WA WINS AGAIN

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IWA EXPOSES AFL “CRIME”

District TWA Officers moved this week to lodge an

appeal against the decision of the Labor Relations Board granting certification to the AFL Lumber and Sawmill Workers’ Union in the operation of the Creston Sawmills

Ltd., Creston.

Simultaneously, International Representative, Clayton Walls,

ig for Local 1-405, IWA, iat ‘irculation among B.C. le unions a full statement of tircumstances, alleging that ts of the AFL union against TWA while on strike to be of the “blackest of trade crimes”. eal against the decision of bor Relations Board has heen made on the grounds that the Board in such instances is re- quired to grant a hearing, and that an erroneous decision can be reversed. Bias Suspected

As far as can be discovered by IWA officials, this is the first oc- casion a contested certification has been granted without first

“WHAT'S INSIDE

holding a hearing for both par- ties, and a representation vote.

The appeal is awaiting the consideration of the Board, it was reported this week.

Certification in the Creston Sawmills has been held by the IWA since 1944. Subsequently difficulty was experienced con- stantly by the Union in the main- tenance of a satisfactory labor- management relations due to the continued undercover opposition of the employer.

Pressure Exerted

It is alleged that the employees were subjected to considerable pressure, when the government- supervised strike vote was held last October. The result was a small majority against strike ac- tion.

When the over-all strike vote in the area favored strike action, the workers in the plant accept- ed the majority decision and established their picket lines.

In the sixth week of the strike, members of the United Brother- hood of Carpenter’ and Joiners crossed the picket line to engage in the construction of a dry kiln. This action was protested by the

See “CRIME” Page 3

TRADE RATES URGED

Increased pressure will be exerted on the employers to secure adjustment of trades- men’s rates as proposed by the 1953 Conciliation Board as a result of recent confer- ences representative of coast IWA Local Unions.

At a meeting of IWA staff representatives held in the Steel Hall, Vancouver, January 19, a thorough analysis was made of the perplexing problems con- fronting skilled tradesmen in thé lumber industry. -

A further conference under the joint auspices of Local 1-217, 1-357, and 1-367 was held in New Westminster, January 24.

It was made apparent that the growing dissatisfaction of trades- men throughout the industry is at a boiling point.

‘Action Speeded The IWA District Council will continue the effort to resolve the problem as speedily as possible, in accordance with the desires of the tradesmen.

District officials expressed the view that unless the matter is given more serious and prompt attention by the employers, labor- management relations in the in-

|.dustry will suffer grave disturb-

ances,

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)| cumstances, and their views were endorsed unanimously

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SOUTH INTERIOR STRIKE GAINS BETTER: CONTRACT

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Approval this week by IWA members on strike in the Southern Interior of the strike settlement terms, nego- tiated by the Union’s spokesmen, and recommended for acceptance by the District Policy Committee, ended a long and hard-fought struggle waged since October 23 with substantial gains for the strikers.

Events moved rapidly to this climax, as Judge A. E. Lord prepared to open his enquiry into the Southern In- terior dispute. Possibilities of settlement emerged as the employers indicated their readiness to make concessions, which previously they had refused to consider. ;

Formula for settlement was achieved in special con. ferences by District President Joe Morris, Ist Vice-Presi- dent William Gray, 8rd Vice-President Fred Fieber, Sec- retary-Treasurer George Mitchell, Financial Secretary Howard Webb, Local 1-424, Associate Research Director ef Se-Miyare way and Financial Secretary Jack Strong, Local

-423.

They reported the terms negotiated to the District

Policy Committee as the best obtainable under the cir-

by the committee’s members. * : £S

Unfavorable weather conditions delayed the final tabu- lation of the membership voting throughout the Southern Interior, but incomplete returns indicated a majority for acceptance of more than 80 percent.

NEW CONTRACT BENEFITS

In summary, the new contract provisions won as the result of the strike settlement are: ; 1. DURATION OF CONTRACT, extended for-a three- year period, September 1, 1953, to August 31, 1956, with provision for the opening of negotiations 90 days in ad- vance of the termination date.

2. UNION SECURITY in the provision for mainten- ance of membership as agreed upon in the Northern In- terior, plus a clause prohibiting discrimination against strikers upon return to work.

8. WAGE INCREASE, totalling 10 cents for the con- tract period, with an immediate increase of 4 cents an hour across the board, an additional increase of 3 cents an hour, September 1, 1954, and an additional increase of 3 cents an hour, September 1, 1955.

Box factory workers, not in receipt of the base rate now established in the industry, were awarded propor- ionate increases percentage-wise, totalling 8 cents an hour for the contract period. e

4, THREE PAID STATUTORY HOLIDAYS: Domin- ion Day in the period September 1, 1953, to August 31, 1954, plus Labor Day, in the period Septémber 1, 1954, fo

LISTEN TO 7.00 p.m. ¢

Thursday §

August 31, 1955, plus Christmas Day in the period Sep- tember 1, 1955, to August 31, 1956. F 5. SENIORITY RIGHTS as now established in the Coast master contract, plus a special clause to extend preference to those laid off in re-hiring. 6. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE siniilar to that now

agreed-upon in the master contract.

Northern Interior and in the Coast

° 7. ARBITRATION PROCEDURE similar to that now recognized in other IWA contracts.

8. VACATIONS WITH PAY clause reducing the quali- fying period for two weeks vacation in respect of thos with five years’ service to 1000 working days, and the additional days’ vacation-with pay or pay in lieu thereo!

OFFICIAL STATEMENT

In commenting on, the terms of settlement in a report to the Union, which accompanied the District Policy Committee’s re- commendation of acceptance, Dis- trict President Joe Morris stated:

“The settlement formula was worked out in conferences with the bargaining representatives of the lumber operators during the past week. We reached agree- ment on terms which we could recommend to our principals on the eve of the enquiry scheduled to be conducted by Judge A. E, Lord, and which is now indefin- itely postponed, The possibility of settlement emerged when the op-

Saturday

CANT

7.05 p.m. ¢

erators’ representatives were per- suaded to make concessions © major points which up to that time they had refused to con- sider favorably.

The settlement proposals were considered at a full meeting of the IWA District Policy Commit- tee attended by representatives of the strikers. The Committee members were unanimous in the decision to recommend acceptance by the IWA members on strike,

Three-Year Contract

The proposed revisions in the master contract for the Southern Interior are conditional upon the;

See “WINS” Page 3

6.30 p.m. Thurs

:CJAT