\ i l Incorporating Phe &.C. Lamberworker Official Publication of the Jeternatlonal Woedworkers of pbmeriea Regional Council No. 1 VOL. XXVII, No. 23 VANCOUVER, B.C. Ist Issue Dec., 1960 5¢ PER COPY 2 Referendum Called On |Roley New |Officers Demand IWA 2nd, |Safe Signalling Regional Salaries ; Following a request from the required one-third of the member- ship, a referendum is now being conducted on the salary increases for the full time officers of the Regional Council, which were approved by majority action of the last Convention. Listed below are the present weekly salaries, proposed salaries, and the amount of increase: PRESENT PROPOSED 2 SALARIES SALARIES INCREASE Regional Director .........-.. $155.90 $170.00 $14.10 Regional Sec’y. Treas. ...- 145.15 155.00 9.85 _ Regional Vice-Pres. ..--.- 134.40 145.00 10.60 Vice-Pres. A. F. Hartung, International President of the International Woodworkers of America, AFL-CIO, has announced the appointment of Ronald F. Roley as 2nd Vice-President of the International Union to fill a vacancy created by the death of James E. Dicey, former Inter- national officer. Here are some facts which are necessary to an informed decision} __ on this matter: -@ Your Officers reported to the Regional Executive Board that apparantly justifiable requests for salary increases were coming from the staff of the Region. @ On September 14th,.a committee was set up out of the Regional Executive Board to report on the salary structure of the Regional Council. @ The Committee was constituted as follows: Brother Syd‘! Thompson. ......-.----------+--1-0------- 1-217 Brother Jake Holst. ......---.---------:csecseeseeeeeees 1-424 Brother Joe Madden ........ ---- 1-357 Brother Jack MacKenzie ......--..-------+------------ 1-118 Brother Fred Fieber -.....---..-.-.------+-----0e----0---" 1-71 The Committee reported back to the Regional Executive Board meeting prior to the Regional Convention with the proposals on which you are now asked to vote. The reasons surrounding the appear as follows: @ The Regional staff is in fact underpaid in relation to similar jobs in other labour organizations. @ No increases were possible because of the Constitutional block requiring staff salaries to remain equal to or below those of the Regional Vice-Presidents. @ Consideration was given to removing this block, but it was decided that this would contradict the principle we have established in the industry of proper job differentials. @ Salaries of both staff and full time officers were found to be below the higher rates paid to members in the industry, for example many rates in the logging section. @ All salaries are considerably below those paid by comparable unions in Canada. It should be emphasized that only when some leeway is provided in the salaries of the Officers can realistic wage categories be set for the staff. The Regional Executive Board decided unanimously to seek the authority of the Convention to amend the Officers’ salaries first, in order to make proper adjustments for the staff. Committee’s recommendations Terrace Loggers Hold Weekend Institute Weekend Educational Institute held under the joint asupices of the Canadian Labour Congress and the Vancou- ver Labour Council December 3-4, Burnaby South High School, marked the opening of an educational program in which IWA members will take an active part. Simultaneously, Local 1-71, for a week in February. In mak- IWA, “the Loggers’ Local” held| ing this announcement at the weekend classes at Terrace de- voted to the special organizational problems of logging camps. The IWA project for the northern part of the province was directed by Financial Secretary Fred Fieber, Acting Regional Secre- tary-Treasurer. Regional Education and Re- search Director, Joe Miyazawa, has announced that plans are nearing completion for a series of educational institutes through- out the Interior of the province, with special attention to require- ments for policing the amended master agreement. IWA officials are also expec- ted to participate in the staff seminar to be held in Parksville, recent Vancouver Institute, CLC Educational Director Dan Rad- ford stressed that the Parksville seminar will be open to members of affiliated unions as well as staff members. ; Weekend Institutes similar to that held recently in Vancouver, will also be promoted by CLC officials in Victoria and Nanaimo in co-operation with the Labour See “INSTITUTE” p. 3 LISTEN TO Green Gold-CJ0 RONALD F. ROLEY Roley first became active in the trade union movement in 1934 as a member of the Textile Workers, then following his employment at the West Oregon Lumber Co., he became a member of the Lum- ber and Sawmill Workers. He was active in behalf of the em- ployees in the lumber industry during the early struggle to establish a strong union in their behalf during the 1930’s, and was a charter member of IWA Local Union 3-3, Portland, Oregon, and has been a member of that Local ever since. Local 1-207 Signs With Fibre Board An agreement has_ been signed by Local 1-207, IWA, Northern Alberta, with the Fibre Board Manufacturing Limited, December 5, giving the employees a 15 cents an hour increase over a two year period. The new agreement calls for an increase of 8 cents per hour the first year, retroactive to September 1, 1960, and an ad- ditional 7 cents per hour effec- tive September 1, 1961. Other contract benefits in- clude: a complete category revision effective November 27, 1961, an improved grievance procedure; a new Seniority Clause; a contractors and sub- contractors Clause; and an improved vacation entitlement. Views of experienced IWA loggers with regard to the use of the electronic whistle in the woods were vigorously stated by IWA Regional Officers in a recent conference with the Workmen’s Compensation Board. Safety should be given 7:00 p.m. Thursday priority over all other considerations, it was contended. The demand for a hearing be- fore the Board was the result of a thorough review of the question at a recent meeting of the IWA Regional Executive Board. Evi- dence relating to a fatality in the Northern Pulp operation at Bella Coola in October was closely examined. Appearing before the Board were, Regional First Vice-Presi- dent, Jack Moore, Acting Secre- tary-Treasurer Fred Fieber, and Safety Director, John T. Atkin- son. Protection Demanded Completely adequate protection for loggers in methods of sig- nalling was stressed by the Union. There should be no devi- ation from this principle it was contended. Any evidence leading to doubt should require that an official order be issued banning electronic whistles until full pro- tection is assured. Chokerman Oley Nicola was killed October 19, 1960, at Noos- atsum Valley, Bella Coola, when the yarding engineer acted on a signal to bring in the turn, with- out the knowledge of the rigging crew. From the evidence it appeared that the rigging slinger was reach- ing over a log to set a choker, and that the victim was also starting to set a choker under- neath the log at the time. No Signal Sent The rigging slinger gave evi- dence that he had not sent in a signal when the log commenced to move. He also stated that he had moved the signal machine on his belt to the left side, out of the way. He could not hear any sound from the handpiece, but he had heard all the signals at See “SIGNALS” p. 3 Labour Council Aids In Civic Elections Well-organized and vigorous campaign is being waged under the auspices of the Vancouver Labour Council to elect candidates nominated or endorsed by labour to munici- pal councils, school boards, and parks’ boards in Vancouver City and adjacent municipalities. Vancouver voters go to the polls on December 14. Political Action Committee of the Vancouver Labour Council appointed IWA member Ray McCready as Campaign Manager. Under his direction, and with financial support from the Coun- cil, attractive publicity material has been released, and supporting organization formed. In the opinion of the Labour Council, the basic program for- mulated by organized labour for civic and municipal administra- tion provides powerful reasons for the voting support of all workers. Outline of this basic program is as follows: The Basic Program “Public ownership of BCE power, gas and transportation holdings, to provide a source of civic revenue and allow the civic government to mai .in electric and gas rates as well as transit fares within reason- able limits. Replace blighted and depressed areas with low rental housing projects and parks, thus pro- viding senior citizens and low income wage earners the op- portunity to enjoy increased leisure time. Greater efficiency and economy through a metropoli- : UKP tan system of government for the Lower Mainland, based on equitable representation and participation. Institute kindergartens in all elementary schools. See “ELECTIONS” p. 3 IWA Officers are pleased to report that George Mitchell, the Regional Secretary-Trea- surer, is now out of hospital and convalescing very satis- factory at home, following his recent heart attack. Ist and Last Thursday 6:00 p.m. -_ S te mom me oe al = , nr - _— _