Editorial

Menace Or —
peg
a Blessing?
I: is now evident that organized labour will be
_ 4 saddled with the responsibility of outlining neces-
sary solutions for problems which accompany the
introduction of automation in industry. When a com-
parison is made between the briefs submitted by the
Canadian Manufacturer’s Association and the B.C.
‘Federation of Labour before the Select Standing
“Committee on Labour in the B.C. Legislature,
labour’s superior insight into the question is obvious.

The point of view stated by the CMA that auto-
mation has been progressing for two centuries was
boldly challenged. The distinction was drawn by the
Federation between the familiar processes of
mechanization, and the new automatic and in some
cases self-regulating chain of processes.

In rejection of the CMA point of view that profit
should be the sole reason for automation, the Federa-
tion did the workers of the province a service. The
full benefits of automation will not be realized

- through investment. The ultimate purpose should be
to sustain, develop, and protect human life with a
minimum of effort, and with a maximum of physical

comfort and well-being.
It was made abundantly clear that organized

labour is not opposed to automation. It welcomes the
advent of automation but insists that its benefits
shall be equitably distributed.

The point made on behalf of the workers was
that in periods of transition, responsibility should be
assumed by governments and industry for the wel-
fare of displaced workers. Otherwise, as it was
stated, the “hard core of unemployment” will grow
greater and greater.

The crux of the situation is the better distribu-
tion of income, The fiscal policies of governments
will have much to do with providing “an economic
pace at the full employment level.”

One of management’s main responsibilities will
be the provision of lower prices as well as shorter
hours with higher real wages.

Quite properly the Federation urged that
management should accept a large share of responsi-

_pility for the maintenance of workers who may
require re-training in the new skills demanded.

Automation makes a convincing case for the
guaranteed annual wage. This is one way of ensuring

» compensation in case of temporary displaceiient.

The trade union program of pressing for the
shorter work week, longer vacations, more paid
statutory holidays, better pension plans, higher
unemployment insurance benefits, as well as high
wages all contribute toward. the higher purchasing
power, without which automation may become a
menace instead of a blessing.

It is the joint responsibility of management,
labour, and government to make sure that the poten-
tial abundance of the new technology will be used

Publication date of the next issue of the WESTERN CANADIAN
LUMBER WORKER is April 6th. Deadline for ad copy is March 24th

and for news copy April Ist.

THE WESTERN CANADIAN {|

. PUBLISHED. TWICH MONTHLY ON THE FIRST
AND THIRD THURSDAYS BY 2
tay International Woodworkers of America
<4 = (ATL-CIO-CLC) Regional Council No.1 cag@pp= 2
REGIONAL OFFICERS:
e we J0@ Morris
... Jack Moore
ssmeeneee’ BOD ROSS
seenercsereee Ered Fleber
.... George H. Mitchell

Walter F. Allen
S. M, Hodgson

President
ist Vice-President ...

2nd Vice-President ..
8rd ¥ een p ronan se
Secre. *TY-TI@aSurer .....--c-csnceeorvemnnwseresenses
Intern:. onal Board Members

Address all communications to
GEORGE H. MITCHELL, Secretary-Treasurer
45 Kingsway - TR 4-5261 - 2
Vancouver, B.C.

Subscription Rates.............§2.00 per annum
. Advertising Representative,.....—..G. A. Spencer

d as Second Class Post Office Dept., Ottawa
Authorize7 £00 COPIES P. IN THIS ISSUE’

with social wisdom to improve standards of living

and well-being.
If as a people we fail to meet the challenge, we

may undergo distressing economic dislocations.

If we meet the challenge, with vision, and
humanitarian motives, we can help usher in an age
of abundance and freedom the like of which the world

has never known.

Wenner-Gren Committed
To Build Railway Soon

Whether the Wenner-Gren interests will proceed with their
grand plans in the Rocky Mountain Trench or forfeit the $500,000
it has deposited with the Government, should be decided by this
June. Under the memorandum of intention, signed by Wenner-
Gren and the B.C. Government, Wenner-Gren is committed to
start coustruction of a railway, during the second quarter of 1960,
froin the southerly end of the Rocky Mountain Trench adjacent to
the Pacific Great Eastern Railway north to the northern boundary
of B.C. Cost of the railway is estimated at $90,000,000, which would
make it one of the biggest industrial projects in B.C. in recent
years, if undertaken.

LW. |

F Gilt AD SF 2 R747 }
W GRCOuUVS |
BAR? gue |

P
|
Lhe diror, |
; An announcement wis made
irom Boston, Mass., on January |

20th stating that Vancouver, B.C.
had made a clean sweep of all
of the top awards conferred by
the National Fire Protection As-

sociation for, Fire Prevention
Campaigns conducted during
1959.

Included among the Awards
won by Vancouver were; Ist

place for major citics and muni-
cipalities in B.C.; Ist place for
major cities and municipalities in
Canada; and the most. coveted
honour of all, the “Grand Award”
which is conferred in the City,
Town or Municipality regardless
of its size, which conducts the
most outstanding. Fire Prevention
Campaign in Canada,

Although Vancouver’s Camni-
paign was sponsored principally
by the Fire Department, its not-
able success this year was due,
to a very great extent, to the co-
operation of the entire com-
munity.

With such city-wide support as
we have received, we may yet be
successful in drastically reducing
the loss of life and property in
Vancouver by Fire.

Please accept my most sincere
thanks for your contribution to
our Campaign, I assure you that
your support has done much to
ensure its success.

Yours sincerly,
H. S. Bird,

J)! Chief, Vancouver Fire Department

CARLING'S
PILSENER

.... of course!

: ) When it comes to enjoying a
light and bright pilsener beer

B.C.’s Favorite because of the taste

A
This advertisement is pot published or displayed by the Liquor Control Board or by the Government of British Columbia,

Housing
Starts
Down

; January housing
dropped more than 25 per
cent from the previous year’s
total, the Dominion Bureau of

Statistics has reported,

Starts on the construction
of new dwelling units in urban
centres of 5,000 population and
over in January, 1960, declined
to 3,722 units from: 4,833 units
in the corresponding month last
year.

Units. under...construction at
the end of January numbered
55,743, a decrease of eight per
cent from 60,423 a year earlier.

starts

THE CARLING BREWERIES (0.¢.) LTD. |