THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER 2nd Issue April, 1965 LAST CHANCE TT IWA has been warned. Spokesmen for the organized employers and gov- ernment departments have recently been at great pains to sound the alarm about shortages of skilled workers. Significantly, their screaming ignores the thousands of employable unemployed workers, the under-em- ployed, and the present mis-matching of jobs and skills. The alleged shortage of skilled workers is seized upon to justify inducements for the migration of skilled workers from other countries. Once again, the im- portation of cheaper labour is designed to lower pres- ent wage levels. Worst of all, nothing is said about the main cause of any shortage of skilled men — the restricted oppor- tunities for training in the new skills required. Statistics released by Ottawa clearly indicate that B.C. is lagging far behind in provision for technical training as compared with the other provinces. It is especially noted that the Federal Government program (with appropriations) for on-the-job training has been a flop due to the indifference of the employers and the provincial government. Strangely enough, this occurs although the Federal Government is willing to pay fifty per cent of the cost of in-plant training. The proposals advanced by the IWA Coast Negoti- ating Committee offer an opportunity for |WA leadership in this field. If the IWA Millwrights’ Apprenticeship Training Pro- gram is successfully launched, with its combination of on-the-job and institutional training, it will prove a valuable demonstration of one possible adjustment to technological change. It will pave the way for expanded training pro- grams in all sections of the lumber industry that will protect the job security of many, now threatened with displacement. Technical training in the countries of Western Europe are far in advance of anything found in Canada. Why rely on technical training in Western Europe, at the ex- pense of Canadian workers, before making adequate provision for Canadian workers, who desire training if given the opportunity and continuing pay? The occupational training, now required, demands the maximum pressure from the trade union movement leading to full labour-management-government co-op- eration. As industry modernizes itself to meet the onset of automation, trade unionists must also modernize their outlook. More Housing Needed “We need more schools, more medical schools, more hos- pitals. We need far more investment in research and in the fields that deal with human welfare, health and education. We need increased urban and rural development, better hous- ing, better transportation and so on . . . In no field are the needs of the people so desperate, the opportunity for in- creased employment so great, economic growth so easy to achieve, as in the field of housing. In no field of endeavour have we failed so dismally as in the provision of housing for the people who are really in need.” — —David Orlikow, NDP MP (Winnipeg North) in Throne Speech Debate. eb: i thi 5 the official publication of the acm? ee NATIONAL, SGDWORKERS OF AMERICA, as: Affiliated with AFL-CIO-CLC dian Regional Council No. 1. aes com pony oa Drive, Vancouver, B.C. Phone 874-5264 Edi ie owe uve oo Grant MacNeil jitor ‘ acy PM err Li cncrsetne VCO Fieber ~-.. G. A. Spencer every member of the IWA in Western Canada in * ee Capoten decisions, Subscription rate for non-members orwa Aumhorized. as Second Class Mail Post Office Department, Ottawa, Se of Boo capies printed in this issue. Congratulations By JACK MOORE 1 extend hearty congratulations to the Inter- national Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers and the United Paper Makers for accomplishing a major break - through on_ supple- mentary vacations during | their recent negotiations for \ | a one-year contract. ' vision makes significant prog- ‘ress toward the reduction of annual work schedules as a device to offset the displace- N ment of. their members ~ *-* through technological change. It is, no doubt, regarded as a first step in a long-range program to spread available employment among the maximum number of their members. This forward step will at- tract the attention of trade union members in B.C., especially in the ranks of our Union, which must soon negotiate with the same employers. In effect, the new contract clause ensures a “sabbatical” for long-service employees in a manner long adopted for faculty members of the universities. A total of seven weeks after twenty years or nine weeks after forty years service is a reward that will be keenly appreciated by the beneficiaries. More, as such vacations are staggered throughout successive years, more workers Their new contract pro- with less seniority will gain improvement of their job opportunities. ~ OPPORTUNITY FOR 1966 The negotiating of this one-year contract in the pulp and paper industry serves as a reminder that next June, on approximately the same dates, the contracts for the major unions in the Pacific Coast lumber industry will expire. I refer mainly to the IWA, the lumber and Sawmill Workers, the Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers, the Longshoremen, the United Paper Makers and the Teamsters. This happy coincidence of contract expiration dates provides these unions with an unex- celled opportunity to develop a co-ordinated program on technological change that will embrace employment. in the Pacific Coast lumber industry from California to Alaska. The conversations between these unions at the International level have proved fruit- ful. It is hoped that such conversations will now be renewed, to develop concrete plans for co-ordination of negotiating activity. Studies on automation, now in progress, should provide the information enabling agreement on plans to secure employer agree- ment on steps to avert the wholesale dis- placement of workers. It is not too soon to start discussion of such plans that our Union may be ready to participate in a joint plan which Pacific Coast employers in the lumber industry will not dare ignore. German Unions Seek More Holidays BRUSSELS—The German trade union movement has advanced its policy program to include thirteen months’ pay for every twelve months’ work. workers over 50. *: workers g Ne Be Amending the program of action policy adopted over 10 years ago, the six and a half million member German trade union federation (DGB), the new policy also in- cludes a demand for extended paid holidays especially for young workers under 20, five weeks’ holiday a year for those between 35 and 50 years of age and six weeks for The DGB statement points out that German workers are working almost 42 hours a week in industry and an average of 42% hours a week generally while the 1954 pol- icy called for the 40-hour week. However 70% of manual and 40% of white collar et three weeks holidays or more per year. On the other hand wages av- ® eraged only one dollar an hour at the end of last year. AH... ANY OUTFIT THAT OFFERS TA PAY YER FARE BOTH WAYS IF YA STICK IT OUT THREE MONTHS MUST HAVE A HELLUFA COOK!