THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER Strike Meeting in Lumby on February 8, 1968 UNIONISTS STATE IWA’S CASE AT 11 INTERIOR PRESS CONFERENCE Upon conclusion of a mass meeting of striking IWA members in the Lumby area the three guest speakers were interviewed by a local labour reporter. Following are their comments as printed in the Vernon News on February 15, 1968: B.C. Federation of Labour secretary - treasurer Ray Haynes said here that striking lumber workers appear more determined now to achieve their objectives than when they walked off their jobs four months ago. Mr. Haynes, who with two Officials of the International Woodworkers of America, had met with Lumby workers, told a press conference that the workers are not going to give up the cause now in view of the investment they have made in time and effort. Mr. Haynes said he receiv- ed the same impression in a visit earlier to Kamloops. Accompanying him at Lum- by were Bill Schumaker, pres- ident of IWA local 1-423, Kel- wont: owna, and Tony Vanderheide of the regional IWA council staff. Mr. Haynes claimed that employers in the province, with the blessings of the gov- ernment, “have been doing a snow job on the general pub- lic to the effect that wage in- creases have caused a serious inflation situation. It seems that profits, according to some people, are not inflationary while a wage increase is in- flationary.” Mr. Haynes said “the fact _ is that over the last few years the profit picture for most companies has been extreme- ly excessive while many un- ions were tied up with two and three year contracts. Now that the unions are attempt- ing to narrow the gap the gov- ernment and employers are attempting to point on the matter of wages, prices and profit. “We have the ridiculous situation of two prominant cabinet ministers talking about wage parity; suggesting that the rest of Canada should catch up with British Colum- bia. We suggest that the place to start is in the interior of British Columbia,” he said. Mr. Vanderheide said the fight presently being waged by IWA workers on strike for equal pay for equal work is a matter of simple justice. “The object of parity has been reached by numerous unions in the interior of Brit- ish Columbia, for example, the pulp workers, the road building industry workers, construction industry, oil workers, telephone operators, employees of the federal and provincial governments, rail- way employees and MLAs.” “Higher wages being paid to workers benefit communi- ties as a whole because work- ers spend their money local- ly. Higher profits to the giant interior forest corporations result in higher dividends to shareholders which money is mostly spent outside the prov- ince,” he said. “Our membership feels completely justified in their demands and after four and one-half months of strike ac- tion are determined to reach their objective to equal pay for equal work and will not be demoralized by the un- ethical tactics presently being used by their employers.” Mr. Schumaker quoted B.C. Resources Minister Ray Williston as predicting that 17 years from now two thirds of the lumber cut in the prov- ince will be from the interior, and Mr. Haynes said it is for this reason that the “fight tak- ing place in the interior on parity is similar to the fight on the 40 hour week, the eight hour day and seniority. “This strike is different to a straight question of union requesting a straight increase in pay,” he said. Mr. Schumaker claimed that the strike is being un- necessarily prolonged by the unrealistic attitude of three of the four present negotiators for the interior lumber com- panies who have no direct connection with the interior forest industry. “Tn direct negotiations with Weldwood of Canada (Ques-. nel) and Celgar Ltd., the un- ion negotiating committee was able to negotiate a contract based on parity within the terms of agreement. Between these two companies, 1,200 in- terior woodworkers now re- ceive equal pay for equal work in comparison with counterparts. I therefore feel that if the industry would re- place their present negotia- tors by a team of negotiators that are involved with the in- dustry that a satisfactory set- tlement could be reached in a short time,” he said. Following the Lumby meet- ing on February 8, 1968, the three Union representatives proceeded the next day to speak to striking woodwork- ers at Boundary, Greenwood .and Grand Forks.