A AN AN A THE WESTERN CANADIAN & va ig \ We apr SUA Incorporating Fhe @.C. Luscberworker Official Publication of the Jateraatlenal Weedeworkers of r$mertea Regional Council No. 1 VOL. XXX. No. 2. VANCOUVER, B.C. de PER COPY SS 2nd Issue January, 1963 Labour Issues Spark Debate (By Our Own Reporter) VICTORIA.—Opening shot in a planned attack on Social Credit labour policy was fired by Opposition: Leader Robert Strachan, MLA, in the Throne Speech debate, January 28, when he accused the government of the intention “to kill trade unions.” Bills 42 and 43, he declared have been mainly re- sponsible for the prevailing insecurity and unrest among the industrial workers of the province. John Squire, MLA, ex- claimed, “These laws are paper legal chains around the necks of the workers.” Indications here are that members of the New Demo- cratic Party opposition group will seize every opportunity to press for removal of the “chains.” As the rules of the House prevent discussion of matters appearing on the order paper, they may be compelled to defer the intro- duction of amending bills and resolutions until they have aired the problems in the scheduled debates. Behind the scenes, a joint B.C. Federation of Labour - New Democratic Party liai- son committee, including members of the opposition caucus, has been established. This committee serves a use- ful purpose in channelling data to the caucus on labour’s views, and in providing an in- formation service for trade union members. Labour is- sues get scant attention from the daily press. COMPULSORY OVERTIME IWA’s direct appeal to the Legislature protesting the re- cent ruling imposing compul- sory overtime on logging has caused considerable comment. Privately, many members are in sympathy with the Union because increased overtime in the face of mounting unem- ployment fails to make any sense. The government, how- ever, shows no signs of re- lenting on this issue. The vastly increased profits of the large lumber corporations, as derived from the natural re- sources of the _ province, makes the Union’s petition more significant. While in Victoria, Regional President Jack Moore ex- pressed the Union’s intention to demand action by the Leg- islature to right matters for the loggers. “It is intoler- able,” he said, “that the Board of Industrial Relations should be enabled to negate a long-established provision of a negotiated agreement.” AMEND LAWS! The Regional President also stated that, in co-opera- tion with the B.C. Federation of Labour a determined effort would be made to gain the re- peal of objectionable and re- strictive labour legislation, represented by Bills 42 and 43. He is a member of the liaison committee, acting in conjunction with the New . Democratic Party caucus. Organized labour must be : prepared, he said, to propose concrete amendments to the Labour Relations Act. The repeal of Bill 42, which amended the Act, will not deal adequately with present- day problems in connection with collective bargaining. MAJOR POINTS The IWA official listed some of the matters in this See “DEBATE”—Page 2 : eaten eae emma em cemanamnanel The methods employed in il Is I EN! fl Organized employers now hope to do a thorough “hatchet job” on trade unions. A continent-wide campaign, which orig- inated with the National Manufacturers Association in the United States, has spread to British Columbia. Its influence will be felt in the present session of the Legislature. The chief purpose of the campaign is to discredit trade unions on the ground that unions have too much power. This power, it is claimed, is bad for the SMO Company Found Guilty A former President of the Interior Lumber Manufac- turers Asscciation and two Interior Lumber Companies have been found guilty of “unfair labour practices” by the British Columbia Labour Relations Board, following a two-day hear- ing in MVancouver. The charges had been laid by International Woodworkers of America Local 1-417, Sal- mon Arm. Named in the Unicn com- plaint were Manager Art- hur P. Lloyd and Federated Cooperatives Lid., Cance, B.C., and its subsidiary tn- dustrial Lumber Co. Ltd., of Chase, B.C. {WA International Assist- ant Director of Organiza- tion J. Clayton Walls said the union charge arose out of Lloyd’s interference and intimidation of employees of Industrial Lumber Com- pany who expressed a de- sire and sought to join the Woodworkers’ Union. “The Labour Relations Board Order,’ Walls said, “directs Industrial Lumber Co. Litd., Federated Coop- eratives Ltd. and Arthur P. Lloyd to cease and desist using coercion or intimida- tien of any kind that could reasonably have the effect of compelling or inducing any person from becoming or continuing to be a mem- ber of a trade union.” “The fact that Mr. Lloyd was a very recent President of the Interior Lumber Manufacturers Association and also a top official of a cooperative enterprise where until recently excel- lent labour-management re- lations existed, causes the Union grave concern as to future relations with these companies,” Walls _ con- cluded. IN AAA A LN A Employers Attack Trade Union “Monopoly” Power economy, bad for business expansion, and no longer beneficial to the workers themselves. Cleverly-prepared literature is now widely distributed to employers as well as to press, radio and television commentators. A rash of anti-labour articles appear in U.S. journals most fre- quently read by Canadian executives. The “unions must be strangled” propaganda seeps through in all public relations media. The reasoning employed is written into employers’ sub- missions to Canadian governments. To draft and press for leg- Union Protests Company's Attempted Squeeze at "Runaway" Harmac Sawmill 5 * * MacMillan, Bloedel and Powell River Ltd. is now attempting to dictate that sawmill workers at the new Harmac sawmill, Nanaimo area, shall be certified within the jurisdiction of the Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers’ Union in preference to the IWA. The problem so created is under investigation by the Canadian Labour Congress, represented by Regional Director Tom Good- erham. IWA Regional Officers have taken the firm po- sition that the new sawmill, for a number of important reasons, should be operated only under IWA certifica- tion. Statement by President In an explanatory statement for the Western . Canadian Lumber Worker, Regional President Jack Moore said. “The IWA vigorously protests the attempt now being made by MacMillan, Bloedel and Powell River Ltd. to dictate the selection of a union as the bargaining agency for workers at the new Harmac sawmill. This is a distinct violation of the recognized principle that the workers concerned should have complete freedom in the selection of a union of their own choice. We welcome the opportunity to settle the ques- tion within trade. union circles as now provided by the in- vestigation of the Canadian Labour Congress. We are now engaged in presenting our case to the Congress, based on the facts known to us. a The IWA is reliably informed that the new mill is not a breakdown operation but mainly a sawmill operation, produc- ing processed lumber for the export and domestic markets similar to all other sawmills on the coast. The reported installation of two automatic headrigs to employ approxi- mately two hundred men at the outset, confirms this view. “Runaway Industry” The new sawmill operation is part of the corporation’s plan to integrate its sawmill operations. At this stage, it may be described as a “runaway industry” for it utilizes equip- ment shipped after the company’s closure of the B.C. Manu- facturing plant in New Westminster. It is obviously designed to accomplish a similar “integration” of large sawmills on Vancouver Island. This contemplated process of integration will adversely affect many IWA members. Following the closure of the New Westminster plant, IWA members having long service with the company, lost their seniority rights upon transfer to plants in the Vancouver area. Seniority presented a problem that neither the company nor the Local Unions could solve. The Harmac plant is a new plant, consequently the same problem does not arise. The IWA should have the opportunity to negotiate a plan under which employment could be con- tinued for a maximum number of workers without interrup- tion of seniority or other negotiated contract benefits. This Union must look to future developments in a continuing integration program and insist upon preservation of negotiated rights. f This Union’ has scrupulously observed the terms of the agreement reached with the Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers’ Union in 1946. The respective lines of union juris- diction were then clearly defined. Proof that we have kept faith with that union is found in the fact that the IWA re- jected jurisdiction in a pulp mill when offered to us in 1962. See “IWA CLAIMS MILL”—Page 2 14 SONATAS are here stated~together with records, is to prevent further the trade union answers. or make this campaign were revealed when the confidential docu- ments of the NAM were spread on the Congressional Record by a representative from Illinois. These same confidential documents are now in possession of the trade unions. The goals of this campaign are frankly outlined as fol- lows: es ce aienie Ved public, tn |wWHAT’s INSIDE islation that will curb trade union strength. To find and prepare wit- nesses for legislative hear- ings. To dramatize the case against labour by citing “predatory acts.” To set up procedures to ca 2 and watch current developments. The ultimate purpose, as admitted in their confidential wage increases, wages more “flexible,” i.e. lower during a labour sur- plus, and slightly higher dur- ing economic expansion. The campaign is geared to oppose all further fringe benefits, and to enlarge management’s pre- rogatives now modified by contract terms. It is believed that trade unionists should understand the nature of this campaign and prepare to offset it through trade union channels. For this reason the principal arguments of the employers THE EMPLOYERS SAY: TRADE UNIONS HAVE MONOPOLY POWER IN THE LABOUR MARKET. The employers claim that the unions can raise real wages above the level that would prevail on a free mar- ket only by limiting the sup- ply. This keeps out of em- ployment those who could be employed at a lower wage. Such power in the hands of the unions is contrary to the See “ATTACK”—Page 3 was