Page 12

B

.C.. LUMBER WORKER

February 15, 1951

Geo. Mitchell Reports

The ION’S BUSINESS

Prepare For Talks

ance of these terms.

The District Policy Committee has faithfully followed the in-

wom structions of the convention in re- spect of a continu- | ous effort to reach an agreement on satisfactory terms.

There are, how- ‘ever, responsibili- ties which must be assumed by the

Local Unions, and in fact, the entire IWA membership.

As Before

Successful negotiations will be no easier this year than in for- mer years. They will require un- mistakable evidence that the de- mands are backed by the loyal determination of the workers in the industry. It is therefore im- portant that all our fellow- workers are well informed in respect of our intentions, and sold on the practicability of the 1951 contract demands.

Local Unions have a great re- sponsibility in preparing their recommendations for the Wages and Contract Conference, March 10 and 11, in the matter of re- vised category rates for the semi-skilled and skilled workers.

Shingle Mill Rates

Workers in the shingle mills. for instance, have been subjected to abuses which have crept into the industry over the course of the years.

The contract rates paid have not resulted in uniformity of in- come for these workers, and in the opinion of the Union, the time has arrived for acceptance of a daily guaranteed rate.

Contract workers have been severely penalized by loss of pay

. when required to remain on the job when the mill is temporarily out of timber or a breakdown occurs.

Many required to work in poor quality cedar are unable to make a satisfactory wage at their pres- ent contract rates.

Provision must soon be made to set a satisfactory cate- gory rate for those working on the shingle grooving machines.

Local Conferences

The Local Union Conferences, which are now scheduled, should enable the Local Unions to assist the shingle mill workers to pre- sent satisfactory solutions of their problems for consideration at the Nanaimo conference, Feb- ruary 18, and subsequently at the Wages and Contract Conference.

Local Union conferences should also assist the engineers and filers to gain the ear of the Wages and Contract Conference with regard to their special needs,

We intend to conduct these con- ferences so as to demonstrate

A study of the demands formulated by our District Con- vention in January for inclusion in the 1951-52 master contract will indicate to any thoughtful IWA member that a vast amount of preparation is necessary to negotiate successfully for accept-

that as an industrial Union, the IWA is eminently capable of bar- gaining for all classes of workers as one union for the entire in- dustry. In this way the strength of the whole-Union is brought to bear on the solution of each group’s problem.

1-357 Ballots On Officers

Two new certifications have been applied for by Local 1-357, IWA, New Westminster — Windsor Building Supplies and Markland Sawmills. At the latter plant the employer is protesting IWA certification.

Ballotting is in progress for the election of the Local Union officers. On the ballot appears the names of the following: For President, Andy Smith (un- opposed); for Vice-President (three to be elected), Alex Archi- bald, Ted Day, Roy Moore, Sandy Naylor, Pat Power, Albert Rose; for Financial Secretary, Law- rence Vandale (unopposed); for Recording Secretary, Rae Eddie (unopposed); for warden, Art MacDonald, John Wall; for Con- ductor, Les Laxton and Les Smith; for Trustee, Stan Eng- berg and Lee Palmer; for Press Manager, Jimmy Abrams and Doug Ferg.

Officers elected will be installed at the March membership meet- ing.

Ballotting Committee is com- prised of Ray Pigeau, H. Swit- zer, Frank Melvor and Robert Brendt.

Grooving Machine Trouble

Local Union officers are watch- ing developments at a local shingle mill, where 18 men were fired because of spoiled shakes resulting from speeded-up groov- ing machines to take care of rush orders. The plant has been shut down, as it has become necessary to slow down the machines. The Local Union contends that the ad- justments found necessary by the company prove that the men were not to blame and that they should be re-instated.

AFL -Complications

AFL boilermakers engaged in building a new stack and repair- ing the boiler at McNair’s Shingle Co. complained to the Local Union recently that IWA men were performing stéel work.

Upon investigation by Presi- dent Andy Smith it was found that D.P.’s were being employed by a contractor at 75¢ an hour, and matters were soon put right. Union scale wages are now being paid on the job, and it was demonstrated that IWA men handle only the woodworking

operations involved.

, NOTICE Publication date of the next Issue of the B.C. LUMBER

WORKER is March 1. Deadline news copy Feb. 24.

for ad copy is Feb. 22, and for

BC Loxcent’Worver

Representing the Organized Loggers exd Mill Werkers of B.C. PUBLISHED TWICE MONTHLY BY

INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (CIO-CCL) B.C, DISTRICT COUNCIL No. 1,

SS

DISTRICT OFFICERS:

President ..... ae 1st Vice-President .. 2nd Vice-President «.. Grd Vice-President Secretary-Treasurer International Board M«

ge H. Mitchell Tom G. MacKenzie

Address all communications to GEORGE H. MITCHELL, Secretary-Treasurer 45 Kingsway - Phone FAirmont 8807-8 ‘Vancouver, B.C.

Subscription Rates......

Advertising Representative. Authorized as Second Class Mall,

t Office Dept., Ottawa

26,000 COPIES PRINTED IN THIS ISSUE

IWA Delegation |

IWA DELEGATION at Annual Convention of B.C. Federation of Labor, numbered 50.

Political action program of the Canadian Congress of Labor was again approved by the 7th Annual Convention of the B.C. Federa- tion of Labor and plans were laid to conduct educational work in explanation of the need for labor’s entry into the political realm.

Resolution of the convention read: elect a, working class govern- WHEREAS: The labor movement ment; and to this end we urge

when it becomes organized on that the Executive Committee in-

a national scale becomes aclude courses in the present edu-

political force, and to becomecational program that will

a power to protect its own in- instruct the students in the philo-

terests, it must give expressionSophies and programs of the

to its aims and objects, and _ various political parties of this WHEREAS: The unions affiliated Province.” to the CCL through their vari-

B. C. Federation Backs CCL-PAC

U.K. HOUSING

Since the end of the war, 1,207,- 350 families have been rehoused in the United Kingdom, and the total number of houses built was 927,658.

Only 157,146 of these wer temporary homes.

In September 1950, alone, more than 17,000 permanent houses were completed.

ous conventions have accepted the CCF as their political arm

at the present time, now.

THEREFORE BE IT RE- SOLVED: That this 7th Con- vention of the B.C. Federation of Labor go on record as sup- porting the Political Action program of the CCL, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we recommend to all affiliate unions that they co- operate in the national cam- paign to collect a dollar per member per year in order to prepare funds on the civic, provincial and federal levels for educational and election

purposes.

MArine 7235

SPECIAL WEEKLY RATES 1221 GRANVILLE STREET

VANCOUVER, B.C. Under New Management

Officers’ Report Committee, Chairman Joe Morris, stated on this subject:

“The committee feels that the general failure of Political Action in the past year has brought recognition that educa- tion is the key to the problem, and that a politically informed working class will automatically

A Shining Example

By NEIL SHAW

Financial Secretary, Local 1-367, IWA

Eddy Match Sub-Local has again set a shining example of true trade unionism and brother- hood. Having failed to negotiate an M.S.A. clause in their contract they formulated a policy of mak- ing a pay day contribution to any member unable to work.

Brother Gordon Radmore is the second brother assisted in this manner and the money donated was a godsend in providing groceries through the long five weeks wait for his first compen- sation cheque.

In extending his thanks to his brother workers Brother Rad- more wishes at the same time to bring to the attention of the en- tire IWA the unselfish and brotherly attitude of his fellow co-workers, and suggests that any operation which has no health plan in effect would be wall advised to institute a similar plan.

APHIC

ENGRAVERS ARTISTS

106 WEST MASTINGS ST. VANCOUVER. BoC

Money Orders!

When you want to send money by mail, use Canadian Bank of Commerce money orders. You can buy them at any Commerce branch in British Columbia, They can be mailed safely—can be cashed readily. Be safe when mailing money. Use Canadian Bank of Commerce Money Orders.

THE om Man BANK OF COMMERCE

80 Branches in British Columbia