4 WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER EDITORIAL PAGE MOVING FORWARD RITICS from within the ranks of labour have recently complained that the trade union movement is suffering from too much “business” unionism. “Business” unionism is described as that form of unionism where the affairs are largely managed by the officials with a minimum of participa- tion by the membership. It is said that for this reason trade unions are losing the crusading spirit of the members which originally built a strong movement. Any observer who attended the sessions of the recent Annual Regional Convention is bound to agree that such a criticism cannot be fairly levelled at the IWA. As the con- vention reviewed past activities, and planned for the future, it was made evident at every point that the membership re- mained fully in control of the Union’s affairs. The IWA can afford to laugh at the suggestion from some quarters that its ways are too democratic. Trade union demo- cracy may sometimes stumble on the way to its goal, but it nevertheless engenders a vitality of organization that cannot be matched by the so-called efficiency of “business” unionism. Like previous gatherings, the most recent convention was a demonstration of constructive endeavour. Controversy arose over perplexing administrative problems, but displayed an intense interest in membership welfare. Vigorous debate was a healthy sign of this interest, and on each occasion found unanimity on solutions developed out of the debate. if JACK MOORE Social objectives were given equal prominence with econo- — PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Ist Vice-President mic objectives. It is around the campaign for social objectives that the Union’s membership will keep alive the crusading "Blunders Could Destroy Our Gains In The Future” spirit which has won for the IWA a distinctive role in the cause of trade unionism. When the convention delegates communicate the spirit of the convention to the rank-and-file membership, the results will repudiate the suggestion that the IWA has become one of the “business” unions. Business-like, yes, but business-like In this age, with the world poised on the brink of total annihi- lation by nuclear war, the labour movement must become more than just an economic weapon to raise the living standards of workers. The Canadian Labour movement must act as a public opinion moulder to insure that our gains in the past are not wiped out by the nuclear insanity which seems to be prevalent CANADIAN LABOUR CONGRESS publications and literature are shown to Convention visitors by CLC Representative Dan Radford, second from left. Others in group are, left, Claud Ballard, |WA International 2nd Vice-President; Radford; Mrs. Dick led Cea Fieber On Advisory Board Regional Secretary-Treasur- er Fred Fieber has been ap- pointed a member of the Pro- about the business of membership control of their own affairs. ; i & vincial Advisory Board on : A PUBLIC DANGER Vocational Training. The 28- member Board which is com- prised of representatives of industry, la and i OUND commonsense reasons dictated the decision of IWA convention delegates to condemn further nuclear bomb tests by the great powers. The decision was made without reference to the current international controversies. It was not a matter of deciding at the moment who was right or who was wrong. The naked truth was seen that nuclear testing menaces countless thousands with evil consequences that will strike like a thief in the night. The IWA accepted its share of responsibility to alert the public to the perils of radiation hazards. The only healthy way to evaluate the biological hazards of nuclear radiation is in the open air of public debate. There is no longer any doubt that nuclear tests are being conducted with the calculated risk that an untold number of the human race will suffer disease and perhaps death. Scientists who have looked closely at the problem are deeply worried, although only a few have felt the need to speak out. The views expressed depend mainly on the particu- lar expert’s knowledge. The men who know the most are the most gloomy. Radioactive debris hurled into the stratosphere is globally distributed. The higher-than-normal radioactivity now re- ported in our own country is proof of this fact. The effects are perceptible over two million square miles of the earth. The stratospheric residence of this debris is for an indefinite period, not yet known, but possibly for years. In any event, the more dangerous elements have a radioactive half-life that extends from 280 days to 33 years. In countries with a high standard of living, dairy products constitute a major source of calcium. Growing children need a high-calcium diet. As it enters the food supply, the biological consequences affect the blood corpuscles, and are known to be a cause of fatal leukemia. Strontium might never be a hazard except for the concentrations in grazing cattle, and certain plants and fish which take it up and store the poison. Science has not yet established a tolerable level for this fall-out. Underground testing is known to contaminate the water supply over large areas. The world has become too small a sphere for the “safe” testing of super-bombs. The dangers are so great that the nations of the world should focus their efforts on a co-opera- tive plan to cease rather than limit nuclear tests. Publication date of the next issue of the WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER is October 5th. Deadline for ad copy is September 28th, and for news copy September 29th. PUBLISHED TWICE MONTHLY ON Rea FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAYS International Woodworkers of Raa (AFL-CIO-CLC) Reina Council No. 1 REGIONAL OFFICERS: a ad President Joe Morris Ist Vice-President Jack Moore 2nd Vice-President Bob Ross 3rd Vice-President Jack MacKenzie ‘y-Treasurer Fred Fieber International Board Members Joe Madden Jack Holst Address all communications to FRED FIEBER, Secretary-Treasurer 2859 Commercial Drive, Vaca aa B.C. TR 4-5261 - Subscription Rate: Advertising Represenaive RE Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept., Ottawa 27,500 Cons PRINTED PON THIS ISSUE 2.00 per annum G, in too many circles. With Russia callously cone ating the atmosphere over our States resum- ing nuclear testing, it be- |} comes imper- ative that the voices of the millions in the world, who have every- thing to lose these tests, are not only heard but heeded by the politicians who are playing power politics with atomic fallout. One area where we can be effec- tive is to keep nuclear weapons out of Canada. The American Govern- ment seems bent upon insisting that atomic weapons be stored in Canada. These weapons are offen- sive devices and, apart from the absolute immorality of waging war against women and children, these weapons set up in Canada will be- come a prime military target in the event insanity prevails. At the present time I doubt whether there is a target in Canada which is worth an enemy atomic or hydrogen bomb. However, if we allow the United States to store offensive nuclear bombs on our soil, Canada will become a prime target ie and we will surely perish. he Canadian Labour movement is aciae a great challenge in the next few years. We must develop techniques which will make auto- mation a blessing rather than a bane for working people. We must improve wages, working conditions, “Old We have an excellent CLEANER for DENTAL PLATES DR. R. DovGLas. Supply Co. ONE DOLLAR POSTPAID 712 Robson St. Suite 3 Cor. Granville MU. 1-4022 Vancouver 1, B.C. and living standards and push poli- cies which will eliminate unemploy- ment and social injustice in Canada. At the same time, we cannot afford to ignore the international situation which, if miscalculations or blun- ders are made, would destroy what we have won so far and ruin any plans for gains in the future. To this end, Canadian Labour must make known its opposition to Russian atomic testing and the storing of nuclear warheads in our country. Nuclear Nations Scored “This' Convention goes on record as vigorously condemn- ing those nations who are at present or will in future test forthright declaration of the IWA Regional Annual Con- vention. In another resolution the con- vention deplored the continuing arms race and expressed opposi- tion to the use and testing of nu- clear weapons on Canadian soil. The Union’s officers were asked to continue the publicizing of the dangers of radioactive fallout. Scientific reports indicate that in a full-scale nuclear war fallout could be expected to kill millions of people. No such devastating radiation hazard is expected from any weapons testing program. The concern has been over delayed fall- out, which although less intense, nevertheless becomes a world-wide danger to every living thing. The larger nuclear blasts, such as the megaton explosions of hy- drogen bombs send some of their tadioactive debris into the strato- sphere where it hovers for inde- finite periods: attached to minute dust particles. The Radiation Hazard This man-made garbage of the atomic age has two dangerous ele- ments — strontium 90 and cesium cludes two other representa- tives of organized labour. The establishment of the Board follows the signing of a new six- year agreement with the Federal Government which provides for the expansion of vocational training facilities to meet as adequately as possible the manpower training needs of the province. Responsibility for the planning of physical plants and programmes will rest with the Provincial De- partment of Education. The func- tions of the Board will be purely advisory in order to dovetail com- munity needs with the general pro- gramme. The purposes of the Advisory Board are set forth as follows: (a) To promote and develop programmes within the Provincial Vocational Training Schools in co- operation with industry and labour. (b) To advise the Department of Education on present and future needs in technical, commercial, and service occupational fields in terms of training new personnel as well as the up-grading of personnel al- ready in these areas (c) To provide a line of com- munication between the Depart- ment and the respective organiza- tions which each member repre- sents concerning such matters as training needs and other related in- formation. (d) To help place graduates as they become available (e) To advise on standards and to develop a follow-up programme in respect to the graduates. The first meeting of the Board is scheduled for September 20th, and coincides with recently-an- nounced plans for enlarged and new vocational training Institutes. C. J. MURDOCH Please Contact Jackson at Suite 6 855 Thurlow St. Vancouver 5, MU 4-6045 137. Strontium 90 contaminates living plants and the soil where they grow. It attacks the bone marrow of the human organism, affecting the manufacture of blood corpuscles. It is known to be a po- tential producer of fatal leukemia, a form of cancer. Cesium 137 is also a-‘major in- gredient of fallout. It too is taken ‘ odest dose of radiation delivered by cesium to the human organism may go partly to the germ cells, and is likely to produce harmful genetic effects. Underground tests are known to contaminate the water supply over large areas. Radioactivity has always been part of man’s environment on this earth. Whether the safety “thresh- old” may be passed by nuclear tests is now a matter of deep pub- lic concern.