pas Pe os ae Ih ees ween oF ory oe een eee eee eve on ne r UNITY CAN WIN FORWOODWORKERS| By WILLIAM STEWART All eyes swung to the Georgia Hotel on March 21 where the I.W.A. and the coast lumber operators opened wage and con- tract talks for the 30,000 woodworkers and 126 operators involved. Lumber and its assocated products is the prime industry in B.C. and the outcome of these negotiations will bear heavily on other unions in the province. The union is demanding a $1 a day pay hike, an industry wide portable pension plan; upward revision of rates for ‘shingle sawyers, engineers and firemen; one additional statu- tory holiday; double time for all overtime and strengthening ef seniority provisions. The operators have countered with the following proposals: 20% reduction in the basic minimum rate for fallers and ‘ buckers: 10% cut in piece work rates for shingle weavers; 50% increase in board and lodging rates; elimination of red-circle rates; cut backs in call time, travel time, seniority, union secur- ity and hours of work: regulations. Looking at the two sets of demands side by side begs the question: Who is being unreasonable? e Taking the period 1950 to 1960 here is how the two groups have fared. The basic lumber wage in 1950 was $1.20%2 an hour. In 1961 it’s $1.92. The average wage in B.C. industry in 1950 was $1.25. In 1960 it was $2.22. This means that lumber work- ers have fallen from 4!4c behind the provincial average in 1950 to 30c in 1960. Here is the extent of the ‘company sacrifice.’ In 1950 H. R. MacMillan Co. had a work force of 3,500. Their profit for that year was $312 million. That’s $1,000 per . employee. In 1960 the H. R. MacMillan and Powell River Co. had about 13,000 employees. Their profit was $50 million. That’s $4,000 per employee! Where does this increased profit come from? In 1950, 54,974 employees in the lumber, sawmill and pulp and paper industry processed a total cut of 4% billion F.B.M. In 1960, 50,990 employees processed a total cut of 6.2 billion F.B.M. In the years 1959 through 1960, while employment went down in the lumber and sawmill industry, total produc- tion went up from 4,685 million F.B.M. to 5,197 F.B.M., an increase of 10.9%. Boiled down this means that the increase in productivity per man over 10 years is 48%. However, since a larger pro- portion of the cut is processed into finished products than was the case in 1950, the increase is close to 55%. . Let’s take the question of markets. Timber interests are building up a big case about their market dilemma. Total shipments from B.C. sawmills went up 336 million F.B.M. in 1960. Exports to the U.S.A. went up by 4%, United Kingdom by 88%, other countries by 33.7% in shipments was in our own Canadian market where there was a cut back of 5.2%. This indicates two things: First, Canadian wage rates are ~ not standing in the way of substantially increasing our exports ~ to other countries. Second, it is precisely the lack of purchasing’ ~ power of the Canadian people that is causing a shrinkage in ’ the Canadian market. A condition which is further aggravated . by the larger share of production taken by the lumber mon- opolies and the smaller portion paid to the workers in wages. These are the facts and figures. As to the ability of the % companies to pay one final comparison could be made. In 1950 ». witha profit of 342 million the H. R. MacMillan Co. was _/4made to pay 15c across the board increase. In 1960 the em- © ployees are asking for 12%c while the company’s profits are ~ $50 million! These are but a few of the more pertinent facts and figures 28 ‘underlying the bargaining picture in wood this year. ““ However, while these figures state the case for a wage : inerease it remains to be won. The lumber companies, as part “of the overall offensive of employer groups against the living » 4standards of the people, are bent on passing off the cost of the * developing crisis to the workers in that industry. Only in this . kway will they be able to maintain and increase their profits. The nature of the crisis in Canada today lies precisely in the bigger and bigger share that monopoliés, such as the lum- sher trusts,-have been claiming out of the national income. LT. COL. McTAVISH SAYS Arms spending ‘utter waste While tens of thousands of citizens across Canada add their voices and efforts for peace and an end to the men- ace of nuclear radiation haz- ards, Lt.-Col. F. A. McTavish DSO (now retired) with 30- years army service to his credit, declared last week that in the event of war ‘Canada is defenseless” and the $2- billien spent annually on arm- ed forces and equipment is “an utter waste.” “Every cent spent on the army in a national survival role is wasted’? McTavish de- clared, since ‘“‘there is absolute- ly no chance of survival of the populace in an all-out nuclear war.” Lt.-Col. McTavish was sharp- ly critical of Canada’s ‘‘Little Pentagon” in Washington, em- During the past two week- ends splendid banquet gather- ings were sponsored by the Haney-Mission and North Sur- rey clubs of the Communist Party in support of the Pacific Tribune campaign and to hon- or editor Tom McEwen’s 70th birthday. In the Masonic Hall at Haney a capacity audience en- joyed a fine banquet supper prepared by the Haney and Mission women comrades. Fol- lowing a tribute to the party and its leaders given by vet- eran Comrade Biatt and a musical program by local tal- ent, an inspiring address was made by Maurice Rush, ‘PT’ associate editor, Carl Hilland of Websters Corners acted as MC. McEwen was presented with a fine vase of Haney pottery by the joint clubs, and a beautiful pen set by the Haney Young Commun- ‘PT’ Editor Honoured at Banquets in Haney, Surrey ist League members. Sunday last the Kennedy Hall on Scott Road was pack- ed to capacity in an equally fine banquet celebration pre- sided over by veteran Com- munist leader Charles Stewart. Highlights of the event for!. the ‘PT’ and its veteran editor was a selection of folk songs by the talented AUUC group The Milestones and the New Westminster AUUC Children’s Dance Ensemble under the di- rection of Sylvia Rutka. In his address chairman Charlie Stewart recalled many of the early struggles for trade union organization and work- ingelass political action in which McEwen had participat- ed. The North Surrey clubs presented editor McEwen with a bronze plaque of Lenin and his wife Rose McEwen with a large bouquet of red carna- tions. Therefore, the struggle of woodworkers to maintain and | useless and wasteful. Genet . The only decrease advance their standard of living, is at the same time part of the bigger question: Are the Canadian people going to curb the powerful monopolies or will they be allowed to tighten their grip on the national helm, drive down the living standards of the Canadian population and reduce Canada to a raw ma- terial satellite of the U.S.A.? The company’s strategy is clear. Under the public slogan of “Hold The Line” they hope to freeze wages while they continue to push up productivity and prices. This is a much more subtle method of cutting wages than the system of wholesale wage cuts adopted during the thirties. It is likely, however, that once they have accomplished. their “Hold The Line” policy they will go over to open wage cuts. This is indicated in the 10% and 20% cuts proposed in wood this year and similar proposals in some sections of the construction industry. In the face of the employer offensive most unions have nonetheless put forward legitimate demands for wage increases and contractual improvements this year. What is lacking, however, is overall direction in the wage movement. What is required now, with wood at the bargaining table, is a provincial conference, called by the B.C. Federation of Labor which would pledge the complete solidarity of B.C. labor behind the demands of the I.W.A Anything less, any reliance on either a ‘go it alone policy’ ity action, will seriously hamper negotiations.. Full mobilization of the I.W.A. membership behind their modest and legitimate deitiands. Full support of B.C. labor behind the I.W:A. This is ‘the key to winning both for the I.W:A. and all labor in B.C. this year.” -Gulf and Fraser Fisher™ or ‘across the table bargaining,’ as a substitute for labor solidar-|, phasizing that ‘any weapon” or defense idea “not invented in the United States was ignol* | ed.” This brand of ‘‘integra tion” in McTavish’s opiniom only served as an excuse fot joint military “missions travel” and have a good timé at the people’s expense. Lt.-Col. McTavish is thy second high ranking Canadiaa officer to publicly brand Cam ada’s costly ‘integrated NORAD “defense” policies ‘as Macklin in a series of news paper articles has said muce the same thing. j ‘Lt.-Col. McTavish made nis charges of “defence wasteful ness” during the course of aa address last week before the West Vancouver and pu Rotary clubs. OBITUARY BERN STEHELIN An oldtimer in the Com) munist and progressive labot movement of British Colum bia, Bern Stehelin. passé away in Nanaimo on Mar 20 in his 81st year. . Born in France, Bern Stel elin emigrated to Canada » 1901, but returned to 2 homeland to serve in te) French army during the first world war of 1914-18. Mr. Stehelin, a resident of Regina during the 30’s was charter member of the Regi C.C.F., and later joined. Communist Party in 1936. active builder and worker fos the party’s press, Bern steb elin kept up his working¢l@™ activities until the late 4 when ill health compelled bh to retire. Mr. Stehelin is survived tf one daughter, Mrs. Yvon! Green of Richmond. B.C. — JACK COOK Jack Cook, vice preside? ; of the Fishermen and Aue Workers Union, and activ® many progressive circles, ay suddenly in Vancouver week at the age of 41. A He had recently retu from the Soviet Union W F he toured with a delegatt of fishermen. He was reP% ai ing on this trip when he is fered a heart seizure w!? led to his untimely death. In addition to his a a in the Fishermen’s U Jack Cook was active ié 2. B.C, Federation of unempl ed and was an Officer in a ‘Credit. Union, and He leaves a wife, Jea? a four young children 45 jag as a sister in Vancouvel: ay Pacific Tribune joins oy Jack Cook’s many friend, extending its deepest athy to the family. March 31, 1961—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Pae