Busy In Q.Ci.

By NIGEL MORGAN

ABOARD THE LOGGERS’ NAVY, Somewhere in the Q.C.l—Endorsation of ‘an agreement drafted at the Semi-Annual meeting of IWA Local 1-71 and election of negotiating committees in eight of the eleven camps operating in the Queen Charlotte Islands started the ball rolling last week in o drive during which loggers in this district are determined to estab- lish the same benefits and conditions of work that were won recently by the crew at Lake Log.

‘With four of the five companies lined |

up and negotiations under way with the management of three, the Q.GI, loggers a hope that peeceful and amicable negoti-

x. ations will result in contracts of benefit Pier of employer and employee alike. ee union meetings, which have heen as atl by 99 per cent of the crew in : all camps, unanimous endorsation has ‘ been given to the proposed agreement as , @ basis for negotiations, Negotiations committees have been elected by secret ballot by all camps and those that have already met the superintendents, namely, Kellys, Camp B40, and Camp A 35, Car- stairs, have reported satisfactory open- ing discussions, At Kellys the commit- tee were advised negotiations would have to be carried on through the president of the company, Thomas Kelly, at the head office in Vancouver. The union im- mediately called another meeting and elected Harold Pritchett, IWA Interna- tional Executive Board member and sec- retary of the Vancouver Labor Council, as their representative.

At Camp B40 and Camp A35, which are run by Pacific Mills at Ocean Falls, the negotiating committee {s awaiting this week of logging manager to continue their discussions,

ON PROTEST

Protest from union members were being hired by Allison's for less than the regular rate for

Canadian Tribune

Launches Drive

The Tribune is the champion of the democratic rights of working men and women. It has fought for labor’s rights to bargain collectively, and assisted in the struggle to better wages and conditions in every industry.

The Tribune today is helping to rally the Canadian people to do every- thing possible to turn back the enemy and open the way ‘to victory over fascism.

The Tribune must expand and reach thousands of new readers, and to achieve this objective, $10,000 is needed; B.C. has undertaken to raise $1,250.

Send in your donations to the IWA, B.C. Tribune Expansion Committee, and do your bit to make this national paper bigger and better,

VICTORIA LOCAL WINS BARGAINING

VICTORIA, B.C.—Following concilia- tion proceedings for which Conciliation Commissioner Whiskers was appointed by the provincial government, employees of Lemon Gonnason Co. Ltd., were suc- cessful in obtaining a memorandum of understanding with the company, giv- ing them the right to elect a shop com- mittee to meet reguarly with the com- pany’s representatives to iron out any disputes.

The memorandum of understanding states:

“The Lemon, Gonnason Company Lim- ited, Victoria, B.C., agree to meet a Shop Committee for four employees, se- lected by the employees of the afore- mentioned Company on the third Mon- day in each month during a period of twelve months subsequent to the sign- ing of this memorandum, for the purpose of discussing problems affecting the wages, hours or working conditions of the employees.

“The aforesaid Lemon, Gonnason Com- pany Limited further agree that there shall be not discrimination on the part of the Company against any employee for his Union activity.”

Tt was signed by R. B. Kirk, Albert Kennington, Mitchell Ott, Henry J, White- house on behalf of the employees, incm- bers of Local 1-118, TWA, and H. F. Crown, for the Company,

Since the dispute has been on, the com- pany has granted a 10 per cent increase for those under 50 cents an hour and a 5 per cent increase for those over 50 cents an hour, also a $5 and $10 per month bonus for single and married men re-

spectively, which did not previously pre- vail at the mill.

First step towards greater iguanas and increased productiog for war purposes in the logging industry was made this week when an agree- ment, based on the arbitration award granted members of IWA Local 1-80 last month, was signed by H. R, Hunter on behalf of Lake Logging Company; W. R. Sutherland, Ernest Boulet and A. E. Lewis on behalf of the employees, members of Local 1-80, and witnessed by Harold Pritchett, IWA International Executive Board member, and Gen. J. A.

Clark, company representative.

All members of the negotiating committee expressed gratification that the agreement was finally signed without further delay.

“T consider this a very important victory for labor which should be the inspiration for all logging camps in B.C. to follow,” said Pritchett, who assisted in the final negotiations. “In this way, with greater co-operation between employer and employees, we can really build up our war effort

against fascism.”

Recognizing a committee elected by the employees as the bargain- ing agency, the agreement provides, in effect for a “union camp” stating that any “employee after thirty days employment to the satisfaction of the employer may he asked by the employees to. become a member of the union. Should such employee decline to join the union his objection shall be dealt with by arbitration. Should the arbitration award require said employee to join the union and he declines to do 50, the employer shail ‘advise him 1o-Seek-employment elsewhere.”

In line with the intention of the In-g

ternational Woodworkers of America to do all in its power to assist uninterrupted production of lumber for essential war purposes, the agreement includes a clause providing that the employer shall at the time of camp shutdown, provide each employee with a card giving him the opportunity to register his intention to return to work at camp reopening, thus assuring immediate commencement of operations when the season opens. Em- ployecs who will not be required at re- opening will be so told at shutdown,

Other demands made by the union were also provided for in the agreement. Seniority is recognized and “employees shall be laid off in the inverse order in which they have been hired, and re- employed in the inverse order in which they were laid off. No new employees shall be hired until the list of former employees who have given notice of re- turning to the company's employ is ex- hausted; all employees who report for work in accordance with the require- ments hereof shall be returned to the positions occupied by them prior to the closedown or layoff.

Leave of absence is granted for na- tional defense, injury or illness and for elected representatives on local union or district council business, while pro- vision is made for check-off system of dues collection and safety committees.

In order to ensure continued harmon- ious relations between employer and em- ployees, it is agreed that all disputes and grievances may be settled by an arbi- tration board mutually agreed upon.

MINERS OPEN NEGOTIATIONS

GLACE BAY, N.S.—Negotiations for 2 new contract between 10,000 miners, members of District 26, UMWA, and Do- minion Coal Co, opened last week. The

contract expires early in January.

MILL WORKERS ASK UNION AGREEMENT

By W. STEWAK1

Organization has been successfully conducted in the Contractors Supply Sash and Door Company Ltd., plant at 425 West 5th Avenue by IWA Local 1-217, An agreement has been drafted and pre- sented to the company by the union com- mittee calling for a 7% cents per hour wage increase, 44-hour week, and union recognition.

Two conferences nave been held with A. H. Andrews, president of the firm, but no progress was made. A counter- proposal of the management to the agreement was that they would look over the payroll end make adjustments when they considered them necessary. When this proposal was relayed to the men, they decided to make application im- mediately to the Minister of Labor for the appointment of a conciliation com- missioner. James Thompson was ap- pointed commissioner and a meeting ar- ranged with the company this week.

Glaspie Lumber Company Limited of- fers a good example as to how far the lumber operators are prepared to go to defeat organization, Harly this spring organizational work was started in this mill, the company immediately counter- ing with a ten-dollar per month bonus. When this did not halt organization, the

company Increased the bonus to $30 a month,

Naturally this had a dampening effect on the organizational program, but with persistent efforts we were able to get

the majority of the workers into the union, °

An agreement was-drafted and a com- mittee clected to present it to the man- agement. On the day following the meet- ing where the committee was elected, the company posted a notice informing the workers that a new policy was going into effect. ‘The bonus of $30 a month would henceforth be added to the hourly scale and all employees on the payroll on December 22, would receive a bonus of $150 per man, thus making the em- ployees the highest paid in the world.