“new things that must be
brought to the bargaining
table, it is worthwhile now
and again to review what ac-
complishments have been
won.

SUMMARY

Here is the year-by-year
history and summary of IWA
gains in the forest products
industry of British Colum-
bia’s coast area, from 1937 to
1965:

1937: The IWA was found-
ed in the United States with
headquarters at Tacoma,
Washington. The B.C. Dis-
trict Council was chartered
shortly after.

1938: Local 1-217 was
chartered and Red Band
Shingle was the first opera-
tion organized. The Local
Union’s jurisdiction covered
Vancouver and New West-
minster. (Local 1-357 was
formed in 1943.) In the late
thirties the first agreement
was negotiated at Lake Log-
ging Co. (Western Forest In-
dustry). In all probability
the reason for the Union’s
success was due to the lum-
ber being shipped to Aus-
tralia. Management feared
the longshoremen would re-
fuse to handle it, thus an
agreement was signed.

Q@.C. ISLANDS

1941: The Union concen-
trated its major power on the
Queen Charlotte Island log-
ging operations. The reason
for this centred around the
fact that the RCAF were
using mosquito bombers
which were made primarily
of spruce. The Union realized
that with the war on, spruce
was needed, and thus was
able to gain a foot-hold.

1942: After a short strike
in the Queen Charlotte
Islands, the first major nego-
tiations developed. The IWA
represented close to 1,000
members. Management, con-
sisting of six companies,
joined together and asked R.
V. Stuart, manager of the
B.C. Loggers Association, to
represent them. Thus the first
Master Agreement was signed
and the IWA Negotiating
Committee came into being.
Shortly after, Management
established Stuart Research
with R. V. Stuart in charge.

TWO AGREEMENTS

1943: Negotiations for

coastal operations were con-
cluded on December 1, 1943,
and two Master Agreements

PROGRESS

drawn up; one for the sawmill
and one for logging.

1944: Negotiations opened
on November 20, 1944 for a
new Collective Agreement.
However, settlement was not
reached until the following
March. By this time Stuart
Research represented about
25 companies and the IWA
4,000 members.

1945: A settlement was
reached by direct negotiations
on March 5, 1945. Sloan was
named contract arbitrator.

Wages were not an issue as:

they were subject to regula-
tion by the Regional War La-
bour Board. One of the gains
was a 5 cent night shift dif-
ferential and improvements in
cookhouse health require-
ments.

CCL POLICY

1946: Negotiations com-
menced March 21, 1946. This
year the Union based its de-
mands on the CCL national
policy, which called for 25
cents an hour wage increase
and a 40-hour week. A strike
vote was taken in February
of that year, prior to negotia-
tions getting under way. The
Union struck on May 14,
1946. This was the first gen-
eral strike in the Forest In-
dustry since 1934, and the
first openly conducted by the
Union. Chief Justice Sloan
was appointed to act as medi-
ator, and a settlement of 15
cents an hour, the voluntary
revokable check-off, and a
44-hour week for the manu-
facturing operations insti-
tuted, a 48-hour in the sum-

mer and a 40-hour in the win-
ter for the loggers. The strike

ended on June 20th.

STUART RESEARCH

There were 147 companies
by this time represented by
Stuart Research, and approxi-
mately 12,000 Union mem-
bers. The Interior struck

- shortly after. They had a dif-

ferent agreement and negotia-
tions were conducted with the
Interior Lumbermen’s Asso-
ciation. They settled towards
the end of the summer and
August 31 became their ex-
piration date.

1947: The ICA Act was
introduced into the legisla-
ture. The Union took a strike

vote and Bill Fraser was ap-_

pointed Conciliation Officer.
Terms of settlement was 12%
cents across-the-board and
the 40-hour week was con-

firmed. An additional week’s
vacation after five years.

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

1948: William Fraser was
appointed Conciliation Officer
but failed to arrange an agree-
ment, and the Industry’s first
Conciliation Board was estab-
lished. The Board made a
unanimous recommendation
calling for 13 cents an hour
or 11 percent, whichever was’
the greater. A new anniver-
sary date of June 15th was
established. Night shift differ-

ential was increased to six

‘cents.

KOREAN WAR

1949: The Union adopted a
policy of “No Contract, No
Work.” However, they were
only successful in establish-
ing a board and lodging
clause to cover loggers and
also writing in the base rate.

1950: The Union had two
demands. The case went to
Conciliation Board. The
Board brought down a unani-
mous award. Total of 22,568
employees voted and decided
with 16,033 votes for, and 6,-
127 votes against, to go on
strike. There were by this
time 198 operations covered
by Stuart Research. Settle-
ment was reached on June
14th in compliance with the
Union’s policy of “No Con-
tract, No Work.” Gains won
were a 12% cents across-the-
board increase, maintenance
of membership and the estab-
lishment of the 40-hour week
for all employees. (Up until
this time there was an op-
tional 44-hour clause). Pro-
duction workers won time
and a half for all Saturday
and Sunday work regardless.
Three shift operations estab-
lished the principle of 24
hours production for 24 hours
pay.

1951: Negotiations started

early this year and a settle-_

ment was reached by Febru-
ary 15, 1951. This action came
about because of the Korean
war and a danger of govern-
ment controls. Settlement was
9 cents to 18 cents across-the-
board. Cost of living bonus
of 1 cent for every 1.3 rise in
the cost of living. Vacation
pay increased to 2% percent
up to five years and 5 percent
for over five years. Time and
a half for all Sunday work for
engineers, firemen and main-
tenance men.

41 DEMANDS

1952: The Union submitted
41 demands, and when a set-
tlement failed to materialize
the “No Contract, No Work”
policy was invoked despite
the fact that a strike vote was

not taken. On July 15 Chief
Justice Sloan was called in
and an agreement was
reached on July 29. The Un-
ion gained a 5% cent increase
(which actually came to 3%
cents because the cost of liv-
ing dropped at that time) , and
three paid statutory holidays
(Christmas Day, Thanksgiv-
ing Day and Labour Day).

1953: The Conciliation
Board recommended a 5 cents
across-the-board increase,
plus incorporation of the 9
cents cost of living bonus.
Seniority lists were to be sup-
plied and rates for Engineers
were standardized and in-
creased.

1954: No wage increase was
requested and R. G. Clements
helped negotiate a settlement.
Gains were a compulsory
check-off for new employees,
transfer of MSA coverage
from plant to plant, three paid
statutory holidays (Victoria
Day, Armistice Day and Good
Friday). Seniority retention
and Fallers and Buckers basic
minimum rate.

PLYWOOD STUDY

1955: This was the first of
the two-year agreements. The
Conciliation Board recom-
mended 5 cents across-the-
board, with a further 5 cents
for 1956. Fare allowance, tra-
vel time, stand-by time for
sawyers and packers, ply-
wood evaluation study, two
paid statutory holidays (Do-
minion Day and New Year’s
Day), and rate revisions
which were finalized in 1956
as follows: Boomman, 7%
cents; Engineers, 3 to 10 cents;
Graders and Tallymen, 3 to
15 cents; Logging Engineers,
7% cents.

BENNETT ACTS

1957: Premier Bennett en-
tered negotiations on the eve
of a contemplated strike. The
Union had won a 92 per cent
vote and when the settlement
was finally reached the gains
included a Union shop, stand-
by time for Groovers and
Packers, accumulated time
for probationary purposes,
vacations 4 per cent up to
five years, 6% per cent over
five years, swing shift vote,
rest periods and 4-hour call
time for loggers.

1958: A strike vote was
conducted in 185 operations
with 12,045 voting yes and
6,419 voting no. On August 1
Chief Justice Sloan entered
the dispute and an agreement
was reached on August 14

which called for medical plans
on plant basis, departmental
seniority lists, seniority reten-
tion, job posting, paid statu-
tory holiday qualifications ex-
tension to 60 days, and time
and a half for Tow Boatmen
and Watchmen working on
Sundays.

70-DAY STRIKE

1959-60: After a 70-day
strike, the second two-year
agreement was instituted. A
strike was called on July 6
after the Union won a 73 per
cent strike vote. Professor
John Deutsch negotiated a
settlement, which was accept-
ed on September 12. This
called for a 10 cent increase
for 1959 and an additional 10
cents for 1960, plus a 10 cent
increase to all Tradesmen.
Job evaluation was instituted.

1961: E. P, Fisher, Concilia-
tion Officer, executed a settle-
ment on June Ist which in-
cluded health and welfare on
a 50-50 basis, a wage increase
for powerhouse employees
and one statutory holiday
with pay (Boxing Day).

28 CENTS

1962: The third two-year
agreement was _ negotiated
with acceptance of Dr. Dean
Perry’s recommendations,

calling for an 8 cent increase

for 1962 and an additional 8
cents in 1963. An additional
week’s vacation for 20 years’
service employees, with an
additional 2 per cent in pay.

1964: The fourth two-year
agreement was signed, pro-
viding for 15 cents increase
in 1964 and 13 cents in 1965,
an additional 15 cents for all
Tradesmen, pay day every
two weeks, an increase of
Health and Welfare up to $50
for 39 weeks. Increases for
shingle sawyers and packers
and a proviso that all vaca-
tions earned must be taken.

There were 135 companies

covered by FIR and 25,000
employees by the IWA.

IWA