AUIS Unions | Merge _ Two Graphic Arts unions : approved a merger proposal in referendum © yotes of their members. The * two unions are the AFL- C1O Photo Engravers and the Amalgamated Litho- _graphers of America. a ‘4 A merger convention to adopt a constitution for the new Lithographers & Photo- engravers International Un- * =| ion is planned for May in = Minneapolis. ‘igi The merger has been en- dorsed by the AFL-CIO Executive Council. Under the proposed plan the new organization, with about 60,- 000 members, will be an " AFL-CIO affiliate. The Lith- ographers for several years ATCT UR UU HL MU RG ‘& have been unaffiliated both in Canada and the U.S. i ? NAAN ARANETA = 4 CLC Presents _ Brief on Gill The Canadian Labor Con- + gress has presented a detailed analysis of the Gill commit- tee of inquiry proposals for overhauling unemployment insurance in a prepared brief * to Labor Minister MacKachen. The 15-page brief goes over ¢ the 45 major récommenda- tions in the Gill report. THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 “Union Strength Won Victories” The Union’s insistence upon contract recognition of seniority rules has curbed the abuses known when the employer had complete freedom to lay workers off ac- cording to his whims, convenience or racial and religious bias. Seniority rules have enormously reduced the num- ber of grievances and. have provided a better yardstick for job possession than the judgment of the employer. Seniority enables the long-service worker to remain on the job while rendering satisfactory service. The Union has claimed that this is as it should be as the older workers usually have family responsibilities and find it more difficult to get new jobs. Recognition of seniority in promotion enables workers to regard them- selves as eligible for higher positions. Seniority removes one of the levers most commonly used to urge a reckless speed-up. Seniority rules are constantly undergoing revision to meet conflicting interests. Significantly, they are also under constant attack by the employers in the name of efficiency, especially during unemployment periods. Both to the workers and society, security is of greater im- portance than efficiency, the Union has contended. IWA bargaining has, in many important respects, bridged the gap between privileges enjoyed by salaried executive staff and hourly-rated manual workers. Orig- inally, official or statutory holidays were rarely even observed. When observed, salaried personnel enjoyed such holidays without loss of pay but hourly-rated workers gained nothing but the compulsory loss of the day's wages. IWA agreements now provide for the pay- ment of wages for unworked statutory holidays, with a high penalty rate for any work performed on these THE MOST EXCITING THINGS HAPPEN TO PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL WHY NOT YOU? a The whole world’s on the move. Everyone’s travelling, meeting interesting people, seeing strange and exciting things . . . Life may be passing you by. What can you do about it? This: Fill in the coupon below and start getting the right information and guidance. That's the first step. And when the time comes and you hear that whistle blowing, remember that GIRARDI LOOKS AFTER EVERY- THING . . . passports, visas documents, the whole shebang. THE WORLD IS NOW EVERY MAN’S OYSTER, SO WHY NOT YOURS? ‘7 GIRARDI's TRAVEL BUREAU 123 East Hastings Street Vancouver 4, B.C. MU. 2-2838 GIRARDI'S TRAVEL PLAN 123 EAST HASTINGS ST. VANCOUVER 4, B.C. 1. 2M) 1 RARER Nae tre Seabee ADRESS. bie Le SEE 2G IRR aaa DN ieee AILS ED holidays if necessary. Here again, the Union’s bargain- ing met with determined opposition by the employers who regarded the concession as having monetary value. IWA agreements in the Pacific Northwest now provide for the maximum.number of paid statutory holidays. Hourly- rated workers may now freely join their families in com- munity observances of these holidays. The employers laughed at the Union’s original pro- posal that hourly-rated employees should get vacations with pay as did the salaried employees. The IWA per- sisted, contending that to maintain health and efficiency, all workers should enjoy periods of relief from the mon- otony of toil with continued pay. Vacations, as the Union proved, are an essential of contented family living. The principle was established when one week’s vacation with pay was written into the contract. This was soon ex- panded through successive negotiations to two and three weeks vacation for those with the qualifying length of service. It is noteworthy that, in Canada, bargaining on this issue led to the enactment of legislation guarantee- ing two weeks’ vacation with pay for all workers. Only an examination of the, Union’s record on safety will indicate how the accident prevention provisions of the agreements have shielded workers from needless accidents in hazardous occupations. The earliest contracts negotiated by the IWA made reference to safety precau- tions. The industry's record of fatalities and crippling injuries was shameful. The loss of life and limb left a tragic wake of family suffering. The Union contended that accidents could be prevented if management ac- cepted greater responsibility for safe equipment, safe supervision and cooperation with the Union in the en- couragement of safe working habits. It was necessary for the IWA to mount a continuous safety campaign until management finally realized that safe working conditions paid off in dollars and cents. The results in this field have been spectacular, especially in the reduction of accident frequency rates. The contract's safety provisions enable the workers themselves in every operation to act effectively in the prevention of accidents. The Union's campaigning also led to protective legislation and. improved compensation for industrial accidents. No feature of an IWA agreement more clearly demon- strates the Union’s concern about the welfare of wood- workers and their families than the health and welfare provisions. The financial burdens placed on families by reason of death and illness usually spelled disaster. At See “UNION STRENGTH WON VICTORIES” — Page 8 —— ——— = = = ——= —— — ‘Did you know ... That as many as six aircraft a minute, from all the world’s major airlines land or take off at London’s International Air- port. Things are not quite that brisk at Ocean Falls, B.C. As a matter of fact, one scheduled flight a day is the normal traffic, and that one is by B.C. Air. Lines. To or from Ocean Falls, or any point on British Columbia’s coast, fly B.C. Air Lines regular schedule or charter flight. BL AIR LINES... nee: FOR FULL FLIGHT INFORMATION Contact your Nearest B.C.A.L. Agent HEAD OFFICE: CR. 8-8466 VANCOUVER