CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

"Plywood Production Automates And Expands’

As seen in the accompanying photographs, secured
through the courtesy of the Pacific Veneer and Plywood
Division of Canadian Forest Products Ltd., the manu-
facture of plywood is now a more completely integrated
Speration, utilizing every by-product.

Exclusive of related processes in the lumber in-

ie ie Pe J

. dustry, more than 6,000 workers are now engaged in
plywood manufacture.

My experience as a plywood worker dates back to
1939. During this period, | have witnessed an almost
constant re-organization of crews around new machines
and new processes. While it is true that this trend to-

» RAIMANN PATCHER, OPERATOR MRS. ANNETTE ST. GERMAINE,
ELEVEN YEARS AN IWA MEMBER

ward automation has wiped out old jobs, the resulting
displacement of workers has, to some extent, found
compensation in plant expansion. The effort to meet
expanded production demands has generally increased
the total working force required for the new component

units.

NEW STYLE LATHE WITH AUTOMATIC CHARGER

In some coast plywood
plants, the work force has
been reduced. This situation
exists in plants where the
general rate of expansion has

not been undertaken or where
old processes have been com-
pletely discarded.

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Job security together with
the adjustment of the wage
structure to plant re-organiz-
ation, is the present ma‘or
concern of our Union. The
rapidity of production chang-
es has kept the wage rate
structure in a state of flux.
This has required the constant
attention of the joint labour-
management team of job
evaluators since 1959.

Technological progress to
date has been remarkable.
New plants are introducing
startling innovations. Estab-
lished plants are being mod-
ernized. New machines and
new techniques are now being
designed.

Both labour and manage-

ment must keep a wary eye
on the future. With automa-
tion, productive capacity may
easily overtake and exceed
the market demand. If and
when this occurs, the prob-
lems confronting the Union
will indeed be acute. We do
not stand in the way of tech-
nological progress. It is in-
evitable. We must plan to
meet a new range of prob-
lems, which will never be en-
tirely solved at the bargain-
ing table. They must be dealt
with from the standpoint of
the public interest.

An industrial worker, who
may now make his first tour

See “PLYWOOD”—Page 6

NEW STYLE DRYER FEED

= ras a a

—

SS rere

WELL OUTSMART THEM (

AT HALF TIME WE SWITCH 70 DAYTON.

Logger Boots + Safety Boots

SHOE MANUFACTURING

CO. (B.C.) LTD.

2248-50 East Hastings St.

Vancouver, B.C.

UNION MADE