EDITORIALS

“Crucial Test’

RGANIZED LABOUR in British Columbia faces a

crucial test in the approaching labour-management

conference now to be staged by the provincial govern-
ment.

Both government and management believe that they
can drown out labour’s grievances by propaganda di-
rected to stir public prejudice against labour’s aims. The
onus will rest on labour to document its cause thoroughly
on every point. Nothing could be more disastrous for
labour than to allow adverse decisions by default.

Such conferences rarely present mutually satisfac-
tory conclusions. The professed purpose is, on this oc-
casion, to improve the climate for industrial relations.

The main value of the proposed conference from
labour's point of view is to provide a public forum for
trade union views on improved labour-management re-
lations. This makes it important that labour’s case be
stated in the most convincing terms.

Labour's first responsibility is to make certain that
the scope of the conference is broad enough to air all
the grievances which have arisen on the labour front.
Labour’s representations at the conference should dem-
onstrate that its objectives coincide with the public

interest.

If the conference proves successful it should arouse
public support for consultation between government,
labour and management on all legislation touching on
trade union interests. Any form of government interven-
tion should ensure complete impartiality in the enact-
ment of legislation.

Management has professed an interest in the
Swedish industrial relations experience. The secret of
industrial peace in Sweden lies in the encouragement of
complete organization on both sides of the bargaining
table, a minimum of: government intervention, and
mutual respect for the organized strength between both
parties to negotiations.

Consultation Needed

ABOUR MINISTER PETERSON assumes that the two

minor amendments to the Labour Relations Act pro-

posed by him will restore industrial harmony. His pro-
posals fall far short of existing requirements.

This statute has become a highly technical and com-
plex set of rules governing union -certification, concilia-
tion and arbitration of disputes. At many points these
rules determine the opportunity for the organized work-
ers to improve their circumstances. With so much at
stake for the workers, the only democratic procedure
is to extend to the workers the right of consultation.

Each session of the Legislature a Standing Committee
on Labour is appointed, representative of all political
parties in the House. In recent years, this Committee has
not functioned as originally intended, because of the
government's failure to refer labour matters for its con-
sideration.

Since the government intends to amend the Labour
Relations Act this session, and as labour has many other
amendments to propose, the time has come when this
Committee should be enabled to provide organized
labour with a hearing on sections of the Act which have
caused trouble on the labour front.

Members of the New Democratic Party in the Legis-
lature will no doubt attempt to introduce the required
amendments. Discussion on the floor of the Legislature
of highly technical points is never satisfactory. The mem-
bers of the Legislature require more detailed explana-
tions from those who have had practical experience with
the application of the Act.

The glaring ignoranze of Social Credit members with
regard to collective bargaining as prescribed by the Act
is a most important reason why this legislation should
be publicly discussed before the Standing Committee.
The Minister's dictation is not good enough.

WORLD SHIP LOSSES IN 1962
WORST SINCE 1929

LONDON — A report by the Liverpool Underwriters’
Association said that more ships were sunk or totally damaged
in 1962 than in any other peacetime year since 1929. While
the report gave no reasons for the increase in sinkings it
did emphasize the need for extreme caution in ships fitted
with radar to ensure proper use of the equipment.

i

Boron

THE CANADIAN MOSE

Sourte: DBS

re Aare s Me

In 1961, according to the census, there were 2,844,263

foreign-born residents in Canada—an increase of 38%
since 1951.
F Birthplace

we ERMANY “4343
: +226

my U.S. ial
© OTHER COUNTRIES: +92

Publication date of the next issue of the WESTERN CANADIAN
LUMBER WORKER is February 21. Deadline for ad copy is

February 7, and for news copy February 8.

a Onna Al EKER

Published Twice Monthly on the First and Third Thursdays by
INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA
(AFL-CIO-CLC) Regional Council No. 1

Editor . . . Grant MacNeil
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Address all communications to:
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Aedes soe Jack Moore

THE FINANCIAL POST

the memorandum

in court during the
income tax evasion of A.

Gentles. This indicated that

an associate of Bennett’s
“friend” Director Gunderson
of the PGE Board had solicit-
ed contributions from supply-
Alex Macdonald, MLA

(NDP-Vancouver East) sup-
plemented this information
with the reminder that Wen-
ner Gren Co. had made a
$10,000 campaign contribu-
tion to the Social Credit
Party through Gunderson,
Stokes and Walton in 1959.

OR SCOTCH

A MAN SHOULD NOT be re-
quired to wear a tie in a pub. It
restricts the epiglottis and may
fall into his beer—The editor of
a British men’s wear magazine.

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