CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

“Prosecution”

The resentment of Port Alberni workers over the vindictive action
of MacMillan, Bloedel and Powell River Ltd. is widely shared through-
out five other Local Unions certified in the company’s operations.

Commenting on the circumstances which led to the convictions,
the IWA Regional Officers stated: (i): Merieibactinrieas” E ae

“The circumstances in which MacMillan, Bloedel and Powell rhe j hes ‘
River Ltd. prosecuted forty-seven IWA members. will not be forgotten IWA officials were quick to point out that the amended section

pred: ig a A "abd leaves the powers of interpretation in the hands of the employers. —
na endings This Union is not intimidated by the company’s act of All normal production schedules are those set by the employers who |

are seeking to reduce the working force and escape payment of fringe

(f) Barge loading; ie
(h) Movi d : wh EEE ARY et se eae
tion of fore a pot ah par hari - ate scisepes

Nor will the circumstances be forgotten by 13,000 employees : Sah :
of the company. Their employer is now seen as a tyrant, intent upon benefits to adeiitiansl wares
their subjection to the company will and the stern suppression of any In a press release, December 11, IWA Regional 2nd Vice-Presi-
form of protest against injustice. Such tyranny in job relations will dent Jack Holst stated:

inevitably breed trouble. “The Board of Industrial Relations has turned the clock back fifty
Forty-seven IWA members made a stand for what they believed _—years by its recent decision to extend exemptions under the Hours of
to be their rights under a contract mutually agreed upon. Their griev- | Work Act to include nearly all the important phases of logging pro-
ance was brushed aside as trivial. The company created the situa- duction in British Columbia. The regulation destroys for important
tion which it exploited to penalize a determined protest. categories of loggers the protection originally intended by the Legis-
By its action the company has given the Union notice of intention lature against excessive hours of work.
to use its privileged position in the economy to impose dictatorship The employers are now given the green light to demand overtime
on organized workers. at will, instead of observing the eight-hour day and forty-hour week
This Union will meet this challenge in its own way and in its _ established by the Act. A sixty to seventy hour work week could now
own time.” become common in the logging industry for many workers.

Where formerly the em-
ployers were required to

the maximum number of

_ as

THE PORT

secure overtime permits, jus-
tified by emergency condi-
tions, they may now interpret
the regulation without regard
for the well-being and safety
of loggers engaged in ex-
hausting and hazardous em-
ployment. :

The new regulation will
further increase unemploy-
ment and is therefore con-
trary to the public interest.
The introduction of huge mo-
bile equipment has already
reduced logging crews. Com-
pulsory overtime, can now
be imposed without safe-
guards or limits, and will re-
sult in a further reduction of
the working force at a time
when the available employ-

workers.

This new regulation, long
sought by the employers, not
only nullifies the provisions
of the Act as it applies to log-
gers, but also deprives log-
gers of the benefit of nego-
tiated provisions in their
master agreement, pertaining
to their hours of work. It
renders this clause in the con-
tract virtually meaningless.

A vigorous protest against
perversion of a_ provincial
statute will be made to the
Provincial Cabinet on Decem-
ber 19th, with the support
of the B.C. Federation of
Labour. » k

This new regulation, long

_sought by the employers, pro-

See “EDICT’—Page 7

ment should be spread among

WHEN YOU TREA

T YOURSELF TO PARIS LOGGING BOOTS
MADE WITH THE U

LTIMATE IN LEATHER

“IRONHIDE”

TANNED THE UNIQUE PARIS WAY, AND CLEARLY
RECOGNIZABLE BY THE STRIKING NEW COLOUR:

Bunyan Brown”

Wears Like IRON i

Feels Like SILK i
Sheds Water Like

a DUCK'S BACK

NOTHING LIKE IT UNDER ANY OTHER NAME.
PROVE IT FOR YOURSELF!

55 YEARS' EXPERIENCE
BEHIND EVERY PAIR

- PIERRE PARIS & SONS

51 West Hastings Street
Vancouver 3, B.C.

Family Teamwork in Craftsmanship since 1907