ist Issue ay, WESTERN’ CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER | Solidarity BY JOE MORRIS Every day spent in negotiations with the operators makes a simple fact plainer and plainer. I want to speak about it plainly. The trump card in winning a fair settlement is membership soli- darity. Our employers will give no more than they are obliged to give. When I use the word “solidarity” I mean a little more than singing talking here about soli- darity as action that takes in the whole member- ship | Every member Seay ficy Commit- tees are “solidly” x MORRIS behind the demands. As I visit Local Unions I — many more who are “solidly” “one hundred per cent” in ee of the Union's. negotia- tions. We must make sure that we are multiplying this number to include all the workers. Good Reasons There’s a good reason for this. The employers have their own _ intelli- gence service with a pipeline into every operation. They learn about opinions expressed or perhaps about an apparent indifference. This infor- mation is a factor in their decisions as to how far they should go in meeting the demands of the workers. Let me give some“of the more important reasons for membership solidarity. They’re simple but vitally affect every worker’s bread and but- ter. 1 The Union’s demands, if won, e will be of great benefit to all the workers in the industry. They are so worthwhile, that they are well worth a fight on the part of the whole, membership. If we really want these benefits, we must prove that we mean business in going after them. 2 Our demands are the member- e ship demands. They were the result of prolonged discussion at the Wages and Contract Conference. It is quite true that there were manv points of view. The important fact is that all decisions were made by majority vote. All sections of the in- dustry were represented, and the needs of all sections were considered. Time is Short Now is not the time to quibble over decisions made then with the best of motives. Nor do we make any progress, if any substantial num- ber spend time and effort during negotiations to try to amend com- mitments already made by the Union. We've a job to do and the best way to get it done is to put our backs into it. The employers are trying to » create a solid public opinion against our demands. Watch what they are doing! Watch how much of their propaganda for the community ’. | greatly, if they could convince people is intended to reach workers in the industry, and especially their families! It would please the employers dependent on the industry that the Union is not to be trusted, and that every worker should now be well satisfied with what he is getting. What will happen if they succeed in selling any number of workers on the false idea that better wages and working conditions might increase unemployment. In so many words they are saying so at the present time. The Answer Solidarity expressed through our trade union democracy is the answer. Lumber workers have the informa- tion on which they can make up their own minds. They have the unques- tioned right to direct how stiff a battle should be waged on their be- half. They do not have to rely on ready- be opinions supplied by the employe ec with. the Local Unions will give every worker the facts. He can take his pencil and make his own calculations. “Can my employer give me a better deal?” He can think his way along with the Negotiating Committee. He can reach only one answer. 4 We have the organization to e reap the benefits of member- ship solidarity. The record proves the worth of this organization. We have steadily won our way to better contract conditions. We can do it again The best propaganda is one man talking to another, and saying “I’m solid for the IWA demands because they open the way to better days”. Honeymoon Bay Meet Annual meeting of the Honey- moon Bay Sub-Local of Local 1-80, IWA, was held April 13, at Honeymoon Bay, and was attended by George Smythe, Local President; Edwin Linder, Financial Secretary; Weldon Jubenville, Regional Board Mem- ber; Lorne Johnston, Ist Vice- President; and Percy Clements, Business Agent. The following are the names of the newly elected officers who were in- stalled by President Smythe: Chairman, Stanley Abercrombie; Vice-Chairman, Gerald Salmon; Fin- ancial Secretary, Stanley Creelman; Recording Secretary, R. Stranach; Warden, Elmer Arnold; Trustees, P. Black, R. Vessey. DUNCAN BUSINESS GUIDE LOUTET AGENCIES LTD. INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE J. Lindsay Loutet Gordon R. Duncon Leke Cowichan 131 Jubilee St. $. Shore Road Loutet HANEY BUSINESS GUIDE ESQUIRE MEN’S WEAR (Graham Mowatt) Complete Stock of Work and Dress Clothing “THE STORE WITH THE POPULAR BRANDS” HANEY BRITISH COLUMBIA PORT ALBERNI BUSINESS GUIDE MacGREGOR‘S MEN’S WEAR We Can Afford For Everything A Man Wears To Sell The... * WORK, SPORT or DRESS * BEST For LESS! WOODWARD STORES (PORT ALBERNI) LTD. “YOUR FAMILY SHOPPING CENTRE” Closed Monday All Day Phone 2600 Hours: 9 - 5:30 From Page 2 "FACTS" If the fewer workers required for more production get no increase in wages, consumer spending power drops, while profits rise. More unemployment results. The people of this province must buy from overseas markets if the lumber industry is to sell abroad. In- creased spending ability, arising from increased wages, enables the people of the province to buy more from abroad that the lumber industry may sell more in the export market. To sell, we must also be able to buy. We will sell more, if we are able to buy more. Test 9 What do the employers propose? These are the facts about the results of proposals made by the employers during negotiations. An increase in board rates, amounting to a wage cut of $1.25 per day for loggers. A pay cut of 20% for fallers and buckers. A pay cut for 120 workers in plywood plants. A cut in wages for Fallers, Buckers, Shingle Sawyers and Shingle Packers for call time. A wage cut for loggers on travel time. For instance, chokermen affected would lose 23 cents per hour. A 10% wage cut for piece work in shingle mills. The employers have made no proposals which would better wages or working conditions, and have opposed all the Union’s demands. Industries Growth Predicted THE POPULATION GROWTH taking place in North America will result in a tremendous increase in pulp and paper industry growth both on the coast and in the interior, Trade and Industry Minister Robert Bonner predicts. From Page 1 ‘Loggers’ dered left in that position until an order was issued that the work be done on Sunday. A shovel to be moved was “walked in” to the road throughout a Friday. Loading on a low-bed truck was left as Sunday work, although the low-bed truck move could have been made entirely on Friday. Because production workers would normally perform this work within the forty-hour week, the crew ob- jected. This was seized upon as a pretext by the Crown Zellerbach of- ficial to go directly to the Labour Relations Board for the order on overtime. The situation as it has developed with regard to this issue has been widely reported to all the Local Unions, that employers’ demands for excessive overtime may be checked. The officers of Local 1:71 contend that Jack Ross, acting for Crown Zellerbach, has singled out the crew in the Sandspit operation for an ex- perimental attack on the hours of work. Commenting on the _ situation, Local Union President, Bill Wilson, said, “Contemptible double-dealing is the only phrase which can describe the company official’s attitude to- wards the crew in this situation. To secure the cooperation of the Union in one case of genuine emergency, and then immediately set up phony emergencies is double-dealing of the worst kind. These actions constitute a breach of faith and contract rights”. All Guilty Hardly any country today can stand blameless on questions of discrimination in race, politics or religion. —Harold Macmillan. ALAM sz, ky, a we CO. (B.C) LTD. 2248-50 East Hastings St. Vancouver, B.C. Logger Boots + Safety Boots SHOE MANUFACTURING UNION MADE