THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES
TO REGIONAL CONSTITUTION

By FRED FIEBER
Regional Secretary-Treasurer
For the information of the membership, changes
to the Regional Constitution were adopted by the
Regional Convention held in Vancouver, B.C.,
September 13 to 18, 1965.

Amendments to the Regional Constitution
adopted by convention action shall not be finalized
until sixty (60) daysfrom the closing of the con-
vention, and such proposed convention changes
shall be published in the ‘Lumber Worker’ and
copies of such proposed constitutional changes shall
be sent to each Local Union within ten days after
the close of the convention.

Any time within this specified sixty-day period,
the membership through their Local Unions may
petition the Regional Secretary-Treasurer to init-
jate a referendum on any amendment adopted by
such convention action.

If the Regional Secretary-Treasurer receives
a number of petitions representative of one-third
(44) of the total Regional Council/membership, he
shall proceed with the referendum within ten days
following the sixty (60) day period specified.

The following constitutional provisions were
adopted by the convention.

REGIONAL PER CAPITA TAX

That Article VI, Section (4) be amended by
deleting the present wording and substituting the
following:

“The Per Capita Tax of the Regional Council

shall be ninety cents (90c) per dues month col-
lected.

“Five cents (5c) of the Per Capita Tax shall be
allocated to a Negotiating Fund to be expended

e upon the authorization of the Regional Execu-
tive Board for purposes of publicity, advertis-
ing of meetings and recommendations to the
membership during contract negotiations and
strikes,

“Any Proposed changes in Per Capita Tax to the
Regional Council shall only be subject to change
by the Regional Convention, approved by the

membership of the Local Unions by referendum
ballot.”

REGIONAL STRIKE FUND

That Article VI, Section (5) be amended to
read as follows:

“(5) (a) The present amount of assessment of
$1.00 per member per month being paid
into the Regional Strike Fund shall con-
tinue until such time as changed by Con-
vention action and a Referendum Ballot
of the membership.

“(b) The Regional Strike Fund shall be de-
posited in a separate account. A report
of income and expenditure shall be made
regularly to the Regional Executive
Board. The Strike Fund shall be audited
quarterly.

“(c) Expenditures from the Strike Fund shall
be expended for strike purposes in ac-
cordance with rules as contained in Sec-
tion (6) of this Article.

“(d) Expenditures from this Fund shall be
administered by authority of the Re-
gional Executive Board. During area
strikes the Regional Executive Board
shall set up a committee that shall en-
sure uniform application of Strike Fund
rules in all Local Unions involved in the
strike.

“(e) A Finance Committee of five persons
shall be set up by and from the Re-
gional Executive Board.

No expenditures can be incurred from
the Strike Fund until the Finance Com-
mittee first makes a recommendation to
the Executive Board on such expendi-
tures.

“(g) The Finance Committee shall make a
full report to each Annual Convention
of the Regional Council on all expendi-
tures from the Strike Fund. This report
shall contain an analysis of the policies
applied in paying Strike Fund monies.”
and add to Article VI a new Section (6), as fol-

“(f)

STRIKE FUND RULES
“Strike Assistance

“1. Strike assistance is to be paid only in cases
of need. Strike Assistance Committees are to
interview applicants to determine whether
assistance is necessary.

“2. Applications are to be received, considered
and paid on a weekly basis. Assistance is not
to be paid until at least four (4) full weeks
have elapsed since the first day of the strike.
Unusual cases will only be considered on re-
ceiving the approval of proper Local and Re-
gional authorities.

“3. The Local Union will determine entitlement
to payment of Strike Assistance in accordance
with these rules and the Regional Constitu-
tion.

“4, (a) The amount of assistance shall be deter-
mined by the Regional Executive Board with

S210 le pet ee eee $12.00
Worried ces So $18.00
Dependents $ 3.00

the payment of these amounts subject to
Strike Fund money being available.

(6) The Regional Executive Board is auth-
orized to reduce the four (4) week waiting
period for the purposes of Strike Assistance
payments during Spot Strikes.

“5. A member must have done picket duty or
other duties which may have been assigned
by the Local: Union Strike Committee or the
Central Strike Committee.

“6, All strike cards are to be kept up to date
and authorized by proper officials, as a basis
of receiving strike assistance.

“Transportation

“1, All cars that are to be used must be author-
orized by the Local Union.

“2. Necessary mileage willbe paid at the rate of
5c per mile,

“3. Vouchers approved by the Regional Council
must be used for submitting mileage for pay-
ment. Local Unions must carefully scrutin-

ize mileage vouchers to prevent unnecessary
mileage.

“4, Travelling expenses incurred in normal ad-

ministrative work will not be paid from the
Regional Strike Fund.

“Vouchers and Summary Sheets

“The Region will supply vouchers that must be
used for all Strike Assistance applications. It is
not necessary to make out new vouchers for every
weekly payment. Weekly payment signature sheets
will be provided by the Region and must be used.

“Proper voucher sheets for all transportation
will be provided by the Region.

“Summary sheets will be provided by the

Region. Bills and vouchers must accompany
sheets. Bills must be segregated and listed properly

before payment can be made by the Regional
Council.

“Miscellaneous

“1. Medicinal requirements may be met. Local
Unions must keep a close check on these
payments, and see that they are subject to
prescription.

“2. Rent, light and fuel can only be paid in cases

of emergency, such as notice of eviction or
foreclosure.

“General Provisions

“1. Local Unions must assume responsibility of
bills not covered by these Rules, unless ap-
proved by the Regional Executive Board.

“2, Local Unions on getting authorization by
phone or personal contact on bills not covered
by these Rules shall make a notation on the
bill giving date and manner of authorization
and shall confirm these authorizations by let-
ter as a matter of record.

“3, Local Unions are to receive an advance in an
amount agreed upon, based on estimated ex-
penditure within a two-week period.

“4. The following will not be considered Strike
expenditure:

(aj) Regular Local Union expenditures such
as .rent, light, telephone rental charge.

Telephone installations will only be paid
if authorized by the Regional Finance
Committee.

(b) Clerical staff.
(c) Entertainment.

“5. Material of asset value purchased for strike
purposes must be authorized by the Regional
Finance Committee. Such material may be
subject to return to the Regional Council.

“6. Locals are authorized to set up canteens
where necessary. Every effort should be

made to procure donations of foodstuffs and
supplies.

“7, Loggers strike headquarters in Vancouver
will be under the direction of Local 1-71. The
said headquarters will cover all loggers from

all Locals who reside in Vancouver during
a strike. :

“8. The secretary of the Regional Council shall
meet with all Local Union financial secretar-

ies and work out a ledger book in which all

expenditures and-income shall be recorded
under proper headings.

“9. During the course of an area strike all money
collected. by Regional assessment shall be the
property of the Regional Strike Fund.

The Regional Strike Fund will pay rent of
strike headquarters in areas where these
headquarters are necessary.”

WAGES AND EXPENSE ALLOWANCES

That Article VII, Section (3), be amended to
read:
“Full-time employees of the Region, other
than Regional Officers, shall receive a salary
set by the Executive Board.”

MASTER AGREEMENT

That Article XIV, Section 1 (a) be amended
to read as follows:

“Section 1:

(a) Negotiations for master contracts shall be
conducted by the Regional Negotiating Com-
mittees organized on an area basis, and all
Local Unions involved in such negotiations
shall, through the Regional Council, author-
ize the Negotiation Committee to negotiate
and conclude an agreement in their behalf.
Decisions of the Negotiating Committee shall
be in the form of a recommendation to the
membership by referendum ballot.”

WAGE AND CATEGORY REVISIONS

That Article XIV, Section 1 (b) be amended
to read as follows:

“(b) When any Local or Locals within established
areas of collective bargaining request the as-
sistance of the Regional Council in negotiat-
ing any matter with an employer or em-
ployers or their representatives, the follow-
ing procedure will apply:

(a) All Local Unions requesting this assist-
ance shall authorize the Region in writ-
ing to negotiate an agreement on any
problem and to conclude such agreement

after the following procedure has been
carried. out.

(b) All requests to negotiate from Local Un-
ions shall be subject to the approval of
the Regional Executive Board.

Conclusion of all settlements negotiated
shall be in the form of a recommenda-
tion by the Negotiating Committee to
the membership of the Local Unions in-
volved in these negotiations.

(d) When the Negotiating Committee makes
a recommendation on any matter and
one or more of the Local Unions involy-
ed reject the recommendation, a delegat-
ed conference may be called to consider
the recommendation. The majority rec-
ommendation of the conference will be
referred for decision by a referendum
ballot of the membership involved.

(e) The majority decision of the Referendu
Ballot will be binding on all Local in.
ions directly involved.

(f{) Any Referendum Ballot conducted will

be in accordance with Article XM aa

Referendum Balloting, of the Regional
Constitution.”

“10.

(c)