1st Issue.
October, 1967

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

11

REGIONAL TRUSTEES’ REPORT
SHOWS UNION'S EXPENDITURES HIGH |

The Trustees have made
quarterly inspections of the
books, records and vouchers
of the Regional Council for
the year ending June 30, 1967,
and have found all expendi-
tures properly vouchered.
Quarterly reports were made
by the Trustees to the Re-
gional Executive Board for
their action. Quarterly audits
have been made of all Re-
gional Funds.

GENERAL FUNDS

Your attention is drawn to
the Financial Statements pre-

pared by the auditors which
are found in your Convention
Book behind the Officers’ Re-
port. These statements show
the expense of operating the
Regional Council over the
past year with comparative
figures for the preceding year.

Exhibits A and B show
how the Region (Members’
Equity) increased by -$23,-
130.38 in 1967 (the increase
was $44,793.00 in 1966). In-
creased revenue ($27,000) in
1967 from 1966 was offset by
increased expenditures

($43,000). Slight increases or
decreases in expenditures
(Exhibit B) are noted under
most headings. “Conference
and negotiations’ expendi-
tures decreased $10,000 due to.
no Coast area conference.
“Office and General” in-
creased $6,000 due to ex-
penses of an industrial engi-
neer (evaluation program for
interior sawmills) being en-
tered under this heading
rather than setting up a new
ledger for something which is
not a continuing expense, and
thirdly “salaries and statutory

TURNER SUGGESTS IWA
SHOULD GO INTO HOUSING BUSINESS

By ARTHUR J. TURNER

The proposal that the IWA
get into the housing business
made by Bob Clair at their
convention in Vancouver
should be taken seriously.

With an unprecedented de-
mand for low and medium
cost housing coupled with the
slowdown prompted by the
delaying tactics of Provincial
Government and the raising
of the NHA mortgage rates to
8%% which together can re-
sult in a still lower demand
for wood products, the stage
is set for prompt action and it
is here that the trade unions
have a real opportunity to
make a breakthrough.

This is not a temporary
condition as all reports agree
that in British Columbia and,
indeed, all Canada will suffer
a housing shortage for many
years.

As the economy of B.C. is
mainly dependent on wood

products everyone in the
Province would benefit by an
accelerated program — or

should one say — revival of
house building activity par-
ticularly at the low and me-
dium income’s group levels.
The size and power of the
Labour movement in this
Province applied to establish
a corporation to meet the
housing crisis should meet
with support from all sections
of the community, except
some contractors and private

developers. With government
failing and private enterprise
operating only when the pick-
ings are high, it is time for
Labour to move in and show
in a practical way their con-
cern for social and commun-
ity progress.

Workers also have a defi-
nite self interest in extending
the number of permanently
employed in useful work. It is
not too much to exvect that, if
an organized selling job is
undertaken, 50 thousand
trade unionists would willing-
ly donate a small amount—
say, ten dollars — for such a
purpose. This would leave
trade union funds untouched.
As many trades are involved
in building construction, each
one of them should eagerly
grasp the opportunity to get
into the deal. For any needed
loans the Credit Unions
should be invited to partici-
pate.

Because of the wide variety
of industries and trade that
would benefit, I suggest that
the matter should be handled
at the B.C, Federation of La-
bour level. In the operation of
such a corporation sponsored
and controlled by the Labour
Movement, there would be
many problems to consider
such as, what degree of poli-
cy-making and management
responsibility could be suc-
cessful at a democratic level

as would also the matter of
collective bargaining.

A start could be made im-
mediately at the B.C. Federa-
tion of Labour Convention.
The basic idea of Labour in
business as a part of the social
order can be exciting and
fruitful. Joint action with the
co-operatives and the Credit
Unions would add strength
and more stability to the
movement towards a demo-
cratic and more acceptable
social economy.

Are we big enough to ac-
cept the challenge?

LIGHTER SIDE

One man said he’d like to
go back to the days when his
wife’s meals were carefully

thought-out instead of care-
fully thawed out.
* * *

The medical officer was test-
ing the water supply. “What
precaution do you take
against infection?” he asked
the non-com in charge.

“We boil it first, sir.”

“Good.”

“Then we filter it.”

“Good.”

“Then we add purification
tablets.”

“Excellent!”

“Then, for extra safety, we
drink beer.”

CANADIAN IMPERIAL

Growth
Savings
Certificates

a plan to help your savings grow

BANK OF COMMERCE

REGIONAL TRUSTEES John Squire, Local 1-85 and Ben

Thompson, Local 1-71.

expenses” ($31,000 increase)
which is reflected partly by
salary increases to Officers,
Staff and Office employees
but also by increases in num-
ber of staff (23 persons on
payroll in 1966, 26 persons
on payroll June, 1967). The
average monthly expenditure
has substantially increased
($31,500/month 1967, $27,700
/month 1966).

The Trustees have drawn
to the attention of the Re-
gional Officers and the Re-
gional Executive Board that
expenditures have been ex-
ceeding income in _ recent
months. This situation must
be corrected.

The five cents per member
per month of per capita which
goes to the negotiations pub-
licity fund, added with the
interest, produced income of
$23,423.87 during the year to
this fund. Expenditures of
$5,839.50 during the year

‘leaves a balance of $17,584.37

plus $730.77 left in the fund
June 30th, 1966, gives the
Bank Balance (Exhibit G) of
$18,315.14. No disbursements
were made from ‘this fund in
the final quarter and as of
June 30th, 1967, this fund
“owed” the General Fund ap-
proximately $12,000.

Action by the Regional Ex-
ecutive Board in the early

PORT AiLBERNI
THASIS
GOLD RIVER

months of 1966 established
that a reserve fund be created
by monthly deposits until a
$70,000 reserve figure be
reached. Continuing at the
present rate of expenditures
from the General Fund and
from the Negotiating Publici-
ty Fund will require the Re-
gional Council to draw on the
reserve fund far before the
$70,000 reserve is established.

Under Liabilities (Exhibit
A) you will note the Bank
Loan has decreased (which
also means decreased interest
payments) and in three years

this loan will finally be paid.

A long outstanding liability is
the $15,000 owed to the In-
ternational.

STRIKE FUND

This Fund has shown im-
pressive growth in the past
year. The Fund was called
upon to answer several needy
situations during the past
year but the total expendi-
tures of $70,079.70 was more
than covered by the interest
earned on investments.

The investments of the
Strike Fund, you will note,
are staggered with respect to
expiry date and are all readi-
ly convertible to cash, when
required.

Respectfully submitted,
S. J. SQUIRE, Trustee
BEN THOMPSON, Trustee

CONTROL YOUR SPENDING WITH -A
CREDIT UNION CHEQUING ACCOUNT

PER

EARN 5'A% .2%,,

INTEREST CALCULATED AND PAID QUARTERLY

CANCELLED CHEQUES AND STATEMENTS MAILED
MONTHLY

CHEQUES PERSONALIZED FREE

DEPOSIT PERSONALLY, BY MAIL, OR BY PAYROLL
DEDUCTION AT

ALBERNI DISTRICT CREDIT UNION

6 OFFICES TO SERVE YOU

ALBERNI
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