THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER 13

STRIKE VICTORY

[WA

One of the proudest achievements recorded by the IWA during 1965 was its strike victory at the Frolek Sawmills, North Kamloops, after more than a year of bit- ter fighting on the picket line.

The victory was achieved only through the complete co- operation of all the IWA Lo- cal Unions and demonstrated the unity existing in the or- ganization.

PLANT STRUCK

The IWA struck the’ opera- tion September 23, 1964, when the Company refused to ne- gotiate a collective agreement with Local 1-417 IWA, Sal- mon Arm, which had been granted certification for the plant a month earlier.

Through the remainder of 1964 and into the Spring of 1965, the Union strikers brav- ed frigid weather, imported strikebreakers, and a court injunction to maintain the picket line. In spite of the valiant efforts of the pickets, the Company managed to con- tinue its production with the aid of the RCMP who pre- vented the strikers halting the removal of lumber from the plant.

The Regional Council, rec- ognizing that the refusal of the Frolek Company to negotiate a collective agreement with Local 1-417 — in defiance of B.C. labour laws — would be followed closely by other In- terior operators, moved quick- ly to place the full resources of the Union behind the strikers.

IWA Staff Representative Bob Ross was sent into the area to coordinate the strike activities and his services proved invaluable to the Un- ion.

Regional President Jack Moore also contacted all the IWA Local Unions early in March for help in putting on a demonstration on the picket line in support of the strikers.

His request was immediate- ly complied with and a num- ber of Local Union officers aecompanied Moore to Kam- loops where they took up their place on the picket line with the strikers in a splendid demonstration of union solid-

arity.

ATTEMPTS REJECTED

During the march on the picket line, the officers at- to convince the

ike' ers — who were Standing nearby—to leave the t and support the Union.

jected outright by the strike- breakers’ leader who told the marchers in no _ uncertain language what he thought of trade unions.

His action provoked a brief but furious altercation be- tween the pickets and the strikebreakers which result- ed in the plant closing down for want of a crew.

Regional President Moore in reporting the incident stated, “that while he regret- ted the necessity of taking action against the strikebreak- ers, the situation had driven the Union back to the days when it had to fight for the right to organize and bar- gain.”

He added, “It was a fight we must win in defence of all that we have gained during years of struggle and we will not back down now.”

For the next few months virtually all production ceas- ed at the mill. The Company employed only a token crew and no attempts were made to remove lumber from the yard.

LABOUR COUNCIL

The Union, with the aid of the Kamloops Labour Coun- cil, approached the North Kamloops Mayor and Alder- men to mediate the dispute. Mayor Chilton, a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, indicated his will- ingness to take up the Un- ion’s cause but the Company refused to respond.

CONFERENCES FAIL

Meanwhile, steps were tak- en by President Moore to ar- range a series of conferences with the Company’s lawyers. These conferences ended in failure when the employer agreed to the standard South- ern Interior agreement, but refused to reinstate all the strikers.

Toward the end of April after a stern warning by Moore .that the IWA would continue the strike indefinite- ly, the Company informed the Union that it would settle the dispute but demanded the right to refuse to reinstate five of the strikers.

These terms were again re- fused by the Union and the strike continued until late in June when suddenly the strikebreakers in the mill downed their tools and joined the IWA strikers on the pic- ket line.

This turn of events caught the Company flat-footed. Pub-

AT FROLEK SAWMILLS

lic threats by Frolek that he would recruit a new crew and reopen the plant proved empty. Moore pointed out that the wide publicity given the strike would make it al- most impossible for Frolek to hire workers outside the Kamloops area and the work- ers in the area were honoring

the IWA picket line.

STRIKE ENDS

Finally on September 25, the Company capitulated and agreed to all the Union terms.

Regional 2nd _ Vice-Presi- dent Del Pratt, acting for President Moore, stated in a news release announcing the strike settlement:

“The importance of this strike and subsequent settle- ment is impossible to assess at this time but undoubtedly the success of organization in the Interior hinged on the outcome of this dispute.

“The entire IWA owes a debt of gratitude to the strik- ers who manned the picket line, through the worst pos- sible conditions, for just over a year.

“Few examples of better co-operation between all levels of this organization can be found than was evi- dent during the Frolek strike. This plus the determination of the strikers made this set- tlement possible.”

} tT i :

REGIONAL PRESIDENT Jack Moore and officers from the various Local Unions visited the picket line and urged strikebreakers to lay down their tools and join the fight for better wages, hours and working conditions.

“FROLEK” STRIKERS Doug Hellyer, Adam Wrabluwski, Stan Cupello and Cliff Wheeler are pictured above dis- cussing settlement terms with former Regional repre- sentative Bob Ross and Jack Moore, Regional President.

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THE IWA IS

SETTER WAGES WORKING ConDITIons

STRIKERS ON THE FIRST DAY OF PICKET DUTY. This day was followed by many more until after one year and two days an honourable settlement was reached.