_ SEPTEMBER, 1973 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER i FROM PAGE TWELVE substantial rate revisions and other contract improve- ments. _ EVALUATION ) The Evaluation Department has in the past year processed a record number of requests for re-evaluation of categories and new jobs as well as con- ducting complete studies and evaluation of new operations. Your Officers have noted that at the inception of evalu- ation there were eleven opera- tions to service; that number has increased to 29 plywood and/or veneer plants and 50 sawmills in the Southern In- terior. On the Coast the program is current; there are no outstand- ing requests for re-evaluation. In the Interior the number of requests outstanding are minimal and the program will be current at an early date. At the time of writing this report the Department is preparing alternate wage curves and other administrative factors and weighting improvements to the plan for the use of Negotiating Committees. FINANCES When we receive the audit for the fiscal year ending June , 1973 we will have a com- lete picture of the financial osition of the Regional } Council. Our bank balance at the end of June, 1973 was ap- | proximately one hundred ‘thousand dollars, | 1973 a which resulted from a number of reasons: The average membership has increased as follows: 1972—43 ,672 1973—46,169 46,169 The increase in per capita of 20 cents went into effect January 1, 1973. Another important reason is the unfortunate lack of staff employed by the Regional Council in the last year. We did not have a Director of Research, or a Director of Education and we only recently hired a Regional Safety Director. Also, the Organizational staff was much lower at the com- mencement of the year and it has been increased in recent months. We can look forward to considerable increase in ad- ministrative and operating costs in the next fiscal year for at least the following reasons: The normal increase ef- fective June 15, 1973 will cost approximately $11,388. A Research Director will add a salary cost of approxi- mately $13,500, and likewise a Director of Education would receive a similar amount in wages. Additional office require- ments will show a rent cost of approximately $4,000 and we the Region will be involved in ations for the Coast and Interior areas, which at this time are an unknown cost and can vary considerably. The expenditures outlined above are a total of $42,388, excluding the cost of negoti- ations. The 1972 Regional Con- vention has required the Of- ficers to set up a Committee to bring back to the Officers a formula to provide the Region with adequate finances to do the many jobs required of the Region. The Officers recom- mendation was presented to the July Executive Board meeting which concurred in the recommendation and the resolution is in your book. STRIKE FUND The emergency resolution dealt with by the 1972 Conven- tion set up a strike relief payment structure which was as follows: Married — $61.00 Single — $44.00 Dependents — $5.00 There have been two strikes in shingle mills in Local 1-217 that commenced prior to our last Convention and these operations are still on strike. Also, Domtar in Saskatoon was on strike for approximately 9 months and while it was recently settled, payments were made to these strikers on the same- basis as outlined above. The Regional Finance Com- mittee and the Executive Board are adhering to the provisions contained in the Regional Constitution when they receive requests to open the Strike Fund. : LUMBER WORKER Your Officers have been attempting to keep. the membership informed by reporting in some detail the various settlements and contract provisions achieved throughout the Region; hopefully local unions are finding these settlements useful for their own negotiations. Pension Plans are a complex issue and we feel the Lumber Worker has done a good job in explaining pensions in under- standable terms. We have been attempting to increase pictorial coverage in the various areas of our Region and we hope to be able to ex- pand this feature in the coming year. It is our intention to have the Editor travel more widely not only throughout the Region but throughout the Inter- national union as well so that the membership in Western Canada may have a better understanding of problems in other areas of our Inter- national Union. Some local unions are co- operating very well in keeping the Editor informed of in- teresting developments in their local unions and we would like to encourage all locals to submit material which may be of gee e receive many requests ‘om members in opera- tions for the Lumber Worker, and we urge all local unions to ensure full distribution to their members. LADIES AUXILIARY The Regional Officers again wish to record our appreciation for the assistance rendered by the members of _ the Auxiliaries. While the func- tions of the Auxiliaries vary somewhat from one Local to another, the women are making a tremendous con- tribution to our organization. In conducting hospital visits, our members who are confined to hospital sincerely ap- preciate the thoughtfulness and consideration of having a visit from the Ladies Auxiliary. Now that we have a govern- ment in Victoria that will support labour the support of the Auxiliaries in this field would provide great assistance to our organization. CONCLUSION We urge the Delegates to this Convention to devote their efforts to full consideration of the membership’s many problems. The Local Unions cannot be successful without a well co-ordinated effort of the Regional Council; as we ex- pand and become more suc- cessful in obtaining contract provisions it becomes impera- tive that our Conventions formulate sound policies and programs. Respectfully submitted by the Regional Officers J.A. Moore, President J.J. Munro, 1st Vice President T.W. Trineer, 2nd _ Vice President S. Parker, 3rd Vice President Fred Fieber, Sec.-Treasurer TRADESMEN’S CON FERENCE held in Woodworkers’ Hall August 27 to discuss revision demands for all Tradesmen and Apprentices. First Vice-President Jack Munro chaired the meeting which was also attended by a number of Local Union officers. and Southern Interior. SPECIAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD A one day special conference to deal with the subject of shorter working time has been slated for the day prior to the Wages and Contract Conferences for the Coast, Northern Purpose of the conference is to determine the best manner in which the Union should approach the shorter work week. Aren’t your valuables worth 2° a day ? Ask about a safety deposit box