Plywood Talks Collapse;
Brush-Off From Employer

~ BREACH OF FAITH
CHARGED BY

@ spiny

Conference arranged by writ-
fen agreement between the I-
WA and Forest Industrial Re-
lations Ltd., to explore ways
and means of settling the re-
cent dispute at Pacific Veneer,
New Westminster, was abrupt-
ly ended on April 3.

A statement signed by R. V.
Stuart handed to the IWA rep-
resentatives on arrival at the
conference, informed them that
owing to alleged violations of
ithe agreement, the manage-
ment had decided that their
rights could be protected only
by arbitration proceedings.

The IWA delegation was
headed by District President J.
Stewart Alsbury, and included

Eddie, Business Agent, Lo-
1-367, TWA; Joe Madden,
airman Pacific Veneer Sub-Lo-
cal, and members of the: plant
committee.

District President Alsbury
stated, “The IWA representatives
were prepared to discuss the diffi-
culties in the plant in good faith
and with a sincere desire to reach
an amicable settlement of the
grievance which provoked the re-
cent work stoppage.

“This haughty rebuff by the
representatives of the manage-
ment reveals that there is no de-
sire on the part of this firm to
confer reasonably with the bar-
gaining agent of their employees,
and constitutes a breach of good
faith in bargaining relations.

“No clearer evidence could be
given of the dictatorial policies

which have taxed the patience and,

good-will of the workers in Pa-
cific Veneer heyond endurance.”

Lw I
" N
is ;

Ottat Puttiatioa otibe International Woodworkers of America vt pisict CousciNo 1.

Vol. XIX, No. 62

Ss

April 6, 1950 5c per copy

Vancouver, B.C.

é sil Meek s
IWA PLYWOOD COMMITTEE MEMBERS from Coast plants congregate informally with District
officers to hear latest news of developments at Pacific Veneer, and Alberni Plywoods, and commend
IWA demand of eight hours’ pay for eight hours’ production.

PORTLAND, Ore. — A loud
and vehement “aye” was given
the recommendation- for a
strike ballot to back up the de-
mands of 40,000 Pacific North-
west Woodworkers for a health,

Report to TWA Members

ACTION COMMITTEES ALERTED FOR

CONTRACT FIGHT

AFTER APRIL 15

The District Negotiating Committee has continued the com-
pilation of evidence in support of the IWA contract demand in
preparation for bargaining, which commences April 15.

Much of this material has been furnished to all Local Unions
with the request that it be utilized at membership meetings, shop
steward meetings and job meetings.

It is of vital importance that all lumber workers in all opera-
tions should be fully informed of the IWA intentions.

‘The Committee has also taken alf necessary action in co-
operation with the Local Unions to set up preliminary organiza-
tion of Action Committees throughout the industry.

Reports from all Local Unions indicate that the response
from the ranks of the lumber workers is an emphatic endorsa-
tion of the TWA demand and strategy.

From April 15 on, we'll really start fighting.

District Negotiating Committee,

Tom

MacKenzie, Secretary.

NO CONTRACT

.». NO WORK

WHAT'S
INSIDE

Referendum

Ballots for the referendum
fo authorize a membership as-
sessment of $1.00 during 1950,
and to ratify amendments to
the by-laws of the B.C. Dis-
triet Council, will be issued
within the next week, and are
returnable in 40 days from date
of issue,

The referendum was author-
ized by the B,C. District Con-
vention, IWA, in January last,

following consideration of the

“report of the Officers’ Reports
Committee at that time.
Further details are presented
by the District Secretary-
‘Treasurer on Page 12,

May 15 Deadline Set By IWA For
Strike In Pacific Northwest

paid holidays by the 200 dele-
gates to the IWA-CIO’s Wage
and Contract Conference held
here today.

The strike proposal sets a
deadline for strike action not
later than May 15th, unless an
agreement is reached with the
lumber operators that the
Union committee is willing to
submit to the membership for
ratification. Strike ballots will
be sent out immediately from
the International Union’s head-
quarters here. Balloting in the
Local Unions in the five North-
west States is to be completed
by April 30.

and welfare program and six | started Feb. 20, have so far re-

fused to grant any concessions on
the Union’s proposals, Sentiment
of the delegates who voted una-
nimously for the strike vote was
summed up in a statement made
j by one delegate who said, “There
is more security for the working
man in the health and welfare
program we have proposed than
anything we have ever gone af-
ter.”

The conference was equally ve-
hement in reaffirming the demand
for six paid holidays.

Day must break and night
must fall

The 700 lumber operators, rep-
resented in the negotiations

But accidents need not happeit
at alh

“STOPPAGE

PROVOKED”
SAYS EDDIE

Long-standing grievance _in
the plywood plants flared into
united and spontaneous protest
action by 750 workers in the
Pacific Veneer Division, Cana-
dian Forest Products Ltd., New
Westminster, on March 27.

Final provocation was the
vindictive dismissal for the day
of women workers at 3:30 a.m.
to face bad weather and trans-

portation conditions, Promptly,
their fellow-workers went home
also, for a three-day holiday.

Result of the protest was that,
Local 1-357, IWA Officers were
called into conference with man-
agement and Forest Industrial
Relations Ltd., in an effort to re-
solve the clash between the com-
pany and the aggrieved employ-
ees.

The IWA was also charged be-
fore the Labor Relations Board
with illegal strike action, and
threatened with cancellation of
certification in the plant.

Port Alberni Acts, Too

Almost simultaneously, employ-
ees of Alberni Plywoods Ltd.,
Port Alberni, advised the man-
agement that they would be un-
able to maintain continuous pro-
duction on machines where it had
been required unless satisfactory
provision was made for the lunch
period.

Previously, they had success-
fully negotiated overtime rates
for Saturday work and secured
consideration of more’ satisfac-
tory shift arrangements.

The Port Alberni Local ‘Union
1-85,IWA, was also charged with
illegal strike action in connection
with a brief protest holiday
caused by Labor Relations Board
recognition of AFL raiding in
their plants.

The Grievance

Basis of the grievance, common
in all plywood plants, was the in-
sistence of the companies, that
only 3735 hours’ pay should be
awarded for shift workers main-
taining 40 hours’ continuous pro-
duction.

See STOPPAGES page 3

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