FROM PAGE ONE THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER 11 ~ SOUTHERN INTERIOR STRIKE REVIEWED” struggle was determined by membership opinion which re- quired no prompting from Re- gional quarters. CRY FOR PARITY The most remarkable and even surprising feature about the strike was the member- ship solidarity evident from the start. The cry for parity with the coast was on every- one’s lips during the educa- tional seminars which preced- ed the Wages and Contract Conference. The Conference merely formalized a spontan- eous membership demand and gave it momentum. At. the preceding seminars the mem- bers wanted to know only how collective bargaining pro- cedures could be made to work to attain their objective. The slogan “Parity with the Coast” was not coined by the union’s leadership. It express- ed a rankling sense of injus- tice long held by the rank and file membership. It was only the strongly- held conviction of the mem- bers on the declared issue that made continued and co- hesive strike action possible. Without this strong under- current of sentiment among the members, no amount of persuasion or direction by the tions could legally undertake strike action. This resulted in an unsatisfactory settlement which left a train of griev- ances in its wake. In 1967-68 it became the responsibility of the Negotiating Committee to strengthen the intra-union strike relations. To this end an intensive public relations program became necessary. The strike votes vindicated this action. PENT-UP RESENTMENT In the background for the negotiations, IWA members held a pent-up resentment against the employers who had persistently stalled im- plementation of important contract provisions. When the employers made and then withdrew a 34-cent-an-hour offer early in 1967, IWA members realized the domina- tion of large corporations bas- ed outside the area. Never did a group of em- ployers do more to incite pro- longed bitter strike action than those represented by the LF.L.R.A. OFFICIAL MANIPULATION The failure of conciliation and mediation was largely due to official manipulation of COLUMBIA CELLULOSE CELGAR PULP DIVISION ae CELGAR LUMBER DIVISION CELGAR LIMITED. abandon all hope of achieving equality with the coast, at any time in the future. VICTIMS ANGERED Apart from the injustice of perpetuating for all time the wage discrimination against Interior woodworkers, disre- gard of the higher living costs in the Interior angered the victims. When they added the higher living costs to the wage differential they were impel- led to fight and continue the ™ be overshadowed by laments over the heavy drain on the Regional strike fund. Their production losses taught an arrogant group of employers a lesson they will not soon forget. In future, they will treat the union with respect and will be more prone to en- ter into genuine bargaining relationships. The Interior IWA has gain- ed in stature with a stronger moral fibre. Local leadership : ; BROADWAY ary : fight for an opportunity at developed during the long j Union's leadership could have the standard procedures rath- some point of time to wipe weary struggle will prove a PRINTERS aroused the militancy that fol- er than any reckless mood of a 2 Ait in buildi h LIMITED } lowed the decision to fight. irresponsibility on the part of Ut the disparity in wage distinct asset in building the <= Four thousand workers would not have endured what they endured so magnificently had they not firmly believed in the justice of their cause. The morale sustained by them throughout the hardship of the strike upheld the finest tradition of the trade union movement. BACKBONE OF STRIKE The actual problem of the union’s leadership was to counteract the employers’ in- timidating propaganda and maintain communications be- tween the negotiators and widely-scattered units enab- ling their efforts to be syn- chronized. The strikers quick- ly developed their own local leadership, which proved to be the backbone of their Weaknesses of the union’s bargaining position so badly that only a few of the opera- Get twice the motor and use half the gas... @® CHAIN SAWS the members. The timing of the government - supervised strike vote and the appoint- ment of the Industrial In- quiry Commissioner gave every advantage to the em- ployers. Statements made by Ministers of the Crown in ad- vance of the inquiry gave the impression that the govern- ment intended to “load the dice” against the IWA. In any event their statements ser- iously aggravated the difficul- ties of the Commissioner in dealing with a complex prob- lem. The timing made it impos- sible for the Commissioner to undertake actual mediation as undertaken by Mr. Justice Nemetz in the 1966 coast set- tlement. He pronounced his judgment on the issues in dis- ‘. strike action. pute without an attempt to y ‘The Negotiating Committee ascertain whether acceptance = wisely recalled the disastrous by both parties could be made experience of 1953 and 1958. possible. In justice to an em- s On both occasions a disunited jinent jurist, let it be said that and ill-prepared organization he was given insufficient time s, placed the workers at the to mediate a mutually satis- merey of the employers. The factory settlement. All these = 1958 strike vote exposed the circumstances made the re- ° jection of his report a fore- gone conclusion, for it called upon Interior members to HOMELITE 4 Cycle Outboards @ AUGERS rates at least. They accepted the settle- ment formula finally negotiat- ed as offering the closest pos- sible approximation to parity that could be obtained. They believe that upon expiration of the new contract, they will be within striking distance of reaching an objective they have never abandoned. ARROGANT EMPLOYERS The gains made through the Interior strike should not future of the union. Interior IWA members now recognize that they belong to a union that will fight for their rights, whatever the consequences, against employer ovovression. STRIKE CONDUCT It must never be forgotten that out of such struggles, trade unionism in B.C. has built its present strength. The’ conduct of this strike requires neither apology nor defense. SOME WORKBOOTS FEEL LIKE THIS — yd) (Ss IS --- & NEED PARIS is famous for its INDUSTRIAL FOOTWEAR — Logging Boots and Work Boots made in our own workshops. 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