stern canadi VOL. XLII, No. 1 lumber worker VANCOUVER, B.C. >* JANUARY — FEBRUARY, 1974 IWA INTERNATIONAL President Keith Johnson, right, is shown in discussion with Local 1-71 member George Kofoed, a faller from Terrace, during the |WA Coast Wages & Con- tract Conference January 31, in Vancouver. AS SECRETARY-TREASURER FRED FIEBER TO RETIRE AFTER 13 YEARS IN OFFICE The IWA will lose one of its most respected and dedicated officers when Regional Secre- tary - Treasurer Fred Fieber retires March lst, after 13 years of looking after the fin- ances of the Regional Council. An FRED FIEBER PERMIT No. 2075 VANCOUVER, B.C. ER WORKER : RETURN REQUESTED ee a aoraia! Dr., Vancouver, B. - mh Fred, who will be 65 years of age in March, joined the IWA as a member of Local 1-357 in New Westminster in 1942. He took an active interest in the Union from the outset. He was one of the strong leaders in preventing the Communists from gaining control of the B.C. section of the IWA in 1948. The attempted Communist revolution left a strong impres- sion on Fred who, from that point on, dedicated his life to the Union. He accepted the post of In- ternational Organizer in 1948 and spent the next year travel- ling throughout the Region repairing the damage to the organization caused by the Communist split. In 1949, Local 1-71 (the Log- gers’ Local) asked Fred to be their Financial Secretary. He accepted the position and did such a tremendous job for the loggers that he retained the post in election after election until his appointment as Regional Secretary-Treasurer in 1960. While Financial Secretary of Local 1-71, Fred also held the position of Regional 3rd Vice- President, which at that time was not a full-time office. He was a member of the Coast Negotiating Committee for a number of years and his knowledge of the Union has made him an invaluable refer- ence source. He is one of the Union Trus- tees on the IWA Forest Indus- try Health & Welfare Plan. He is also a past President of the Board of the Medical Services Association. Fred has done a fine job for the organization and left big shoes to fill, All his friends wish Fred and his wife Nell, many, many years of happy retirement. PLUS $1.00 PER HOUR - COAST DEMANDS INCLUDE C-O-L ESCALATOR CLAUSE IWA members, fed up with inflation eating up their hard-won wage increases, have placed high priority on the demand for a cost- of-living escalator clause to be included in this year’s coast agreement. The 150 delegates attending the Union’s Coast Wages & Contract Conference January 31 and February 1-2, in Vancouver, pressed for the escalator clause to protect their across the board wage deman of one dollar an hour in a one year agreement. The delegates, representing the 9 Coast Local Unions drafted 53 demands in all for presentation to the forest in- dustry following a report on the financial status of the com- panies given by the Union’s Research Department. The report showed that the companies made record profits during the past two years, and all signs indicate that the profit trend would continue for at least the next three years. Regional President Jack Munro, the spokesman for the Union’s Negotiating Com- mittee, stated that it was obvi- ous the forest employers were well able to give their em- ployees a substantial wage increase this year and the Union was determined to see that it was given. He added that the Negotiat- ing Committee was anxious to commence bargaining with the industry as soon as it was legally possible. Under the B.C. Labour Act this could mean as early as February 15. However, it is likely that the Union will wait until after Dr. Noel Hall, the mediator in the coast tradesmen’s dispute, brings down his report. The negotiations cover thirty thousand coastal wood- workers. Northern and Sou- thern Interior IVA members will commence their contract talks a few weeks after the coast. Following are the other 50 demands which are not listed in any priority. They include demands for: © A daily guarantee for shake and shingle workers on piece work. © A50 cent per hour revision for Offbearers, Chipper Crews, Planermen and Feeders, Gra- der categories and P.L.I.B. e A 50 cent per hour rate revision for Tradesmen and Oilers. e@ The exclusion of the cate- gory of ‘‘Filer-Grinderman”’ from plywood evaluation and a proper rate being established. e All journeymen welders to be given at least three days of up-grading classes by qualified instructors before any re-test- ing. © The Companies to pay all costs for obtaining First Aid tickets. SEE “DEMANDS” Page 11 DR. NOEL HALL’S REPORT EXPECTED FEBRUARY 23 The IWA Coast Negotiating Committee and Forest Industrial Relations have been meeting over the past two weeks with Dr. Noel Hall, the mediator appointed to seek a solution to the coast tradesmen’s dispute on wage revisions. Both parties have presented briefs to Dr. Hall, who will study them and bring down his report Feburary 23. This report will not be binding on either party. However, the Coast Negotiating Committee is optimistic that Dr. Hall’s findings will support the position of the Union. a. ge platform are left, Colin MacDonald, Plant Secretary; Jack walker, Vice-Chairman; Wyman Trineer, * MEMBERS OF LOCAL 1-405 IWA, employed by the Canadian Cellu! Chairman; Wayne Nowlin, Local President; Tony Vanderheide, Fawkes, Public Relations Department. See page 14 for wage revis lose Company at Cast! gar, attending meeting January 20, at Castlegar, to hear results of wage rasa Group ea y; Randy McNee, Committee Member ; Regional Ist Vice-President; Harold Leslie, Regional Evaluator; Tom ions results.