ALBERNI) trp. YOUR FAMILY SHOPPING CENTRE SHOP AT WOODWARD’S FOR A COMPLETE SELECTION OF ki Kw eK KKK Kx STAR WORK WEAR ‘UNION MADE’ BY B.C. CRAFTSMEN Your guide to better value — STORE HOURS OPEN 9 AM TO 5:30 PM CLOSED ALL DAY MONDAY OPEN FRI. NITE ‘TILL 9 PM PHONE 723-5641 Sy ES, BOOM CREW at the old Camp “A” Booming Grounds of the Franklin River operation of MacMillan, Bloedel and Powell River Limited. “Consideration of these problems is timely, as they will undoubtedly arise at our Regional Annual Convention and at the conventions which follow of the B.C. Federation of Labour and the New Democratic Party. We cannot at this time forecast what de- cisions will be made. We do know the problems which re- quire attention. “The entire labour move- ment, through the B.C. Fed- eration of Labour and the Ca- nadian Labour Congress is demanding public attention for the problem of techno- logical unemployment. A number of constructive pro- posals have been made, which we must consider in the light of conditions in our own in- dustry. “New procedures for re- training are advocated. Plans for the use of automatic pro- cesses are programmed long in advance of their actual in- stallation. In Britain, many unions secure’ consultation with management during this period in order to plan jointly the maximum absorption of workers and the minimum displacement through re- training in the industry before workers are discarded. “Under present circum- stances in British Columbia a displaced worker must be actually unemployed before re-training starts. Then re- placement in other employ- ment is very uncertain. “We must give considera- tion to such matters as sever- ance pay, and guaranteed an- nual employment. Industry itself must accept a share of the responsibility. We see a crying need for a fact-finding survey, sponsored by govern- ment, to establish the basis for effective remedies. “The employers have claim- ed that the displacement of workers will be automatically set right by the creation of new industry. This happened when we manufactured the automobile to replace the horse and buggy. A new gi- gantic industry based on auto manufacture sprung into be- ing. This is not true under LOOK FOR THIS NAME It is your Guarantee that you can’t buy a better Glove ANYWHERE Union Made by JOHN WATSON LTD. 127 - 2nd Ave., E, Vancouver B.C. ale Bik * present conditions. Mainly, expanded industries in other countries service the auto- mated industries in this prov- ince. Displaced workers have nowhere to go for new em- ployment. “The IWA has tackled the problem of reduced hours of work to spread the available employment by the negotia- tion of shorter annual work schedules. Large unions in the United States have adopted the same policy. “Now we know that any real progress in this respect requires a co-ordinated cam- paign on the part of all un- ions. This will be a live issue at our conventions. The AF'L- CIO has launched a contin- ent-wide campaign for the 35- hour week. A shorter work- day or shorter work-week must be adopted throughout industry generally to avoid unfair competitive discrimin- ation against any one section. “Industrial leaders are op- posing cur proposals on the oe we ground that they will restrict profits, which they claim create jobs. Net profits and dividend pay-outs are at an all time high. The major prob- lem of our automating mass- production industry is cus- tomers. “We must act on the eco- nomic and political fronts to demonstrate that seven mil- lion workers and families in Canada form the bulk of the customers. Their employment at decent wages stimulates the spending on goods and services that keeps the wheels of production turning con- tinuously. “Already labour’s pressures On management to secure better living standards has profoundly aided business sales and helped to sustain high profit levels. We'll all suffer if we neglect these urgent problems. We'll all prosper if we plan and act in both the political and eco- nomic fields to sustain job security.” NEW WINDROW MACHINE operated by Engineer Bill Bruce, left, and Chaser Don Phillips at the Franklin River operation of MacMillan, Bloedel and Powell River Limited. Westminster CREDIT UNION DIRECTORY IWA Credit Unions aed other Credit Unions supported by IWA Local Unions in B.C. Alberni District Credit Union, Head Office: 211 Argyle St., Port Alberni, B.C. Alberni Branch: 280 Merrifield St., Alberni, B.C. IWA 1-217 Savings, Broadway & Quebec Streets, Vancouver 10. IWA (N.W.) Credit Union, Room 21, 774 Columbia Street, New Local 1-118, IWA (Victoria), 904 Gordon Street, Victoria Chemainus & District Credit Union, 80x 229, Chemainus Courtenay Credi Union, Box 952, Courtenay Duncan & District Credit Union, Box 717, Duncan Prince George & District, 1046 - 4th Avenue, Prince George Nanaimo & District Credit Union, 499 Wallace St., Nanaimo Ladysmith & District Credit Union, Box 154, Ladysmith, B.C. United Labour Credit Union, 1475 East 43rd, Vancouver Salmon Arm Credit Union, Shuswap Ave., Salmon Arm, B.C.