LOCAL 1-423 DELEGATED MEET Delegates to the 8th Annual Delegated Meeting of Local 1-423 IWA, held May 2-3, in Kelowna, voted to have the dues formula for members working in plants with a lower base rate than the Southern Interior base rate, pay two hours pay per month on their individual plant base rate. The officers in presenting the resolution stated that the present uniform dues for- mula created an unfair hardship on members working in secondary industry plants that have a much lower wage struc- ture. A resolution calling for the delegated meetings to be held on Thursday and Friday instead of the present Friday and Saturday was defeated after the officers pointed out that the move would cost the Local an additional $10,000. They suggested that such a large sum of money could be more wisely used for the benefit of all the members. Approximately ninety delegates and visitors attended the two-day meet held in the Capri Centre. Guest speakers were Regional 2nd vice- president Neil Menard, Gerry Stoney, presi- dent of Local 1-357, Jack Kerssens, presi- dent of Local 1-417 and financial secretary of Local 1-425 Noel Gooding. Menard gave a brief report on the Troubled Employees’ Programme, which he stated, was slowly getting off the ground. The Union, he said, was not prepared to move too quickly because the programme was so important. He added that once the programme became fully operational complete and confidential help could be provided for any troubled employee in the Union that required assistance. Stoney addressed the meeting on the problems of the four-day work week and the waste of good logs which the companies were now processing into chips. He stated, in reference to the four-day work week, that a number of members were buying the companies plan to have everyb- ody share the reduced work week. This he said, negated the seniority system and his Local Union opposed it on that basis. He was highly critical of the companies using good saw logs to process into chips. He suggested that the government should take immediate action to stop this criminal waste of good timber especially now when our forests are being so badly depleted. Kerssens also voiced his views on the four-day work week by supporting the opinion expressed by Stoney. He stated that sharing the work was a generous gesture but it didn’t make sense to see people newly hired deriving the same benefits as workers who had spent years working in the indus- try. The comprehensive Officers’ Report covered the activities of the Local for the past year. Political action was stressed by the officers who suggested that the Local should establish an active Political Action and Education Committee with sub- committees in every operation. They also suggested the need to encourage more Union members to become involved in the Constituency and Riding Associations in addition to supporting the NDP in the plants. The Local’s Safety director Jack Welder reported that for the fifth year running, there had been no fatalities in the organized operations. He praised the work of the safety committees in the operations who he said were doing an excellent job. He was critical of management for not giving proper job training to new employees. He stressed that success or failure of a safety committee depends on the attitude of management. Until they demon- 16/Lumber Worker/May, 1980 strate sincerity the safety programme is in jeopardy, he concluded. Following are the delegates elected to the various conventions and conferences: Regional Convention: Les Goddard, Troi Caldwell, Jack Welder, Bill Oner, Sharon Crossley, Richard O’Grady, Norm Owen, Stan Anton, Ron Beliveau. Regional Fall Safety Conference: Ken Heuser; Roy Hannah; Bill Faminoff Regional Spring Safety Conference (1981): Elmer Schultz; Barry LaPointe; Wynn Whitfield B.C. Federation of Labour Convention: Don Shepherd, Paul Sofonoff, Bob Schlosser, Y. K. Wong, George Duley, Archie Jack. FATALITIES The following are some of the logging fatalities which occurred in the second half of 1979 which the Workers’ Compensation Board has briefly described, along with the contributing factors. FALLER — 12 years’ experience. Faller struck by a ‘“‘widow-maker” which was dislodged by a cut-up tree which unexpect- edly fell sideways. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: (1) Work- ing beneath a cut-up tree, (2) Domino falling, (8) Failure to take appropriate measures to control the fall of a tree. CAT OPERATOR — 20 years’ experience. Operator and machine were caught in a slide which carried them several hundred feet down mountainside. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Unstable ground and extreme runoff. SKIDDER-OPERATOR — 2 years’ ex- perience. While the skidder was under full tension the engine quit due to lack of fuel. The skidder was propelled down hill by the weight of the turn. The operator was crushed while attempting to jump from machine. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: (1) Not checking fuel level, (2) Not wearing the seatbelt. FRONT-END LOG LOADER OPERA- TOR — 7 years’ experience. Worker was crushed betwen frame and left arm of the boom while repairing a hydraulic boom lift cylinder. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Inade- quate blocking used to secure elevated boom and grapple. RIGGING SLINGER — 2 years’ expe- rience. Worker was struck by a swinging log which had “jillpoked” into a stump when the go-ahead signal was given. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Worker failed to get in clear before the go-ahead signal was given. FALLER — 20 years’ experience. While bucking a windfall with his back to a previously bucked windfall and rootwad, the rootwad set back toits previous position, crushing the worker. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: (1) Buck- ing beneath a cut-up windfall and rootwad, (2) Poor planning of work area. SKIDDER OPERATOR — 1 year expe- rience. Operator was crushed by the snag which he was attempting to fell by pulling with the skidder. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Attempt- ing to pull over snag with insufficient length of cable. FALLER — 1'4 years’ experience. Fatally injured by a large cedar sucker which fell approximately 25 feet from a tree standing adjacent to the tree being felled. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: The dete- riorated condition of the sucker was not visible from the ground. MECHANIC WELDER — 10 years’ ex- perience. When the worker attempted to start his welder a violent explosion took place in his mobile workshop which con- tained a gasoline driven welder and an oxy-acetylene welding unit. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Loose fuel line connections on the welder which allowed explosive gases and fumes to accumulate. HOOK TENDER ON GRAPPLE YARD- ER — 1 month experience. Worker struck by a tail-hold tree which was pulled over when the tie-back twister broke. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Inade- quate size and/or number of twisters. FALLER — 26 years’ experience. Faller lost directional control of a tree which struck his partner. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: (1) Failure to maintain the minimum two tree length distances between falls, (2) Failure to take appropriate measure to control fall of the tree, (8) Lack of supervision. SPAR HOOKTENDER — 15 years’ expe- rience. Worker was setting a choker on two. logs when the top log dropped, crushing him between the logs. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Worker placed himself in a hazardous position while setting a choker on an unstable log. FALLER — 20 years’ experience. Worker was struck by a previously cut-up tree while falling another tree. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: (1) Dom- ino falling, (2) Working in an area made hazardous by a cut-up tree, (3) Lack of supervision and instruction. FALLER — 24 years’ experience. Worker walked into an active falling area on the edge of landing and was struck by a tree felled by another faller. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Worker entered into a known active falling area without obtaining clearance from the faller. (Double Fatality) DRILLER’S HELPER — 1 year expe- rience. CAT SKINNER — 7 years’ experience. Workers were loading explosives at a drill site when an unknown source detonated the explosives. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Tying in loaded holes before drilling and loading was complete. LOG TRUCK OPERATOR — 5 years’ experience. Worker was crushed between left front tire of a Cat front-end log loader and the logging truck reach when he attempted to remove the compensating pin. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: (1) Worker entering the operational area without noti- fying the loader operator (2) Bright sun which obstructed loader-operator’s vision.