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Incorporating Jhe @.@, Lumborenerher Official Publication of the Jateraattonal Woodworkers of p¥mertca Regional Council No. 1

VOL. XXIX. No. 21 VANCOUVER, B.C.

5c PER COPY <>’

2nd Issue
November, 1962

UNWARRANTED AND UNPROVOKED ATTACKS on peaceful
demonstrators as evidenced by this police dog’s savage attack on
Tommy Clarke, 1st Vice-President of Local 1-217, |WA, Vancouver,
during recent strike at the Allied Engineering Limited, Granville
Island, drew bitter denunciation from all of organized labour.

—Courtesy Vancouver Sun

Criminal Charges
Unjust Says Union

The IWA Regional Council acted swiftly to “call Bonner’s
bluff,” when President Jack Moore promptly addressed an
open letter to the Attorney-General charging “bias” in attri-
buting labour unrest to “pork-chopping labour agitators.”

President Moore questioned Bonner’s sincerity in pro-
fessing a desire for a better labour-management climate while
acting solely in consultation with the organized employers. He
called for a halt in the public prosecution of trade unionists
for alleged unlawful assembly. In appearances on television,
he suggested that the Attorney-General, with threats of more
rigorous law-enforcement, was not qualified to usurp the
functions of the Minister of Labour, recently conspicuous by
his absence from the labour scene. He advocated a govern-
ment-labour-management conference to probe the root causes
of the existing conflict.

The following is his open letter to the Attorney-General.
“Sir:

“The statement attributed
to you in this morning’s
dailies has been duly noted
by the Western Canadian Re-

Council, International
Woodworkers of America.

“This Council heartily ap-
proves of steps that may be
taken by the Provincial Gov-
ernment to improve the cli-
wg of industrial relations in

Boommen
Await
Judgment

Judgment was _ reserved
until December 1 by Magis-
trate W. E. MacLeod in Port
Alberni November 22 after a
two-day hearing of unlawful
strike charges laid by Mac-
Millan, Bloedel and Powell
River Ltd. against forty-eight
boommen, members of Local
1-85 IWA.

The Magistrate also reserv-
ed judgment on the counter-
action in which the Local Un-
jon charged the company
with an illegal lock-out.

The company’s Somass di-
vision was shut down during
the trial as logs were not
available for the operation
due to the absence of the
boommen in court.

Counsel for the company
asked that the Magistrate’s
decision be handed down on
a Saturday to avoid another
shut-down whereupon De-
cember 1 was the date fixed.
“That’s Grey Cup Day” said
one of the accused. “Make it
9:30 a.m.” said the Magis-
trate.

Charges of sanctioning an
unlawful strike and obstruct-
ing production against IWA
President Walter Allen and

Local 1-85 IWA were with-
drawn.

Alex Macdonald M.L.A.
counsel for the Union, con-
tended in summing up, that
the men had not struck, but
had rather refused to work
because they believed that the
management did not intend
to keep the terms of the con-
tract.

He argued that this viola-
tion relieved the men of any
obligation to observe contract
provisions mutually agreed
upon.

Macdonald said that al-
though the men had refused
to work on the afternoon of
August 27, they were prepar-
ed to return to work the fol-
lowing day, when they were
turned back by a line of fore-
men.

The company, he said, had
kept the plant shut while de-
manding an assurance from
the Local Union that no dis-
turbances would occur in the
future and that the grievance

procedure would be strictly
followed.

“They kept the place closed
until they got it, and that can-
not be considered a strike,”
argued Macdonald.

In the company’s interpre-
tation of seniority rules,
which were under dispute,

the decis‘on to ignore senior-

_ity was made on the basis of

4

* * * *

Causes of Labour Unrest
Require Impartial Probe
Jack Moore Warns Bonner

* Ko Ok *

Statements by spokesmen for the government and
the organized employers have disclosd the existence of
a ruthless campaign on their part against labour’s
rights. The object of this campaign is the depression of
wages and working conditions by exploitation of the
unemployed. This conclusion has been forced upon the
unions.

Attorney-General Robert Bonner has publicly stated
that labour unrest was due solely to “pork-chopping
labour agitators.” His views have gained the support
of big business interests.

Bonner’s statements brought an immediate storm
of protest from the entire trade union movement. IWA
Regional President Jack Moore “called his bluff’ on his
announced intention to establish a better climate for
labour-management relations. The Attorney-General,
he pointed out, had betrayed his bias against labour.
The recent demonstrations had been demanded by the
rank and file trade union members in protest against
injustices. Bonner had acted solely in consultation with
the employers.

HR SPER Rs Pee Meni
Scie Chae | Ubu ok Hat rane ;

In two television interviews, the Regional President
said, “If Mr. Bonner is sincere in his desire for labour
peace, he would bring both labour leaders and in-
dustrialists together in a genuine effort to deal with the
root causes of the present conflict.” (His open letter to
the Attorney-General appears elsewhere in these col-
umns).

The B.C. Federation of Labour charged Bonner with pre-
See “DEMANDS INQUIRY”’—Page 3

Loggers Delegates
Review Wage Rates

A representative conference of delegates from IWA Local
Unions with jurisdiction in logging operations, held in Nanai- °
mo, November 17-18, gave extended consideration to a report
on progress made by the industry’s wage rate revision com-
mittee.

long-established categories and an

The master agreement, nego- | * ? aS EK i
increase in combination jobs.

tiated in 1961, had made provision

for a four-man labour-manage-
ment team to study and make
recommendations with respect to
new and revised jobs referred to
it. The Union’s representatives on
the committee are Jack Holst and
Joe Miyazawa. Both these mem-

bers attended the conference and

detailed the extent of the inquiry
as it has progressed in logging
operations.

It was reported that the intro-
duction of new mobile equipment
in many operations had required
the re-grouping of workers for
new methods of production witha
the resulting disappearance ' of

tne Union for such

$1 Million Paid
To IWA Famili
More than a million dollars have been paid out to
IWA members and dependents in settlement of claims =
under the Forest Industry Health and Welfare Plan dur- =
ing its first twelve months of operation ending Septem- =

ber 30, it was announced this week by Union Trustees, =
— Fred Fieber and Joe Miyazawa.

= The total of claims paid on account of life insurance, -
= accidental death and dismemberment insurance as well
= as weekly indemnity payments was $1,087,770.

The plan, which is administered by a joint union- =

= management Board of Trustees was negotiated by the =

Union in 1961. Its development, with IWA active partici-

pation, resulted in features of distinct advantag
members, unique in the insurance field.

The degree of protection afforded IWA families, not
previously enjoyed, now oo justifies the insistence of
ap

Approach Determined °

In its review of the technologi-
cal changes encountered in log-
ging and the effects on the exist-
ing wage structure, the confer-
ence was apprised of the prob-
lems in developing the type of
yardstick required in _ setting
rates for new job content.

The wage rate revision commnit-
tee is nearing completion of its
inquiry, following which it will

’ be required to make recommend-

ations for the consideration of the

-Union and the employers, Pre-

liminary conferences have been
held with F.I.R. with the purpose
of developing a suitable fcrmula
for settlement of vexatious prob-
lems in this respect.

eto IWA