ee THE WESTERN CANADIAN { LUMBER ic WORKER 38,000 copies printed in this issue. Published once monthly as the official publication of the INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA Western Canadian Regional Council No. 1 Affiliated with AFL-C10-CLC 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. Phone 874-5261 Editor — Pat Kerr Business Manager — Fred Fieber Advertising Representatives — Elizabeth Spencer Associates : * 2 a dd to every member of the IWA in Westérn Canada in accordance with convention decisions. .@a> Boy ae é Subscription rate for non-members $2.00 per year. EDITORIAL CASE FOR POLITICAL ACTION ys recent certification won by the IWA at The Pas, Manitoba, should squelch those who claim labour has no right meddling in politics. - _ The IWA spent years attempting to organize woodworkers in Manitoba only to have the fruits of their labour denied them by a blatantly anti-union government. Time after time the Union was given the run-around by the prov- ince’s Labour Relations Board work- ing in concert with the employers who feared unionization of their plants. When it became obvious that or- ganizing the Manitoba woodworkers was becoming too time-consuming and costly, the Union took a new tack. Strong emphasis was placed on political action and the IWA threw its strength into electing an NDP gov- ernment. This decision paid off handsomely when a New Democratic Party gov- ernment was elected. Labour depart- ment officials who had _ openly snubbed unions in the past were quick to realize that under the new government labour and management have equal rights. And this is as it should be. The IWA has never sought preferential treatment over management — just simple justice. This the Union confi- dently expects will be the case in the future under the present democratic government. , THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER NDP LEADER BARRETT REQUESTS PUBLICATION OF — The Editor, I was pleased to see in your October issue that you de- cided to discuss the important subject of the relationship be- tween the New Democratic Party and the Trade Unions. As you specifically referred to my statements on the subject, I enclose a copy of the rele- vant portion so that your readers will know exactly what I said. I hope that you would also consider informing your read- ers that the quote in your editorial “the NDP has been nothing but a mouthpiece for the trade unions” was not part of my statement. I think the editorial infers that it was. Yours very truly, DAVID BARRETT, M.L.A. Leader of the Opposition. —HIS PRESS STATEMENT Note: The Lumber Worker is pleased to comply with Mr. Barrett’s request as it is now obvious his statement was widely misquoted. We also apologise for any inference left in the editorial that the offending quotation was part of his statement. —The editor. My role as House. Leader cannot, and will not, be con- fined to any traditional over- view of the House Leader of the New Democratic Party. I have decided that it will be necessary for me to make many contacts in the com- munity if I am to serve in the best possible manner as Lead- er of the Opposition. It will be necessary for me to make contacts not only with poli- tical friends, but with political foes as well. Intelligence, reason and good ideas are not the mon- opoly of any political party or allegiance, and therefore I shall seek out intelligence, reason and good ideas from any source. This means that I shall have no hesitation in contacting industrialists, edu- eators, trade union leaders, organizational executives, and every and any group that makes up the mosaic of British Columbia who has a point of ‘view to offer on any particular problem. Specifically, I shall deem it my responsibility to contact federal politicians of any party on some problems, I shall also find it necessary and intend to ‘eratie Party. contact trade union leaders, both inside the B.C. Federa- tion of Labor and outside the B.C. Federation of Labor. I intend to contact organized workers and unorganized workers. I intend to contact large industries, small indus- tries and the self-employed. Although this Party has been traditionally aligned with the B.C. Federation of Labor affiliates, it is a fact that only a small number of the B.C, Federation of Labor’s member unions are actually affiliated with the New Demo- Many people who work for a living, and I define a person who is work- ing for a living as anybody who lives from pay cheque to pay cheque, are not connected in any way with the B.C. Federation of Labor, yet they have many problems in com- mon. Therefore, it must be understood that whenever I speak on labor issues, my com- ments will not — under any circumstances — be confined . to any particular sectional point of view within the trade union movement. I believe, as Robert Stra- chan and Tom Berger did be- fore me, that every trade unionist has the right to join the union of his choice and that we of the New Demo- cratic Party respect that right. It has been a matter of much public discussion that the New Democratic Party is affiliated with some of the B.C. Federation of Labor’s member unions. I have no apology to make for that; I am proud that some working people have found it advis- able to identify with a political party as some of industry has identified with any political party other than the New Democratic Party. However, as House Leader of the New Democratic Party, it is my hope to bring a new dimension into the role of Op- position, That dimension can- not, and will not, be limited by incorrect impressions. Trade union problems are trade unions’ problems; indus- try’s problems are industries’ problems. The New Demo- cratic Party’s problems are the New Democratic Party’s problems. But peoples’ prob- lems are politicians’ problems. It is in the area of peoples’ problems that politicians must serve to the best of their abil- WHALEN She’s actin’ kinda funny in th’ turns .. . D’ya s’pose somethin’s loose? 68% OF WORKERS EARN LESS THAN $4,000 Andre Fortin, Creditistes M.P., Lotbiniere, Que., speak- ing in the House of Commons on June 10, 1969. “T asked how many Canad- ians earn less than $3,000 a year, and the government an- swered that 2,440,819 Canad- jians earn less than $3,000 a year. I have already said in this House and I say it again that they make up 47.9 per cent of all wage earners. “I also asked how many people earn between $3,000 and $4,000 a year. Apparently there are 1,034,909 people in Canada making from $3,000 to $4,000 a year. These are heads of families, wage earn- ers who work, who are em- ployed and who make only the Secretary-Treasurer, week to $270 a week. crease last year over the ob ity, and it is in that area that the C.C.F. and the N.D.P. have earned an_ enviable record. ~ The New Democratic Party’s Election Planning Committee has recommended that a committee be struck to reassess the political and so- cial effectiveness of the affilia- tion of the very few trade unions with the New Demo- cratic Party. At the next con- vention, I am told there will ._ be a resolution presented which will eliminate affilia- tions by any group to our political party, but will re- quire that all persons associ- ated in any way with the B.C. FED. SECRETARY * WINS NEW WAGE INCREASE © Once again Federation delegates upped the salary The increase was from $2 The Secretary-Treasurer 5 jections of a mb gates who claimed that the raise was taking of the framework of the working man. from $3,000 to $4,000, which is a wholly inadequate income to meet their needs and live decently. More than 20.3 per cent of the workers fall into this category. “If we consider the number of Canadians who earn less than $4,000 a year, we see the scandal of the present govern- ment that does absolutely nothing to help these people. On the contrary, it keeps on taxing them, ‘crushing’ them further, to use a colloquial term. “I believe it is the right one because none other fits to de- scribe the situation in which the government is placing us. More than 68% of the workers earn less than $4,000 a year. Isn’t this scandalous!” Coa councils of the Party, must be fully paid-up members of the Party. That resolution will make for interesting debate, to say the least. I believe a reassessment is necessary, but unlike any other political party, a house leader — or for that matter — leader of the New Democratic Party, does not determine Policy, but must rely on the democratic process of the membership to decide in what direction the Party will go. This process is laborious, but it is democratic, and that is one of the maj T belong to this Party.” “PY