9 THE UNION SHOP By J. STEWART ALSBURY IWA District President rT is now apparent that our Union will commence negotiations with demands that meet the wishes of: the general membership. The delegates to the Wages and Contract Conference expressed the membership views unanimously, and the issues are now clear- cut. Their decisions should now command the same unanimity in purposeful action by the membership. It cannot be too often repeated, that success of ne- gotiations depends ranot only on the skill of the nego- tiators, but mainly on the spirit of the membership. From here on, every member of the IWA must bear in mind that he has a share in the bargaining program, and that success will result only from the collective effort. The eleven points in the bar- gaining program are for the most part self-explanatory, and repre- sent a sound perspective of the general needs of the membership. As far as we can judge the at- titude of the lumber operators from their propaganda to date, they will maintain their tradi- tional attitude of opposing any increase in labor costs, However, we can show them, as well as the general public that the IWA de- mands are well-reasoned and re- alistic in view of all economic factors. Our appraisal of the economic situation is based on re- © search into those factors, which ' .has given us quite a different answer than originates in em- ployer circles. The Union Shop One important test of the em- ployers’ good faith in bargaining will be their attitude toward a non-cost item—union shop con- ditions, The union shop in the lumber industry is long overdue. It can now be introduced without hurting the employers’ pocket- books, and without any disruption of satisfactory labor-management relations. If the employers agree to the Union Shop, it will indicate that they recognize the IWA as an established and responsible agency to bargain collectively on behalf of the employees. If the employers oppose the Union Shop, it will disclose their latent distrust of the Union and the desire to strangle effective collective bargaining by their employees. Democratic Procedure The customary argument rais- ed by the employers against the Union Shop is that they wish to protect the democratic rights of their employees. One would think B.C. LUMBER WORKER SUB-LOCALS ELECT that they are only zealous to pro- tect their employees against ex- ploitation by the Union. - They consistently overlook the fact that all representations made by the Union are based on ma- jority decisions of their em- ployees. Majority rule is the only known and satisfactory method of arriving at decisions in any democratic community. If by majority decision the employees request the Union Shop, and indicate that union shop conditions are those under which they desire to work and conduct their affairs, no warrant exists for interference by the employers. Law Approves This right is upheld under the law in the United States and in Saskatchewan. The statutory provision is made whereby the majority of the employees in a bargaining unit may demand the union shop by their vote, and secure compulsory inclusion in the contract. As a matter of fact, if the em- ployers would study labor legis- lation in some of the other Do- minions, they would find that such conditions, if based on ma- jority opinion, are made applic- able to the entire industry. The IWA desires the Union Shop because it is democratic. As the Union must bargain for all employees, it ensures that every employee can secure a voice in bargaining decisions. “T’m calling to make an ap- pointment with the dentist.” “Ym sorry. He’s out now.” “Oh, thank you, When will he right be out again?” A Sub-Local meeting of the Parksville Sub-Local was held on March 6th, with President R. Mawhinney in the Chair. Arthur Briggs and Frank Telford, the Local’s delegates to the IWA District. Convention, reported to the meeting. The following Sub-Local offi- cers were elected: President; Frank Telford. 1st Vice-President: R. Maw- hinney; 2nd Vice-President, G. Young; 8rd Vice-President, Ted Maurice. Financial Secretary: Arthur E. | gates: Briggs. Recording Sec., W. Hawkes. Warden: A. Butler. Conductor: Foster. Trustees: W. May, V. Pietela. Ways and Means Committee: Brothers Burgoyne, T. Maurice, W. May, Foster, R. Doughty, A. Butler, Arthur Briggs. Custodians of Ways and Means Committee: T. Maurice, Arthur Briggs. Quarterly Safety Council Dele- Lorne Johnstone, Arthur E. Briggs, Ross Davis, Cecil Black, Ernest Boulet. YOUBOU District Ist Vice-President, Joe Morris, installed the re- cently-elected officers at the Annual Meeting of the You- bou Sub-Local of Local 1-80, IWA, March 15. In his. ad- dress to the members he point- ed out the necessity of giving full support to the newly-elect- ed sub-local executive. District Safety Director, John T. Atkinson, also spoke to the gathering expressing his pleasure at the opportunity to visit his own sub-Local. He gave a very interesting outline of the develop- ment of the Safety Program and the progress being made through- out the Union, Officers elected were: Chair- man, R. H. Hopkins; ist Vice- President, Perey Clements; 2nd Vice-President, Ross Davis; 3rd Vice-President? R. Bouchard; Fi- nancial Secretary, Kenneth Par- sons; Recording Secretary, A. Dean; Warden, George Martin; Conductor, H. Jensen; Trustee, M. Salter, Joe Bensen, Herbert Maines; Head Job Steward, Max Salter; Balloting Committee, W. Easton, M. Baker, B. Langkam- _ mer, H. Nagy. LADYSMITH Annual meeting of the Lady- smith Sub-Local of Local 1-80, IWA, March 13, elected the fol- lowing officers: Chairman: J. F. Colwell. Ist Vice-President: Jack Popovitch. 2nd_ Vice-President: George: Simpson, Recording Secretary: Martin Backmeier. Financial Secretary: Stanley Heys, Trustees: John Popoyitch, G. Oliver, A. Anderson. Why? A growing tree is worth so much money. But cut it down, limb it, buck it . haul it to a pulp mill in log form and watch its value jump! LS, The power saw that felled it cost around $600. The tractor that hauled it cost $30,000. It was stacked by a $50,000 donkey engine and trucked out to rail or water by a $20,000 logging truck over a road that cost up to $30,000 per mile to build. And, at every stage, skilled men have guided it on its way. Men operating machines and maintenance equipment; men riding booms and. tending camp; highriggers, scalers, chokermen—all must be housed and fed and paid. More? Yes, there’s much more than this to.a big woods operation. And each separate item carries a price tag which is reflected in the value of that log rumbling up the conveyor belt to our chipping machines. Think about it sometime! cocums* exttuLose COMPANY LIMITED e A SUBSIDIARY OF CANADIAN CHEMICAL & CELLULOSE pare i - NEW TREES FOR OLD! ‘ Our conservation program keeps B,C. forests green . . . protects B.C.’s greatest asset .. . ensures the prosperity of future generations. PRINCE RUPERT,