10 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER REPORT OF THE OFFICERS’ COMMITTEE Your Committee has studied the report of the Regional Officers on the administration and activities of the Regional Council and have the following observations: 1. RATE REVISIONS: The Committee was pleased to note that some progress was made in revision of rates to certain categories; however, in discussions the Committee notes there is some dissatis- faction in regards to some categories, and we feel that there is still work to be done in this area. 2. COAST NEGOTIATIONS: Your Committee commends the Negoti- ating Committee for the time and effort spent in concluding the 1968 Coast negotiations. We.note that only the wage increase was mentioned and feel that other demands could have been included in the report. We also feel that if possible more information should be available to the membership during ne- gotiations. 3. FINANCES: The Committee has studied the finances and feel that with one suggestion the financial report of the Regional Council is acceptable. In view of this we have made one recom- mendation. _ 4. INTERIOR STRIKE: Your Committee would also like to com- mend the-membership of the Interior for their tremendous display of solidarity in achieving a satisfactory settlement. One important factor that was achieved in the Southern Interior and Celgar was the moving of the expiry date to within two weeks of the Coast. Your Committee feels that one agreement for British Columbia is much closer as a result of this. We feel that the officers could have mentioned the support given to the members in the Interior by a number of other groups, both organized and unorganized. 5. APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAMS AND TRADESMEN CERTIFICATES: The Committee would like to commend the Officers and Negotiating Committee for the very important gains in the field of appren- ticeship training programs and tradesmen’s qualification tests. The Committee would like to caution all delegates to this convention to be on the look- out for combination categories and also to insure proper training for apprentices. 6. EDUCATION, PUBLIC RELATIONS The Committee was sorry to note that due to prolonged negotiations in the past OFFICERS’ REPORT COMMITTEE Chairman Jack Munro Local 1-405 listens as Secretary Glenn Phillip of Local 1-71 reads Committee’s recommendations to Convention. year it was necessary to curtail the education programs substantially; however, now that major negotiations are completed we would urge the Officers to take steps to have the education program revitalized as soon as possible. The Committee agrees with the depart- ment’s suggestion of a Regional Conference on Education and we have made a recom- mendation on this point. 7. PRAIRIE LOCALS 1-184, 1-206, 1-207: The Committee notes from discussion on the Committee that the officers have spent a great deal of time in these Locals and we would like to express our opinion that this practice must continue if acceptable wages and working conditions are to be obtained. 8. POLITICAL EDUCATION: The Committee is pleased to note that progress has been made in Political Educa- tion; however, with the possibility of a B.C. provincial election, we feel that this education campaign must be continued to the greatest extent to help insure election of the NDP. 9. SAFETY: Last year’s Committee instructed the Offi- cers to include safety in their report. We note that this has not been done and again request the officers to include this in future reports. 10. LADIES’ AUXILIARY: The Committee wishes to reiterate the po- sition of last year’s Officers’ Report Committee where they stated more effort must be made by both Regional and Local Union officers to encourage more participation in the Ladies’ Auxiliary, through enlarging present avuxili- aries and encouraging the formation of new ones. RECOMMENDATIONS: (1) This Committee recommends that the Regional Executive Board consider the feasi- bility of paying the amount owing on the Regional offices out of the Reserve Fund. (2) The Committee recommends that the officers study the advantages of holding a Regional Education Conference and report back to the Regional Executive Board. Submitted by the Officers’ Report Committee s/ J. J. Munro, Chairman s/ Glenn Phillips, Secretary CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES By FRED FIEBER Regional Secretary-Treasurer For the information of the membership, changes to the Regional Constitution were adopted by the Regional Convention held in Vancouver, Sept. 9 to 13. : Amendments to the Regional Constitution ad- opted by convention action shall not be finalized until sixty (60) days from the closing of the con- vention, and such proposed convention changes shall be published in the ‘Lumber Worker’ and copies of such proposed constitutional changes shall be sent to each Local Union within ten days after the close of the convention. Any time within this specified sixty-day period, the membership through their Local Unions may petition the Regional Secretary-Treasurer to initi- ate a referendum on any amendment adopted by such convention action. If the Regional Secretary-Treasurer receives a number of petitions representative of one-third (1/3) of the total Regional Council membership, he shall proceed with the referendum within ten days following the sixty (60) day period specified. The following constitutional provisions were adopted by the convention. FULLTIME REGIONAL THIRD VICE-PRESIDENT That Article III of the Western Canadian Re- gional Council No. 1 International Woodworkers of America Constitution, Section — Duties of Offi- cers, Regional Vice-Presidents, be changed to read as follows: “Regional Vice-Presidents” “In the event the office of Regional Director becomes vacant, the Regional Ist Vice-President shall automatically succeed to that office. The Re- gional 2nd Vice-President shall automatically suc- ceed to the office of 1st Vice-President, if for any reason that office becomes vacant. The Regional 3rd Vice-President shall automatically succeed to the office of 2nd Vice-President if for any reason that office becomes vacant. “In the event the Regional Director is unable to perform any of his designated duties, he shall designate the 1st Vice-President to carry out such duties. When the Ist Vice-President is unable to carry out such duties, the President will then designate the 2nd Vice-President, and 3rd Vice- President respectively. “The Regional 1st Vice-President, Regional 2nd Vice-President and Regional 3rd Vice-President shall be fulltime officers of the Regional Council.” WAGES AND EXPENSES That Article VII, Section 1(c) and (e) be am- ended by deleting $8.00 per diem and inserting $10.00 per diem. That we delete from Section (d) the following words: “and Policy Committee meetings”. The amended sections will then read: “(e) In addition to salary Officers, Internation- al Board Members, Appointees, and Committee Members, shall receive expense allowance not to exceed $10.00 per diem, plus hotel and transporta- tion expenses when they are away from their resi- dence on official business of the Regional Council. “(d) Regional Officers and International Board Members shall, receive $8.00 per diem while in attendance at Regional Executive Board meetings, Conventions and Regional Conferences. “(e) Full-time Regional Officers shall be en- titled to a per diem of $3.00 per working day for those days that the $10.00 or $8.00 per diem does not apply. The Executive Board may extend the application of the $3.00 per diem allowance to Ap- pointee and Committee Members subject to the Regional Convention.” LOST TIME WAGES That Article VII, Section 2 of the Regional Constitution be amended by deleting $25.00 per day and inserting $30.00 per day. The amended section will then read: “Regional Vice-Presidents, International Board Members, Appointees, Committee Members and Trustees who are temporary employees shall re- ceive pay for time loss off the job for attending to the business of the Regional Council on the basis of $30.00 per day.” BALLOTING RULES That the present Article XIII of th 4 Constitution, Rafleting be doled sages aoe sert a new necien as follows: F “All Local Unions within the jurisdictj Regional Council No. 1, condistinae g ia by the Regional Council shall conduct all such ballots in accordance with the visio International Conatituilen Avfida sane Se