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: IWA REGIONAL SAFETY CONFERENCE DELEGATES

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

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ORGANIZED LABOUR SOLID ON
COMPENSATION AND SAFETY

IWA-members should know that other unions
in British Columbia were solidly of the same
opinion as the IWA on safety and compensation
problems, their origin and remedies.

Both the IWA and B.C. Federation of Labour
Conventions recently pursued the same course.

We publish here the report and recommenda-
tions of the B.C. Federation, of Labour Safety
and Compensation Committee to the Convention.

“Your Committee regrets to report that not
only has improvement in accident prevention
ground to a halt, but increases varying only in
degree in the percentage of people hurt or killed
in industry are now evident. Fortunately there
are enough exceptions to this trend to demonstrate
that the causes, if dealt with, need not deter pro-
gress in safety and health.

The working men and women of this province
are embroiled now in a productivity race which
has largely discarded human values with con-
sequent damage to life, limb and health. There
are obvious remedies in this regard which your
committee feels are the responsibility of this Fed-
eration and its affiliates to implement:

e Bring a halt to speedup of machines and
‘processes beyond safe and tolerable limits.

e Safety training of new members.

© Re-training as technological change shows
the need.

° A clear definition of the responsibilities
of Union, Management, and government in
Accident Prevention.

° A return to the concept of joint safety

' programs based on mutual respect between

Union and Management in arriving at and
implementing these programs.

SAFETY INSPECTIONS
.__ The problem of the “Cook’s Tour” type of
W.C.B. inspection of plants and businesses is still

with us. Not only does the inspector in some in-

stances not see the hazards in the plant but when
he does see and note them, the employees are not
in a position to ensure that his reeommendations
are carried out.

This Federation has recommended in the past
that the Local Union negotiate the right of Union
Safety members to accompany the inspector on
his tour. The Workmen’s Compensation Board will
recognize this arrangement.

JURISDICTION OF SAFETY INSPECTION

‘At one time safety inspection within British
Columbia was under one roof, that of the Work-
men’s Compensation Board. In 1959, the right of
entry into mines was taken away from the W.C.B.
Although
Department of Mines now does the inspections.
Informed sources at the time laid this move to
political pressure from mining companies who felt
that W.C.B. inspection was too tough.

Also in 1959, transportation inspection was re-
moved from the Workmen’s Compensation Board
and given to the Provincial Department of Trans-
port. The W.C.B. people still inspect, but technic-
ally, must call on the grossly understaffed Depart-
ment of Transport for enforcement.

CONFLICT IN INSPECTION
Your committee has sifted a mass of case history
and evidence on this matter which Brother E. P.
O’Neal had gathered. We concluded that on the

the Board regulations still apply, the.

railways, the P.G.E., the C.P.R. and the C.N.R.,
safety inspection and regulations are a “No Man’s
Land” in which the W.C.B., the Provincial Depart-
ment of Transport and the Federal Department of
Transport either conflict in jurisdiction .or worse,
have been assigned none at all.
'. The same applies to our docks and shipping.

The Local Unions concerned have so far pro-
tested this ridiculous situation to no avail: In the
meantime, workmen, particularly on the P.G.E.,
are being hurt and killed. The hazards responsible
remain.

We note that in November 1962 a Bill C-70, the
“Occupational Safety Act” passed second reading
in Parliament but has not yet become law. The
purpose of the Act is to place under Federal jur-
isdiction “railways ... and other works and under-
takings connecting a province with any other or
others of the provinces or extending beyond the
limits of a province.”

This Act, if the Federal government ever gets
around to it, should provide some relief, but will
not settle the problem of conflict of jurisdiction—
it will only fill the gaps.

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

Present overcrowding and resultant rigid ap-
plication of educational requirements for entry
are blocking the efforts of the Rehabilitation De-
partment of the Workmen’s Compensation Board
to place disabled workmen in the vocational
schools for retraining.

Inasmuch as the Apprenticeship Training
branches of both provincial and federal govern-
ments are involved in regulations and curricula,
your committee sees the need for presentation to
the responsible bodies which would advise the
setting up of special programs within the yoca-
tional school system to take care of industrial
casualties.

The rules would envisage admittance to the
schools upon assessment of native ability rather
than formal education. Courses could be devised
to improve this ability to the point of re-entry
into the work force.

WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION ACT

The Commission of Inquiry into the Workmen’s
Compensation Act and its administration has not
yet sent its findings in to the provincial govern-
ment. The Federation and some affiliates have
made extensive presentations to the Commission.
It is to be hoped that some improvements will
result.

Respectfully submitted,

R. C. ROSS,
Chairman.

NEW COUNCIL OFFICERS

Newly elected officers of the Regional Safety
Council were:
Chaimmian 2-200 Ses ... Gil Ingram
ist Vice Chairman __._____. Ross Davis
2nd Vice Chairman _.. Bill Schumaker
3rd Vice Chairman —.. Howard Delmage
Secretar ye eos NSS eee Pat Ewles
A standing ovation was given at the Safety
Conference to Sister Martha Rogers and Brother
Norm Kelly for their many years of faithful
service as officers of the Safety Council.

SAFETY AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATIONS

1. That the B.C. Federation of Labour reques
the Minister of Health the Honourable Eric Martin,
to call a provincial conference of representatives
from the Unions, industry, the Workmen’s Com-
pensation Board and other interested bodies to
determine to what degree speedup and automa-
tion affect the safety and health of workmen in
industry.

2. That the Local Unions be urged to negotiate
the right of Union Safety Committee members to
accompany W.C.B. Inspectors and management on |
inspection tours of plants and businesses.

3. That the B.C. Federation of Labour request —
the Workmen’s Compensation Board to amend its
regulations to permit the forwarding of a copy of
W.C.B. Inspection recommendations and findings
to employee representatives.

4, That the B.C. Federation of Labour request —
the Canadian Labour Congress to demand of the
federal government a Royal Commission to in-
vestigate and recommend upon, federal-provincial
jurisdiction in safety regulations and inspection in
those fields in which conflict or lack of any juris-
diction exists.

5. That the B.C. Federation of Labour approach

the provincial Minister of Education requesting a . |

meeting of the Apprenticeship Branches of the
federal and provincial governments, organized
Jabour and industry with a view to establishing
separate programs in the vocational schools for
permanently disabled workmen, admittance to be
upon assessment of native ability and experience
rather than upon formal education with appropriate
curricula devised to enable disabled workmen to
re-enter the work force of the province.

REGIONAL SAFETY DIRECTOR Bob
Ross reporting to the 15th Annual IWA
Safety Conference at Woodworkers’ —
House September 27. Group from left, —
Gil Ingram, Chairman; Bob Ross; Martha
Rogers, Secretary; Ross Davis, Ist Vice-
Chairman. ;