8 WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER Moore Refuses Secret Meet 6 Refusal of employers to obey official orders to re- * instate employees dismissed after unlawful intimida- IWA Regional President Jack Moore last week déclined Premier Bennett’s invitation to a “summit conference” on current labour-management strife because of the Premier’s insistence that he should attend alone. The Regional President was denied the opportunity to be accompanied by his fellow- officers. This condition was considered unacceptable, under the circumstances, by President Moore. Premier Bennett issued an invitation to the IWA official upon receipt of a letter, in which the views of the TWA Regional Council regarding strife on the labour front were stated. An exchange of correspondence followed, in which President Moore explained that he was speaking for the IWA only. He informed the Premier that the views of the trade union movement should be submitted by a represent- ative group and offered to cooperate to this end. The Premier rejected this proposal, whereupon Moore advised the Premier that he would keep the suggested ap- pointment in company with the Regional Vice-Presidents. The Premier then stated, “I must reiterate that I am pre- pared only to fulfill my original arrangement, namely, that you and I meet alone in my office on December 7th at 11 a.m.” In reply, President Moore wrote: Dear Mr. Premier: I have your letter of the 4th inst., in which you insist that I should not be accompanied by my fellow officers in our proposed discussion of the present labour-management conflict. I bring to your attention the fact that my original letter to you was despatched with the approval of the IWA Regional Executive Board. This 22-member Board is representative of all sections of the lumber industry in western Canada. All members of the Board displayed an intense interest in steps to achieve industrial harmony. The members of the Regional Executive Board gave care- ful consideration to actions of a number of employers which were considered highly provocative. The consequence of these acts have been to convince our Union that rights established by existing laws are wholly ignored, or that provisions of these laws are invoked in a campaign to destroy trade unionism. The most glaring instances of anti-union acts by employers which jeopardize satisfactory labour-management relations were set forth by this Union in my first letter to you on the subject. These are: ] The provocative use of strike-breakers in legal strikes. Termination of employment for employees on strike, contrary to the provisions of the law. 3. 4. Refusal by employers to consider any terms of ‘settle- ment in discussions proposed by officers of the De- partment of Labour. Indiscriminate applications to the courts for restrain- ing orders, based on flimsy evidence. More injunctions of this nature have been issued in this province this year than in any other province. The use of injunctions to restrain all picketing, even when undertaken in conformity with the provisions of the Trade Unions Act. 5. 9 fo ° q youll like this beer You'll like its zest. Its friendly Canadian flavor that’s becoming popular all over the world. say “MABEL, BLACK LABEL!” S AWONRADOD Sie ana, ow THE CARLING BREWERIES (8.C.) This advertisement is not published or displayed by the Liquor Control Board or by the Government of British Columbia. tion for participation 7. Deliberate evasion of of Arbitration which, under the terms of the Collective in trade union activity. decisions rendered by Boards Agreements and the Labour Relations Act, are stated to be final and binding on both parties. 8. Settlements reached, after public support of strike action, revealed the existence of wage rates and work- ing conditions far below the accepted standards in the province. 9. In view of the fact that mediation of disputes. Prosecution of unions by corporations in lieu of you will not meet with me if I am accompanied by any of my Vice-Presidents, I am left with no alternative but to respectfully decline your invitation. Strachan States Pr Yours respectfully, J. A. MOORE, President. Next session of the Legislature which opens January 24 will witness heated debates over the labour situation in British Columbia. Bob Strachan MLA, Leader of the Opposi- tion has announced the intention to challenge again the un- fair labour laws enacted by the Social Credit Government. The Opposition Leader, speaking in Salmon Arm recently, repeated his statement made earlier in Duncan. “The place to change the laws is in the Legislature. We all want in- dustrial peace, but it must be industrial peace with justice.” Strachan announced that the New Democratic Party in the Legislature would de- mand: 1. APPOINTMENT OF A FULL-TIME MINISTER OF LABOUR. The field of labour-manage- ment relations in British Co- lumbia is too important to the province to be supervised by a part-time Minister, who divides his time between the Labour Department and the Department of Education. 2. REPEAL OF BILLS 43 AND 42. New legislation must be en- acted to put an end to the obsolete attitudes reflected by these notorious laws. “We must restore equality to la- bour - management relations and freedom of speech to the people.” 3. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LABOUR-MANAGE- MENT-GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE SOCIAL AND ECO- NOMIC PROBLEMS OF THE PROVINCE. “No reasonable person can expect labour to cooperate in increased production if such an increase only means the further loss of jobs and a greater disproportionate dis- tribution of income. “To aim at productivity in- creases alone would be sterile. Change Acting in immediate re- sponse to a resolution of the IWA Regional Council, , Tom Berger MP (NDP Van- couver-Burrard) has placed a private bill on the order paper of the House of Com- mons dealing with unlawful assembly. His proposed amendment to the section of the Crim- inal Code respecting unlaw- ful assembly would add the following sub - section, — ' “Persons are not unlawfully assembled by reason only _ that they are assembled for the purpose of peaceful picketing.” ‘ oposals There must also be a willing- ness to ensure a wider distri- bution of benefits. “Such a Board, composed of representatives from la- bour, management and gov- ernment will be able to point the way toward real progress in utilizing any increased productivity to achieve real social and economic progress. The necessary fact-finding facilities could be conducted by such a board.” Courf Jails Four Two trade unionists were sentenced to six-month jail terms by Magistrate Gordon Scott, Vancouver, December 4, as a result of incidents that occurred during a mass dem- onstration in support of strik- ers at Allied Engineering Ltd. They were Joseph Hend- sbee and David West. Donald Cox and Patrick Kirby were given one-month jail terms for unloading hot water heaters from a truck ey had crossed the picket ne. James Neish, Kenneth Or- chard, and Thomas Burnett were fined $100 each for un- lawful assembly. Thomas Mc- Grath, business agent of the Iron Workers Union was fined $50 or 20 days for un- lawful assembly. Charges against Tom Clarke and Len Vroom members of Local 1-217 IWA were dis- missed. Also dismissed were charges for unlawful assem- bly against Ernest Tate and Harry Allison. Both sentences and convictions will be appealed by counsel re- tained by unions which have con- tributed to a defence fund spon- sored by the B.C. Federation of Labour and the Vancouver La- bour Council. Steps have also been taken to make provision for continuing pay during imprisonment to pro- tect their families against want. When passing sentence, Magis- trate Scott said: “This court will always be very careful to safeguard the rights and privileges of the various unions carrying on business in Vancouver. “At the same time, this court intends to deal drastically with any violence that takes place in such incidents as this.” The mass of contradictory evi- dence heard in court made it evi- dent that the police and the crown prosecutor had difficulty in determining what actually oc- curred and who committed which of the offences charged. Dr FF te ee