FISHER HOLDS
DISPUTE TALKS

By STAFF REPORTER

The appointment of Mr. E. P. Fisher as Conciliation officer
in the dispute between the IWA and the coast lumber oper-
ators has resulted in a thorough airing of the issues involved.
The ten members of the IWA Negotiating Committee continue
to make themselves available for discussions, which are sched-
uled on order of the Conciliation officer. On some occasions,
the IWA negotiators meet Mr. Fisher alone, and on other
occasions they meet jointly with the employers’ representa-
tives while the Conciliator promotes an exchange of views.

THE WESTERN CANADIA

Incorporating Jhe @.@. Lumbermorher Official Publication of the Jateruatlonal Woodworkers of AFmertca Regional Council No. 1

=
Union

Asks
Probe

ist Issue
April, 1964

Vol. XXXI, No. 7 VANCOUVER, B.C. 5c PER COPY

SIGNING THE MILLWRIGHTS’ Apprenticeship Training
Program negotiated between the IWA and the Northern In-
terior Lumbermen’s Association are Terry Watt, Management
Research (left), and Jack Holst, IWA Regional 2nd Vice-
President (right). John Melville (centre), Director of Ap-
prenticeship, attended the signing ceremony. The new agree-
ment provides for the additional payment of 21 cents an hour

over the present rate for certified Millwrights in Local
1-424, IWA.

Northern Interior Signs
Apprentice Program

A Millwright’s Apprenticeship Training Program agree-
ment, applicable under the IWA master agreement in the
Northern Interior of B.C., has been signed by the IWA and
the Northern Interior Lumbermen’s Association. The terms
of the agreement were negotiated by Regional 2nd Vice-
President Jack Holst and Financial Secretary Ron Tweedie,
Local 1-424, as a committee appointed by the Regional Execu-
tive Board. Membership approval was decisively recorded

in a referendum ballot. x: 5
The negotiations completed the Pel pecnent ne ice

an undertaking, accepted by
the employers in the Northern
Interior agreement, to provide
a training program for agreed-
upon classifications in con-
junction with the B Ap-
prenticeship Branch of the
Department of Labour.

Outstanding features of the
program are:

All those presently employ-
ed as Millwrights, Millwright-
helpers and Millwright - im-
provers are given an oppor-

cents an hour over the present
rate for certified Millwrights.

Fares, full loss-time pay
and school expenses are to
be provided and are to be paid
as part of the cost of the pro-
gram. The employers will pay
the difference between the
government subsidy and the
regular rates for the classifi-
cation of the trainees.

The wage rate for Helpers
in the first term will be that
now specified in the wage

The IWA Regional Council
has requested Premier Man-
ning of Alberta to appoint a
Commission of Inquiry to in-
vestigate and report upon the
deplorable conditions prevail-
ing in the lumber industry of
that province. It was stated
in the Union’s submission that
the existing machinery of con-
ciliation and mediation had
failed to redress legitimate
grievances. Three strike situa-
tions, it was claimed, have
exposed the need for a full
and impartial probe.

Public attention was direct-
ed to the situation by display
advertisements in three lead-
ing dailies and a number of
weeklies. The advertisement
appearing in Southern Al-
berta is reproduced in this
issue of the WESTERN CANA-
DIAN LUMBER WorKER. IWA
President Jack Moore, in
three radio broadcasts this
week, denounced the attempt
to establish low wage opera-
tions as “runaway industry”
from the higher wage area of
British Columbia.

It is expected that the Al-
berta situation will be under
discussion at the IWA Cana-
dian Conference, prior to the
convention of the Canadian
Labour Congress. Efforts will
be made to enlist the active
support of the Alberta Fed-
eration of Labour and the
Congress.

In a news release to Alberta ©

newspapers, President Moore
said:

“All efforts to secure medi-
ation in the existing strike
Situations have been rebuffed
by the employers.

“An increasing number of
Alberta lumber operations are

No definite formula for a settlement has emerged.

A vague promise of a wage
increase, made earlier by the
employers, has not been given
a dollar value. Regional Presi-
dent Jack Moore, reporting
via radio to the membership
this week, stated that every
one of the membership’s de-
mands remain in_ dispute.
There has been no indication
that the employers have re-
lented in their opposition to
every demand, and their de-
sire to introduce revised pro-
visions in the contract is re-
garded by the Union as high-
ly objectionable.

It is conjectured that, owing
to the complexity of the is-
sues, some extension of time
will be necessary for this
stage of conciliation. No one
of the Union’s negotiators is
able to predict whether the
Conciliation Officer will re-
commend any specific terms
of settlement, the appointment
of a Conciliation Board or
merely that no Board be
appointed.

The Union has’ presented
the evidence and argument in
support of its demands. It
must now engage in the usual
skirmishes of bargaining in
good faith to determine
whether avenues leading to
a mutually satisfactory settle-
ment may open up.

The “cooling off period,”
which theoretically compul-
sory conciliation is expected

Listen

to provide, has been anything
but cool. As each day goes
by, the.Local Unions report
that support for the demands
is gathering momentum. This
has been clearly evident at
membership meetings, job
meetings, and job steward
rallies. The Union’s radio net-
work and bulletin service has
established close communica-
tion between the members
and their negotiators. A re-
markable unanimity has been
seen on all sides by Local
Union officials. Recent press
reports indicating that the in-
dustry’s profits are climbing
still higher have virtually
silenced propagandists who
once claimed that the Union
was asking too much.

Correction

This publication wishes to
correct an error which ap-
peared in a news report in the
last issue regarding the dis-
pute between the IWA and
the Fort Plywood and Lum-
ber Co. Ltd., Fort Macleod.

This report should have
stated that the company re-
jected the majority award of
the Conciliation Board,
whereas it had been accepted
by the employees. The com-
pany’s rejection made a strike
vote necessary.

to the

IWA Radio Broadcasts

on Negotiations

tunity to enter the plan.

dba ALLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL

Negotiating Spokesman Takes Issue With Employers

By JACK MOORE, IWA Regional President

KNESS must feature our Union’s dis-
cussions of the issues in current negotia-
tions. Our Negotiating Committee has been
frank with the membership from the start.
That is the reason why the Committee has
kept in close communication with our mem-
bers through the
weekly radio morn-
ing broadcasts, the
regular bulletin ser-
vice and this publi-
cation. Every mem-
ber has the oppor-
tunity to know as
much about devel-
opments as any of-
ficial.

We must be
frank about the
present conciliation
J proceedings. No

WHAT'S
JINSIDE

See “PROGRAM”—Page 2

See “PROBE”—Page 2

real progress has yet been made. Neverthe-
less, We must continue to bargain in good
faith whatever may be the attitude of the
employers.

When faced with conciliation, the em-
ployers made an indefinite promise of a wage
increase, They have so far failed to put any
dollar value on this promise. They continue
to oppose every single one of the demands
presented on behalf of the Union’s member-

ship. We are rapidly moving into a tense
situation.

Our frankness, one with the other, has
paid off in terms of growing support for our
demands. As our members and the general
public more clearly understand the issues,
the weaknesses of the employers’ position
becomes more clearly apparent. As each
IWA member takes his or her place on our
negotiating team, the illogical arguments of
the operators weaken in force. Our case has
a logic that appeals.

— See Times: Page 6

LLL LLL he

The employers have criticized our open
discussion of the issues. We can only assume

that they wish to shroud negotiations in
secrecy that they may have the opportunity
at the right moment to influence the thinking
of their employees.

We will not be muzzled by any such
strange code of ethics. These are not the
ethics of a democratic union. They know full
well that we must rely on an informed and
alert membership. Because of their excep-
tional profits, they dread the mounting public
opinion which demands that such profits be
shared with the community. Their privileged
position in the exploitation of the public forest
resources can only be maintained as they
are able to woo political support. Let’s keep
right on being frank with everybody about
our demands for we never had a better case.

See “TAKES ISSUE” — Page 4