_THE WESTERN CANADIAN

LUMBER ik:

WORKER

27,500 copies
printed in,this issue.

Published twice monthly as the official publication of the INTERNATIONAL WOQDWORKERS OF AMERICA

Western Canadian Regional Council No. 1

Affiliated with AFL-CIO-CLC

2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. Phone 874-5261

Editor — Pat Kerr

Business Manager — Fred Fieber

Advertising Representative — G. A. Spencer

Forwarded to every member of the IWA in Western Canada in accordance with convention decisions,

Subscription rate for non-members $2.00 per year.

Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department, and for payment of postage in cash, cG&

‘GUEST EDITORIAL

NDP ON UPSWING

4 pe fluctuating fortunes of the New
Democratic Party are once again on
the upswing. Gains in popular support
have been steady since the federal elec-
tion last year, when the NDP garnered
18% of the popular vote. The latest Gal-
lup Poll indicates that, if another elec-
tion were held today, the NDP would
receive a whopping 26% of the vote.

In the poll, a representative cross-sec-
tion of Canadians was asked, “If a fed-
eral election were held today, which
party’s candidates do you think you
would favour?”

The results showed that the NDP’s
gains have mostly been made at the
expense of the divided Conservatives,
who dropped in the public’s esteem to
the same level as the New Democrats—
26%. This is by far the lowest Tory ebb
in voting strength in decades, as it is
the NDP’s highest vote.

Undoubtedly the NDP surge — esti-
mated at over 30% in Ontario — has
been due in part to the continued flound-
ering of the: two old line parties, and to
the Tories’ leadership squabble. But the
sterling performances of NDP members in
Parliament and the provincial legislatures
have also begun to impress and attract
the voters. The contrast between the
capable, consistent showing of NDP mem-
bers and the inept and often unprincipled
activities of the two old line parties is so
‘striking that it cannot help but make it-
self felt in the polls.

STRIKE LEGISLATION

At such a time, it is appropriate that
Canadian labour unions rededicate them-
selves to the support of the NDP, the only
political party in Canada which shares
labour’s principles and objectives. Union
support for the NDP still leaves much to
be desired. Out of the CLC’s total affiliat-
ed membership of 1,200,000, only 242,-
000 are affiliated members of the NDP.

Our Brotherhood’s record is nothing
to be proud of, either. Only 26 of our
more than 200 locals are NDP affiliates,
embracing only 5,733 of our total.mem-
bership of 34,000. It is true that we give
generous yearly donations to the NDP,
but money alone will never win elections.
That requires a personal commitment by
the individual worker — a decision to
support the party by working for its suc-
cess at the constituency level, and most
important, by voting for its. candidates.
Without this massive backing by Cana-
dian workers, the NDP will always fall
short in its bid for power. With it, the
NDP could become the Government of
Canada, and the government of many of
the provinces, within the next ten years.

°

We urge those of our locals which
are still unaffiliated to the NDP to put
the subject on their agendas for an early
decision. Political action is the only solu-
tion to many of our problems, and the
NDP is the only logical outlet for such

action.
—Canadian Transport

FOOD COSTS

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

The federal government is
studying the- possibility of in-
troducing legislation to ban
strikes. in essential industries

The study was reportedly
started after a year-long ser-
ies of crippling work stop-
pages in mail, rail and air
services.

The Quebec longshoremen’s
strike and the British Colum-
bia dispute so seriously en-
dangered the national econ-
omy that added impetus has
been given to the considera-
tion.

Parliament was asked last
summer to pass a bill that

ended the national rail strike.
Legislation to end the B.C.
dock dispute was ready, al-
though a settlement preclud-
ed its use.

And, with uncertainty con-
tinuing over the mail and air
services, the government con-
tinues its study of strike- ban-
ning legislation for those
services.

Undoubtedly heartening the
government in its delibera-
tions are indications from
some Conservative MPs that
they favour laws to end
strikes in essential industries.

ESS

JOB DISPLACEMENT FUND

Thirty national and inter-
national unions agreed to set
up a five million dollar fund
to meet the threat of job dis-
placement. The plan, which
will cover 12,000 employees of
DOMTAR across Canada, was

worked out with Dr. J. H. G.
Crispo, director of industrial

relations at the University of
Toronto.

The joint company - union
plan will be fed by company
contributions of one cent per
hour worked per employee,
and will provide displaced
workers with severance pay,
income during retraining, and
early retirement.

MISLEADING

A special Parliamentary
committee on prices plans to
investigate suggestions that
food retailers are deliberately
holding down increases , on
items listed on the consumer
price index to give a mislead-

ing picture of food costs.

The action comes in the
light of a brief to the commit-
tee by the Consumers’ Asso-
ciation of Canada which said
it has received information
that food retailers know the
items listed on the Dominion
Bureau of Statistics food price
index.

These reports, the associa-
tion said, indicate that food
dealers keep prices low on
items listed on the index while
making up their losses else-
where on un-indexed foods.

The association declared:
“Tf retailers are using the
power their greater range of
products provides ... then the
rise in food prices, as officially
complied, understates the
problem.”

HOW’D YA LIKE TO SHINNY UP AN’ TRIM A COUPLE
OF LIMBS . . . SEEMS TO HAVE HUNG UP.

CLC STAFF CHANGES

A number of staff changes
in the Canadian Labour Con-
gress were announced by
Claude Jodoin, CLC presi-
dent. They include:

Henry Rhodes, assistant na-
tional director of organization,
to become director of the de-
partment of federations and
councils, replacing Clifford
Scotton who resigned from the
CLC staff to become federal
secretary of the New Demo-
cratic Party.

|

ART DAMSTROM

ELECTED
TRUSTEE

The Regional tabulating
committee has announced that
Art Damstrom, president of
Local 1-405 IWA, Cranbrook,
was elected Regional Trustee
in the referendum ballot re-
cently conducted in the Re-
gional Council.

A. L. Hepworth, assistant
director of the department of
legislation and the department
of government employees, to
become director of the depart-
ment of international affairs,
replacing Kalmen Kaplansky
who is joining the staff of the
International Labour Organi-
zation.

Frank Chafe, regional di-
rector of education for the
prairies, now located at Re-
gina, to become assistant in
the departments of legislation
and government employees.

Roy LaBerge, Ottawa, be-
comes editor of Canadian La-
bour, the CLC’s official publi-
cation, on January Ist, stic-
ceeding Clifford Scotton. He
will also be associated with
the CLC’s public relations de-
partment.

Denis Coupland, Ottawa, to
become assistant director in
the department of legislation
and government employees.

Larry Wagg, representative
in the CLC’s Ontario educa-
tional office, to become re-
gional director of education
for the prairies with head-
quarters in Regina.

HELPFUL

The judge listened intently
to a case against a man who
was charged by his wife with
non-support. After all the evi-
dence was in, the judge
the defendant, “You haven't
taken proper care of this

woman, and I’m going to give

her $100 a month.” B24
The defendant beamed with
pleasure. “That’s mighty nice

of you, your honor,” he said. —

“And I'll give her a dollar Ed
two from time to time my-
self.” sie me ee