THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER JUNE-JULY, 1976 vie i thewestem canadian lumber Published ence monthly as the official publication of the INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA | Western Canedien Regional Council No.1 Affiliated with AEL-C10-CLE 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, 6.C. Phone874-526) Business Manager — Bob Schlosser Advertising Representatives — Elizabeth Spencer Associates 7 Forwarded to every member of the 1WA in Western Canada in accordance with convention decisions: Subscription rate for non-members $2.00 per year. EDITORIAL Sse Ree lk cP aE Ee Cee “BLIND STUPIDITY” HE officers of the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada, are ob- viously still suffering from the afflic- tion that troubled them so much during last year’s forest industry ne- gotiations. ; This affliction is known in polite circles as blind stupidity and the PPWC officers have a very severe case. In their stupidity they blindly took their union out on a useless stike last summer in a battle most idiots would have recognized was lost from the start. Not content with this lunacy, they threw picket lines around IWA operations, which were going down anyway, to deliberately jeopardize the IWA members entitlement to UIC benefits. They followed this gem up by refusing for almost a year to accept the terms of the contract established by the IWA. All this accomplished was to deny the PPWC members badly needed retroactive pay. After such a series of disasters, logic would suggest that the PPWC officers would make a _ critical examination of the organization’s policies and direction. Unfortunate-. ; ly, logic. is foreign to their thinking so a sane solution to their problems is impossible for them to arrive at. Their typical approach was to waste thousands of dollars of their membership’s money on a futile raid against an IWA operation at Wil- liams Lake. It’s no wonder that the organiza- tion, with this kind of leadership, re- mains an object of scorn to the rest of the labour movement. Up to now the IWA has been more than patient with the PPWC officer’s antics. We recognize that their mental ability is about as agile as a three toed sloth and have made al- lowances for this. However, our patience is now exhausted. If the PPWC officers are more interested in raiding IWA operations than looking after their own membership’s interests, we are more than prepared to take them on. And if such a battle becomes nec- essary, we suggest that the PPWC will rue the day. FOR VIEWS ON LABOUR CKNW’s BANNERMAN BLASTED Editor’s note: The following is a copy of a letter sent to Mr. Gary Banner- man of Radio Station CKNW by Erik Wood, Financial Secre- tary of Local 1-367, Haney. Dear Sir: I recently heard your com- mentary on the radio concern- ing Trade Unions and was somewhat annoyed at the biting criticism you seem to have for the Trade Union Movement. I would hope that your unwarranted attack on Labour stems from your lack of knowledge in this area and not from any prejudice or malice. You do not appear to have any knowledge whatso- ever concerning this subject and to attempt to paint all Unions with the same brush without consideration for the seg ies that different ve or noting the dif- ferences between Craft and Industrial Unions only rein- forces = & opinion of your expertise in this area. A man with the tremendous influence that you have through the news media should be very careful in the use of this influence particularly when discussing a subject such as the Trade Union Movement and its role in our society. I would suggest to you that if you wish to speak with any degree of knowledge on the Trade Union Movement that you study the matter a little more closely particularly as to the philosophies of a Union and its function in society today. I would therefore invite you to spend some time in our Local Union, possibly accompanying a Business Agent through some Sawmills, Shingle Mills and into a logging camp to find out just what organized labour is all about and what kind of problems people encounter in their day to day struggle to work out an existence. Our Union, the IWA, the largest Union in Western Canada has played a tremen- dous role in this Province not only achieving good wages and working conditions for our members but in the field of Accident Prevention and within the community as a vehicle for social change. Our Local Union covers the whole Fraser Valley clear up to Lytton and we have played an active part in the community through the years having supported the United Appeal, Junior Forest Wardens, Children’s Jubilee Summer Camp and many others. We were also instrumental in establishing an 85 unit co- operative Senior Citizens Housing project as well as helping other groups and organizations .from time to time. You do our Union and the Trade Union Movement a terrible disservice by your comments. The story of our Local is no different than other IWA Local Unions all over this Province. To get the facts straight I would invite you to come and see things as they really are. Trusting to hear from you on this matter in the very near future, I remain, Yours truly, Erik Wood, . Financial Secretary. A REAL DRINKER Prince George logger to bar- tender: “Gimme a martini — 20 parts gin and one part ver- mouth.” ; Bartender: ‘‘With maybe a twist of lemon in it?” P.G. Logger: “Look, buddy, if I wanted lemonade I’d ask for it!” - DON’T WORRY .. . SHE WILL SETTLE DOWN AS SOON AS SHE GET’S THIS WOMEN’S LIB BUSI- NESS OUT OF HER SYSTEM! LOCAL 1-71 OFFICERS SCORE CANCEL MANAGER Editor’s note: Ever since the Union organ- ized the Canadian ‘Cellulose Company’s sawmill in Terrace . in 1974, Business: Agents of Local 1-71 have faced petty and cheap opposition from Com- pany officials when processing grievances of the members. The following letter from the Workers’ Compensation Board to R. W. Black, the Company’s Industrial Relations Manager, concerns the case of an injured employee who the Company maintains is not entitled to compensation benefits. It is also alleged by Union officials that after receiving first aid for his injury, the employee was. ordered into the foreman’s office and forced to remove his bandage to prove he had been injured. Canadian Cellulose Company Ltd., P.O. Box 3000, Terrace, B.C. Attention: Mr. Bob Black. Re: Sushil Pathania Claim No. RC76215596 — Further to our recent tele- phone conversation, this letter will confirm that this claim has been reviewed at our office and the decision now arrived at. In your submissions to us, you have indicated that on March 12, 1976 while clearing 2 x 4” pieces of wood from the edge sorter the worker suf- fered an abrasion to his left knee when, in violation of a safety rule, he climbed down the edge sorter to free one such piece that was stuck. It was your contention, that since the worker had violated a safety rule, that this claim should not be allowed. In addition, you were questioning the fact, that an apparently minor injury required the worker to be off work four or five days after the injury. ‘In regards to your first con- tention, i.e. that a safety rule had been violated, must advise you that the only bar to claim- ing compensation in this respect, is ‘‘where the injury is attributable solely to the serious and wilful misconduct of the worker’’. (Section 6, (3) Workers’ Compensation Act) In this case even if the worker did violate a safety rule, it ‘cannot be construed as serious and wilful misconduct. As regards the time lost from work by Mr. Pathania, we have, on checking with his doctor’s office, been advised that Mr. Pathania was told to remain off work up to and in- cluding March 17, 1976. In response to your request, Mr. Pathania was examined by one of the Board’s Medical Ad- visors at our offices on March 19, 1976. The Medical Adviser did not feel that he was in a position to determine retroac- tively whether or not Mr. Pathania should have been off work on March 15 - 17, in- clusive. For the reasons outlined above, this claim is being allowed, and wage-loss benefits will be paid for the period March 13 to March 17, 1976 inclusive. You indicated in your tele- phone conversation Mr. Black, that you might possibly appeal this decision.. Please note that you have 90 days from the date of receipt of this letter in which to submit such an appeal. If, however, notice of appeal is not received within 7 days of March 29, 1976, payment of wage-loss benefits will be made to Mr. Pathania, though this will not prejudice any appeal you may make. Enclosed is a pamphlet which you may find helpful. J.J. Pinto, Claims Adjudicator. “