THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

marital, mental or financial
problems.

The IWA further recognizes
that with proper counselling
and treatment most of these
troubled employees can be
helped to solve their problems.
' The IWA further recognizes,
that such assistance is morally
right, socially beneficial and
economically productive to all
parties, labour, management
and the community at large.

PROGRAMME

1. IWA Region No. 1 en-
dorses and supports a compre-
hensive joint’ union-industry
programme of assistance to
troubled employees. s
2. The Troubled Employees

programme should be funded
by industry on a cents-per-hour
basis.

3. The fund shall be jointly
trusteed and administered by
the union and the industry.

4. The fund will be used to hire
and pay for counsellors,
support staff, services and
facilities required to provide
the necessary assistance to
troubled employees.

5. Counsellors shall act inde-
pendently of and divorced from
the union and the industry in
order to guarantee absolute
confidentiality.

6. Employees shall be guaran-
teed job security and Health / -
Welfare coverage while under-
going rehabilitation.

WOMEN ASKED
TO BACK BLISS CASE

On September 29, 1977, the
Federal Court of Appeal grant-
ed leave for the STELLA
BLISS CASE to be appealed to
the Supreme Court of Canada.
Vancouver Community Legal
Assistance Society (VCLAS)
will take the case to Ottawa.

Upon winning leave to ap-
peal, VCLAS and Vancouver
Status of Women launched the
STELLA BLISS APPEAL
FUND. Vancouver Status of
Women and VCLAS hope to
raise $3,000 to cover the trip to
Ottawa, and the filing fees.
They are looking to women, to
unions and to community
groups for support.

The outcome of this issue is
of vital importance to the
organized labour movement
because it will effect all preg-
nant workers in this country.
Accordingly, Vancouver Status
of Women and the Vancouver
Community Legal Assistance
Society are appealing to the
B.C. Federation of Labour for
support.

The Bliss case concerns the

‘right of pregnant women to re-
ceive regular Unemployment
Insurance Benefits during
their childbirth period. Section

46 of the Federal UIC Act ex-
cludes pregnant women from
regular benefits for a period of
eight weeks before and six

child.
The BCLAS lawyers will
argue in the Supreme Court

that Section 46 of the UIC Act

contravenes the Canadian Bill
of Rights by condoning, dis-
crimination on the basis of sex.
Pregnant women must have
the right to choose between
regular or maternity benefits.

Female labour in Canada
contributes between 35% - 40%
of the total available labour
force. The UIC Act should
accord pregnant women the
same rights as other members
of the labour force. It must not
continue to discriminate
against women who choose. to
exercise their child-bearing
potential.

Contribute to the STELLA
BLISS APPEAL FUND. Make
a cheque payable to the Van-
couver Community Legal
Assistance Society, Stella Bliss
Fund. Mail it to Vancouver
Status of Women 2029 West 4th
Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.
Donations are tax-deductible.

CHRETIEN TO BLOCK
HIGH WAGE DEMANDS

Finance minister Jean
Chretien has introduced legis-
lation to bring about the formal
- end of controls by Dec. 31. But
the amendments also disallow
‘“‘ATB clauses” that would per-
mit unionists to recoup losses
suffered under the anti-in-
flation program.

The amendment does not ex-
tend the actual period of
controls beyond Dec. 31 but,
through the use of the AIB
clause, effectively controls
wages after the program offi-

cially expires.

A finance department re-
lease announcing introduction
of the amendments says AIB
clauses “‘are counter to the ob-
jectives of the anti-inflation
program.”

The amendment, however,
does not say anything about 9.1
percent inflation being

“counter to the objectives of
the anti-inflation program.”

NOTHING TO
BRAG ABOUT

While the mining industry in
B.C. brags that it is the Num-
ber 2 industry in the province it
has little to boast about on its
employment record.

According to a report pre-
pared by the Centre for Re-
source Studies at Queen’s Uni-
versity, the mining industry is
second only to the fishing in-
dustry in terms of instability of
employment.

The report states that more
effective planning of man-
power needs is necessary. It
also suggests that substantial
problems appear to exist in the
management of employees.

weeks after the birth of the he

FEBRUARY, 1978

THE FOLLOWING PICTURES WERE LOANED TO THE LUM-
BER WORKER BY JOE FOWLER, PRESIDENT OF LOCAL 1-367,
IWA, HANEY, AND SHOW THE LOGGING METHODS USED IN
1947 IN THE PRINCE GEORGE AREA.

hi
Ce gra

4

WORKERS DON’T GAIN

Workers who submit money-saving suggestions to companies with established _
suggestion plans often get to pocket a few dollars courtesy of the company, but on average
they receive only about 17 per cent of the overall savings generated by their ideas, ac-
cording to the New York-based National Association of Suggestion Systems.

c The Association says the average annual return to companies is $6.11 for every $1
invested in a suggestion system through awards, administratiin and implimentation

expenses. Since the average idea has a five-year cost-savings life, a total of more than $30
is returned to the corporation for every $1 spent on the plan. gq