RR THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER MAJOR WAGE GAINS WON BY LOCAL 1-207 Local 1-207 IWA has nego- tiated a major wage increase for its 200 members employed at the North Canadian Forest Industries plant at Grande Prairie, Alberta. The new two-year agree- ment will boost the base rate 47 cents an hour from the present $1.79 to $2.26 an hour. The increases will come in three stages with an imme- diate 23 cents now, 12 cents February 13, 1969, and a fur- ther 12 cents August 13, 1969. In addition, an extra 10 cents an hour was won for tradesmen and the night shift differential was raised from three cents to 10 cents per hour. Other fringe benefits gained included rate and one half for Sunday work by regular em- ployees, three weeks’ vacation after 10 years at 6 per cent, and a proper seniority and holidays’ clause. One of the most significant items negotiated was a ply- wood evaluation program to be implemented at the plant not later than February 13, 1970. Arne Christensen, financial secretary of Local 1-207, re- ports that the new agreement is the best contract negotiated in Alberta and will be a strong pace setter for other unions in the province. Conducting negotiations for the Union were Arne Christ- ensen, Ronald Stenvall, busi- ness agent; Local president, Anthony Deutsch, and plant committee members Keith Finnen, Jean Balisky. LOCAL 1-118 BANQUET DRAWS LARGE TURNOUT A large turnout attended the Annual Shop Stewards and Committeemen’s banquet and dance sponsored by Local 1-118 February 17, at the PULP UNION RECOMMENDS ANNUAL WAGE A guaranteed annual wage was given high priority in recommendations submitted by the joint staffs of the United Papermakers and Paperworkers and the Inter- national Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers to .their B.C. locals. The recommendations are in preparation for forthcom- ing negotiations with the B.C. Pulp and Paper industry and are being used by Local Un- ions in formulating their agenda. Overall demands will be determined by dele- gates from the local unions, parties to the present labor agreements, at a wage con- ference scheduled for May 13 in Vancouver, B.C. The pres- ent B.C. agreements expire June 30, 1968. The guaranteed annual wage will eliminate the con- cept and practice of paying “by the hour,” which involves punching in and _ punching out, and the attendant costly administrative processes. It would protect the employee from loss of pay due to cir- cumstances beyond his con- trol — sickness, accident, lay- off, etc. Adoption of the pro- posal would, the union be- lieves, benefit the industry, not only economically, but also by accepting the principle that the employee is a mature and responsible person. Variations of the guaran- teed annual wage have been successfully adopted in other industries in both Canada and the U.S. Union Centre, Victoria, to honour the work done by these key members. Also in attendance were a number of guests including In- ternational president Ron Ro- ley who spoke on the need for greater organization among the unorganized woodwork- ers. In outlining some of the programs envisioned by the International, Roley stated that the organization of the unorganized should be given top priority because of the moral issue involved. This was to give all workers the rights and privileges provided by union contracts. He went on to say that the program outlined in president Murray Drew’s address to the last Regional Convention, as host Local Union, was a fine illustration. Drew in his address to the Convention last September stated that the Union’s first consideration should be given to developing a programme which would provide all woodworkers throughout North America with the same wages and working conditions. Roley said the International also believed in this view and had high hopes that its present programme would go a long way to achieving this objec- tive. i ; Following the splendid ban- quet and speeches, the mem- bers, their wives and friends enjoyed a gala evening of dancing. LIGHTER SIDE Two cannibals were having lunch, “You know, I just can’t stand my father-in-law,” said the first cannibal. “Forget about him,” said cannibal No. 2, “and concen- trate on your vegetables.” N.W. LABOUR COUNCIL HOLDS SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL | Sixty-five “students” from affiliated local unions of the New Westminster and District Labour Council attended the first week-end school, which was held at the Mary Jane Shannon Secondary School in Whalley, B.C., February 17- 18, 1968. Dan Radford of the Cana- dian Labour Congress was the instructor for the Shop Stew- ard course. Wally Ross, NDP Provincial Secretary, led the course on Political Education, and Bill Gauld was course leader on the Labour Rela- tions Act. Keith Harvey, Chairman of the Council’s Education Committee, and Harold Hoskin, Chairman of the Political Education Com- mittee, were in charge of the arrangements. “Judging by the enthusias- tic response of the delegates, and their classroom participa- tion, it is evident that labour people are anxious and will- ing to sacrifice a week-end to learn and gain knowledge on union matters,” observed Wy- man Trineer, Labour Council President. HEAD TABLE GUESTS at the Annual Shop Stewards and Committeemen’s banquet | | STUDENTS from the affiliated unions who attended the week-end conference February 17-18. IN CHARGE of conference sponsored by New Westminster and District Labour Council were Ray Mercer, Bill Gauld, Dan Radford, Wally Ross, Keith Harvey, Harold Hoskin, Wyman Trineer. and dance of Local 1-118 IWA Victoria. SHOP STEWARDS, Committee members and their wives and friends enjoy a splendid banquet and the dancing as shown below. The affair is sponsored by the Local Union in recognition of the fine work done by these committee members throughout the year for the Union. a.