10 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 Officers’ Report” negotiations, we now have pre- paid medical plan _ protection written into the Master Agree- ment with the same eligibility, portability and lay-off protection as found in the Forest Industry Health and Welfare Plans. The membership in the Coast Forest Industry, whether they work in large or small operations, all have uniform protection and ben- efits in the important matter of health and welfare. In 1962 Negotiations, member- ship in the Northern and South- ern Interior of British Columbia likewise have gained the same important concessions on Health and Welfare coverage as present- ly found in the coastal area. IWA Local 1-424 has agreement with Eagle Lake Sawmills, an op- eration with 300 employees, to in- stitute a Health and Welfare Plan effective September 1, 1962. In the remainder of the Northern Interior, and also in the lumber industry in IWA Locals 1-405, 1-417 and 1-423 an industry-wide Health and Welfare Plan will be instituted in September, 1963, providing the same benefits and protection as found in the coast- al area. Negotiations 1962 Coast Industry Negotia- tions resulted in a _ two-year agreement with an increase in wages in the amount of 8c per hour in each of the two years covered by the Agreement. Medical coverage was added to the contract provisions under Health and Welfare so that all the membership in the coastal area are now ensured prepaid medical coverage with eligibility, portability and lay-off coverage identical to those provisions con- tained in the Forest Industry Health and Welfare Plan. Senior- ity provisions were strengthened to provide for the application of seniority based on ability of the individual to do the job required, and length of service. The Policy Committee, in re- viewing the over-all situation, considered it in the best interest of the organization to accept the Perry Report as a basis of settle- ment of 1962 Coast Negotiations. In the Northern and Southern Interior, settlements were negoti- ated providing for a two-year agreement, 6c per hour wage -in- crease in 1962 and 4c per hour wage increase in 1963. In addition to wage adjustments, agreement was reached on Health and Wel- fare coverage of $5,000 life insur- ance, $5,000 A.D. & D. and a $35.00 weekly indemnity, with almost identical provisions as contained in the Forest Industry Health and Welfare Plan. Agreement was also reached on Apprenticeship Training Programs and other contract benefits. Negotiations with the Saskat- chewan Timber Board resulted in a one-year agreement providing for 6c per hour wage increase. Local 1-207 encountered a seri- ous problem in Negotiations with Western Plywood Limited in Ed- monton. This company, during a strike that lasted for three months, made a strong attempt to destroy any effective organ- ization in their plant. The mem- bership in this operation are to be commended for their deter- mination, which resulted in an honorable settlement with im- provement in contract benefits. berta, made important ee negotiations when a ‘guaran ee Te year was established. This contract change increased their work year from seven months to ten months. ~The following amendments to the national Woodworkers of America, were approved by t CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDA Constitution of the Western Canadian Regional Council No. 1, Inter. he 25th Annual Regional Convention held in Vancouver, September 18-22, 1962. In accordance with Article XIll, Section 3, of the Regional Constitution and es. XVI, Section 12 C, of the International Constitution these proposed amendments may not be finalized until 60 — days from the close of the convention. As required by the Constitution, the proposed amendments are here- with published in the Union’s official organ. Copies of the proposed constitutional amendments have been for- warded to all Local Unions in Region 1. For the convenient reference of the members, the sections to be amended are here quoted as they appear in the present Constitution. In each instance, the section in its proposed amended form, appears im- mediately below in bold type, indented. FRED FIEBER, Regional Secretary-Treasurer. ARTICLE II, SECTION 5 — REGIONAL CONSTITUTION (Section to be amended). “District Officers, International Board Member, and Trustees elected or holding office following the 1959 Annual Convention shall hold office until the conclusion of elections following the regular Annual Regional Convention held in 1960.” (Proposed amendment). The deletion of the aforementioned paragraph. The amended section will be as follows: “(5) Nominations for Regional Officers and International Executive Board Members shall be made in every second year at a regularly called Regional Convention.” ARTICLE Il, SECTION 7 — REGIONAL CONSTITUTION (Section to be amended). “(7) All referendum ballots, dealing with the election of Regional. Officers and dealing with changes to the Regional Constitution, shall be conducted in accordance with Article XI of the International Constitution.” (Proposed amended section). “(7) All referendum ballots, dealing with the election of Regional Officers and dealing with changes to the Regional Con- stitution, shall be conducted in accordance with Article XIII of the International Constitution.” ARTICLE IV — REGIONAL CONFERENCES (Paragraph to be amended). REGIONAL CONFERENCES. “The Regional Executive Board shall, when they deem it advisable, or upon written request of three (3) Local Unions, call a delegated conference. These conferences shall be for the purpose of co-ordinating activities of the affiliated Local Unions on matters of Regional-wide importance.” (Proposed amended paragraph). REGIONAL CONFERENCES. “Regional Delegated Confer- ences for the purpose of co-ordinating activities of the affiliated Local Unions on matters of Region-wide importance, shall be called by the Regional Executive Board, Regional Officers or upon written request of three (3) Local Unions, no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of such written request. A minimum of one Regional Delegated Conference shall be held between Re- gional Conventions.” ARTICLE XI — PRO RATE (Article to be amended) PRO RATE. “For the purpose of sharing the costs of delegates from Local Unions attending the following . Regional meetings of administrative authority, namely, Regional Conventions, Regional Delegated Conferences, and Regional Executive Board Meetings, the following provisions shall prevail: “Pro-rate shall be computed on the basis of dividing total costs of travel, per diem, and hotel for Regional Conventions, Regional Delegated Conferences, and Regional Executive Board Meetings, among the total number of alloted delegates to any such meetings. The cost shall then be.apportioned to Local Unions on the basis of their alloted delegates to such meetings.” (Proposed amended Article). PRO RATE. “For the purposes of sharing the costs of dele- gates from Local Unions attending the foliowing Regional meet- ings of administrative authority namely, Regional Conventions, Regional-wide delegated Conferences and Regional Executive Board meetings, the following provisions shall prevail: “Pro-rate shall be computed on the basis of dividing total cost of actual necessary trave! and hotel room allowance up to $7.00 per day for Regional Conventions, Regional-wide delegated Conferences and Regional Executive Board meet- ings, among the total number of delegates to any such meetings. The costs shall then be apportioned to Local Unions on the basis of their delegates to such meetings.” ARTICLE XIII, SECTION 3 — REGIONAL CONSTITUTION (Section to be amended). “(3) This Constitution may only be changed by the procedure outlined in the International Constitution, Article XIV, Section 11. (Proposed amended section). “(3), This Constitution may only be changed by the procedure outlined in the International Constitution, Article XVI, Section 12.” | NEW ARTICLE XIII. RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOTING PROCEDURE ON ALL REGIONAL COUNCIL NO. 1, IWA REFERENDUM BALLOTING. Article XIII, as it now appears in the Constitution to be re- numbered Article XIV. % “All Local Unions within the jurisdiction of Regional Council No. 1, in conducting a ballot issued by the Region shall adopt the following procedure: 1. Return Transmittal Sheet to the Regional Tabulating Com- mittee, 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver 12, B.C., by regist- ered mail, retaining one copy for your files. 2. If your Local has insufficient ballots, registration, certification or tabulating sheets, notify the Regional Tabulating Committee on transmittal sheet, under the heading “remarks.” 3. Local Unions shall not use any balloting material other than that supplied by the Regional Tabulating Committee. 4. Local Unions to be eligible to receive ballots must have their reports in for Per Capita tax and assessments paid for the period ending two (2) months prior to the month in which the ballots are sent out. 5. To be eligible to vote, members must be in good standing. 6. Local Balloting Committee MAY check the eligibility of the member voting by either a show of a paid-up dues book or a check of an eligibility list provided by the Financial Secre- tary, or of Local files. 7. In the event a member is in the jurisdiction of a Local other than his own, and he desires to vote, the Balloting Committee shall, upon the member presenting his work card or book showing him to be in good standing, allow him to vote; his name, Local Union, and stub number must be added to the register. 8. Members must sign their name on the registration sheet op- posite the STUB NUMBER OF THEIR BALLOTS, before receiving the ballot. Ballots must be detached and placed in ballot box. 9. Balloting Committees shall see that ballot stubs are kept intact and that stubs of all ballots signed for are returned for accounting. 10. Each Local Union shall tabulate its votes, and certify the same and return to the Regional Tabulating Committee. ALL USED AND UNUSED BALLOTS, registration sheets, tabulation sheets, and certifications must be returned to the Regional Tabulating Committee, 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, 12, B.C., postmarked, by REGISTERED MAIL, or delivered by hand, not later than 40 days after the Regional Convention. Any used ballots, registration sheets, tabulation sheets, and certifications of election mailed by the Local Union anywhere else but to the REGIONAL TABULATING COMMITTEE will automatically be disqualified. 11. The Regional: Tabulating Committee shall be charged’ with the duty of conducting a true and complete check of registra- tions and certification sheets by Local Unions; and if in their opinion a difference exists between the Local Union Tabula- tion total on the certification sheets and the marked ballots sent to the Regional Tabulating Committee, they shall have the right to count the ballots (sent to the Regional Tabulating Committee) by the Local Union in question and the Regional Tabulating Committee’s count shall be final and binding, sub- ject to the certification of the Regional Executive Board. 12. No Local Union Balloting Committee shall tabulate the ballots until the close of the balloting time set by the Local Union. No ballots shall be received by the Local Balloting Committee after that time. All ballot boxes shall be closed and locked during the conducting of the ballot. Upon completion of the ballot, all ballots and registration sheets shall be sealed and locked in a safe place until the Committee representing the Local is ready to begin counting the ballot. 13, Local Unions will keep a record of all ballots issued to each operation and a record of used and unused ballots returned from each operation. 14. 1. Any matter not specifically covered in these Balloting Rules or in Article XIII, Balloting, of the International Constitution, * shall be determined by the Regional Tabulating Committee. The ballot shall not be disqualified because: (a) There are more signatures on the Registration Sheet than ballots cast. : (b) There are more signatures on the Registration Sheet than ballot stubs. (c) The stubs and ballots do not tally. (d) If the Officers who sign the Certification Sheet are not the President and Recording Secretary, but are other Officers of the Union acting in their behalf. (e) The Unused ballots are not in perfect order. 2. The ballot shall be disqualified: (a) If there are more stubs than signatures on the Registra- tion Sheet. (b) If there are more ballots cast than signatures on the Reg- istration Sheet. (c) If any number of names on the Registration Sheet are signed by one handwriting without being attested to by a third party, who is a member in good standing. (d) If non-member or member not in good standing votes in F the election. (If Local Union tabulates operations separ- ately, only the individual operation will be disqualified. If Local Union tabulates ballots without separation by operations, then Local Union ballots will be disqualified). The Regional Council or International Tabulating Committee shall immediately upon conclusion of their tabulation submit their findings to the Local Union. eat gs A STIRRING TRIBUTE was paid to Grant MacNeil, Regional Director of Public Relations, for his years of service to the labour movement by the delegates and officers attending the 25th Annual Regional Convention. Grant is shown in this photo with T. C. (Tommy) Douglas, Leader of the New Democratic Party, who briefly reviewed Grant's past history in the labour and political fields. Following which Grant was accorded a standing ovation by the assembled delec