———>> DO) Oe \ iit iN) Incorporating Fhe S.C, Lamberwarker Official Publication of the Jelerwational Woodworkers of pemertea Regional Council No. 1 Vol. XXX, No. 4 VANCOUVER, B.C. 5c PER COPY MS” 2nd Issue February, 1963 STRIKE FUND POLICY SET REGIONAL CONFERENCE DEBATES ISSUE; DECIDES AGAINST HIGHER ASSESSMENT “No increase in the strike fund assessment will be recommended “at this time”. This decision was reached by one hundred and fifty delegates representing the IWA Local Unions in the Western Canadian Region at a conference held in Vancouver, February 16-17. The conference, authorized by a resolution of the 1962 Annual Regional Convention, reached its conclusions after a careful and objective appraisal of strike fund uses and possibilities. The delegates reviewed the statistics of strike fund administration since ifs inception and considered all points of view arising from prior dis- cussion in the Local Unions. The Regional Executive Board was authorized to undertake necessary revision of strike fund regulations and provide for uniform application. PRESIDENT'S REPORT OUR UNION'S CHOICE By JACK MOORE IWA Regional President The Local Union delegates who attended the Regional Conference on strike fund policy and administration faced a difficult choice. They made it competently and. democratically, Whether our Union should increase the strike fund assessment and increase aid to its members in the event of a strike was a question debated in Regional Conventions and Local Unions with increasing interest in recent years. The 1962 convention instructed that the issue be dealt with conclusively at a dele- gated conference February 16-17. As a result, the decision was made that the strike fund assessment be not increased at the present time. This decision was based on a careful review of all the facts and opin- ions that had emerged from the preceding membership discussion. The delegates deserve credit for a well-considered evamination of a knotty problem. It was not an easy decision to make but a decision had to be made. As might be expected, there was not complete unanimity and forceful arguments were heard on both sides of the question. All points of view were deliberated. The spirit of the debate revealed an intense desire to serve the best interests of the membership. The course of action finally deter- mined by majority decision was accepted by a fully representative conference of Local Un- ion delegates. It is now my duty to report upon and summarize the reasoning of the delegates for the information of the Union’s membership. Mainly, two alternative policies confronted the delegates. FIRST ALTERNATIVE Should the conference recommend an increased strike fund assessment for consider- ation of the members in a referendum vote? It was clear that any such decision would require a change in the rules which have hitherto governed strike aid for members during a strike. An increased investment in strike insurance by the members would most cer- tainly lead to the expectation that larger payments would be available to more members in a strike situation. The delegates were therefore required to estimate the extent to which any such assurance could be given to the entire membership of 33,000 in an industry-wide strike within range of existing possibilities. SECOND ALTERNATIVE Should the conference maintain the present strike fund assessment to build up. the fund with limited protection for members on strike? The delegates favoring this proposi- tion frankly recognized that proof of actual need would determine the extent of strike aid in individual cases. STRIKE FUND PURPOSE The discussion on these two major alternatives brought the delegates to consideration. of the true value of a strike fund in the event of an industry-wide strike. This phase of the discussion emphasized some vitally important factors which should be kept in mind by all our Union members. A strike is not won only by the accumulation of a huge strike fund. Of far greater e importance is the determination and solidarity of the membership to win specified demands for better wages and working conditions. A decision to strike must be made with the willingness to make some sacrifices in the immediate situation for the sake of worthwhile gains in the future. Without this fighting .spirit, financial reserves, however great, cannot possibly assure victory. Strike fund benefits can never be a satisfactory sub- stitute for militancy. See “OUR UNION’S CHOICE” — Page 4 The main decisions of the conference were expressed in approval of the following re- commendations submitted by the Regional Executive Board. j—That we do not recom- ment any increase in as- ’ sessment at this time. 2—That in future industry strikes, the Finance Com- mittee and the Regional Ex- ecutive Board implement the following policy: (a) Lengthen the qualifying period. (b) Make provision for a more uniform application of the directive during a strike. 3—That the Regional Execu- tive Board be authorized to approve and apply the pay- ment of strike relief on the basis of a -reduced waiting period for strikes that are de- termined to be spot strikes. A further resolution out- lined the basis of continuing | discussions of the subject in the Local Unions. It read as follows: WHEREAS: The complex problem of administering the income and expenditures of a Strike Fund in the Regional Council requires the com- plete co-operation and sup- Pee Ded IWA REGIONAL STRIKE FUND CONFERENCE. One hundred and fifty delegates representing the IWA Local Unions in the Western Canadian Region decided during the two-day session February 16-17, that there would be no increase recommended in the strike fund assessment at this time. port of the Regional Council and the Local Unions, and WHEREAS: It is desirable to build a Strike Fund suffi- cient to pay all members on strike a reasonable amount of strike pay, and WHEREAS: Until this ob- jective is reached, it shall be necessary to pay strike relief on the basis of need, and WHEREAS: Complete suc- cess can only be achieved when the membership under- stand the problems involved, now THEREFORE BE IT RE- SOLVED: That the Regional Officers use every medium at their disposal to acquaint the membership with the prob- lems and policy of the organ- ization, and BE IT FURTHER RE- SOLVED: That the Local Union Officers and Business Agents make every effort to inform the membership of the Roky of the Regional Coun- cil. Submitted by: THE REGIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD. A statement, giving the main reasons for the major- ity decisions of the corifer- ence appears elsewhere in this issue of the Western Canadian Lumber Worker.