@ ° wet ee OCTOBER, 1972 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER SS eR baby. DENTICARE WON Free family denticare will become a reality for the Canadian Food and Allied Workers who are employed by Dominion and Steinberg’s grocery outlets. Contracts ratified by workers of the food chains as- sures five cents per employee work hour, enough to finance the dental plan in the forseeable future. Unionists will receive additional holiday benefits providing all employees a day off on their birthday and men will get the day off when their wives have a SWINGERS SWING IT Editor’s note: The following article is reprinted from the “‘Little- Beaver’ in Mackenzie, B.C. The IWA Swingers took the Mackenzie Women’s Softball championship this year by defeating last year’s cham- pions, the Maids, two games to one in the semi-final and went on to crush the Jets three games to one in the final. After finishing first during the regular season, the Maids seemed to be the favorites to win the play-off again, but the Swingers had ideas of their own and they said ‘‘enough is enough” and showed the Maids where the ball goes by hitting everything thrown at them. It was a great team effort com- bined with good sportsman- ship. Swinger’s coach Bob Moore did an excellent job in handling the club. Jack Poulin and his wife Evelyn also did some helpful work in the back- ground. Our sincere congratu- lations to the IWA Swingers and our thanks to the five women clubs for giving the fans some fine entertainment. NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR GOVERNMENT UNION The British Columbia Government Employees’ Union has broken ground for a new headquarters building in central Burn- aby. The opening of the build- ing, costing $275,000, is scheduled for December, according to the union’s general secretary, John Fryer. FALLER URGES MEMBERS | TO FORGET PAST DIFFERENCES The Editor: Over forty thousand members of the I.W.A. in Regional Council No. 1, are now faced with the demo- cratic decision of who shall be the Officers to adminis- trate the affairs of the Union in the four Western Canadian Provinces. There are also Local Union elec- tions to be decided in sever- al areas. Itis not my purpose to de- termine who was correct in the respective stands taken during the spring and sum- mer of 1972 on the Coast, in- volving Negotiations of the Fallers’ Pricing Formula, but to point out where the Fallers, through their Com- mittee, as well as the Coast Negotiating Committee were wrong to some degree. Press releases, made by segments of the Fallers’ Committee, were not neces- sarily the true feelings of the majority of Fallers on the Coast. The same people issuing such press releases referred to fellow I.W.A. members as ‘‘scab herd- ers’’, ‘‘drunken pigs’’, “company _ stool-pigeons’”’ and so forth, and included such statements as ‘‘bring- ing this industry to its knees’’, yet totally ignored the needs of the majority of the Coast Woodworkers, and caused extreme fin- ancial hardship on other members and their families who had no way of deter- mining an answer to the is- sue which involved the fall- ers (in which they were not participants) until they had access aS members to a Se- cret ballot, in following the traditional method of con- cluding Negotiations con- ducted by those members duly elected by the mem- bership. However, once the deci- sion was made to accept the contract terms and to re- turn to work properly, we, the fallers evaded our res- ponsibilities as trade union- ists, and our oath to accept the will of the majority, un- til a large number of fallers ignored the dictates of the Fallers’ Steering Commit- tee and returned to work. I personally have a feel- ' ing of neglect in some areas whereby the needs of. the fallers were not met in this set of negotiations. I disa- gree with the contract terms as it allows for a ten per cent reduction in the average earnings which had exceeded the accepted day rate, even though this reduction will not be finali- zed for several years for some fallers. $ The main point I want to make in this letter, in re- flecting on the disregard of trade union principles which both sides displayed, leads me to conclude that it is essential to have leaders of experience and ability, and of high principles, to properly direct the affairs of I.W.A. members. In examining all the fact- ors, I have no better choice than to support the present administrators of the Re- gional Council, and the Pre- sident of my home Local in the forthcoming elections in an effort to bring an end to the bitterness that erupted and which threatens de- struction of the I.W.A. The membership no long- er can tolerate develop- ments in our structure that lead to the chaos of the past- year, and prohibits free ex- pression of opinion, and prevents proper conduct of union affairs. I urge every member to exercise his or her vote, in the coming election, in sup- port of the candidates you choose. HUGH HAMILTON, Faller, : MacMillan Bloedel Industries Limited, Eve River Division I.W.A. Local 1-363° Courtenay, B.C. The members of the Offi- cers Report Committee have taken a close look at the Officers’ Report and find it generally to be a good report. The Committee did however take note that while the subject matters were covered in the report they did not give enough de- tail. NEGOTIATIONS It was felt by the Commit- tee that although as stated in the report, we are the highest paid woodworkers, that should not be construed to mean that this year’s set- tlement was the best possi- ble to get when one consi- ders that 47% of the mem- bership rejected the pack- age. The Committee noted with some dissatisfaction that press releases made by individual Local Unions played a great part in divi- ding the membership. The Committee suggests that press releases should be made by a spokesman of the Negotiating Committee. It is also felt by the Com- mittee that more compre- hensive research should have been done as to cost and benefit of Safety equip- ment as proposed by the .. ho SRLS ca aR Se It is noted while the Coast and Northern and Southern Interiors did manage to ob- tain a Pension Plan, the Prairie provinces did not get this benefit. FALLERS DISPUTE While the report is accur- ate the Committee feels that both the fallers and the Regional Council have to take their share of the blame for the dispute. The Committee took note with some regret, that it became necessary to use such low tactics as which in the opinion of the Committee serves no useful purpose. SOUTHERN INTERIOR It is no mean achieve- ment to be able to have ne- gotiated parity with the Coast in both areas of the Interior. However, the dele- gates of the Northern and Southern Interiors feel that in future it might be a stumbling block to follow the Coast negotiations. The Northern and Southern Interiors feel that although they have achieved parity on the base rate that there are many areas where bet- ter improvements are de- sirous. It is noted that the Nego- tiating Committee in the In- terior stuck together and ‘Red Baiting’ ’ for this reason were able to achieve this type of settle- ment. It is recommended that in future negotiations section- al representatives be sitting in as advisors. ORGANIZATION The Committee took note that the Organization staff did a tremendous job in or- ganizing the unorganized with limited. staff. After having looked at the Organ- ization Report and noted the potential membership in the IWA — we strongly re- commend the Regional Of- ficers and the Executive. Board to immediately bring the Organization Staff to full strength and add an ad- ditional two organizers to the staff, in order that a proper job of organizing can be done. Itis also suggested that a training school for organiz- ers be conducted in order to fill out potential vacancies in the Organization staff. PLYWOOD EVALUATION After the Wilkinson Re- port it was felt by the ply- wood membership that evaluation would improve and be expedited but we notice with regret, that evaluation has come to a complete standstill. The Committee suggests that the Regional Officers and the Negotiating Committee do everything possible in getting evaluation speeded up and back on the track. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION It was felt by the Commit- tee that more seminars, both for safety and job stewards be sponsored and conducted by the Regional Council. POLITICAL ACTION It was felt by the Commit- tee that since the formation of the NDP Government which is the official choice of the IWA we have to con- centrate our efforts to building up a membership that recognizes the NDP is *a working man’s Party, and that membership to that Party would be of major benefit to people on the job. We must concentrate on activating the Political Education Committees, both in Local Unions and the Regional Council in or- der to bring across our views to the Government. FINANCES The Committee notes, ac- cording to the projected est- imated spending that some additional financing is needed in the Regional Council. STRIKE FUND The Committee was un- animous in its opinion that the present strike fund does not meet the requirements to properly service an in- dustry strike and that ma- jor changes have to be made in order that the strike fund becomes mean- ingful in terms of a weapon during a strike. LUMBER WORKER The Committee regrets that mention of the official organ of the Regional Coun- cil was not mentioned i their report. : LADIES’ AUXILIARY It is suggested that those Local Unions that do not have a Ladies’ Auxiliary initiate the necessary act- ion to form a Ladies’ Auxili- ary. SAFETY The Committee was of the opinion that the Safety Con- ference be given more auth- ority. It was noted by some members of the Committee that the last Convention adopted a resolution for a Women’s Conference and regret that this Conference was never held and should be held.