2nd Issue

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER April, 1966

me EDITORIAL

FOREST (INDUSTRY NEWSLETTER: FOR THO MONTHS, WEVE BEEN TRYING 70 CLIMB A

CON MEN AT WORK

has employers’ wisecrack that IWA members are
voting for “nothing” in the present strike vote is
intended as a smokescreen for their evasive tactics.

This so-called “nothing” is actually something of vital
consequence to IWA members.

IWA members are voting “yes” for the opportunity
to negotiate a better contract—an opportunity denied by
the employers’ stubborn “no” to every union demand.

The employers must accept the blame for a situation
in which the union must use the strike threat to place
bargaining on a basis of reality.

Apparently, the employers have been relying on
their propaganda directed to IWA members’ homes to
con workers into acceptance of a few crumbs.

The attempt to ridicule publicly the union’s decision
to take a strike vote reveals the employers’ mentality,
which has stymied any real bargaining to date.

The employers have shut their eyes to the fect thet UUiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIININININININININNIIINNN1N1N000101G10001 1000 00000000000000000 000000 0000122

the union must meet its responsibilities to workers who
rightfully demand better living and working standards.

It is the mentality of men who have given little
thought to anything but the amassing of greater and
IWA MEMBERS (COAST LOCAL UNIONS):
We urge you to vote “yes” on your strike authorization ballots for the follow-

greater profits and the building of bigger and bigger
ing reasons:

lie

empires in the B.C. forests. In serving the sacred rights
of property, they are prepared to steamroller all the
rights of the workers.

The pompous, hard-nosed talk of the employers must
be heard to be believed. They expect the workers to
scrape and bow for favours they might or might not
benevolently bestow.

A Harvard professor, after years of research, re-
cently said, “Bargaining has no reality unless the union
has a club within handy reach to use in case of necessity.”

Our strike vote is a threat of strike unless genuine
bargaining is undertaken. The threat of strike is often
quite as useful as strike action. It is the employers who
would leave the union holding a bagful of “nothing.”

The strike vote will prove how grossly they have
underestimated the determination of their employees
to negotiate fair terms of employment.

1. BARGAINING DEADLOCKED

No progress toward any settlement could be made during bargaining talks with
the Coast lumber operators. The employers opposed all IWA demands. Their
only proposals would impair existing contract benefits previously negotiated,
and reduce earnings. The union was forced to apply for conciliation.

2. CONCILIATION FAILED

The Conciliation Officer appointed made every effort to settle the dispute. He
finally reported to the Minister of Labour that he could not bring about an
agreement and recommended only that no conciliation board be appointed.
This brought conciliation to an abrupt halt with no proposed terms of settle-
ment for membership consideration.

THE ONLY ANSWER

3. NEGOTIATIONS MUST CONTINUE

A government operated
automobile insurance scheme
is the only answer to today’s
rising costs of car insurance,
the B.C. Federation of Labour
stated in its 14-page brief to
the B.C. Royal Commission
on auto insurance.

The brief argued a public
compensation scheme would
save motorists $10 million a
year in B.C.

According to Ley Federation

al it would:
ee Tenarate much like the
Workmen’s Compensation
Board.

e¢ Eliminate uninsured cars.

© Provide a good minimum
of comprehensive coverage for
all motorists, pedestrians and

property.

‘THE WEATIRN CANADIAN

e Immediately pay compen-
sation regardless of fault,
without court action.

© Be financed by auto in-
surance payments, collected at
the same time that license
plates were bought.

e Permit reduced auto in-
surance premiums,

© End restrictive price
practices and foreign control.

The brief said the cost of
operation by the top 10 car in-
surance companies in B.C.
have an expenses - to - claims
ratio of over 50 per cent. This
compares with a ratio of 18
per cent cost figures incurred
by the Saskatchewan Govern-
ment Automobile Insurance
program, it added.

LUMBER WORKER

Published twice monthly as the official publication of the «gp»?
INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA,

Western Canadian Regional Council No. 1. Affiliated with AFL-CIO-CLC
2859 Commercial! Drive, Vancouver, B.C. Phone 874-5261

es Pat Kerr

Manager kai —. Fred Fieber

é Representative _. G. A. Spencer
oo arded to member of the IWA in Western Canada in
P83 with penvantion 2 . Subscription rate for non-members

as Second Class Mail
eee ee eee Department, Ottawa,
* 27,500 copies printed in this issue.

JACK MOORE, Chairman; JACK MacKENZIE, Secretary; ERNIE FREER, Local 1-71; WELDO
, 7 a i IN
MAURICE CORBEIL, Local 1-85; MURRAY DREW, Local 1-1 18; SYD THOMPSON, Local 1-217; ei ee gaan

a

A mutually satisfactory settlement cannot be achieved with this ‘stalemate. The
union is given the choice of either signing an employer-revised contract or acting
firmly to secure genuine bargaining on the basis of its demands. Only authoriza-
tion of a strike will place collective bargaining on a realistic basis.

4. NEGOTIATIONS WILL CONTINUE

The Negotiating Committee believes that a reasonable settlement is possible
because of the extraordinary profits accumulated by the employers. Strike
authorization does not call for immediate strike action. It calls for realistic
bargaining with all the cards on the table. Decisive authorization of a strike
will bring both parties back to the bargaining table to discuss terms that can
avoid a strike.

MAKE YOUR VOTE DECISIVE!

The employers have waived their right to demand government supervision of
the strike vote. The union strike vote must therefore indicate the will of IWA
members clearly and unmistakably. Every member in every IWA certified
operation on the Coast may now vote by secret ballot to back his or her rights.

Vote “yes” and you vote for proper consideration of your demand
for a better contract. We unanimously recommend that you

VOTE “YES”

IWA COAST NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE

MAX SALTER, Local 1-363; ART COREY, Local 1-367.

DUETS

ILLE, Local 1-80,
TRINEER, Local 1-357;

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