° Court will decide whether union can be proceeded against in law The question of whether a trade union will be allowed to function freely, as a legally constituted bargaining unit for a group of workers, or whether it will be declared a corporate body subject to suit under provincial laws, will be decided at an impending Supreme Court case in Vancouver. The case arises out of the charge laid against the Nanaimo Laundry and Dry Cleaning Workers Union (CCL), Local 1, under the new ICA Act (Bill 39), which creates a precedent by empowering the government to proceed against a union as a body for violations. If the court upholds the Act the savings and property of in- dividual union members could be attached in cases where a local union is unable to pay a fine levied against it. Last week, before Magistrate Lionel Beevor Potts in Nanaimo, BR. J. McMaster filed a writ of prohibition on behalf of the workers’ union and the case is now before the Supreme Court here. A decision is ex- pected by next Wednesday. Explaining the basis for the de- fense’s restraining writ, R. J. Mc- Master said: “I do not consider a trade union as a legal entity or a corporate body, despite Bill 39." Meanwhile, the trade unions throughout the province are mov- ing to aid the Nanaimo strikers in their fight against the anti- labor features of Bill 39. The International Woodworkers of America, at a combined meeting of its district council and policy committee in Vancouver last Sun- day decided to call upon workers in every logging camp and saw- mill’ to take up special collections on the job to aid the strikers. It asked them to send individual post cards to Premier Hart demand- ing that the charges against the Nanaimo strikers and the three CCL leaders be dropped, and that the two dismissed workers be re- instated. Nanaimo _laurrdry workers whose walkout touched off the mass campaign will be guests at the ‘Fight Bill 389’ rally spon- sored by the B.C. Federation of Labor for Sunday, July 20, in Vancouvers Exhibition Gard- ens, Hastings Park. Speakers at the rally -will be Alex McAus- lane, CCI. Vice-vresident; Har- old Winch, leader of the CCF opposition; Nigel Morgan, LPP provincial leader. Harold Prit- It was disclosed at this week’s ers and Boilermakers Union Drydock, North Vancouver. A coroner's inquest found the com- pany at fault in not providing adequate safety protection at the shipyard. ; White declared he had diffi- culty in getting a union man placed on the coroners’ jury when he contacted provincia: police at North Vancouver. “This was done, apparently in an effort to bar the evidence of shipyard work- ers,” he said. After pressure was applied by the union, a shipyard worker was allowed on the jury. White placed responsibility for Read’s death on the company “for not safeguarding open holes, al- lowing improper lighting and hav- ing no safety inspector present.” Council delegates unanimously supported an executive resolution forwarding protests to Attorney White charges negligence in shipyard man’s death Charges of ‘gross negligence’ in the death of a shipyard worker, George Read, last Sunday, were hurled at Burrard Drydock Company by Bill White, president of Marine Work- Council, at the council meeting this week. Read was killed after falling 38 feet into an empty ballast tank at Burrard (CCL) and Vancouver Labor General Wismer of “the attitude of certain provincial police in ex- cluding trade unionists from cor- oner’s juries.” Steelworkers’ union representa- tive Pen Baskin threatened to take strike action {n 15 metal fabricating and engineering plants employing 1,400 workers in Van- couver and New Westminster. “We are making the _ neces- sary plans to withdraw our labor power, if the employers persist in their policy of not coming through with wage _ increases,” Baskin ‘Stated, adding, “Indica- tions are that employers are not going to settle peacefully. They have been heartened by this anti- labor legislation (Bill 39). The steel workers, however, will not give up their right to strike.” ~aK SK SSK Sex SK ie mente meeting of Vancouver Labor Coun- | f3 cil that the strikers will be wel- comed to Vancouver at the dock by a brass band, and escorted to the mass rally by a special motor- cade. Vancouver Labor Council voted $100 towards a $50,000 fund launched by the B.C. Federation of Labor. . Kimberley hard-rock miners _ and Trail smelterworkers are taking up a special collection for this fund, according to Harvey Murphy, western re- gional director for lIrternation- al Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers (CCL-CIO). ' The charges apainst individual strikers and union leaders are not expected to be proceded with un- til the Supreme Court decision on whether the union can be prosecuted is made known. } —W.R.D, FUELS and CARTAGE A Progressive Company WOOD * COAL * SAWDUST Deliveries anytime and anywhere — . Vancouver Phone TAtlow 2847 New Westmin. Phone 2876M-1 | o a COME AS YOU ARE GRAND UNION HOTEL Vancouver _ FRIDAY, JULY 11, 1947 . Sane bt | Phone: Free Home | Delivery of ' BOTTLED BEER } | yy | RS ' €4oO.D. E (Cash on Delivery) 55s Sh tx RCE of loggers and sawmill workers in the past years, discounts the inference in the statement made by R. V. Stuart, operators’ rep- resentative last Friday that ‘“em- ployee efficiency in operation will be necessary to help offset the higher wage bill and the short- ened working week.” Negotiations are scheduled to resume this week for 7,000 In- terior woodworkers, with talks taking place at Prince George, Kamloops and Cranbrook. The IWA negotiating commit- tee arrived in Prince George on Wednesday this week to present the union’s case for 3,000 nor- thern Interior workers. The union is asking for a 17-cent wage in- crease, the 40-hour week, and other concessions. Southern Interior lumber oper- ators have also offered a 10-cent boost, and completely rejected all the other demands of the union. Speaking at the Vancouver La- bor Council, Tuesday night, IWA district president Harold Prit- chett stated: “The Interior lumber opera- IWA agreement \ tors have been playing around — with our demands up to date. Woodworkers in the interior are determined to get a settlement — in keeping with that won or the ~ coast, and will take strike ac- tion, if a satisfactory agreement — is not reached.” ; Other important gains won in the Coast agreement include es- tablishment of a 95-cent hourly wage minimum for “male common labor,” which will increase wages for shingle workers by 13 to 15_— cents an hour. Wage increases ranging from 20 to 25 cents were won for various classifications of : stationary engineers. The 40-hour week clause pro- vides for time-and-a-half for over time should the crews agree to extend the week to 44 hours in separate instances. A special joint meeting of the IWA district council and policy committee in Vancouver decided to recommend that the member- ship~accept the new agreement and take immediate steps to ap ply the 40-hour week in all camps and mills on the Coast. ae. For a Good . Suit or Overcoat come to the : OLD ESTABLISHED RELIABLE FIRM REGENT TAILORS $24 West Hastings Street SSE PAcific 1384 PAcific 1385 j PAcific 1386 . PAcific 25c per dozen paid for empties Please have them ready for driver when : ? he makes This advertisement is not published or displayed Liquor Control Board, or by the Government of British Columbia— 1387 SHE Se delivery A Saiitec ie ? Bee by the : EVERY GARMENT STRICTLY UNION MADE CASH for your empty ij Beer Bottles _ You will receive 25¢ per dozen for empty beer m bottles when you deliver them to any of the following addresses listed below. 1445 Powell Street 1040 Hamilton Street : 2700 Yew Street 755 Homer Street 115 East Second Ave. 6 East Second Ave, 608 Main Street * * 8 PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE ©