10 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

INDUSTRIAL FACTS

There were 4,000 more persons employed in the Province
during April than in March. In relation to a year ago the
number of employed was three per cent higher and the un-
employed, 9.1 per cent lower.

* * * :
The average industrial weekly wage jumped from the sea-

‘sonal low of $93.20 in December to a record $98.39 in January,

7.6 per cent higher than in January, 1964. A higher average
wage, coupled with increased employment, resulted in an 11
per cent increase in labour income during February.

* * *

Aided by extremely warm and dry weather in March,
logging activity was very high. The volume of timber scaled
during the month was much higher than in any month in 1964
but the figure for the first quarter of the year was 6.6 per
cent lower than in the same period a year earlier.

* * *

The pulp and paper industry continues to set new records
each month. At the end of the first quarter in 1965, newsprint
production was up 25.5 per cent; other papers and paperboards,
13.2 per cent; all pulp, 12.5 per cent; and total pulp sales were
13.3 per cent higher than in the same period in 1964. The
severe weather in January closed down some mills and re-
duced leg supply at others resulting in a 7.5 per cent decline
in the quantity of lumber sawn during the month compared
with January, 1964.

2nd Issue
May, 1965

LETTER EXPLAINS STRIKE

Local 1-417 IWA has had
numerous enquiries as to
whether the strike at Colum-
bia Auto Customs Ltd. in Sal-
mon Arm, B.C. is still in ef-
fect. This is to advise. our
many loyal supporters that
the picketing has now been
suspended at Columbia Auto
Customs Limited.

Over the thirteen months
that the picket lines were in
existence the Union was pre-
pared at any time to meet
with the Company in an at-
tempt to resolve the differ-
ences and in fact the Union
did arrange several meetings
with the Company during the

-strike, all to no avail. The

THERE’S MANY A BLOWN-UP CLAIM
PRICKED BY THE PIN OF EXPERIENCE

That’s why we’ve been in business for

over half a century. In British Columbia
Boots mean PARIS.

UNION-MADE, OF COURSE

PIERRE PARIS & SONS

51 West Hastings Street
Vancouver 3, B.C

By LOCAL 1-417

Company had taken an un-
movable position in that they
would not recognize any sen-
iority provisions for their em-
ployees, nor would the Com-
pany agree to any type of un-
ion security.

In an attempt to resolve
the dispute the Union drop-
ped their demand for union
security. The ‘Union remains
firm in their demand for sen-
iority protection for their em-
ployees which we believe is
one of the most important
benefits of a union contract.
However, the Company re-
fused to change their position
in respect to any provisions
for seniority rights for their
employees,

The Union at all times dealt
in good faith as the law pro-
vides in attempting to settle
the contract but were frus-
trated at each turn by the
unrealistic and unfair position
of the Company.

The Company stated prev-
iously that it has been the
objective of the IWA to force
the Company to sign an un-
workable agreement or in the
alternative to bankrupt the
Company. This is such a ridi-
culous statement that we are
reluctant to repeat it here. To

say that an agreement is un-

workable because it provides
the workers with a protection
for their years of service with
the Company and that this
would bankrupt the Company
is sheer nonsense.

It is obvious that the re-
sponsibility for the closing of

r

a Company due to financial ,

difficulties lies with manage-
ment for the simple reason
that they had taken an un-
movable position that they
would never agree to a union

agreement to cover their em-

ployees and the end result of ,

this adamant position was of
their own choosing. As stated
previously, the union was
prepared at all times during
the strike to resolve the dis-
pute in a fair and equitable
manner. _

We would like at this time

to extend our thanks to all

those who assisted both
morally and financially dur-
ing the strike and to the ma-
jority of the local. residents
who respected our picket
lines. We know if the union
again called on these people
for their further support of
our picket line or any other
union’s picket line we would

again get the same militant
support.

PIONEER’S

NOW AVAILABLE FOR MOST
POPULAR MAKES OF CHAIN SAWS

IN SIZES
@ FASTER
@ SMOOTHER
@) SAFE CUTTING
@ NO SKATING

IT’S SO GOOD

IN STOCK AT

IT SELLS

404" - 058"
404” - 063"
1/2" = 063"

ITSELF

WESTERN PIONEER CHAIN SAW SALES

328 Carrall Street, Vancouver, B.C.

MU, 4-1822
wa