THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER i WORKER 38,000 copies printed in this issue. Published twice monthly as the official publication of the INTERNATIONAL WOQDWORKERS OF AMERICA Western Canadian Regional Council No. 1 Affiliated with AFL-CIO-CLC 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C, Phone 874-5261 Editor — Pat Kerr Business Manager — Fred Fieber Advertising Representatives — Elizabeth Spencer Associates Forwarded to every member of the IWA in Western Canada in accordance with convention decisions, Subscription rate for non-members $2.00 per year, Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post-Office Department, and for payment of postage in cash. Ga 2 EDITORIAL . "A DUAL RESPONSIBILITY" HE Interior woodworkers’ strike is be- ginning to generate the usual ill- informed efforts by third parties to “end the strike.” A strike in a major industry seriously affects the prosperity of the communi- ties involved, so we can understand the concern expressed, and we will certainly welcome constructive efforts to help bring about a settlement. But these efforts are almost always based on grave misunderstandings. To begin with, a strike follows a dis- pute between two parties, and a solution to it requires the agreement of both parties. Members of the public, and particu- _ larly Chambers of Commerce, Town ’ Councils, etc., too often forget this dual responsibility for ending industrial dis- putes. They tend to assume that the re- sponsibility rests entirely with the em- ployees. The result is that union negoti- ating committees find themselves con- fronted with pressures from all directions to modify their stand, while management faces no such pressure. ~ We therefore ask any interested “third party” to bear the following con- siderations in mind. First, a strike cannot properly be ended by “third party” intervention. Un- less both parties to an agreement enter it voluntarily, another strike in the near future is almost guaranteed. Second, when a person or group is not directly involved in a dispute, the natural tendency to seek an imposed so- lution should be weighed. against what - they consider to be their own right to free negotiations. Almost all such people are themselves involved from time to time in collective bargaining. They should remember that a call for government intervention is a call for an increase in government power that will be exercised over them at some later date. These considerations apply to all strikes, but it seems to us that they apply with particular force to the current IWA dispute. Some of the particulars that should be borne in mind with respect to this dis- pute are: 1. The only offer made by the Southern Interior operators has been firmly rejected by the |WA membership in- volved in a government-supervised strike vote. This offer arose out of an enquiry which was jeopardized before it started by the public statements of Premier Ben- nett and Mr. Williston, Minister of Lands and Forests. The government did not merely appoint Mr. Munroe, as Mr. Gag- lardi says, it came very close to instruct- ing him. 2. Striking workers suffer most from prolonged work-stoppages, and are therefore the most anxious to end them. It is therefore obvious that when the IWA negotiating committee receives an offer that is significantly better than of- fers that have already been turned down, it will immediately turn that offer over to the membership. The IWA is constantly engaged in conducting votes among its members. We do not need the help of the government, at public expense, to find out whether our members will be satisfied with an offer. 3. The current dispute in the Interior lumber industry has resulted in the first general strike since 1958. To have nine years free of such strikes is an enviable record in industrial relations. It proves that we do not strike except as a last resort, and that we are willing and competent to reach settlements with- out intervention. 4. “Third-party” pressures brought to bear in this dispute so far have been exerted exclusively on the Union. The IWA is struggling with some of the largest and strongest industrial giants in North America. It is incredible to sup- pose that they need public support in their disputes. Putting pressure on these companies to produce a realistic offer for the mem- bership to vote on is thus a much more likely path to ending the dispute. 5. The IWA has not adopted a rigid po- sition. We are willing to discuss at any time and place proposals. which will give the industry ample time to adjust to parity. No such proposals have been made by the Southern In- terior operators. 6. The position of the employers since negotiations began has been that parity with the coast is economically impossible. Yet, Weldwood of Canada at Ques- nel, which last year signed an Agreement calling for complete wage- parity, has just announced a 1.4 million dollar ex- pansion program, proving that the In- terior industry cannot only afford parity, but prosper and expand with it. Finally, we repeat that the hardship produced by this strike falls most heavily on our members. That hardship provides ‘us with more than enough reason fo con- tinue every effort to reach an agreement. THAT GUY YA FIRED IS WAITIN’ IN YER OFFICE ... DANGED IF HE AIN‘T GOT A GOIN’ AWAY PRESENT FER YA! ET BOSS TO BLAME FOR PRODUCTIVITY LAG ELLIOT LAKE — Blame the boss, not the worker, for low labor productivity, Larry Sefton, Director of the United Steelworkers, said in a speech here. He noted pro - management arguments against parity in pay between U.S. and Cana- dian workers, based on lower productivity in some Cana- dian industry. “The implication is that, if workers would just work a little harder, sweat a little more, the situation would somehow be improved,” he told the annual Steelworkers’ banquet. “This implication is so wrong as to be ridiculous; we must put this falsehood to rest. “The simple fact is that, in today’s society, productivity is management’s responsibility, and every technological step forward makes this more and more the case. Show me a plant with poor productivity and I’ll show you a manage- ment that’s out of date, or spending its time on the ex- pense account circuit, or both.” IT EET "LEFTIES" LEFT OUT? OTTAWA — Harold Winch (NDP - Vancouver East) pro- voked laughter in the Com- mons when he demanded to know why the Vancouver post office, advertising for Christ- mas help, specified “ right-handed persons need ap- ply.” State Secretary Judy La- Marsh replied that she was “appropriately shocked at this discrimination” against the left. She would pass the com- plaint to Postmaster General Cote. only. A post office official said later he had never heard of such a requirement. “We have plenty of them,” he said. “When necessary, many learn to work with their right hands.” He explained that it is im- portant that envelopes all face the same way in cubby holes after sorting — to the left, since this is the natural posi- tion when placed by the right hand. Left - handed sorters either learn to use their right hands or flip the envelopes to place them in the correct way. CS A REAL SHOCKER He warned his patient, after filling a large cavity in one of her molars, that in a few hours the pain might be so violent she would need imme- diate attention. He suggested she call the office after the anesthetic had worn off. She reported later, that fol- lowing instructions, she had phoned and said, “How long go I sek wait before I ow whether or not I’m i trouble?” oe A male voice asked shakil “Who is this?” Be 5 The patient replied, “{sn’ this De, BHT? en Came the voice. happily, “No, thank godness! Y. the wrong number.” on Eee