12

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

SEPTEMBER,

TO REGIONAL CONVENTION

OFFICERS’ REPORT

The Officers of the Regional
Council take this opportunity to
welcome the delegates to this
36th Annual Convention.
During this week many resolu-
tions and reports will be dealt
with and decisions made. We
are confident that the dele-
gates, after study and debate,
will develop programs and
policies that will guide the
Regional Council through 1974
as an effective and co-ordinat-
ing body dealing with the
problems of all the Local
Unions in Western Canada.

It has been a busy year for a
number of reasons. While there
were no area negotiations for
master contracts, there were
numerous independent em-
ployers with whom we have
obtained contracts. We are
assisting Local Unions to
gradually bring the rates of
pay comparative to the B.C.
Coast and Interior Local
Unions.

The Officers this year spent
considerable time in develop-

.ing the IWA-Forest Industry
Pension Plan and it is our
intention that in future negoti-
ations we will be able to im-
prove the benefits for the
membership within the
Regional Council.

In the last year we also had
the problem of attempted
raiding by the Canada Pulp
Union. The Officers do not
under-estimate the seriousness
of these raiding attempts
primarily because of the
nationlistic feeling that is
rampant at this time. There
are still some International
unions that do not provide for
any Canadian autonomy and
this creates a problem for all
International unions.

This year the raiding was
concentrated in three small
operations in IWA Local 1-80 -

. Mayo Lumber Company,
Ladysmith Forest Products
and CIPA Lumber Company.
There was also a strong at-
tempt made in the Somass
Division of MacMillan Bloedel

in Local 1-85.

The Labour Relations Board
conducted a vote in the three
operations in Local 1-80 and
unfortunately these operations
were lost under the policies
pursued by the Labour Rela-
tions Board. Their decision is
being taken to the Supreme
Court of British°Columbia.

The Officers wish to com-
mend the Officers of Local 1-85
who, with the assistance of
Brother J. J. Munro and
Brother Bob Schlosser, put on
a strong campaign and when
the vote was conducted in
Somass were able to preserve
this certification. The Officers
also wish to commend Brother
W. Hawkes of IWA Local 1-85
who was placed on the
Regional payroll during the

raiding attempt and he made
available to the Local Unions
and the Regional Council much
pertinent information that was
desirable in combatting the
raiding attempt.

While there have been
breakaways from _Inter-

national Pulp in the Pulp
Section of the Forest Industry
both in the Pacific Northwest
and in British Columbia, this
has not resulted in any im-
provements whatsoever over
the conditions negotiated by
the established unions in the
area.

The Regional Council has
continually attempted to ex-
pand the services provided by
the Regional Council and have
had a problem with insufficient
office space. The Regional
Executive Board authorized
the Regional Officers to rent
additional office space and we
were fortunate in being able to
rent 1000 sq. feet of space
across the street from the
Regional Office at Commercial
Drive and 13th Ave.

These offices will accom-
modate the Safety Director,
Director of Pensions, two
evaluators and one girl. By
making this move we will be
able to have the Organization
Department in the Regional
Office which will eliminate
some of the problems we had
when the Assistant Director of
Organization was out of town.
ORGANIZATION

Our organizational program
has resulted in an increase in
membership over the past
year. Our average member-
ship for this year has risen to
46,169 members.

Brother Bob Schlosser,
formerly Assistant Director of
Organization has taken a
position with the International
Union. To fill the vacancy
created, long-time organizer
Brother Frank Stich was ap-
pointed Assistant Director of
Organization for Regional
Council No. 1.

Brother Mike Sekora who
has been an organizer for the
old District Number One and
Western Canadian Regional
Council No. 1 since 1944 retired
on June 30th of this year. The
Officers wish to express our
gratitude for the work Mike
has done over those twenty-
nine years.

The present Organization
Staff working under the direc-
tion of Brother Stich consists of
Brothers: Art Friske, Gary
See,. Ron Stenvall, Nick
Worhaug, Ralph Bouvette and
Frank Simpson.

Brother Stich will be
presenting a detailed Report
on Organization to this Con-
vention-so the Officers’ Report
will not go into organization in
any detail.

PENSIONS

A fully employer-paid
pension plan was negotiated in
the last set of-negotiations. It
has now been set up and is
functioning. Brother Wash-
burn, whom we hired to assist
on pensions, will be reporting
in detail. Since negotiating this
plan we have been able to
include operations in Mani-
toba, Saskatchewan and
Northern British Columbia.
The plan in the Southern In-
terior is separate but provides
the same benefits.

RATE REVISIONS

During this past year the
Coast Negotiating Committee
dealt with many rate revisions
and achieved a remarkable
settlement. We started with the
manufacturing plant boom-
men, proceeded to logging
truck drivers and first aid
tickets. We have concluded the
sawmill categories originally
given us and have moved on to
the logging categories. Still to
come up are revisions for
plywood workers and the
tradesmen. Attached to this
report is a list of all categories
presently settled.

Since Clay Perry left the
Research Department we have
not had a Research Director.
The Officers had hired Oliver
MeMillan to fill the post but at
the last minute he found he
couldn’t leave Portland. The
International however, have
loaned us Denny Scott to do
some work for us and to make
recommendations as to what
staff is required not only in
research but also in education.

Other staff appointments
made this past year were
Brother Max Salter as Safety
Director to fill the vacancy
created by the untimely death
of Brother Andy Smith and the
appointment of Brother Ev
Flannery to fill the position of
plywood evaluator left vacant
by the illness of Brother Al
Busch. Brother Busch is
presently on an indefinite leave
of absence.

POLITICAL EDUCATION

This year we have had the
pleasure of watching an N.D.P.
government governing the
Province of British Columbia.
In the 1973 Spring Session of
the legislature, the govern-
ment introduced 92 pieces of
legislation, moving cautiously
in some areas but it should also
be noted that some bold and
positive action was taken
carrying out party policy in an
attempt to protect the heritage
of the people.

The government has been
moving most carefully on the
matter of labour legislation.
The government did remove
the Mediation Commission,
carrying out an election
promise. However, it must be
hoped that the Fall Session will
see some positive legislative
action taken by the N.D.P. to
produce progressive labour
legislation that will remove the
roadblocks which consistently
confront organized labour.

There being no federal or
B.C. provincial election this
year the political interest that
comes with an election year
has not been present. However,
it must be pointed out that a
tough provincial election cam-
paign was fought within the
boundaries of this Regional
Council (Province of Mani-
toba). Your Regional Council
participated in that campaign
by sending Brother Maurice
Eggie from Local 1-405 to
Manitoba to work with and for
the N.D.P. for the month im-
mediately prior to the election.

It has been most gratifying
that Premier Schreyer and his
government returned to office
with a clear working majority.

The performance of the
N.D.P. in Ottawa should be
noted and the party compli-
mented for their forcing the old
line parties to deal with the
business of this nation. The
myth that minority govern-
ment can’t function has been
exploded; the Liberals were
forced to function and bring
legislation and was to a degree

_acceptable.

The need for Political
Education continues, however,
and we again urge Locals to
participate fully at the local
and constituency levels.

A Regional Political Educa-
tion Seminar will be held
immediately prior to the Fall
Session of the Legislature.

SOUTHERN INTERIOR
The Southern Interior
Negotiating Committee is
presently demanding from the
LF.L.R.A.:
(a) revision of the Sawmill
Wage Curve to establish
average 3.25 percent in-
crements for the- various
wage groups;
a 10 percent revision of all
logging categories except
the base rate;
revision to the category of
“Faller and/or Bucker”
to establish $10.00 per
hour;
establishing of construc-
tion categories and con-
struction rates; and
will be negotiating to
revise the Plywood Wage
Curve.
PRAIRIE PROVINCES |
Your Regional Officers have
assisted the Prairie locals in
contract negotiations with the
various companies as follows:
ALBERTA: .
Local 1-207
North West Pulp & Power
Negotiations were concluded
with a general wage increase
of 80 cents per hour to estab-
lish a base rate of $4.39 per
hour effective March 1, 1974,
and category rate revisions
ranging from 2 cents to 97
cents per hour for the hourly
categories, 5 percent for
falling 8” to 14” trees for the
pieceworkers over and above
the general wage increase,
improved apprenticeship
agreement and apprentice
rates, improved health and
welfare provisions, an ad-
ditional statutory holiday
(10) and other contract
improvements.

Local 1-206

Knight-Schmidt Industries
Ltd., ‘‘Airport” and “Briar
Park’’ Operations.
Two new and identical
agreements were negotiated
with this company, vastly
improving the working
conditions and providing
wage increases from 65 cents
to $1.35 per hour in a 231,
month agreement expiring
April 1, 1975.

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Local 1-206

Bendix Systems Ltd.
A two-year agreement has
been reached with a general
wage increase of 75 cents per
hour over two years, rate
revisions ranging from 20
cents to 75 cents, an ad-
ditional statutory holiday
(11), vacations and health
and welfare improvements
to the agreement. }

SASKATCHEWAN:
Local 1-184
Woodlands Enterprises Ltd.
Negotiations with this ©

company have been con-
cluded with a general wage

increase of $1.27 to establish

a base of $4.38; category —
revisions, included in the
package were general con-
tract and health and welfare
improvements including 15
cents into the pension plan.

Local 1-184
Domtar Construction
Materials Ltd.

Negotiations have been con-
cluded and a new agreement
installed after a strike that
commenced on November 1,
1972 and ended July 7, 1973
when a memorandum was
signed providing for a‘
general wage increase of 92
cents per hour, rate
revisions, health and welfare —
improvements, one more ©
statutory holiday

an improved hours of work
clause, and other contract
improvements with the
expiry date of the new agree-
ment September 1, 1975.

Our members, Committee
men and their wives are to be
commended: for their soli- |
darity on the picket line and
their determination to win
from this giant Canadian |
conglomerate better wages ©
and conditions. All of the
intimidation, propaganda, ©

(10), 4.
premiums for Sunday work, —

and threats of complete plant
closure by the company
failed and the workers won.

MANITOBA:
Local 1-324
River Sawmills Company

(in Receivership) ;
A two-year agreement was
negotiated and installed
establishing a base rate of
$4.38 during the life of the
agreement, ten statutory
holidays, four weeks’ vaca- —
tion after ten years’ service, ©
15 cents to the pension plan,
rate revisions, and substan-
tial contract improvements.
Local 1-324 ;

Northern Manitoba Timber —

Cutters Limited

(in Receivership)

This two-year agreement |
establishes the base rate at —

$4.38 per hour during the life

of the agreement (October 1, —
1974). It also provides the

employer contribute 15 cents

the pension plan, ten ,

statutory holidays, improved -
health and welfare pro-
visions, hot meals provision,

See “REPORT” Page 13