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—

Page 4, The, Herald, Wednesday. May 7. 1980

ti TERRACKE/KITIMAT

| MLA-REPORTS ~ ni ee

-"* Pigbilished by: >

General Office . 635-6357
Citculation - 625-6357 * Sterling Publishers.” Co ue
PUBLISHER .“) - Calvin. McCarthy; |. > Nearly 80 per eént of B.C.'s annual. timber’ ent is. :

“EDITOR = Greg Middleton -»..° : "1° omy Crown land. Stumpage, the price -paid by; the
eee eee ona “JP forest’ companies for ‘this valuable publicly-owned: -

on. 9g 95.6957 Power OB. resource, amounted to $300 million in 1978-78,
' This seems like a lot of 7

“money, but such’ slum-.

page. payments ac-
counted for ‘only 6. per

Published: every. weekddy at 3212 Kalum Street... |
Terrace, B.C..A-member of Varlfied Circulation. —
Authorized as second ¢lass mali. Registration nurhbér ° |
1201. Postage paid in-cash, return postage guaranteed!::
NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT oe, / cent of the = total
The Herald refalnzfull, complete and sole copyright In ft. provincial revenue... The. °

any advertisement produced and-or any editorlal or. |. profits of MacMillan
photographic content published in the Herald, | | Bloedel alone were $155 .

Auditor General’J.Jé‘Macdonel
Treasury, who’ first blew: the‘alarm31?
called “value, for)

: from *

Reproduction -|s not permitted without the written million in’ 1979. ‘Some question. :-.... =}: moe,
permission of the Publisher. © argue that the public is Pearse: argued that independent’ evaluations. of ~
\ J. petting less than falr . prices’and costs should be undertaken by the gaverii- - ™
"* ; a value, for its limber. ment, if‘ dfily to restore: public - confidence. “Un-..) an
fr Stumpage is calculated-- fortunately his recommendations have: been: al}:

: forgotten. a me oh

according to a com
plicated “formula ‘which
has two ‘basic, com-
ponents. The valuc. of

_ logs is first established on -
the Vancouver market. 0 <0 *+ Soo

Companies are then allowed to deduct operating costs.
and a profit allowance from. the value sovestablished. *.

. Se

“y
_ reali

UBC. economist.Petér pearse tiotéd some serious *’
inadequacies in this procedure in a-study com. *
missioned by the former NDP. government in 194.- .

unionizing
But it used to burn them even more when the law required. . ae
that they supply union organizers with-a list of employee ; rs i
telephone numbers and addresses. * a ; : a
That's changed naw — the government amended the a ge —
requirement out of the provincial Labor Code in 1977 and the . , soe . Loio ) 7 Poy
unions say that it’s now more difficult to contact,employees : F ae

resident, andi
the National

; in remote places, yas a ta . . we,
4 Under the ameridments, it’s also tougher for unions to A : respons
organize. In order to apply for recognition or certification “oo . iat

a

under the law, a union must have signed up 45, rather than 35
percent of the employees. pot '
‘And to actually get certification, a.union has.to sign up 55
per cent of the employees, or get a simple majority if a vote is
held. . . tok
“You can see it as a contest,” says Michael Coady, a

Dear Sir:

I have. just finished

_ reading. a report from the

legislature by Frank Howard
in which he discusses the

per cent. ‘to emphasize the’

success of the program, 1
might’ say; that the funds
were over-subscribed within
a few days.

brought: down -rd -the. in-
centive feature oi capital

“the wasters secure in “the:

cae Vancouver labor relations lawyer. “To get into the contest. at, housing situation in Britis “ Co, cost: allowance’ re- - COM a.
all, you have to get 45 per cent support, To win certification, Col ok oe . Brit h the impact of housing otro: duced, nee ritish at meet, fe teed wot - knowledge that-they ‘could get, away .with ‘it, that’
vou Have (0 et oS ee gave vemployers the right to Not that [ expect Mr: ithe Canada’ Mortgage me Columbia will have no providing’ incentives are ‘nothing would happen, and that change pr reform wag.)

“communicate to an empl eo statement of fact orepinion Howard to- be com: Hoysing Corporation ~ housing problem, This restored. "A capital. cost beyond reach. * = 2 geety peep nat dee a,
t : play’ ! pinion. program has demonstrated allowance . ré-introduced So J.J; Macdonell got to-both--- the governors and.

reasonably held with respect to. the employer's business’ ..

plimientary to the govern-
ment, but 1 would at least

released: its. first -quarter...:

that with low interest capital.

the governed ;;with his questions aboubgetting “value.

. while his employees are trying to organize, expect him to report. on’ report of osha 16, and incentives, the problems cesolvingthe problem weare for money.” je aon gil ste ae

“E Employers welcomed the change. William Hamilton, , current facts. He makeS jo99 which indicated -a we-are. experiencing In presently experitticing’: °° = -Yau’re not Betting Gee aid On Meaney! = when: 4

: ide i F i reference to 1978 and 1979 , British Columbia can Poe ee 2 pe aS Sy Tiaed me eS ie x2 |
- president of the Employers Council of B.C., said at the time, _dramatic climb to a record . The N.D.P. seem to think” ‘the-Past Olfice: can.+ ke three’ WaEke td vet a letter **

“This removes the shackles..An‘employer will be able to
stand up and start a good debate which will make a decision
to join a union a much more thoughtful act onthe part of the
employee.’ "| rs re .

But Michael Coady, whose clients are often on the
“almost meaningless.”
tell your employees °
your opinion (about joining the union), even if they ask you,”
he says. “Comments that are harmless in an ordinary
if the employer

Junehnoam che detached-homes and rental; ; see Nidebicie untae a ny : a a
in ‘aatriedy i edliral nee Smampaalion= . rg sown homes Sateen Ped oh Phat tay your see arid ii ~ it Hy e ibubwhat YOURS .
re ort titid inher stips Off it «== The Housing Tnitiath the. sacia : ont Ree.are e conceal {taxe MBity PUR Rsblings
he will likely be found. to. be- committing an-unfair labor Program, initiated by “the acquired'at an exorbitant government. The N.D.P. oil, beer, hard Vguer Hbvies ever cfothing.? % oat

ars eee the . - : . + : : . tom ve re leeks

practice.”-" | a

“The namie of the game under thé Labor Code passed in

The Labor Relations Board (LRB), which regulates the
Code, set out the duty of the employer in-a judgement in 1974:
“The safe course for an employer is to remain an interested
bystander, to resist the: temptation to: become an active
partisan in a campaign against.a union. The decision should
be left up to the employees, both those who are for and those
who are against the arguments: of the uriion.””

Coady says, ‘What I recommend if a manager really
wants to express his opinion is that he write it out and have a
lawyer look at it to determine whether there's any violation
af the Labor Code, before the message is given to the em-
ployees.”” °

The majority of unfair labor practice complaints that come -

before the LRB, he says, concern employers who engage in
some tactic to discourage union organization. Half: of these
complaints are the result of people being fired for trying to
unjonize.. * . ;

The law prohibits any activity on the part.of the employer -

ta fight the union and this includes dismissals, transfers,
promises of a wageincrease ifthe employees reject the union

and threats to cancel a wage increase if they go for the union. .

The LRB has often ordered companies to rehire employees
dismissed for organizing actiyily and they: usually get full
back pay, too. What's more, ina dismissal case the onus is on
the employer to prove that he didn’t fire the employees for
union activity. This is largely because the Legislature con-
siders this form of anti-union activity “particularly serious
violation of the Code,” Coady says.

“Even if he employer seems to be winning the battle with
the union,” Coady says, “the LRB may, jn a sense, deprive

him of the fruits of his wrongful activities by going ahead and .

certifying the union anyway. The Board is most likely to do
this if it thinks the employer has interfered with the true
wishes of the employees.

Employers may feel angry and frustrated in the face of this
network of restrictions, bul the Code does allow them some
protection, too. The main thing is that_ organizing. activity
cannot take place on the employer’s premises on company
time, although Coady says these infractions “do not seem to
pe taken very seriously” by the LAB.. .

“don’t know of any certification application that has been
turned down because union activity took place on company
time,” he says. ; :

The Code also forbids unions (as well as employers) to use
any coercion or intimidation. This is considered an unfair
labor practice and may result in the LRB throwing oul the
certification applicatioh. .

Another tactic which unions are not permitted to use for
organizing purposes Is information pickets or organizational
pickets. ; =

in one case in Vancouver, for example, a unlon failed to
persuade management lo use unionized contractors or to hire
through unions in building a hotel. The labor on the site was
largely non-union. : '

Union members appeared at the site with placards
reading, “Notice lo all non union workers on this job — for

information as ty :re advantages of being 4 member of the .

Building Trades Union, phone 524-8561.”

statistics on housing starts in
the province, In his. usual
negative. way, he fails to
mention, and[ guess I would
‘not expect him to, the
Housing Initiative Program
introduced in January by the
government. to encourage
utilization .. of British
Columbia lumber and the,
construction -- of

government and ad-
ministered by the Credit
Unions of British Columbia,

attractive interest rate of 9%4

single —

level of 7,097 units under.

construction. The impetus . -
< periencing. problems. with _
-, high interest;rates and the,

lack of incentives 10 en-—

and need for this record level
of activity.has been created
by the strong inflow of people
into British Columbia. There
were more housing starts in

million Housing Intiative

resolved.
While. we might be ex-

courage rental; ac-

commodation construction, I,

developers at

price from Ditnhill Cor--’
’ poration. ~ eo!
H.C:B.C.'s main claim to’.

- that the government. should -

construct most. ‘of . the
housing and that people
should not .own: their -own .

Jand but: be compelled to. .
‘lease it-from the govern-

to meet the needs of British

:~* * Minister.

YOUR PURSE

“THESE CARIBBEAN

IONE SURE TO WATCH
{ CAREFULLY

ISLANDS

THE SAKE AS THES USD

ARENT,

q.
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inn

hiking

TN
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less than ‘your fair money’s worth? ““*

‘

“mao fo i al
BRONE NEXT YER. © ipeg| |.

across a:province let alone the country,, when: you
can’t find who's in charge and get bucked from office *’
to office on an. immigration, taxation, pension or what= ~
have-you problem, . — mo, mo,
-. Read deep-down understanding. of ‘value . for .
money” comes with’ the realization that Stats-Can
calculated that the average Canadian taxpayer works

‘for three solid months each year just to. pay-off the”:

federal “sand — provincial levies on’ | income:

mi

° ‘And to pay'thal off, it takes six.to eight weeks of the,
rr

_ average taxpayer's working year.

back. 5 7 - tee
" ‘Then there are those municipal taxes ~- varying with
‘each city, town and village -- to make it six months’
work for the taxmen. on-three levels of: dovétnment
and six months for yourself. ne

“Everybody screams about’ inflation, ‘but ‘did you
know that the respected Fraser Institute, a financial
research organization, has reported that the incredse

in Canadian taxation exceeds that of rising costs?

_ Exceeds just about everything, in fact,. including,
incomes of course, housing costs, car prices, heating’
and yes, probably most hurtful of all, food. © 333¢:/5

J.J. Macdonell is soon retiring and wether ‘the new.
Auditor General pursues his ‘value for money!"

crusade ‘remains a question: 9" * a,
But isn’t the buck -- or the rub ~- stopping-with you, :
the one who’s being gouged by governments giving

eer

Ifyou don’t think you’re getting “value for mone

_ go'pounding on the door, or through the mail, or'overs

ee i

the phone of your elécted representatives. *

“The Herald welcomes its:readers ‘comments: *F!
. All letters.to the editor of general public interest “f°
will be printed. We do, however, retain, the tight “J
_to refuse to print letters on grounds of possible,
‘libel or bad taste.'We may also edit letters. for
style'and length. All letters to be.considered for: :

publication must-be signed), © 0“

iv

When used properly, laundry care labelling-can often save -
the consumer considerable money, inconvenlence and an-
noyance. Just ask the man whose sliorts and socks have

taken on the Jovely lilac shade of his bath towels, or-ihe girl

“CONSUMER
COMMENT

{By CONSUMER AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS CANADA

_ wash temperature, or a icture of a hatid, if thé item is to

*

_ wn is to give employees. the right to collective.bargaining. has made available $125 I jumbid ; ; oo ote

; That’s why the-Code protects that right so carefully, The milli for single detached fame. was’: its . many Columbians. 2 Th , " oughl otal of tee day

; Code does not go so far in protecting-employers’ rights,” he homes and §75 million for acquisitions of already .. "Yours sincerely, at’s roughly a total of between four and five.,

says. 7 ; rental accommodation at the been theteffect of the $200 . constructed housing unils, ~ ' James R. Chabot, months each year. youre working to keep: the federal.
from | er ; - and’ provincial tax collectors off your neck if not your, .

The union argued to the LRB that it was merely exercising y ; : r

ils right under the Code ts ‘‘communicate information.” But whose new sweater is now her little sister's new sweater. . - hhandwashed, . Lo y

the Board saw that, as a result of the placards, people were \ an area pee ak tg ee . : ‘

refusing to do business with the employer. Itruled that they The laundry care symbols now found with most clothing, * chlorine bleach is represented Dj a rare ised ‘

were illegal pickets. ' oe fabric and household textiles, are designed to ensure that "req withan X through it ifitcannot. 8 8S rr atin

; Where nee a close race uetween the pro-and anti-unlte your textile article will not stretch, shrink of chahge colour. *. pos ; - cee Vi i ie i

factions, the LRB will often call for a certification vete. If the | The information they provide is also useful before purchase ~ ‘eiitved june *-¢ontact;vour‘n Ne Res ee E
Sustain ot Wow he dantified. Fak it tess an Mag af a sine aed Sundaes reniteeel Le hare nats fairs Canada. earest office of Consumer and Corporate a a i

% : ‘ 7 . on i? a i re ae eo, 1 Be : neta ee ‘ iN