Peer The coast forest industry’s negotiating representative, John Billings, head of Forest Industrial Relations Ltd., presented the IWA Coast Nego- tiating Committee with twelve counter-demands February 23, all designed to provide the employers with greater rights under the Master Agreement. Follwing are the twelve counter-proposals: ARTICLE V — HOURS OF WORK 1. Section 2: Casual Em- * ployees Amend Section 2 to provide | that regular laid-off em- ployees called in for week- end cleanup work shall be paid at straight time rate. 2. Section 6: Bobtail Shift Fol- lowing Statutory Holidays Amend Section 6 to provide for the bobtail shift to commence at midnight fol- lowing a Statutory Holiday. 3. Section 9: Rest Periods Amend Section 9 to provide that there will be only one rest period on shifts of less than 7% hours. 4. New Section: Economic Use of Plant and Equip- ment 1. Provision for a negoti- ated work schedule within the framework of a seven- day continuous operation, to be instituted at the option of the Company. 2. Discussion during these negotiations of other ways and means of improving production and making more effective and better use of present plant facili- ties and production equip- ment. ARTICLE IX — WAGES 5. Section 2: Falling and Bucking Amend Section 2 to provide for the elimination of piece- work rates and for the insti- ~ tution of an industry wide hourly rate. The date of im- plementation of this pro- vision to be discussed dur- ing negotiations. ARTICLE XIII — CALL TIME 6. Section 2: Where Work Commences Amend Section 2 by adding the following provision of Male and Female Min- imum Wage Order No. 1 (1965) “If the employee commences work, four hours pay at the employee’s regular rate except where his work is suspended be- cause of inclement weather or other reasons completely beyond the control of the Employer.” ARTICLE XV — TRAVEL TIME 7. Section (a): Uniform Rate for Travel Time Amend Section (a)-so that a uniform rate of $3.80 per hour will be paid for travel time. ARTICLE XVIII— SENIORITY 8. Section 2: 5-Day gency Clause Revise Section 2(a) by the deletion of the word “plant.” 9. Section 3: Compassionate Leave Amend Section 3 by striking out the words “for educa- tional or training purposes’’ Emer- THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER where they appear in lines 3 and 4. New Section: Educational and Training Leave The Company will grant leave of absence up to a maximum of six (6) months without pay to employees for educational or training purposes, conditional on the following terms: (a) That the employee has at least one year seniority with the company. (b) That the employee apply at least one month in advance unless the grounds for such application could not reasonably be foreseen. (c) That the employee - shall disclose the grounds for application. (d) That the Company shall grant ‘such leave where a bona fide reason is advanced by the applicant, or may postpone leave for educational or training pur- poses where a suitable re- placement is not available. (e) That the Company shall be required to notify the Shop Committee of its decision in respect of any application for leave under this Section. (f) That the employee is only entitled to one leave of absence for educational or ' training purposes per calendar year. ARTICLE XXVI — ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGES BY ARBITRATION 10. Add New Clause (d) to Article XX VI — Strikes and Lockouts (d) In the event of a lock- out, strike, work stoppage or slowdown which inter- feres with production dur- ing the term of this Agree- ment, the matter shall immediately be submitted to arbitration and the Arbi- trator shall determine whether there has in fact been a breach of this Ar- ticle and if there has been such a breach he shall assess damages against the party that committed the breach of this Article. GENERAL PROPOSALS 11. D.P.W. Ticket Require- ment Prepare letter of under- standing to be signed by both parties that the Memorandum of Agree- ment requiring welders to renew D.P.W.’s every two years to qualify for $.21 per hour premium be revised to eliminate renewal require- ment unless the welder is required to maintain an appropriate D.P.W. Ticket for Plant requirements. 12. New Operations The parties to the Agree- ment sign the following letter of understanding: The Chairman of the I.W.A. Coast Negotiating Com- mittee. Dear Sir: This will confirm the agreement concerning the application of the Master Agreement to companies for which the I.W.A. be- comes the certified bargaining agent after the conclusion of contract negotiations between the Negotiating Committee of the International Wood- 11 workers of America, A.F.L.- C.1.0. & C.L.C. represent- ing Local Unions 1-71, 1-80, 1-85, 1-118, 1-217, 1-288, 1- 357, 1-363, 1-367 and Forest Industrial Relations Limited representing its Member Companies, and which are or bécome a member in good standing of - Forest Industrial Relations Limited. You have agreed, on be- half of the I.W.A. Coast Ne- gotiating Committee, and Local Unions 1-71, 1-80, 1-85, 1-118, 1-217, 1-288, 1-357, 1- 363 & 1-367, that where a Company or operation of a Company, for which one of the above Locals has been certified as the bargaining agent, as aforesaid, and which is or becomes a member in good standing of Forest Industrial Relations Limited, enters into collec- tive bargaining for the pur- pose of concluding a collec- tive agreement, the then current Master Agreement between member Locals and the Industry, including Wage Supplement No. 1 thereof, will be accepted by and executed on behalf of the parties to the collective bargaining. It is further agreed that upon execution thereof the collective agreement shall be deemed to be dated from the date of the execution of the-Master Agreement so that the new Agreement bears the same termination date as the current agreement. Please signify your ap- proval of this Agreement by signing this letter. SS NEW WAY OF BUYING GROCERIES AT COST A new way of buying gro- ceries at cost has been in exist- ence in Burnaby since Dec. 8, 1970. CAS Co-op is a Direct Charge grocery at 4461 Lougheed Highway, near Brentwood. It provides goods for members at cost in a nor- mal store setting. Meat and produce require a small mark- up to cover shrinkage and loss. In return, each member agrees to pay a weekly service fee to cover his share of oper- ating expenses. The average family of four spending $30.00 on groceries will usually save $2.00 per week above the serv- ice fee. The supermarket mark-up on groceries is 15 to 23 percent. A catalogue service provides appliances, furnishings, tools, ete., at wholesale plus 10 per- cent for handling. The savings “opleate by this service can significant. Members also contract to purchase shares to cover | t, furniture, fixtures, _ ete. This ean be on the instal- ment plan, $10.00 down and 0 quarterly for 2% years, totalling $110.00. Or $100.00 is paid. outright, A strong point of the direct charge is that there are no hidden costs — no need to push gimmicks, loss leaders, games, specials and expensive advertising. Interests of co-op and consumer coincide. This ean be quite a revelation to the public. Another strength is that di- rect charge co-ops provide close involvement by and with the member. He ‘is responsi- ble for his store. Out of this involvement can come con- sumer protection controls, pol- lution reduction, recycling projects and improved food quality. A lot of the initial work is done by volunteers until the store is established. CAS now has 120 weekly shoppers, but more members are needed. Most members find, in spite of some inconveniences of dis- tance, etc., that the friendly atmosphere, aims and ideals of this store are worth it. It is both people and dollars conscious. THE REAL THREAT TO THE COUNTRY One of the myths perpetrated by big business and the press is that powerful unions are a threat to the country. What about powerful companies? One measure.of ‘‘power”’ is assets. Comparing the assets of unions and the assets of - major companies operating in Canada, one gets a clear picture of who’s really got “power’’. For example, the total assets .of the 11 biggest unions in Canada are LESS than the assets of any ONE of these corporations: the Steel Co. of Canada Ltd., Ford Motor Co. of Canada or MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. The assets banked in Canada of all the unions operating in this country are LESS than the assets of any ONE of these giants: Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting, Moore Corp. Ltd., Thomson Newspapers Ltd., Cominco Ltd., Dennison Mines Ltd., Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. Canada, Abitibi Paper Co. Ltd., Canadian Breweries Ltd., or Dominion Stores Ltd. The total assets of all the unions in Canada, including the U.S.-based parents of in- ternational unions are SMALLER than the assets of Canadian Pacific Railway or International Nickel Co, The figures on union assets come from the latest report (for 1968) under the Cor- porations and Labor Unions Returns Act, a federal law. The CALURA report shows union assets in Canada total $96,955,000. This is the worth of cash, government of Canada Bonds, stocks and other bonds and securities. The assets in Canada and the United States of 94 in- ‘ternational unions and 81 national unions and govern- ment-employee organizations totalled $1,158,492,000. But the assets of just one company, Inco, were greater — $1,827,357,000, in 1970. The assets of Imperial Oil Ltd., $1,555,000,000, were almost.as great as the assets of all the unions put together. (The corporate assets include bonds and other investments, in- ventory, cash and equipment). The assets of the 11 richest unions operating in Canada (all American-based), were $757 379,000. Stelco’s assets, by comparison, were $921,214,000 at the end of 1970. AIR TECHNICIANS VOTE FOR SETTLEMENT Most of the federal transport ministry’s 1,200 electronic technicians agreed February to return to work, ending a 23- day strike that slowed air services throughout the country. The holdouts were technicians at Toronto International Airport who said they would not return until the results were known of a Canada-wide ratification vote on a ten- tative agreement worked out in mediation. The agreement calls for a 15.1 per cent increase over 25 months which would raise pay levels in the most common category to a maximum $11,510.