‘

WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER 3

Local 1-71

Camp Notes

Since the middle of last year there has been a determined
and obviously co-ordinated attempt by a number of small
logging operators on the Sechelt peninsula to resist by
every means possible the organization of their operations,
despite the wishes of the majority of their crew and certi-
fications granted the Union by the Labour Relations Board.

‘Here are some the conditions
which the Local found to be
prevelant in some of the oper-
ations referred to above.

Sub-standard wages or
monthly rate for categories
such as, log truck driver, cat
skinner, etc.

Overtime after forty-four
hours in some cases. In others,
straight time on Saturday.

No paid statutory holidays,

.and of course it goes without
saying that there was no medical
coverage, no additional 242%
vacation pay for men with five
years or more service, and no
seniority rights whatsoever.

As one of the boys said after
looking over the provisions of
the agreement and comparing
them to the conditions he was
working under, “the boss has
been making three to four
hundred dollars on me every
year which would have been in
my pocket if this had been a
Union camp.”

When a majority of the crews
of these operations signified
their desire to, have Local 1-71,
of the IWA act as their bar-
gaining agency, it must have
been very obvious to the em-
ployers involved that unless
something was done to forestall
a contract with the Union, the
heyday of their imposing sub-
standard wages and conditions
on their employees and the re-
sulting extra profit which they
enjoyed through this practice,
was bound to change. At that
point, they must have decided
to co-operate in order to pre-
serve what this type of employer
is pleased to call their rights.

Since certifications have been
granted the Union, on behalf of
the employees on two of the
operations on the Sechelt pen-
nisula, Jackson Bros. Logging
at Wilson Creek, and L. & R.
Logging at Earls Cove, the
Loca] Officers have made deter-
mined efforts through meetings
with the employers concerned
to resolve the dispute and get
the signature of these employers
on the Industry Master Agree-
ment, so that their crews would
be provided the same protection
of wages, hours and working
conditions as their fellow log-
gers in other operations.

Jackson Bros. Logging has

been adamant in their position
that they will not sign an agree-

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ment despite the recommenda-
tion of a Codnciliation Officer
that they sign. The morale of
the crew of Jackson Bros. is
high and they as well as their
Local, are determined to see this
thing through to a successful
conclusion. And in spite of the
problem that this operation is
not working at present, due to
snow conditions. It is obviously
the hope of the Company that
the boys will be hungry enough
when the boss calls them back,
that they will be glad of a job
under any circumstances.

Another interesting feature of
the opposition at Jackson Bros.
are the feelers the Company
has been putting out to the crew
on the possibility of a profit
sharing plan.

You know the old gimmick.

We'll all work together at no 3
set wage and divide the loot be- |}

tween us.

Maybe it won't
wages, but it will be better than
sitting at home. Won't it boys?

The crew is steering well

clear of such obvious tactics as
this as well they might.

The situation at L. & R. Log-
ging is a little different but with
an even cruder twist. In spite of
the fact that the Union has a|

certification for this camp and in i

spite of the fact that a meeting
has been held in Vancouver be-
tween camp management and
the Union, and it seemed as
though some progress was being
made to resolve our dispute, one

of the Local Business Agents |].
on a routine visit to the opera- ||| <> §
tion was ordered off the prop- |

erty. An attempt was made to |
physically restrain him from |
meeting with the crew.

This attempt was unsuccessful

and a meeting was held at which |}

a full report on bargaining pro-

gress was given to membership |
and we are. happy to state here i

that like Jackson Bros. crew, the

boys at L. & R. are determined iP '
to end these haywire conditions |@
and work under a Union con-|ff

tract.

The old time boss loggers are
gradually dying out, but on the
Sechelt Peninsula at least, a
new crop of boss loggers with
old time ideas are still in exist-
ence, even in this day and age.

Weird and wonderful ain’t it.
Submitted by Local 1-71

be Union |}

CCF members of the B.C. Legislative Assembly, Victoria ;

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DAYTON BOOTS...

.. ALWAYS
OUT FRONT

P.S.—UNION-MADE, OF COURSE!

;

(B.C.) LTD.

2248-50 East Hastings St. Vancouver, B. C.