THE WESTERN CANADIAN

LUMBER

WORKER

AUTHORIZED AS SECOND CLASS MAIL, POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, OTTAWA, AND FOR PAYMENT OF POSTAGE IN CASH.

Vol. XXXVI, No. 15

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BROADWAY cfs PRINTERS LTO.

ist Issue August, 1968

ON ALL CHARGES

23, eae

|

PRESIDENT MOORE

CRITICS ANSWERED

IWA members and the general public were told in a press release, Au- gust 16, that eighteen officers and full-time staff members from three Local Unions had decided to organize membership support for their own leader- ship in the Western Canadian Regional Council.

Three Local Union Presidents in attendance secured the backing of the caucus for top Regional offices well in advance of the usual Regional Con-

vention nominations.

: This unusual advance publicity, it is said, was arranged to gain extra time for machined campaigning before, during and after the Regional Con- vention in order to capture membership votes to elect a Syd Thompson slate.

It is predicted that as a re- sult of the tactics planned, violently partisan debates will occur on every issue to be considered by the Regional Convention, September 9th to 13th. The danger is seen that convention debates and deci- sions will be colored by per- sonal political campaigning likely to fog the issues.

The Syd Thompson caucus statement declared that, at the Regional level, the Union has been without “guidance and leadership from the top.” This was the only clue offered to indicate the nature of the pro- posed “new program and poli- cies intended to capture the imagination of IWA mem- bers.” It is evidently pre- sumed that IWA members

SCHUMAKER WINS COURT CASE

An action for damages brought by Oliver Sawmills Ltd. (a subsidiary of Noranda Mining) against Local 1-423 President Bill Schumaker was dismissed in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

The suit was launched against Schumaker after the mill crew (members of his Local Union) refused to cross a picket line set up by the IBEW at the mill’s gate last year, At that time the IBEW was striking the West Koot- enay Power & Light Com- pany and the picket line was set up because the mill was getting power from the struck company.

The Oliver company charg- ed in its damage action that although the plant chairman Yosh Aura, was instrumental in stopping the crew crossing the picket line, he had done so on orders of Schumaker.

It requested specific dam- ages of $647.98 for the one day production loss suffered by the crew’s refusal to work.

The Hon. Mr. Justice Greg- Vancouver last June 18-19, stated in his judgmel

that

edge of the picket line and

therefore was in no position to

instruct anyone to take action. He further stated in part: “Tt is clear that neither the

BILL SCHUMAKER

defendant president nor any other officer of the defendant union had any knowledge be- fore Mr. Aura’s_ telephone call to the defendant Schu- maker in Kelowna at about 9:30 that the crew had re-

fused to cross the picket line — or indeed even that the

plaintiff's plant was being picketed. It is argued, how- ever, that a cause of action is made out against the defend- ants on the basis that the pre- vious month the defendant Schumaker had counselled all members of the defendant union to honour IBEW picket lines and that on the day in question Mr, Aura, with at least enough authority to at- tract liability to the defendant union of which he was a member, counselled the em- ployees in question not to cross the picket line and go to work. I will deal first with the defendant Schumaker and then with the defendant uni- on. : Among Mr. Schumaker’s ‘duties as president of the defendant union was that of editing and producing the union’s monthly publication — “Bits of Bark — from here and there.” In the April issue he had published the follow- ing: “LOCAL UNION OFFICE, STRIKE HEADQUARTERS” The members of the IBEW Union, on strike against the City of Kelowna have estab- lished their central strike

See “COURT CASE”—P. 5

will sign a blank cheque to buy policies not yet disclosed.

As the well-publicized statement consists only of ac- cusations against Regional President Jack Moore and his fellow-officers, the Western Canadian Lumber Worker questioned Jack Moore on the points raised so that IWA members may be more fully informed on both sides of the conflict now being aired pub- licly.

Question: To what extent are you concerned about this public attack on Regional “leadership?”

Moore: “I am not concerned about personal criticism. di- rected at me, nor are my fel- low-officers. That is to be expected. I am solely con-

cerned about the effect on the future progress of the Union if it accepts the attempted domination by one group. “As a matter of fact, I pre-

viously suggested that if Syd.

Thompson has reason to at- tack Regional administration, he should accept nomination and put his views to the test of membership opinion. I and my fellow-officers under at- tack. ask that we -be judged fairly by the members in the light of all the facts about accomplishments and deci- sions on the record during our term of office. Apparently, this self-appointed junta intends that we should be condemned without a hearing.

See “MOORE”—Page 4

«In Memoriam

A staunch trade unionist and hard working member of the NDP, Gordon Paterson, 3rd Vice-President of Local 1-217 Vancouver, passed away in hospital August 13.

Gordon who was 42 years of age first started work in the industry as a boy of 15. Even at this early age he showed his strong interest in unionism and was fired from numerous jobs in the False Creek mills for his organiza- tional attempts on behalf of the IWA.

For the past number of years Gordon worked at Van- couver Plywood where he quickly became its very popu- Jar plant chairman.

During this period he took an active interest in politics and actively supported the New Democratic Party. He was campaign chairman for the NDP candidates in Little Mountain in the last Provin- cial election and worked hard for the NDP candidates in the recent federal election.

Gordon is survived by his wife Marg. and one son.

The officers and staff of the Regional Office extend to

them sincere sympathy for their untimely loss.

ails

GORDON PATERSON

ES” CO Se ere