THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER
a SI

B

Be i a Ge

‘wage curve,

acceptable wage curve and a

Contractors and Sub-
contractors Clause was signed:

CANADIAN CELLULOSE
(Castlegar, Nakusp and
Revelstoke operations)

While 79% of Can-Cel shares
are now owned by the B.C.
Provincial Government it con-
tinues to operate as. an in-
dependent company and nego-
tiates separately from the rest
of the industry in the Southern
Interior.

The package included 65c or
12% after revisions. Revision
of the logging wage scale,
revised wage curve main-
taining percentage incre-
ments, COLA Clause, revised
trades rates, revised miscel-

laneous categories, improved .

vacations, one more statutory
holiday, health and welfare
improvements, call back
clause providing for a mini-
mum of four hours pay at rate
and one-half for answering any
call (at the employee’s option),
improved meal allowance
clause, contracting clause,
new construction clause, pur-
chase of materials clause and
many other contract and work-
ing condition improvements.

It should also be mentioned
that in January 1974 all logging
and trades categories were
revised upwards including re-
vision of the sawmill evaluated
all increases
being retroactive to July 1,
1973. It was necessary to strike
Can-Cel to extract an accept-
able settlement. We were how-
ever able to continue negotia-
tions and a Memorandum was
signed July 24, 1974.

NORTHERN
NEGOTIATIONS
Contract negotiations with
the Association (N.C.-

F.L.R.A.) resulted in a settle-
ment pattern essentially the
same as the Coast and South-
ern Interior, except that it was
agreed between the parties to
implement immediately saw-
mill job evaluation using the
Southern Interior Sawmill Job
Evaluation Manual Wage
Curve and Increments.

CANADIAN FOREST
PRODUCTS AND
NORTHWOOD

Canadian Forest and North-
wood bargained independently
from the Association with the
Northern Interior Committee
who were again successful in
achieving the same settlement
pattern as negotiated with the
Industry, except that Sawmill
Wage rates will be revised up-
wards immediately to match
evaluated sawmill rates in the
Southern Interior, with com-
plete implementation of saw-
mill job evaluation by July 1,
1975. :

PRAIRIE PROVINCES
Your Regional Officers and
staff also assisted with

negotiations in:

Local 1-207
_  Neonex Leisure Products;

Simpson Timber Co.

Local 1-324
Revised wage scale in
Churchill Forest Products.
Forest Products.

JOB EVALUATION

Throughout the year the
Evaluation Department has
been busy with the normal
work arising out of requests for
Job Reviews and evaluating
new jobs and in addition pre-
paring and researching data
for the Negotiating Com-
mittees’ use in revising wage
curves and for contract ne-
gotiations.

PLYWOOD

Since contract negotiations
were finished, a handbook on
plywood job evaluation has
been prepared and distributed.

The administration of the
plywood evaluation program
throughout the Regional
Council has been centralized in
Vancouver.

All documentation resulting
from the various negotiations
has been finalized and the re-
spective Local Unions so noti-
fied (B.C. Coast, Southern In-
terior, Northern Interior, and
Prairie Locals). The regular
process of plywood job evalua-
tion on the basis of requests
and job descriptions has now
been resumed.

SAWMILL AND
POLE YARDS

A handbook on sawmill and
pole yard evaluation has also
been prepared.

The administration of these
evaluation programs has been
centralized in the Kelowna Re-
gional office. All documenta-
tion resulting from negotia-
tions has been finalized and the
results communicated to the
Local Unions.

The regular process of job
evaluation has now resumed
based on requests for evalua-
tion, re-evaluation and job des-
criptions received.

The implementation of saw-
mill and pole yard evaluation
in-Local 1-424, in the ten opera-
tions owned by Canadian
Forest Products Ltd. and
Northwood will be in two
stages:

Stage 1— by the ‘“‘matching”’
of present category rates with
identical category rates in the
Southern Interior;

Stage 2 — _ complete
evaluation program before
July 1, 1975.

It is anticipated to com-
mence Stage 1 early in Oc-
tober, 1974.

The implementation of the
sawmill and pole yard
evaluation in the thirty opera-
tions represented by the North
Cariboo Forest Labour Rela-
tions Association is scheduled
for early October, 1974. Repre-
sentatives of Local 1-424 will
also have to be trained and be
responsible for job interviews
and job descriptions. The
Evaluation Department has
also made a study and written
descriptions of jobs in the
Neonex Trailer Plant at Red
Deer, Alberta.

The Region is in the process
of developing a format for edu-

n

cational classes for Review
Committees in co-operation
with the I.F.L.R.A.

The evaluators have also
spent considerable time on the
Coast Sawmill Rate Deter-
mination program.

SAWMILL RATE
DETERMINATION

The Memorandum of Agree-
ment concluding negotiations
for the 1974 Coast Master
Agreement contains provisions
for a Sawmill Rate Determina-
tion program to be jointly ad-
ministered between the I.W.A.
and Forest Industrial Rela-
tions Ltd.

The same Memorandum of
Agreement further contains a
partial list of standard cate-
gories, the ranking.of these
categories within the twenty-
three groups and the negoti-
ated rates for these groups.

The ranking of all categories
in six (6) pilot mills also for-
med part of the Memorandum
of Agreement. This has now
been completed and a meeting
between Industry repre-
sentatives and full-time staff of
the Coast Local Unions for the
purpose of implementing this
program at the Local Union-
Local Management level has
been arranged for September
28, 1974.

POLITICAL EDUCATION

This year, being a
negotiating year for most
major unions in B.C. has to
some extent put the new
Mediation Act and its admini-
stration to the test. We believe
it fair to say the results were
better than the frustrations ex-
perienced under the previous
Socred Administration. We
recognize that some of the
actions of the N.D.P. govern-
ment have come under heavy
criticism from time to time;
however, we also recognize
that no other political party’s
programs or policies could be
considered as acceptable
alternatives.

The policies of the N.D.P.
have generally run parallel
with and have been acceptable
to organized labour almost
without exception. Since the
election of the N.D.P. in B.C.,
where legislation affects
workers and was intended for
the protection and benefit of
people, we see that legislation
being administered with the
spirit and intent in which it was
enacted.

There was a different atmos-
phere in negotiations this year.
Mediation Officers were in-
volved in all area negotiations
for a Master Agreement and
the Officers’ approach was
different than in the past. The
Minister and his Deputies were
involved at various times. It
was a change to know that the
problems which we were out-
lining were being listened to,
considered and discussed in an
atmosphere of understanding.

It is obvious that enough em-
phasis and importance has not
been placed on political educa-
tion. The N.D.P. suffered a
major set back at the polls on
July 8, 1974.

In B.C., the I.W.A. and

labour generally, was deeply
involved in contract negotia-
tions all during the Federal
election campaign. As a result,
we believe the N.D.P. cam-
paign suffered and seats were
lost that have been tradi-
tionally held by the N.D.P. and
the C.C.F.

We should learn from this
lesson and emphasize and
accelerate our activities in the
field of political education and
action.

PENSIONS

I.W.A. — Forest Industry
Pension Plan

This Plan covers’ almost
100% of the operations under
jurisdiction of the Coast
Locals, one or two operations
in the Southern and Northern
Interior and some operations
in each of the Prairie Prov-
inces.

The number of our members
who now receive pensions
under this Plan is in excess of
760. The Plan covers about
35,000 people and more than 430
companies. Monthly inflow of
funds into the Plan is about
$775,000 and the Fund itself is
currently about $5,900,000.

I.W.A. — Southern Interior
Forest Pension Plan

This Plan covers nearly all
operations in the Southern In-
terior.

The number of our members
who now receive pensions
under this Plan is 78. The Plan
covers about 8,500 people and
40 companies. Monthly inflow
of funds into this Plan is about
$110,000 and the Fund itself is
currently in excess of $930,000.

I.W.A. — Northern Interior
Forest Pension Plan

This Plan covers nearly all
operations in the Northern In-
terior.

The number of our members
who now receive pensions
under this Plan is 8. The Plan
covers about 5100 people and 22
companies. Monthly inflow of
funds is about $80,000 and the
Fund itself is currently at
about $530,000.

All the administrative
arrangements for operation of
these three plans have been
completed and the systems are
functioning. The Plans are all
either now registered in Ot-
tawa or in process of Regi-
stration.

The Trustees of the three
pension plans are working to-
gether on an urgent basis to

arrange complete portability .

among them, so that a man
takes his pension rights with
him not only if he transfers
among the companies in one
Plan but also if he transfers
from coverage under one Plan
to coverage under either of the
other two. This will overcome
the main problem connected
with the existence of three
separate pension plans. How-
ever, consolidation into one
master plan still remains an
objective.

The Plans have been running
smoothly with most day-to-day
problems being solved quickly.
It is recommended that the
membership consider with the
utmost seriousness a sub-

stantial demand in future
negotiations for further fund-
ing by the Employers in order
to provide a higher scale of
benefits.

ORGANIZATION
Brother Frank Stich, the
International Assistant

Director of Organization will
be making a comprehensive
report to the Convention.
Therefore, we will not elabor-
ate on organization other than
to say that over 2,200 unorgan-
ized workers have been organ-
ized into I.W.A. Regional
Council No. 1 since our last
Convention.

SPECIAL
ORGANIZATION

Your Regional Officers, in
line with the views expressed
at last year’s Convention
initiated an offensive cam-
paign regarding the preserva-
tion and recovery of. I.W.A.
jurisdictions.

Brother Nick Worhaug was
transferred from the Organi-
zation staff to assist the Re-
gional Officers in their efforts
to maintain and expand our
jurisdiction.

Most of the special organiza-

tion work centered in and
around the Duncan-Nanaimo
area, and the winning back of
the CIPA and Mayo Sawmills,
raided from us by Canada Pulp
became our number one objec-
tive. Ladysmith Forest
Products, Saltair and Youbou
also received maximum cover-
age from the special organiza-
tion staff when it became.
apparent. that the pulp union
was making yet another con-
certed drive to win over more
LW.A. certifications.
Although our endeavours pro-
duced only partial success (we
won back -the CIPA certifica-
tion) the end results cannot be
accurately measured. We are
convinced that by taking the
offensive we stopped pulp’s
attack on our jurisdiction and
forced them into a defensive
position, totally foreign to
them. ‘

The special organization
staff performed many other
functions and serviced many
other areas. Although not
always successful, we feel that
the time, money and effort ex-
pended was justified.

The Regional Council spent
upwards to 60 thousand dollars
on special organization over
the past 12 months. An appeal
circulated by, the Officers to
the Locals to help defray costs
brought in $7,800.

We all consider that the
sanctity of the I.W.A. is our
number one concern. If this is
so, then more money must be
allotted by the Locals to main-
tain and expand our juris-
diction. ‘‘One Union in Wood’’
will not come cheap.

RESEARCH -

In January, 1974 the Re-
gional Council secured the’
services of a full-time research
director for Region 1 with the
establishment of the Canadian

field office of the Department -

of Research, Education and
Collective Bargaining Co-

See “OFFICERS” p-14 —