i Ist Issue June, 1961 WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER PRESIDENT’S COLUMN BY JOE MORRIS) Mayority Rule N OUR Union we may properly take pride in the fact that |. members have freedom of thought and expression. Any im-|, patience with the exercise of this right should not allow us to discount the value of this freedom. If men and women think and speak freely about their affairs, differences of opinion are bound to arise. An old saying aptly applies, ‘ ‘where all men think alike, no one thinks at all.” Our problem is to cultivate this freedom, without creating chaos, and to translate the vitality of free ex- pression into unified action for the common good. No organization such as ours can make progress unless it determines the principles on which it intends to . act. When we ac- i cept basic prin- 'ciples for the collective con- duct, we are bet- ter prepared to master the tech- enable us to gain Ti by the vitality ark in freedom of discussion. We can then move ahead with a sense of direction. Our present economic as well as political problems require that we give some thought to princi- ples which we have tested and found satisfactory. Membership Welfare The acceptance of a very elementary principle has been made obvious. The strength of our organization lies in its resolve to serve the economic and social welfare of its members—not just for one year, but in the foresee- able future. Welfare is a broad term that includes every factor that deter- mines the material basis for secure and happy living. Welfare cannot always be measured in dollars and cents. The member’s income is of prime importance. At the same time the Union has impor- tant functions to perform in safe- guarding his safety, his health, his job security, educational opportunities for himself and his family, as well as his proper status in industry and the community. In order to arrive at decisions for action to expand membership wel- fare, we rely on “majority rule”. The procedures, laid down in our Union’s Constitution, enable us to outline the course of action which most closely approximates the general membership desire. In Union as in public affairs we accept government by con- sent of the majority as the only alter- native to dictatorship. Majority Rule Our observance of this principle of majority rule has been challenged by the Provincial Government. In cer- tain respects, Bill 42 nullifies the prin- ciple by stating that the majority may not carry out a decision because of minority opposition. If any such rule were applied to all our affairs, no ‘action of any kind could be taken, which happened to be opposed by even a small minority. We cannot safely abandon the checks and balances we have already provided to accomplish majority rule with justice and fairness. An important feature of trade union democracy is the manner in which the niques which will | . members delegate responsibility. The membership elects various bodies, such as committees, and Executive Boards at all levels. They also elect officers to perform specific duties. In all instances, the members who have been delegated responsibility must act within the broad outlines of the policy declared by the membership. They are held accountable to the membership in various ways through frequent reports, and in succeeding elections. Executive Initiative Within the range of declared policy they must show initiative and act promptly to protect the interests of the members as circumstances re- quire, reporting fully on their actions and seeking majority approval. There are occasions when the officers must act on the most reliable advice avail- able regarding majority opinion, and await formal approval. It may be said without fear of con- tradiction that in the IWA the major- ity will has prevailed on all important phases of administration and policy. At the same time minority opinion has had full expression. Officers of the Union must act with steadfast loyalty to majority d cisions. They must not allow them- selves to be swayed from this course y any minority, however insistent. It follows that their loyalty to major- ity will, should not be attacked as un- worthy of the Union. Officers of the Union are expected to have the strength of character to make decisions, when decisions are required, provided that all such de- cisions are submitted to the members for ratification. It was never the in- tention of the Union that its officers should be placed in straitjackets, en- tirely without opportunity to display initiative for the protection of the Union’s membership. At all times the membership has the right to pass judgment on the manner in which the initiative has been exercised. inority Views Every minority has the right to claim that its point of view is the right point of view. The membership has the right to hear all points of view. When the issues have been fully aired, and the majority will expressed, it becomes our responsibility to give loyal support to a majority decision. The Union cannot function suc- cessfully if it tries to accommodate itself to several contradictory policies at the same time. In any given set of circumstances, the choice must be made from among the alternatives that appear. In order to make any progress, the guiding principle for our collective action demands the subordination of personal views to the expressed majority will. 100 Computers In Use Nearly 100 electronic computers were in operation in Canada at the beginning of 1960, according to a Department of Labour report. The report entitled “The Current Status of Electronic Data Pro- cessing (EDP) in Canada’ contains information collected in a survey covering business firms, universities, and government agencies. NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS of the Youbou Ladies Sub-Auxiliary of Local 1-80, IWA, from haga Margaret Dean, Financial Secretary; Helen nia Nee v amont, Recording Rayner, Ist Vice-President; Lucille Vermeire, Trustee; Florence va ofl for the docks at Churchill, in Hudson B HERE IS A SAFE CREW: WORKING. Members of Local 1-357, IWA, employed at the Canada Creosote Plant in New ee working on heavy timbers Local 1-217 of F. W. Fearman, Manager of Pine Division was announced. gruntled” with company policy. The company’s original order would have required the graveyard shift employees to report at 11:30 p.m., one hour and a half before the =taee actually started, and overlap- ping with the afternoon shift. The hours for the graveyard shift had been from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m., and are now once more in effect. In a statement dealing with the situation, the Local Union’s officers claim a major victory over persis- tent attempts by the company to dis- rupt satisfactory labour-management relations, and overturn’ established conditions. A large measure of credit is given to’ the Plant Committee and Acts To Protect Work Hours Action by Local I-217 TWA, Vancouver, recently accomplished the reversal of a decision made by MacMillan, Bloedel, and Powell River Ltd. to compel employees starting a graveyard shift in the Canadian White Pine plant to work 1% hours longer than had been customary for the past ten years. As crew members returned to work on the graveyard shift with full restoration of established hours of work, the resignation the company’s Canadian White He described himself as “dis- Local 1-424 Seminar Succeeds A highly successful one-day Shop Stewards’ Conference deal- ing with restrictive labour legis- lation was held by Local 1-424, IWA, June 11, in the IWA Hall Prince George. The Conference was chaired by Jack Holst, President of Local 1-424, and the guest speaker was Grant MacNeil, Public Relations Director for the Regional Council. The well attended gathering heard Grant MacNeil give an interesting outline of the history of the trade unions during the morning session. During the afternoon session he gave a comprehensive break down and analysis of the Labour Bills 42 and 43 His remarks on these restrictive labour Bills brought home to those attending. that unions must take a more active part in obtaining legisla- tion more equitable to labour’s views. The Conference closed with the group unanimously in favour of hold- ing further meetings of this type in the near future. the united support of Canadian White Pine IWA members. The delay in starting the grave- yard shift, due to the Local Union’s protest, resulted in a lay-off for a few employees, but steps are being taken to remedy this. The British housewife soon will be able to buy colored coal to match her living room curtains. National Coal Board technicians have perfected a process to dye shaped lumps of coal in gold, sil- ver, red, purple and green. Clash Seen In Markets The Teamsters’ General Truck Drivers Local 938 has been certified by the Labor Relations Board to rep- resent about 50 employees of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Ltd. in Belleville, eastern Ontario. The Teamsters do hold contracts with some wholesale grocery firms in. the province but the A & P cer- tification represents the first in a re- tail grocery chain. .The certificate -| covers all employees of the Belleville store except for supervisory person- nel, part-time help and students hired for vacation periods. Most union organizational headway in the supermarket field to date has been registered by the Retail, Whole- sale and Department Store Union in Dominion Stores Ltd. 2248-50 East Hastings St. Logger Boots + Safety Boots SHOE MANUFACTURING CO. (B.C) LTD. Vancouver, B.C. UNION MADE