2nd Issue, July

B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Tiffin Succeeds Deakin At TGWU

LONDON (CPA) — A. E. “Jock”

Tiffin, 59-year-old

former London bus driver, has been named to succeed the Jate Rt. Hon. Arthur Deakin as general secretary of the world’s largest union, the Transport and General Workers’ ‘Union, Tiffin, a trade unionist for 44 years, has been act- ing general secretary since Deakin’s death in May.

The new TGWU head has had

a slow but steady rise in the |

labor organization that covers everything from transportation to agriculture and from fishing to municipal employment. He became a district organizer in 1932 and eight years later was named as a regional organizer. In 1948 he was named assistant general secretary which made him Deakin’s deputy. He was chairman of the London Trades Council for seven years and has headed negotiations for London’s publicly-owned bus employees. He has represented the trade unions on the national executive of the Labor Party,

600 Officials

Jock Tiffin—not a Scotsman— won election to his new high of- fice by a large majority over his five rivals for office. In his new work he will have the assistance of 600 full-time paid officials of the giant TGWU.

The TGWU was formed in 1922 by the amalgamation of 14 sep- arate unions. Membership, which dropped by 19,594 last year, now Stands at 1,289,989. Income to the union in 1954 amounted to nearly $7,600,000 and general and other funds available totalled nearly $27,000,000. Political fund income totalled $1,320,000 last year of which more than half went to the Labor Party’ in af- filiation fees. Upkeep expenses in 19 constituencies, whose MP’s receive support from the union, amounted to $125,000.

TGWU officials cast a block Yote of about 800,000 at Labor Party conferences. This block vote is cast one way or the other without any allowance for dif- ferences of opinion. within the union and some union members, 4s well as many outside, are call- ing for the reference of import- ant Labor policy decisions to union branches in order to better gauge the opinions of members before the block vote is cast.

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Printers of The B.C. LUMBER WORKER = er |

CLERIC SCORES DECEIT

OTTAWA (CPA)—Business- men who call for individual free- dom for the worker while build- ing strong employer organiza- tions are neither sincere nor honest, according to a well- known Catholic priest.

The Rev. William J. Smith, S.J., writing in the Canadian Register comments on a recent scientific sampling survey in the US which showed that in a poll of 1,100 white-collar workers, 59% thought government leaders did most to protect the freedom of the indivi- dual, 18% gave their vote to union leaders while only 7% plumped for business leaders,

Face Value

Father Smith states: “The mea- gre 7% attributed to business leaders shows, we believe, that the constant barrage of propaganda portraying organized management as the simon-pure defenders of in- dividual liberty had been taken at face value by the workers who were interviewed.”

He noted that “we have nev - felt and we do not feel now” that this propaganda “has been sincere and honest.” Commenting on em- ployer organizations, Fr. Smith points out that “modern manage- ment does not deal with its em- ployees on an individual basis. Management is organized. ... To expéct or insist that one part to a contract be compactly organized, strong and independent and that the other party be broken up into isolated individuals devoid of

strength and unity through organi- zation, is to defy the demands of social justice.”

YOUR UNION MEETINGS /

Reuther Fights Verdict |

DETROIT (CPA) — The United Auto Workers (CIO) has welcomed a. legal test of its right to spend union funds in presenting the union’s politi- cal point of view on the radio or television. UAW President Walter P, Reuther described as an issue of “freedom of expres- sion” an indictment of his union by a Federal Grand Jury for spending $5,985 for TV

- shows on behalf of Democratic candidates for Congress last year.

Reuther said: “The UAW wel- comes a test on the constitutional right of a labor union to express its point of view on poltical is- sues and other matters of broad public policy through the pur- chase and use of radio and tele- vision time.

Bill of Rights

“The UAW has complied with both the spirit and the letter of the law dealing with political ex- penditures, and we are confident that the courts will uphold our right to freedom of expression in accordance with the constitu- tional guarantees as set forth in the Bill of Rights.

“The Grand Jury investigation of the UAW was inspired by John Feikens and Arthur Sum- merfield, the Michigan Republi- can political bosses, in a desper- ate effort to explain the over- whelming rejection of their can- didates and policies by the people of Michigan in the last several elections.

Basic Need

“Messrs, Feikens and Summer- field would better serve the Re- publican Party and the people of Michigan if they would abandon their obsolete and socially irre- sponsible policies and programs and instead give sympathetic con- sideration to the basic need and aspirations of the people.”

The arithmetic class was study- ing weights and measures.’

“What does milk come in?” asked the teacher.

“In pints,” ventured Betsy.

“And what else?” the teacher prompted.

“I know,” said Johnny who had

spent his vacation on a farm. “In squirts.”

UOMOOM’iK_ Qq@®®”’§d who says so

CCL Organizes Dept. Stores

WINDSOR (CPA)—Two Windsor department stores have now been unionized by the Canadian Congress of Labor Department Store Organizing Committee, Local 1002 with the H. Gray store on Ottawa Street joining the C. H. Smith store as the border city’s organized depart-

ment stores.

Gray’s did not oppose the union certification move but sought to have the 51 employees involved organized into separate sales and office staff groups.

Case Decision

In a decision on the case in Toronto, Ontario Labor Relations Board Chairman Jacob Finkelman found that the Board had no pow- er to deny employees freedom of choice by insisting that plant and office employees be members of separate union locals. Legislation dealing with the subject has been in effect since 1950 but the Board has, in the past, exceeded its authority by requiring separate locals for office and production workers.

The -CCL-DSOC was certified as bargaining agent for the Gray Company’s employees with 47 sales employees in one bargain- ing unit for four office workers in another.

STUDENTS TRAINED

LONDON (CPA) — Britain has trained over 800 students from South and Southeast Asia under its Colombo Plan aid contribution and in addition has sent more than 150 of her ex- perts to Colombo Plan coun- tries to train and advise on the spot. ,

Of the 230 students now re- ceiving. technical aid training in the U.K., subjects of study range from medicine to micro-analysis and from blast furnaces to psy- chiatry and pathology. Countries represented by trainees now in- clude: Ceylon, 93; Pakistan, 70; India, 41; Burma, Nepal, Thai- land and the Philippines.

PLEASANT INTERLUDE

“STU” HODGSON takes time out from the sessions of the ICFTU to steal a dance with Mrs. Hodgson who accompanied him as his aide during his mission in Europe on behalf of the Canadian Congress of Labour. Mrs.

Hodgson is an active member of the IWA Ladies’ Auxiliary.

To get the facts straight, it’s only common sense to be sure of sources, to double-check for accuracy. Province reporters and editors have 3 reputation for fair, unbiased reporting that makes them respected wherever the Province is read. It will pay you, too, to be a regular reader of

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