4 WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER Editorial Oe The Question VERY IWA member in coast Local Unions must now ask himself the questions, “What does the proposed settle- ment mean to me and my family?” “What do I stand to gain if I reject it?” These were exactly the same questions that the members of the Policy Committee faced in recommending acceptance. Each Local Union representative, voting for the propdsal, placed himself in the position of the average rank and file member and examined his reasoning from that standpoint. Nearly every member welcomes a settlement at this stage, provided the master contract is left intact, and substantial gains are made. Few are eager to test the possibilities of a course that might force a showdown on the picket lines this year. “If the Union risks what would undoubtedly be a bitter and prolonged strike, would the end results be so much better that the -sacrifices involved would be worthwhile?” he queries. When the alternative course is explored, as done by the Policy Committee, the proposed settlement appears as a good settlement under the circumstances. The most important circumstances are those of the mem- bers. They must be made better and not worse. It would be an unhappy day for the Union and its members if ill-con- sidered decisions led to worsened circumstances. The Policy Committee has rendered the membership a distinct service in stating the issue frankly, stripped of all false optimism. The Committee has said, “These are substantial gains. We may have to pay a heavy price to get more.” The chief responsibility of the Policy Committee is to bar- gain for advantages. It must also strive to protect the Union against any disastrous or reckless moves. Any threat to the Union’s program likely to have adverse effects on the mem- bers, must be made known. In the present situation, the Union’s membership stands to gain by playing out the “hand” it holds. It’s not a good time to run a bluff. It’s not a good time for any pretended militancy. The IWA has a good fighting record. Acceptance of the proposed settlement this year will not injure that reputation. All other major unions have decided to act with prudence. In the ring, the wise fighter blocks and feints to wait his chance for the winning punch. So in its over-all strategy, dealing with succeeding yearly negotiations, a union must watch its stance. The Policy Committee acted with due caution, because the situation called for caution. In that respect it acted with wis- dom, and the exercise of wisdom is the Union’s best strategy at this time. The Committee acted with wisdom because it gave first consideration to protection of membership interests. Such reasoning would collapse if no substantial gains were made. The fact is that the proposed settlement brings benefits that have been highly prized by the IWA for many years. The attainment of an industry-wide health and welfare plan, together with nine statutory holidays, is a worthwhile accom- plishment. Developments have shown that this is the year to secure health and welfare provisions, when the Union can reasonably give the issue proper emphasis. This plan, together with the inclusion of all statutory holidays, takes both these important issues off the bargaining slate for the future. The handicaps surrounding an alternative course cannot be ignored. The laws which govern conciliation and arbitration procedures are restrictive, and are administered by an anti- labour government. The continuing chronic mass unemployment is being art- fully exploited by the employers. The workers are deeply concerned about their job security,.and must act with due regard for the regular pay cheque. The insidious effects of the constant attacks on rade union objectives can be detected. The trade unions are still faced with the problem of convincing the public that higher wages will aid prosperity and that we are not pricing ourselves out of the export market. The member who votes for rejection of the settlement-must immediately ask himself what he is prepared to do or sacri- fice personally to make a better settlement possible, for mem- bership rejection will re-open the battle. He must assume his share of the risks. The member who votes for acceptance will have the satis- faction of endorsing important progress, and strengthening the Union’s bargaining plans for the future. Publication date of the next issue of the WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER is June Ist. pendline for ad copy is May 20th, and for news copy May 21st. It Boe BR PUBLISHED TWICE MONTHLY ON THE FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAYS BY International Woodworkers of America eee (AFL-CIO-CLC) Regional Council No. 1 xcs REGIONAL OFFICERS: erees ve Joe Morris > Ist Viee: President . Pe Jack Moore j 2nd \ Bob Ros ie we President as Jack MacKenzie tary-Treasurer . red Fieber cao eee Board Members ..... Joe Madden Jack Holst Address all communications t FRED FIEBER, Secretary-Treasurer 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. TR Subscription Rate $2.00 per annum Advertising Moemtative: oom G, A. Spencer Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept., Ottawa 27,500 COPIES PRINTED IN THIS ISSUE Looking Backward These items were gleaned from the files of the B.C. Lumber Worker’s May 2nd issue, 1951. IWA Interior delegates meet- ing in Cranbrook May 6, warned that unless the Interior received e€ same wages and working conditions as those on the Coast there would be no_ contract signed. * * The Canadian Congress of Labour announced that Howard Conquergood has been appointed the Congress Educational Direc- or. * The Gan ecnmuite short- is 704,500 Facts”, Montreal labour kneareh bureau. The only people getting new homes belong to Canada’s “aristocracy’—the “upper third” of the Pope ce In Seanen? pe a coal miner and forced the company to pay for the cost of a new set of false teeth which were stolen from his coat pocket by a mine-rat while he was a work. * It was aan ated in fhe House of Commons that representatives : of the Nazi war-criminal muni- tions maker, Alfred Krupp, have approached the Department of Trade and Commerce to find markets for the Krupp Company. * * * In Houston, Tex., union gar- ment workers found themselves at sentimental odds with war plant workers after a psycholo- gist announced, “In every period of crisis necklines plunge deeper and skirts get shorter.” The gar- ment workers were concerned about fewer jobs because of the use of less cloth. The defence workers told newsmen that gals with plunging necklines and short skirts heightened their morale and increased WRI In inden, the British Labour tha t ris- ing costs have even hit the busi- ness of international spying. Parliament was asked to appro- priate 33 percent more to main- tain spies in foreign countries in a style matching the high cost of living. A few aged professors youthful idealists may demon- strate in support of neutralism, but when the call comes the young will go straight from the ranks of the neutralists into Her Majesty’s Forces. —Prime Minister Macmillan. - ane Dodge Outlines Union Program The depressing economic consequences of “right to work” laws in the United States were graphically outlined by William Dodge, Executive Vice-President Canadian Labour Congress, when he addressed the Shop Stewards’ Conference of the B. C. Federation of Labour in Vancouver May 29. His subject was Labour Legislation”. His expose climaxed a report on the trend toward restrictive labour legislation in all provinces, with Brit- ish Columbia as the worst example. In the United States, he said, 18 of the 19 “right-to-work” States, re- ported a per person income last year below the national average of $2,242. The exception was Nevada, in which State the revenue was swollen by legalized gambling. Here is the average per capita in- come reported for “right to work” States compared with the national average of $2,242, Alabama, $1,478; Arizona, $1,983; Arkansas, $1,369; Florida, $1,949; Georgia, $1,622; Indiana, $2,198; Iowa, $1,982; Kansas, $2,066; Mississippi, $1,190; Nebraska, $2,854; North Caro- lina, $1,584; North Dakota, $1,826; South Carolina, $1,403; South Dakota, $1,919; Tennessee, $1,565; Texas, $1,943; Utah, $1, eee Virginia, $1,868; and Nevada, $2,85 Among Petit ‘made by the Vice- President were the following: (1) The unions must continue to “Restrictive expand, far more effectively than has been the case in the last few years. This calls for more than the efforts of the “professional” trade unionist. It calls for rank and file organiza- tional support and participation. It calls for a review, also, of organiza- tional. methods and a hard look at sectional, jurisdictional disputes. (2) The unions must think in terms of recourse to legal Star however unpalatable that may he unions must recognize the fact that collective bargaining i is only one aspect of trade union life. Political action in its various forms must be developed, at least for self-survival. (4) The unions must bring home to their members the fact that the seemingly technical aspects of labour legislation which affect unions as such rather than the union members are as much matters for their concern as the contents of.a collective agreement. (5) The unions must develop some mutuality of interest with others in the community who are apprehensive over the loss of civil rights. 1962 Study Gets Funds Canadian industry and labour have contributed more than $600,- 000 to finance the Duke of Edin- burgh’s second Commonwealth study conference beginning in mid-May next ye The conference, designed to investi- gate the impact of the industrial com- munity on family life, will begin in Montreal and end with a five-day session in Vancouver. Tours of in- dustrial communities throughout Can- ada will be scheduled between the Montreal and Vancouver meetings. A conference steering committee announced after a session here that the funds collected are expected to finance the study by 300 delegates from more than ties countries. The of o held in Oxford, eaelene in 1956, will examine the human consequences of the rapidly changing industrial en- vironment in centres throughout the Commonwealth. 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