a ae a er - padre sp ein ge PN et ea en Mager on ON ec Oe \ i) THE WESTERN CANADIAN Uo IY A NEY Kl Incorporating The 2.2. Lumberworker Official Publication of the International Waoadworkers ok stmertca Régional Council No. 1 VOL. XXVIII, No. 7 <0 VANCOUVER, B.C. 5c PER COPY pst Tamze dollar per day, for all employees, © An industry-wide health and p. sub-contractors. excess of 20 squares a day. time on a portal to portal basis e Re-negotiation of the present ability to do the work required. IWA Demands e@ A wage increase of twelve and one-half cents an hour, or one under trusteeship on a 50-50..contributory basis, and to provide: com- plete medical coverage; sickness and accident insurance of $35.00 per week for 26 weeks; life insurance in the amount of $5,000.00; acci- dental death and dismemberment insurance; all such coverage to apply during a lay-off for the period of seniority retention. e An industry-wide portable pension plan jointly administered under trusteeshi e Required adherence to contract provisions by all contractors and e Payment of $2.80 an hour to shingle sawyers, plus 51 cents an hour per square for all squares in excess of 20 squares a day and $2.25 an hour to shingle packers plus 3914 cents per square for all squares in e Amendment of the present contract provisions for loggers’ travel e Deletion of all reference to casual labour in the agreement. @ Upward revision of rates for engineers and firemen. -e Inclusion of one additional paid Statutory holiday. revision to expedite decisions respecting new and revised jobs resulting from technological changes in those sections of the industry not now covered by the job evaluation programme. © Revision of the seniority clause in the present agreement to clarify the application of seniority to be determined by length of service and © Deletion of the following words from the present seniority clause, “except where circumstances render such a posting impractical”. e Payment of a doubled rate for overtime. welfare plan, jointly administered contract provisions relating to rate Bill 42 Threatens IWA In Negotiations In a message to IWA members Regional President Joe Mor- ris has warned that recent amendments to the Labour Relations Act in Bill 42 present a threat to the successful outcome of IWA negotiations this year. “All lawful means will be employed”, he declared, “to protect the bargaining rights of the members against such threats”, themselves with the facts, stated at the proper time. President Morris stressed the fact that although funds obtained as a condition of membership may not be used to support a political party, it is still lawful to oppose the poli- cies of any political party. He urged that the trade union movement work for the repeal of objectionable pro- c visions in the f in doing so, we discredit Social Credit, no offences under the Act may be charged”, The Circumstances The Union cannot ignore circum- stances which betray the intentions of the Government, he stated. These circumstances are: e The trade unions were de- nied opportunities for consulta- tion similar to those extended to other organizations. A hearing before the Standing Committee on Labour was denied. e The provisions of Bill 43, 1959, were defended indicating the continuity of an anti-union legislative policy. e The Minister of Labour threatened more restrictive legis- lation at the next sitting of the Legislature, e New procedures were not “spelled out” as expected. Vague hints were made that the IWA was “the first on the list” for disciplining. Two Threats two most significant the IWA official stated e The threats, were: e Conciliation in the hands of a Conciliation Officer may be He urged that members of the Union familiarize that the Union’s policy may be clearly abruptly terminated under condi- ' tions which deprive the members of the right to vote on the results of conciliation, and which give the employers special advan- tages. ‘e The Minister of Labour | May order and conduct a strike vote on any offer during a strike, and thus by-pass the Union’s elected committees. He stated in part: “We have good reason to protest the new alt tive f d out- lined for a Conciliation Officer dur- ing a dispute. He may recommend only that no Conciliation Board be appointed. The Minister may approve by so advising both parties. All con- ciliation is then brought to a stop. it out, either with a strike or lock- out. : At this point, the amended Act wage rates and working conditions. Previously the Act prohibited such moves after a deadlock for 25 days or more to permit settlement nego- tiations. one after giving forty-eight hours’ notice. On the other hand, the Union longer for a supervised strike vote. No Vote on Terms If this procedure js followed, the members of the Union are not given the opportunity to vote for accept- ance or rejection of any settlement terms considered during conciliation. A vote on the only recommendation WHAT'S INSIDE Fedie. o... cinc 3 Editorial ......... Al. ei eee 5 Z Reader ......... 6 | Local 1-80 . 7 Howard wien 8 made by the Conciliation Officer to the effect that no Conciliation Board be appointed would be senseless, as ployers, if authorization for strike action is then requested. The Minister was asked to outline what was expected from a Union in See “BILL 42” page 2 Court Test Looms By IWA Legislative Reporter The constitutionality of Bill 42 is now questioned by an im- pressive array of legal talent, and makes reference to the courts appear inevitable. The issue has been brought into sharp focus by the demands of employers for statutory declarations, without which check-off privileges will be cancelled. Conferences to secure uniformity of trade union action in the matter are now scheduled. ° There are several ways in which the legislation may be brought be- fore the courts. Under the laws of the province, the Cabinet may ask the Court of Appeal or a Judge of the Supreme Court to deal with points of law’ involved. Interested parties will then be notified and heard. Under the circumstances, this course is un- likely at this stage. It is possible fo bring action for a declaration that Bill 42 is unconstitutional, and to request an order that the employees con- tinue checking-off dues. When such action is begun, a motion preme Court asking that the employers be ordered to con- tinue the dues check-off in the interim. Constitutional Test Favoured One possibility is, of course, that a Union may be charged with a viola- tion of the Act, but deliberate defiance brings risks not usually contemplated. The success of action in the courts, as outlined, depends largely. on the ability of the trade unions to establish a prima facie case to show that Bill 42 is beyond provincial jurisdiction. See “COURT” page 2 Decision Delayed The Canadian Labour Congress an- nounces that they have delayed until ay, 19, the suspension of the Inter- national Longshoremen and Warehouse- men’s Union, found guilty of raiding the IWA ship loaders at Tahsis. The suspension was delayed on re- quest of the Longshoremen, who tol the CLC they had additional evidence to supply in support of their position. It appears to be an invitation to fight} — . leaves the employers free to change | » It follows that the employers may| then vote for a lock-out and impose| ? will have to wait eighteen days or]. it has then become a Ministerial]. order. It can only be presumed that] = the issue is the total rejection of | all the original demands by the em-|) — Union Enters Conciliation Preliminary bargaining talks the coast lumber operators and between the representatives of the IWA terminated April 13th. The IWA Negotiating Committee immediately applied for the services of a Conciliation Officer. Expectations are that conferences will be resumed at an early date under the direction of the Conciliation Officer appointed. This turn of events indicated that a wide range of points are under dis- pute, and that from here on bargain- ing will require the Union’s most de- termined effort. Amendments to the Labour Relations Act (Bill 42) now loom as a threat to settlement at this stage. Union’s Position Justified IWA_ Regional President Joe Morris, chief spokesman for the Negotiating Committee, stated that the evidence made available during the preliminary bargaining talks fully justified the Union’s position. This position, he declared, had been out- lined by the IWA Wages and Con- tract Conference, and had been ad- hered to throughout. The President was emphatic that production and sales volume in the industry had been steadily increasing over the past year: All signs now pointed to excellent marketing pros- pects for the next contract period. An improving market in the United States based on the expanding hous- ing program of the present U.S. ad- ministration was one of the many promising features of the outlook. Plywood products had found new ex- port markets also, he added. Increased productivity is another factor that cannot be disregarded, and now demands an upward revision of wage rates, as well as better job security. Profits an Indicator The financial statements of the leading companies in the lumber in- dustry reveal increased surplus earn- ings. No valid reason has been given, he stated, why the operators should seek to take advantage of any tem- © porary recession in other industries. . The IWA spokesman stressed the belief that the evidence before the negotiators did not justify the em- loyers’ proposals, some of which would reduce the take-home pay for important categories of workers. It was indicated that the economic facts placed before the Union by the Research Department earlier in the year had not been successfully chal- lenged. An outline of the Union’s demands as contrasted with the employers’ counter-proposals have been printed and distributed to the membership. Fieber Named New M.S.A. Director IWA_ Regional Secretary- Treasurer Fred Fieber has been named a member of the Board of Directors of the Medical Ser-— vices Association. The appoint- ment was made at a recent meet- ing of MSA Directors to fill the vacancy caused by the death of «George H. Mitchell, late IWA Regional Secretary-Treasurer, The new incumbent will complete a term of office which expires at the Annual Meeting in the last quarter of 1961. The appointment was made in accordance with the Constitution and By-laws of the Association with respect to such vacancies. In assuming office, Fred Fieber stated that he would conscientiously - ~~ endeavour to advocate MSA admini- strative policies sought by the trade union members of the Association. 5 S TYEAR AGLINERE CREE ES” ‘APR. ta Gt — ¢ at The SAFEST MILL CREW IN NORTH AMERICA. On April 13, the five hund ae : g RAYONIER , red and seventy-five employees is ines Bie 2 ¥ FRED FIEBER ne LIMCEED Ae P sae EN of the Rayonier Company's Alaska Pine Plant in New Westminster, successfully concluded one whole year accident-free. LISTEN TO Green Gold—CJ0 7:00 p.m. Thursday S CKPG Ist and Last Thursday 6:00 p.m.