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Bi-weekly Bulletin Published by The B.C. District Council, International Woodworkers of America, Affiliated with Congress of Industrial Organizations

VOL. 9, No. 13.

VANCOUVER, B.C., WEDNESDAY, AUG. 7, 1940

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IWA UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BRIEF GETS SUPPORT AND BRINGS BENEFITS

Bosses And AFL Chief Work To Prevent Loggers’ Inclusion

Camp 8, V.L.&M.

Crew Celebrate

As Discriminated Men Reemployed

VANCOUVER, B.C.—Unemploy- ment insurance — long demanded by Canadian unions, and many times promised “under pressure” by Pre- mier King — has been enacted over the protest and opposition of the “Pressure Boys” who represented Canadian Big Business, the Manu- facturers’ Association and the Cham- ber of Commerce. Having failed in their attempts to block the measure, they tried to pare what benefits were

included for the workers from the Act, in which efforts they enjoyed the support of Wendell Farris, the representative of the B.C. Loggers Association and AFL chief- tain Perey Bengough, who declared log- gers and fishermen are in a class “that has never been included in any effective insurance plan anywhere on the earth.”

In answer to the statement of Ben- gough, doughty AFL offitial, Nigel Mor- gan, IWA District Secretary stated: “Log- ging is not excluded from any of the major unemployment insurance schemes, including the Scandinavian countries, Poland before the war, Great Britain, Hire, Australia and the United States. If Mr, Bengough would only study the reports of the League of Nations — to which he was a $80-a-day delegate of the Dominion Government recently — he might be able to understand this.” Mr. Bengough did not even try to answer the statement.

General endorsation and pledges of further support for the 10-page Interim Brief submitted by the IWA District Council are coming in this week. A number of woodworking plants and mills are now to be included and as a result of the strenuous fight of B.C, Members, A. W. Neil, George Cruickshank, Alan Chambers, James Sinclair and Howard Green in particular, the concession was gained that the question of inclusion of loggers will be referred to the Commis- sion immediately upon their appointment to administer the Act with instructions to review the case. George Cruikshank, MP. for the Fraser Valley, in a letter to the District Secretary this week, de- clared: “I am confident after the argu- ment we put forward yesterday that we will, at a later date, secure inclusion of the loggers.”

In the next issue we shall carry in- teresting extracts from the debate in the Federal Parliament.—Editor.

Canadian Steel Union Wins Bonuses

HAMILTON, Ont—Intensified activity of S.W.0.C, in this Ontarlo steel city has netted wage dividends to all employ- ees of the Steel Company of Canada.

‘The employees will receive nine days’ bonus pay based on their average pay for the past six months, The wage divi- dend Was increased from six days at the first of the year and is directly attributed

_ to a recent demand by several hundred

employees of the company’s Canada works for a concilation board,

_ Steleo's profits were recently reported ‘at a new high while production has also

VANCOUVER, B.C—IWA Pres. Har- old J. Pritchett this week signified his intention to apply to the U:S. state de- partment for a visa to permit him to enter that country with his family and establish legal residence preparatory to applying for citizenship,

Pritchett, sorely needed by the IWA, sections of which are in negotiations for new working agreements with their em- ployers, will make this application to the American Consul in Vancouver. Prit- chett further declared: “It will also be

propaganda, to request a public hearing so charges and accusations, emanating from antilabor groups, can be discre- dited and the continuous questioning of my integrity and undermining of my character can be stopped for all time.” Thus was foreshadowed this week the Possibility of a second “Bridges trial,” in which the main centre of persecution by labor spies would be the other great CIO leader of the Pacific Coast, the Can- | adian Harold Pritchett. The IWA president returned to Can- ada July 12 upon the expiration of his last ninety-day visitor’s permit after an attempt to gain an extension failed. Pritchett had been admitted to the United States on permits since his elec- tion to the Federation of Woodworkers, forerunner of the IWA, in 1936.

Pritchett Asks Visa To Gain U.S. Entry To Carry On IWA Duties

my purpose, in order to off-set insidious ||

WHO SUPPLIED THE ’

Deep resentment is being expressed this week by members of the AFL Meat Cut- ters and Packinghouse Workers Local in Vancouver, against the most recent “dic- tation” from the AFL bureaucrats — cut- ting short the Burns strike and placing their products back on the “Fair List” of the Vancouver Trades and Labor Coun- cil (AFL). The strike which went into effect late in December, 1936, was the re- sult of discriminatory action by the Burns Co. in the firing of the Union Executive, and as a result of the wide support received from all quarters, crip- pled Burns’ business,

The loss of some good war contracts, and continued pressure of organized labor to have Burns reinstate the 200-odd em- ployees before the granting of any gov- ernment contract, brought action. But alas, just as pressure started to really affect the company, the Bengough-Moore dictatorship saved the day for this vicious anti-labor firm, which labor has donated thousands of dollars in the last four years to fight. Bengough is charged with hav- ing shown one of the local’s executives a letter asking for a settlement on the basis of the reinstatement of one man. ‘This “settlement” was naturally accepted by the company, but was voted down al- most unanimously by the union, although Bengough pleaded for its acceptance for over an hour. The member who took the job was suspended by the union in line

with action taken in the case of all

FOR BENGOUGH’S LATEST A.F.L. SLIDE?

GREASE’ FOR

back to the Trades Council. This body referred it to the Grievance Committee which has not been called for over three weeks, and in the meantime a letter was received by the union from. Trades Coun- cil President Tom Moore advising them they had better rescind their previous ac- tion or drastic steps would be taken. Fearing a move to lift their charter, the local has had to give in. But Burns are not on the “fair List” of the CIO or any honest union-man in spite of the AFL officialdom’s blessing.

LAKE COWICHAN, B.C. — Set- tlement with a 100 per cent victory came last week-end in the dispute with the V.L.& M. operation, Camp 8, which started last March when the fallers and buckers went for a 10 per cent boost in pay. Shortly after the increase demands had been presented to the management by the Camp Committee, the operation was shut down and when it reopened two weeks later, four of the men active in the ‘wage-hoist movement

were “not required.” Immediately steps were taken to pub-

licize the company’s actions and leaflets issued with the result that efforts of Black’s Agency to hire replacements failed. The case was taken up by I.W.A. Local 1-80 with the Provincial Labor De- partment and Minister Pearson promised no discrimination would be permitted, and further arranged a conference be- tween the employees’ committee and com- pany officials, As a result of the decision of the crew to stand solid against dis- crimination and low wages, a 10 per cent pay boost was effected last April, and with the exception of one poor, miserable “scab” from Lake Cowichan, fullest sup- port of the struggle was gained,

More recent efforts to add to the erew likewise failed. Camp 9 fallers crew turned the job down last week; five sets hired in Vancouver and taken by car to the Lake returned to town when the }:- sues were explained to them, as did i: « 4 falling crew of three hired in Dunca. last week.

The result of this support was the re- instatement this week-end of the four discriminated men (who had meantime been working on temporary jobs as per- mitted by Minister Pearson); and the subsequent declaration by I.W.A. Local 1-80 that “the camp is fair again and clearance is granted the company for the hiring of additional men, as a result of completion of the reinstatement demand,”

The crew have requested the Lumber Worker to express their appreciation of those whose support made this victory possible.

Solidarity At Malahat Log Makes Discrimination Impossible

PORT RENFREW, B. C.— Another gain is reported this week as the falling crew, steel gang and cold deék crews returned to camp without discrimination and with a tidy little wage increase to their credit. Fear of the layoff of those active in the opening of negotiations for a wage hoist and an Employees Agreement, was put aside when the crew made it known to the company that they were standing together and pre- pared to take collective action. The bal- ance of the crew, mostly rigging men are expected to be called about the mid-

Sstrike-breakers, and the matter referred ;

dle of the month.

Wage increases reported include chas- ers, 35 cents per day; hookers, 90 cents; chokermen, 67 cents; flunkies, 50 cents; section gang 57 cents, loci firemen, 6 cents perhour; loci engineers 6 cents Per hour; back riggers, 7% cents per hour; and fallers and buckers, 5 cents per thousand.

‘The wage scale now stands at chasers 70 cents per hour, hookers $8.40 per day, chokermen $5.47, flunkies $4.40, section gang $4.67, loci firemmen 60 cents per hour, loci engineers 80 cents per hour, back riggers 67% cents per hour and

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