_ “SAFETY DIRECTOR'S REPORT” |

a

to eee eran cn at
the Hearings. Labour must
speak with one voice and let it
be known we will not accept a
reduction in quality of services
to our members.

A meeting of representatives
of the I.W.A., B.C. Fed.,
C.P.U., W.C.B. and Manage-
ment groups; C.O.F.I. and
1.L.M.A. was held on August 16
to discuss Cedar Dust Asthma.

The meeting billed as a
“working session’’ dealt
mainly with the relocation of
the diseased worker. It is diffi-
cult to assess at present if this
type of meeting was actually
worthwhile. To date there has
been no response to sugges-
tions made at the session.
However the Board has said it
intends to reconsider the whole
policy on ‘‘predisposition to an
Industrial Disease’’ (the
Board’s term).

The areas of negotiation,
legislation and education must
be the targets of the I.W.A. if
the problems discussed are to

be resolved to the satisfaction
of our members.

The resolutions dealt with by
this Convention must be con-
sidered seriously as policy
decisions of prime importance.

Many gains made for work-
ers in the health and safety
field have been achieved first
at the bargaining table. Re-
search into short and long term
effects of all new compounds
and chemicals prior to their
being introduced into the work-
place should be the right of all
workers. Perhaps the I.W.A.
can become the leader in this
area if we are successful in
negotiations.

The I.W.A.’s efforts in politi-
cal action must be supported
and strengthened by Safety
Councils and concerned
membership if we are to make
the Legislative gains so im-
perative to the development of
solutions to occupational
health and safety problems.

The right to refuse, is one of
the major pieces of legislation

ee | hg the B.C. Fed.
Occupational Health and
Safety Committee in their brief
to the Minister .of Labour.
Words from that brief bear re-
peating. ‘In this day of placing
the mask of science over the
reality of the situation and
promulgating such notions as
threshold limit values,
degenerative changes, pre-
disposing disabilities, accident
proneness and worker care-
lessness and a variety of other
excuses conveniently develop-
ed, the only certainty is that
workers must decide for them-
selves if the workplace is

-healthy and safe.”

Our goal must be a better
educated work force and more
questioning workers, thus
equipping our members to
raise these questions where
they work. Walls of ignorance
must be pushed back, workers
must fight to reorganize the
workplace and promote more
worker involvement in decis-
ion making.

RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE: W. Kozij, B. Rogers, M. Kokura, A. Carle, L. Featherstone,
W.-Pooghkay, R. Richards, T. Smith, N. Chernoff, E. Wood, M. Eggie, J. Kerssens, D.
Welder, D. Muirhead and B. Symmes.

ED BROADBENT, NDP Federal Leader, gives

1-118, waits his turn to speak.

Trudeau and friends, as Regional President Jack
Regional! 2nd Vice-President Neil Menard and

Vice-President Ernie Clarke — , ee x

MIKE KOKURA, Ist Vice-President of Local 1-85, speaks on —
one of the resolutions while Roger Lewis, President of Local