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Unified and Organized

Dr. John Deutsch was called in to mediate by the Provincial
government.

Finally the settlement terms agreed to by the Union’s
membership included: a two-year contract, with a wage increase
of 20 cents an hour over the period, retroactive to June 15 with
* an additional 10 cents for journeymen tradesmen. The strike won
an additional 10 cents an hour above the recommendation of the
Conciliation Board.

A formula was agreed upon to straighten out difficulties in
the plywood section of the industry called the “Plywood Job
Evaluation Plan.” The basis was laid for improved travel time,
blanket certifications, and improved seniority. Arbitration

procedures were clarified.

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On the Coast, an industry-wide jointly-administered Health

“and Welfare plan was instituted, with costs shared on a 50-50
basis.

1962

The same plan was won by the Interior Locals in 1962.

(During these years, the Interior Locals were gradually
falling behind the Coast on wages. In 1962, for example, the

~ Southern Interior had a base rate of $1.85, the North had $1.79,
while the Coast with a 1962 increase of 8c was at $2.00. This
growing discrepancy became a sore point for the Interior
.membership.)

On the coast in 1962, the first major improvement to the
svacation provision was won when employees with twenty years
or more service won an extra week’s holiday. Coast Locals also
won the write-in of medical coverage in 1962.

1964
, All sections of the industry bargained again in 1964, and the
following wage increases and resulting base rates were
“achieved:
COAST
15c to $2.23 on June 15, 1964
13c to $2.36 on June 15, 1965
* (tradesmen received an additional increase of 30c)
SOUTHERN & NORTHERN INTERIOR
10c to $1.99 on Sept. 1, 1964
» 9c to $2.08 on June 1, 1965
9c to $2.17 on Mar. 1, 1966
‘ 9c to $2.26 on Dec. 1, 1966
(tradesmen received an additional 20c)

Other major gains for 1964 were:
COAST
. Category increases for shingle sawyers and packers, and
+ planermen.
—Pay days every second week.
‘Weekly indemnity raised to $50 for 39 weeks.
—Improvements in Travel Time provision for loggers.
INTERIOR
~10 new category increases
~The beginnings of a job-posting clause.
>-An additional statutory holiday.
~4 weeks vacations for employees with 20 years seniority.
» In 1964, the Coast achieved a two-year agreement expiring
on June 15, 1966, while the Interior Locals had agreed to a
* three-year contract, expiring on September 1, 1967. Thus the
5 contract dates were widely-separated again.
| ; Continued on Page 16

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The Western Canadian Lumber Worker — Special Edition/15