. THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER ; ecwtae, 1 = oan ea REE } 1) | \ f f& | & > my i \ om | " i A = — foe | 4 e Eel Zz. W@W ae PORT McNEILL EMPLOYEES COMPLETE ACCIDENT-FREE YEAR Rayonier Canada employees from Port McNeill were honoured at a party sponsored by the Company March 6, at Port Hardy, for achieving the enviable record of completing a full work year without a - compensible accident. During the evening, the Rayonier Northern Division safety trophy, awarded among the Company’s camps at Mahatta River, Holberg, Jeune Landing and Port McNeill, was presented to IWA Camp Chairman Frank .Millar and General Foreman Al Wardell by Division Manager Keith Beise. In achieving their record, the Port McNeill crew which averaged 140 men, worked 260,000 man-hours and reduced their compensible accidents by 59 percent in 1970 over 1969. Safety certificates were also presented to a number of crews with outstanding, safety per- formances. These included the boom crew now accident-free for 12 years; the shop crew, four years accident-free; and a six-man road crew with a three-year safety record. On March 7, the third joint Union-Management Safety Conference was held at Port McNeill. In attendance were approximately 50 employees from the Company’s Mahatta River, Holberg, Jeune Landing and Port McNeill operations. The Conference which is held twice yearly, was addressed by the joint chairmen Ernie Freer, President of Local 1-71, and Keith Beise, Rayonier General Logging Manager, who discussed the importance of training, the complexity of the problem, and relationship of training to safety. Following the general remarks which set the basic theme, an open-floor discussion revolved around Safety Committee reports from each camp. These reports, which had _ been previously prepared at camp level, outlined their present training programmes and their recommendations for im- provement. At the conclusion of the meeting, speakers from both the Union and Management re- emphasized the importance of co-operation; as demonstrated by the success during the past year of the joint safety effort. ~ . | THE RAYONIER NORTHERN DIVISION Safety Trophy awarded to the Port McNeill employees for working a full year without a compensible accident, is held by General Foreman Al Wardell, centre, and |WA Camp Chairman Frank Millar. On the left is Logging Division Manager Keith Beise. WINNING TICKET holder for the radio given away at the Joint Union-Management Safety Conference at Port McNeill, March 7, was First Aid Attendant Jim Stevens, right. Presenting prize are Local 1-7) President Ernie Freer, left and Roger Manning, Rayonier | | } { INQUIRY COMMISSION BEST | FOR INJURED WORKMEN | W.C.B.'S WHITE CLAIMS Workmen’s compensation benefits are administered with greater efficiency and greater advantage to the injured worker through an inquiry commission than through the courts, Cyril White, Q.C., Workmen’s Compensation Board Chairman, told the New Westminster and District Labour Council recently. Prolong Injury “When compensation is administered through an adversary system, success often goes to those litigants who — like oriental beggars — show the most gruesome sores or physical deformities,” he said. ‘‘There is something shabby about a system which encourages a man to prolong the effects of an injury while he seeks a court award for damages.” “If you win you are on easy street — or so the theory goes. If you lose you can fall back on welfare. But, win or lose, you have lost, possibly forever, your best chance for effective physical and mental rehabilitation. An injured man could cripple himself for life suing for damages.” Stay From Work “In those jurisdictions where compensation is awarded through the courts, the work- man is not only tempted to magnify his disability, he also tends to stay away from work until the case is settled, perhaps months after the in- jury occurred.” The inquiry system, as practised by the B.C. Work- men’s Compensation Board, bears little resemblance to the adversary system. Each injury is. reported directly to the Board, and the Board proceeds to investigate or ‘‘inquire’’ to the extent that seems necessary to satisfy itself as to whether the workman has a compensable claim. Ad- judication of the 100,000 or so claims handled in a year, and administration of com- pensation are both carried out by the WCB, eliminating the cost and delays of normal court proceedings. It is estimated that lawyers are involved in fewer than 1 percent of all cases handled by the B.C. Board. No Delay In B.C., a workman’s medical costs, time loss payments, and disability pension are assured. His relationship with his employer need not be impaired. And his physical and vocational rehabilitation can begin im- mediately after the injury. It is not delayed by months of litigation, or need to persuade a judge and jury of the seriousness of the disability. In addition, there are several safeguards built into the compensation system in B.C. Workmen have access to an independent Compensation Consultant and two _ in- dependent Boards of Review. Claims involving medical disputes can be brought before independent medical review panels, whose decisions are binding on both the workman and the WCB. Jackpot Syndrome “The Workmen’s Com- pensation system in British Columbia is free of the ‘‘Jack- pot syndrome’”’ so troublesome in other jurisdictions,” said Mr. White. ‘‘In many of the American States, for instance, almost all time-loss claims involve lawyers. In the vast majority of these cases, the claims are settled with un- spectacular lump sum payments to the injured work- man. But once in a while, through chance, or clever bartering by a _ lawyer, someone hits the jackpot, and wins a whopping big set- tlement. This is the story that gets into the papers. And this is the sort of thing that en- courages all workmen to hire a lawyer in hopes of similar ‘good luck.’ The vast majority of workmen, of course, never come close to winning a jack- pot.” Net Result “‘The net result of this trend, in many States, is a return to the bad old days where a work- man had to fight for his rights in the courtroom. And time and again it is proved that, in the long run, workmen come out last,’ he said. SE NS TT PRE ET) ON THE LIGHTER SIDE Chokerman Charlie says that the service has gotten so bad in his favorite Prince George night spot that n6w at least two waiters ignore each customer. % % * A bachelor is a fellow who can have a girl on his knee without having her on his hands. + % * Sam the machinery man’s definition of a super salesman is a man who succeeds in convincing his wife that she would look fat in a fur coat. * * + Pouce Coupe Pete says a husband is a fellow who only wishes he had as much fun while he’s out as his wife thinks he does. —_ The elderly hillbilly was heading for the airport with his Bible in his hand when. an old friend asked him where he was going. “Well, sir,”’ he drawled, “T’ve been hearing so much about Las Vegas and the strip shows, free flowing likker and them fancy, easy livin’ gals, . that I’m going down to Las Vegas to see for myself!” ‘I see,’’ said the friend, ‘‘but why the Bible?”’ Said the hillbilly: ‘‘Well, if it’s as much fun as I hear it is, I just might stay over Sunday!” a Ba + Kamloops Katie says that about the only advantage of being a widow is that you know. where your husband is!