3 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER CANDIDATES New Democratic Party candidates running for office in British Columbia on November 8, are as follows: LET'S LOOK AT UNIONS Burnaby-Coquitlam T. C. Douglas Burnaby-Richmond __ R. Prittie ! i Cariboo st Ci red Atkinson While the IWA was in the middle of a vigorous organizational campaign we Terrace, the Coast Capilano ag Sia eles nC eS bee ee i poi ie Wm. Deverell local paper for the area, the Terrace “Omineca” Herald, ran an editorial, reprinted below, Comox-Alberni Ss Tom Barnett which strongly condemns the present trade union movement. Esquimalt-Saanich _._ —==—=—=—SS—ssSSSSS™séswLenn Stephenson It is believed by many in Terrace that the editorial was an outright attempt by the Herald Praser-Valley: =. 2 eee se Mark Rose to hinder the IWA’s organizational activities and to prejudice the re-election of the Member of Kamloops i225 ei8 os Soe Vernor W. Jones Parliament for Skeena, Frank Howard, who has been an IWA member for twenty years. Kootenay-East _.. James Patterson Kootenay-West H. W. Herridge This newspaper has on several occasions, been strongly charged with anti-unionism. Those who would accuse us never seem to come out in the open and never seem to be able to produce evidence that such is the case. We maintain that such is not the case. The union has it place in society as does management. Unions originated at a time in history when labor laws were virtually non- existent; when children of indigent family background were forced to work for meagre Wages in places that would have taxed the intestinal fortitude of many a full grown man. Unions came about when ordinary working stiffs decided they should have a voice in moulding their individual futures and the collective future of the nation as a whole. At the outset, unions were a much needed and welcome change in our society. They were formed with a common sense and con- structive purpose and they succeeded in mak- ing that purpose known and felt throughout the country. Unions grew from a handful of workers bent on upholding their rights as Canadians to today’s powerful faction, com-’ prised of thousands of members, many of whom don’t even recognize their rights as Canadians. Today’s union leaders come out in scream- ing headlines across the nation, making an- nual “demands.” The very word “demand” defeats any argument about the existence of strong-arm tactics in today’s unionism. There is a tremendous difference between a “re- quest” and a “demand.” We maintain that today’s trade unions have turned from “clean” to “mean” and their membership has fallen into the hands of money-monger leadership. Most union records will show that for every raise in pay gained through strike or work slow-up, a raise in union dues has been quick to follow. To say nothing of the raise in the overall cost of living which appears to have become synonymous with mass raises in pay. In our estimation no man deserves a raise until he can prove that he is in fact doing slightly more than a full day’s work for a full day’s pay. This is the type of man that management cannot afford to lose. This type of man does not stand up and shout his “demands” simply because hundreds of others are big-mouth- ing theirs. He waits until he’s is sure within himself that he is entitled to a raise in pay and when that time comes he has enough guts to stand up and speak for himself. He is getting to be a rare bird — almost extinct in fact; and today’s unions with their methods and leadership, share a large portion of the responsibility for his extinction. As long as “union” means a group of clear thinking working men intent on maintaining a reasonable living standard for themselves and their families we give them our full support. However — the moment that picture changes to one of a mass of yammering sheep being led up the garden path by sharpster leadership we become anti-union. And we'll stay that way until there is a general house- cleaning. A UNIONIST ANSWERS Vic Bryant, author of this letter is a committee member of the Terrace Sub-Local of Local 1-71 IWA. Editor, Terrace Omineca Herald: Your editorial dated Sep- tember 3, entitled “Looking at Unions,” has bothered me to no end, and due to the fact you have not published any answers, I feel you are en- titled to at least one reply for your efforts. When you say today’s un- ions have turned from clean to mean, and their member- ship has fallen into the hands of money monger leadership, it is my opinion that you are misleading new Canadians into believing that our out- standing way of living simply grew on trees! Actually, those of us who have fought for these im- provements, could feel as though we have made much as some years ago we were referred to as agitat- ors, radicals, and even com- munists! Have you ever stopped to consider that the leaders of other organizations of our ; , Such as the Chamber of | British Colum- Federation, Manufacturing Assn., Truck Loggers etc., etc., have yet to be referred to as agitators, radicals or communists, or having turned from clean to mean in derogatory terms, for their efforts to improve condi- tions of their members? I can well see why your paper has been charged with anti-unionism, when in your editorial you refer to our elected leaders as money mongers, and to the member- ship as yammering sheep being led astray by sharpsters. Have you ever had a beer or even discussed with our chairman Curtis Munson the meaning of unions? Did you ever have a chat with the members of the elected com- mittee? I really feel you owe yourself the privilege of a dis- cussion with Waldemar Pen- ner, our elected safety chair- man, It is due to the timeless ef- forts of people such as Welde- mar Penner that the C.C.C. now has a most enviable safe- ty record. This fact alone means fewer widows, orphans, maimed fathers and husbands, and less financial hardships to families of the injured breadwinner as he fights the compensation board for recognition of his accident claim. Surely before you publicly referred to our elected leaders VIC BRYANT as money mongers, sharpsters, and the membership as yam- mering sheep, you had a long discussion with regional presi- dent Jack Moore, local presi- dent Ernie Freer, and local business agent Mr. Eugene Ollenberger, Coming closer to home, I tail to see how vou could possibly write such a Nanaimo Skeena -_ Vancouver Burrard Vancouver Centre Vancouver East Colin Cameron Barry Mather a A ego Alex Turner Walter Inglis Frank Howard Dr. Ray Parkinson Sis aio Sonia Lyle Kristiansen Harold Winch is Seat c Sge Grace MacInnis eae SE STE ee ey WEBB ILL Local 1-424 IWA has re- cently received certification for Canim Lake Sawmills, Plywood Division, which covy-- ers some 60 employees. This operation is at 100 Mile House in the Cariboo and notice has been served on the company to open negotiations. Contract negotiations have commenced with Lakeland Mills Ltd., Prince George, fol- lowing certification of the op- eration. Talks have also begun with Tubafour Stud Mills Ltd., in Quesnel which employs some 55 men. The Local Union reports that Brother Howard Webb has been confined to the Prince George and District Hospital since September 26. af HOWARD WEBB Howard is the 1st Vice-Presi- dent.of Local 1-424 and Presi- dent of the Prince George and District Labour Council and is sincerely missed around the Local. It is hoped he will soon be up and around. AE AS RD PE SSIS ESL ST eh degrading editorial before you finally spent an evening or two with Gordon Davis and Larry Sloat. Did you ever dis- cuss these insinuations with our past president Mr. Wil- son? We have seen many in- ' stances of the rare bird you spoke of who had the guts to stand up and speak for him- self, being condemned to the dirty list and banished to un- favorable places to work. In the shop where I work, the men are never now told to pack their tools and get out if they don’t like it whenever _they suggest improvements regarding safety, efficiency, or .b improved working conditions. Little would-be dictators, you know, can make work- ing for a living most unpleas- ant, cost management nothing but money in the form of lack of efficiency from the men and the machines they operate, not to mention disloyalty. In your September 3 edi- torial you stressed the point of wage increases, as though there was seemingly nothing else of importance in the ne. gotiatioris. However, I would like to point out to you that due to the efforts of our lead- ers we no longer have in- stances of indiscriminate fir- ing of qualified men with the resulting hardship upon their families, in a union camp. In this area I think the Nass camp is a good example of living conditions in a union camp. There the men can live in a respectable manner away from home, Even the most uninformed of us must realize by now that the value of our B.C. woods In my opinion, from your editorial, I would say you are very anti-union, that is your privilege. However, as an edi- tor, I do believe you are abus- ing your privilege by trying to sway public opinion through the publishing of an uncalled for collection of in- sinuations. I would like to suggest that you publish the minutes and efforts of our IWA and allow your public to make their own decisions. Yours truly, VIC BRYANT.