Com Will WESTERN CANADIAN j le tot s ( H | | \ Na | h Incorporating “Zhe SZ. Lumberworker Official Publication of the Internattanal Wesdworkers og sémertea Regional Council No. 1 VOL. XXVII, No. 13 OES VANCOUVER, B.C. 5¢ PER COPY 4 Ist Issue J uly, 1960 EDITORIAL OUR ANSWER By JOE MORRIS IWA Regional President HE employers are renewing their attack on trade unions in British Columbia. This is seen in the unpre- cedented rash of statements recently released by their professional apologists. The nature of these statements indicates that the purpose is to seize on the present down- ward trend in business activity and the uncertain political climate to make the trade unions a public whipping boy for all economic disturbances. In a vicious distortion of the facts, trades unions are held to blame for almost everything that has gone wrong, except the occasional bad weather. Clearly this renewed and prejudiced attack is intended to divert public attention from the consequences of such business activities as extortionate profit-making, monopoly price-fixing and reckless gambles. There is ground for the suspicion that some of these business leaders see in any business slump only the oppor- tunity to cripple trade union organization in order to discipline workers who collectively dare to ask for more. Today they oppose all wage increases. Tomorrow they will be proposing wage cuts. Business propagandists claim that British Columbia is suffering a declining export market, and a flight of investors, because the province is known as the highest- wage, highest-cost, and most heavily unionized region of Canada. They fail to mention that industry in other parts of Canada is facing even more serious problems arising from declining export and domestic sales. The most serious economic problems of the moment are not even remotely related to trade union activity. See “ANSWER” Page 4 Regional Convention September 27-30 Call has been issued by the IWA Regional Officers to the Twenty-third Annual Convention of Regional Council No. 1, to be held at Woodworkers’ House, 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, Tuesday, September 27, and continuing through Friday, September 30, 1960. The convention call states in part: “The Twenty- Third Annual Regional Convention of the Inter- national Woodworkers of America will be held in the Auditorium, 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancou- ver 12, B.C. commencing at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, September 27th, and continuing through Fri- accredited delegates to the con- vention.” Representation to the Conven- tion shall be on the following basis: Local Unions shall have one (1) delegate for the first one hundred (100) members or less and one (1) additional delegate for each three hundred (300) members or major day, September 30th, 1960. See “CONVENTION” Page 2 Representation Your representation shall be based on Article IV of the Con- stitution, which reads as follows: “The delegates to the Regional Convention shall be elected by and from the Local Unions with the exception that all Regional Offi- cers and Regional Executive Board Members shall be duly Exports Up In 1960 In the first two months of 1960, Canadian exports were up almost 27% over last year. Canada sold more to almost every part of the world, and to almost all important customers, more of every class of goods, and almost all our important commodities (CLC Labour Research). Pricing ourselves world markets??? WHAT'S INSIDE Page Editorial .... 1-4 out of wean en LISTEN TO Yarier 0 7 1. In Brief ..... 8 Green Gold—CJ0 IWA INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS and R No. 1. Group, left to Ballard, International 2nd Vice-President; Bil national President; Joe Morris, Director, Region 1; Jarvis Baughman, Director, Director, Region 3; J. E. Dicey, International Ist Vice-President. right—H, Landon Ladd Crisis Alarms Uniens Government inaction and employer provocation has roused trade unions in British Columbia to make prepara- tions for an all-out campaign to secure measures that will deal adequately with mid- summer mass unemployment. That 13% of labour force remains idle in July is in itself sufficient cause for emergency action, it is pointed out. Attempts of the Federal and Pro- vincial Governments “to brush the problem under the rug” has angered all those who know the true state of affairs. Statements originating with employer groups have given further cause for re- sentment. These statements place the entire blame on the unions for the down-turn in business activity, and seek to justify a wage freeze with later wage cuts. It is safe to predict that unem- ‘ployment will be a burning issue in elections just around the corner. Prime Minister Diefenbaker is under bitter attack because of his See “CRISIS” Page 3 the province’s | egional Directors meeting in the new Board Room of Regional Council , Director, Region 2; Oliver Rasmussen, Director, Region 4; Claud I Botkin, International Secretary-Treasurer; A. F. Hartung, Inter- Region 5; Harvey Nelson, Interior Dispute In Conciliation Deadlock in bargaining talks between the IWA Interior Negotiating Committee and the lumber operators in the Northern and Southern Interior has resulted in the appoint- ment of Conciliation Officers to attempt settlement of the dispute. John. Sherlock was appointed Conciliation Officer for the dispute in the Southern Interior, and ne- gotiations have been resumed ‘under his auspices, Jack Laffling has been ap- pointed as Conciliation Officer to deal with the Northern Interior dispute. The Union’s demands, which were formulated earlier at a Wages and Contract Conference in Kelowna are: A 25 cents an _ hour increase across the board. Increase in shift differential from 4% cents an hour to 6 cents an hour. Revision of rates for tradesmen, powerhouse employees, and carrier and lift truck operators. Travel time for loggers. Industry-wide medical plan. Improved vacations with pay plan. Improved conditions for statu- tory holidays. Plywood job evaluation at S. and K. Plywood Division, Kelowna. Amended arbitration clause. wage Provision requiring that all sub- contractors shall adhere to terms of agreement. Show Us How? Hansard, House of Commons Hon. L. B. Pearson (Leader of the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the prime mini- ster a question arising out of a speech he made in London, Eng. He said: “We shall be able to welcome and absorb into employment many tens of thousand of immigrants.” Will the prime minister com- ment on that statement made in London? Right Hon. J. G. Diefenbaker (Prime Minister): Mr. Speaker, I do not think there is any neces- sity for any comment. It is very sure and definite. H. J. Robichaud (L-Gloucester): Tell us where. Quebec Liberals’ Election Promises Didn't Scare This Corporation - While political observers debated whether or not the Quebec Liberals could be expected to fulfil their election promises, the Ottawa Citizen, a faithful supporter of the Liberal Party, may have shed some light on the question. On the day after the surprising Liberal victory in Quebec, readers of the Citizen found these two items: (1) On page 13 under a heading “Promises by Next Premier,” the Citizen reviewed the election promises of Jean Lesage. One such promise was the nationalization of the Quebec Natural Gas Corpor. ation. (2) On page 33 in the want ad section of the Citizen was the following ad: “Permanent positions offered by the Quebec Natural Gas Corporation”... etc. 7:00 p.m. Thursday : CKD Ist and Last Thursday 6:00 p.m.