THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER JANUARY—FEBRUARY, 1974 — Fs es 4 hace coe By TOM FAWKES Public Relations Department Still learning the ins and outs of the I.W.A., I recently attended a Job Steward Train- ing school sponsored by the Kamloops Local. The school was interesting, well taught and to my surprise, far more detailed than I would have expected. Not only did the Instructors teach basic Job - Steward functions but also cov- ered advanced arbitration and economics within the Forest Industry. All of this impressed me greatly; but the thing that really impressed me at the school was the attendance of two women. Both these women work in mills and are active members in the Local Union. I decided to interview these women, if not for publication at least for my own interest. I had no idea that women were employed in sawmills although I knew a number of women worked in plywood plants. Vavenby is a community 100 miles north of Kamloops and has a sawmill where Carol Toth and her husband are both employed and are both Job Stewards. The Toths have one child and have just purchased a new home, the major reason why Carol is working. If she had to work Carol certainly wanted a job that paid a good wage and the sawmill offered CAROL TOTH .. Shop Steward at Weyer- hauser’s Vavenby sawmill. just that, so she got a job asa Forklift. Driver. “IT became involved in the Union shortly after starting work,”’ stated Carol, ‘‘My hus- band is a Job Steward and has been active for some time. The Union is the only real force behind the working person and it only works when people become actively involved.” Carol says that there is a need for more women in the industry and she would like to see more women working in her mill. She says she thinks the men work harder but women do a better clean up job in the mill because they are neater. LYNNE USHER . Shop Steward at Evans ply- wood plant at Savona. What do the men think? Well, _ according to Carol, ‘‘Most of the guys think it’s really good having women in the mill,”’ she adds, ‘‘The atmosphere around the mill improves and so does the language. I believe in the liberation of women as far as equal jobs and money are con- cerned, but I think they go too far on some things.’’ The second woman I met was Lynne Usher, a twenty-four- year old single parent. Lynne is starting her first term as a Job Steward at Evans plywood plant at Savona, located thirty miles from Kamloops. “Most men are taken aback by the fact that I aorta ina ply wood plant,’’ says Lynne. ‘I was looking for financial in- dependence and when I heard about the job at Savona I ap- plied and vei it.” Lynne became involved in the Union shortly after she- started to work, ‘‘out of curio- sity,’ and came to realize that it was due to the IWA that she had found: the financial in- dependence she was looking for. “‘The Union is the best vehi- cle to obtain changes for women,’’ says Lynne, “‘it is the only viable way for women to make gains in the industry, and get a fair crack at all the jobs.” Like all women she is proud of her femininity and feels she loses some of this while on the job. Like Carol, Lynne thinks that women’s lib is alright in the areas of equal jobs and wages but some of their ideas are a little far out. She is very positive about women becoming involved in Union work. She says, “I think it will eventually fall on the IWA to insure that sex discrimination is not practised by the forest companies and that our women members get the same treatment as the male work force.”’ Lynne and Carol are fairly representative of the IWA women members working throughout the industry and it is good for everybody that people like them are taking an active interest in Unions. FOREST COMPANIES HIGH ON PROFIT LIST Predictions that 1973’s third quarter profits would be out- standing have been borne out by the latest survey of 331 com- panies which showed a total profit rise of about 49 per. cent over the same period of 1972. Profit increases were ap- parently not affected by the rail strike. The profit increases in the first and second quarters of 1973 were 29.8 per cent and 44.9 per cent ahead of the previous year. Biggest third quarter in- creases were shown by base metal companies (230.2 per cent), paper and forest com- panies (185.5 percent), in- dustrial mines (139.9 per cent), - golds (95.8 percent), oil refining (67.2 per cent) and food processing (54.5 per cent). YOUR KIND DF CAR PAYMENT PROBLEMS? No down payment? On strike? Locked out? Owe money on present car? Poor credit in past? Short time on the job? New in B.C. ? Present payments? Want extra cash back? Consolidate your present debts on our exclusive banking plan, plus purchase an automobile of your choice from a selection of over 275 units and probably pay less per month than you are paying now. * Out of towners — Call, we will pay your air fare and pick you up at air port! CALL CREDIT MANAGER AT 872-5447 or 588-6533 — 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Every Vehicle Government Tested, Two Year Written Warranty BELMONT MOTOR ™ Serving Vancouver for 13 years now two locations 695 EAST BROADWAY IN VANCOUVER, AND 10454 KING GEORGE HIGHWAY IN SURREY mI