THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

ONE
MAN'S
OPINION

“SILENT

FIRINGS”

“WHY WASTE TIME?”

By JACK HOLST

Regional 2nd Vice-President

ie THE IWA we cannot afford to waste

any more time in preparing to meet the
problems of automation. Already we have
experienced the rapid progress of mechaniza-
tion in woods operations. Automatic pro-
cesses are appearing in sawmills and plywood
plants. The tempo of change in production
processes is being speeded up on every side,
especially in new operations.

Already we have noted too many “silent
firings.” Soon we will be
close to something in the
way of a “technological ex-
plosion.” We have not yet
realized the full impact of
these changes because the
industry is producing to
meet an exceptional de-
mand. If the lumber market
should be adversely affected,
we would soon see more
clearly how the working force has actually
been reduced by the new mechanization. We
must be ready, with concrete plans.

The general unemployment statistics tell
us nothing. These are merely statistics of ag-
gregate unemployment. We are now compel-
led to think about the effect of these changes
on individuals — how a few men here and
a dozen or perhaps a hundred elsewhere are
displaced.

The production changes effect different
occupations and operations in different
ways. Generally speaking, jobs are being
up-graded and workers are being down-
graded. Fewer workers are being hired to
replace the normal attrition of the work
force due to ill health and age. Mechaniza-
tion of one operation by a wealthy com-
pany may close down an operation miles
distant whose owners lack the necessary
capital or initiative. For these reasons we
must try to see the picture as a whole and
develop plans of a comprehensive nature.
We must prepare to meet the resulting
problems in the area of union-management
negotiations.

We are now engaged in important steps
to prevent the down-grading of our mem-

CONVENTION LEGISLATIVE COMMITT
L. Sloat, Paul Ross, M. Landry,

bers by means of training programs and rate
adjustments.

Management’s major reason for automat-
ing is usually the fact that the new equipment
and processes enable it to produce at lower
costs. We must demand a share of these
savings rather than see them all kept by
management for the enrichment only of the
shareholders. As we do not intend to block

_the progress of. automation we must protect
job security. Management must assume
greater responsibility in this regard.

- One hard cold fact we must face now.
Workers are being displaced and will con-
tinue to be displaced. We cannot stand
idly by while this is happening.

A job today is usually more than just a
place to work and a regular pay cheque.
Most jobs carry with them certain rights
which grow with seniority, such as health
and welfare coverage, a definite status as re-
gards lay-offs, promotions, vacations, holidays
and sick leave, possibly pensions.

A worker loses these accumulated rights
when his services are no longer required. If
he moves to another plant he must start at
the bottom of that plant’s seniority roster.

It is for this reason that automation bene-
fit funds have been established by some
unions to provide forms of compensation for
the loss of these benefits. The displaced
worker is thereby assured of continuing in-
come for a.period until he gains other em-
ployment. He is aided in re-locating to secure
employment elsewhere. He is financially
supported while he takes advantage of any
training necessary.

Again, I urge that we must think in
terms of an employer-established. fund to
provide what is frequently called severance
pay.

We must first negotiate plans to keep
displacement down to a minimum. Then
we must make certain that workers are
not thrown into the discard without op-
portunity to gain other remunerative em-

ployment.

EE
J. Fowler, R. Milligan, A. Deutsch,

R. Blanchard, L. A. Miller, F. McCabe, E. Del Rio, E. DeAnna, J. Biccum,

V. Fast, S. Ball.

ba

et

LOCAL 1-206, IWA, Alberta delegates to the Re-
gional Convention were Garry Stockton left, and
Tom Sprlak, Local Financial Secretary.

1-424 Extends

Certifications

Local 1-424 Prince George,
in line with local and regional
policy, during the llth and
12th month of the current
agreements, has applied for
and received certification for
the following companies. The
Local Union now holds cer-
tification for these companies
within the boundaries of the
Local Union:

Shelley Sawmills Ltd,
Prince George; Upper Fraser
Spruce Mills Ltd. Upper
Fraser; Park Bros. Ltd., Van-

Hinton

Quickie

‘Settled

It has been announced by
Keith Johnson, Business
Agent of Local 1-207 IWA,
that 300 members of that
Union and employees of
North Western Pulp & Power
Ltd., Hinton, Alberta, return-
ed to their jobs Oct. 24 ending
a two-day walkout.

This walkout which com-
menced October 22 was a
spontaneous reaction by the
employees to the arbitrary
work rules implemented by
the Company which resulted
in a wholesale dismissal of
employees by the Company.

At a meeting held Friday,
October 23, officials of Local
1-207, International Wood-
workers of America, advised
the pulp cutters to immed-
iately return to their jobs.
The Union, at the same time
demanded a meeting with the
Company to discuss and set-
tle all matters pertaining to
the dispute. A committee has
been elected by the crew for
this purpose and it is antici-
pated that such a meeting was
scheduled for Oct. 26, 1964.

IWA officials have warned
that the Company’s policy
may contemplate retaliation
against more _ employees,
which could further aggra-

vate an already tense situa-
tion.

derhoof; Skaret Creek Saw-
mills Ltd., Prince George;
Norman M. Smith Ltd,
Prince George; Beaver (Alta)
Lumber Ltd., Prince George;

B.C. Spruce Sales Ltd., Prince «.,

George; Arctic Mills Ltd.,
Prince George; United Forest
Products (B.C.) Ltd., Aleza
Lake; Northern Planing Mills
Ltd., Prince George; Sinclair
Spruce Lumber Co, Ltd., Sin-
clair Mills; Ralph Telford
Planing Mills Ltd., Prince
George; Stauble Lumber Co.
Ltd., Prince George; Central
B.C. Planers Ltd., Prince
George.

This will now leave the Lo-
cal Union with very few cer-
tifications which are not cov-
ered within the boundaries of
the Local Union. It is hoped
to obtain the remainder at a
later date.

1-363
Returns
Salter

Max Salter, President of
Local 1-363 IWA, Courtenay,
was re-elected along with Fi-
nancial Secretary Karl Lid-
berg for another two-year

term of office in the recent
Local elections.

Also elected were Felix Me-
Cabe, 1st Vice-President;
Russ Williams, 2nd Vice-
President; Earl Kemps, 3rd
Vice-President; Stan Lewis,
Recording Secretary; Herb
Wheatley, Conductor; Roy
Williams, Warden; Stan Wil-
liamson, Trustee.

The new officers were
Sworn in by Regional 1st
Vice-President Jack Mac-
Kenzie during the Local's
regular meeting October 25,
in Courtenay.

HORACE GREELEY, ¥

who
always insisted that the word :

“news” was plural, once wil
ed to a reporter:
any new?”

‘®

“Are there

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ood