THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER 3 UNION Negotiating Committee members at Nelson Lum- ber Company, Lloydminster, Alberta, are, left, Chairman Monty Parker, Secretary Brian Napper, Ed. Henry. LOCAL 1-207 SIGNS CONTRACT WITH NELSON LUMBER COMPANY A first agreement has been signed by Local 1-207 IWA which gives the more than 100 employees of the Nelson Lum- ber Company at Lloydmin- ster, Alberta, wage increases ranging from 35 cents to 65 cents an hour. . The agreement also pro- vides for seven statutory holi- days, job posting, seniority en- titlement, 4% on total earn- ings for holiday pay, right to refuse overtime work, and two weeks holiday after one year, The twenty-month contract is considered a major pace set- ter in the Lloydminster area. The Company, which is one of the top manufacturers of homes in Canada, was organ- ized by Regional organizer Vern Griffith, Local 1-207 president Keith Johnson and financial secretary Arne Christensen last February. The Local was granted cer- tification March 15 and im- mediately commenced negoti- ations for a first agreement. The Company refused to con- sider the Union’s wage de- mands and the issue was re- ferred to a conciliation board. It recommended the terms of the present agreement and the Company requested a government-supervised strike vote be held. Prior to the holding of the vote, set for August 28, a meeting of the crew was held at which the negotiating committee recom- mended acceptance of the con- ciliation board’s award. This recommendation was overwhelmingly accepted by the crew and a provisional contract was signed between the Union and the Company shortly after the vote was counted. FROM PAGE 1 "REJECT REPORT” 10. Female Rates in the Plywood Section of the Industry Any differential between male and female rates shall be eliminated, effective on Janu- “ ary 1, 1968. 11. Union-Industry Standing Committee There shall be created by January 1,1968, a high level standing joint committee comprised of three members of the Union and three members from management to study issues arising from changing conditions in the forest products industry. 12. Technological Change The employers shall notify the Shop Committee and the Union six months in advance of intent to institute material changes in working methods or facilities which would involve the discharge or laying off of employees. Employees discharged or laid off because of techno- logical change or automation shall be entitled to severance pay of one .week’s pay for each fifty-two weeks of service with such employer, to a maximum of twenty-six weeks’ pay 13. First Aid Attendants The premium rate paid for a full-time first aid attendant shall, effective on January - 1, 1968, be as follows: The holder of a Class C certificate Class B . 2 Class A e Class AA.” The premium rate paid for a part-time first aid attendant shall be his occupational rate plus the premium rate as above. 14. Sawmill Job Evaluation Plan A joint committee comprised of an equal number of representatives of the Union and of the employers shall be established by January 1, 1968, and shall meet at least once monthly (or such other times as shall be mutually agreed upon by the committee members) for the purpose of establishing by August 31, 1969, an evaluation programme to cover all categories in the sawmilling section of the industry. 15. Plywood Job Evaluation Plan The plan presently in effect in the Southern Interior with amendments to the Manual as agreed to by the parties during the course of negotiations shall apply and shall become a supplement to the new collective agreement. (This does not apply in the Northern Interior or for employees of Celgar Ltd.) 16. Apprenticeship Training Plan The apprenticeship training programmes proposed by the employers, being acceptable to the Unions, shall be implemented, effective January 1, 1968, and shall provide that single persons undergoing training shall receive their wages less any sum paid to them by the Pro- vincial Government and that married persons shall receive their wages less the amount paid by the Provincial Government to single persons, the intention being that the greater amount paid by the Government to married persons shall not become a benefit for the employer. 17. Other Training Programs The training programmes discussed during negotiations shall be implemented by Janu- ary 1, 1968, upon the principle agreed upon during negotiations between the Union and the Southern Interior operators. Save as aforesaid, the terms and conditions contained in the former collective agree- ment shall be renewed, subject to such revision in matters of form as may be agreed upon by the parties. LOCAL 1-288 WINS LOST WAGES FOR LUMBER INSPECTOR Local 1-288 president Rod Beaton reports that the Local was successful in recovering two weeks lost wages for one of its lumber inspectors left unemployed for this period due to his employer (Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau) violating the terms of the col- lective agreement. A grievance was filed by the Local Union for the mem- ber Mr. Nelson ... “to recover lost wages because of a sub- stituted inspector working in violation of Section 4(c).” President Rod Beaton pre- sented the Union's case to the Board and Dan Radford, CLC Education Director for British Columbia, was the Union’s nominee on the Board. The following in part is the Arbitration Board's report: “The inspector, Mr. Nelson, a senior employee of the ked in Alberni ient inspector (on call for non - permanent assignments) and as such worked only sporadically until he accepted a permanent position in Squa- mish in February of this year. He testified to working a total of approximately 18 days in the month of October, Novem- ber and December (1966), and January, 1967. It appeared that on 10 November, 17 No- vember and 4 and 12 January, he was eligible to apply for permanent inspector work in Vancouver and at Squamish for which he did not apply. It appears that he was not obliged to apply for any such position and his home being established where it was is undoubtedly part of the reas- on for his not doing so. “The evidence also estab- lishes that during this period a “borrowed” or “substitute” inspector was employed as such in Tahsis. The provisions of the collective agreement re- specting the definition and utilization of transient and one who has no regular as- signment, and is subject to call when his services are re- quired, “A substitute inspector who is registered on the Bureau payroll may be employed up to a maximum of one week on any one assignment, pro- vided no transient inspectors are available in the district and also provided that, when it is known by the Bureau that the assignment will ex- ceed one week, a transient in- spector from outside that dis- trict shall be given the assign- meut immediately. The said substitute inspector shall be paid at the prevailing rate for steady inspectors. (It may be noted that the rate for transient inspectors is superior to that of a steady inspector.) “An inspector laid off for lack of work at the plant shall immediately be placed on the Transient List. Sub- ject to the qualifications of the inspector, the rule of “first in, first out” shall be observed in transient inspectors. It is agreed, however, that the pro- cedure shall be modified from time to time in order to equalize earnings if it be- comes apparent to the Union and the Bureau that such ac- tion is necessary to prevent injustice to anyone. “The reference to “district” in 4(c) above has relevance to these proceedings. Section 14 provides for seven districts. Mr. Nelson, for example, was in the Alberni district. The Tahsis operation is not in any specified district but the board is satished that the practice has been to meet require- ments there from transient in- spectors from Greater Van- couver — ordinary access be- ing by air from Vancouver. “Evidence was given of the virtual impossibility of getting an inspector to accept a “per- manent” assignment in this remote place and it was this factor — “remoteness” — which probably led to the “borrowed” man being em- ployed as he was. “Whatever the circum- stances it is clear that the Bureau is (at least technical- ly) in breach of the collective agreement. Section 4(c) is quite specific that if a substi- tute inspector is employed it can only be on the footing that no transient inspectors are available in the district (in this instance in effect the Greater Vancouver district) and that if the work is to be in excess of one week that a transient inspector from out- side the district “shall be given the assignment imme- diately.” Evidence was sub- mitted (exhibit 4) of the “lost time” of transient inspectors in the various districts in the period from 1 September 1966 to 31 March 1967. “We conclude that Mr. Nel- son, who has (of all who might have done) advanced a claim arising out of the breach of the agreement should re- ceive two weeks (80 hours straight time) remuneration at the appropriate rate for transient inspector by way of damages for the breach. It is so awarded,”