Interior Wages-Contract Meet

Uy) i

|
;

Interior Asks
Parity Rates

Parity with coast lumber workers in wage rates and con-
tract conditions was the chief consideration of the fifty dele-
gates who attended the Interior Wages and Contract Confer-
ence in Kelowna, May 8-9. The Conference was preceded by
meetings of the Regional Executive Board and Policy Com-
mittee. Plans were laid to co-ordinate the bargaining strategy
of the four Interior Local Unions, 1-424, Prince George; 1-417,

Weanreen ie
ity WP RO LG

Incorporating Jhe B.C, Luebersorker Official Publication uf the Jeteraatlonal Woodworkers of sr¥mertca Regional Council No. 1

5c PER COPY esses ae ee

Vol. XXXI, No. 9 VANCOUVER, B.C.

=

WHRLEN

SOMETHIN’ NICE AN’ COMFY ... ! MAY BE DOIN’ PICKET DUTY...

Conciliation Arguments

Near Crucial Decision

In a report to IWA mem-

stated that the continuing dis-

“The discussions are pro-

Salmon Arm; 1-423, Kelowna;

It was disclosed that Inter-
ior lumber production now
exceeds coast production
when Research Director Joe
Miyazawa presented his stat-
istical report on the economic
status of Interior lumbering
operations. The Interior pro-
duced 3,351 million board
feet of lumber in 1963 as com-
pared to 3,303 million board
feet in the coast area. Forty-
two per cent of this produc-
tion was shipped to the Cana-
dian market, fifty-six per
cent to the United States, and
1.4 percent to other countries.

It was reported that Inter-
ior shipments in 1963 rose
13.1 per cent over those in
1962. Lumber prices have
shown an upward trend. Pro-
duction had risen 28.2 per
cent in a five-year period
while the working force had
increased only four per cent
in the same period. The num-
ber of employees reported for
1961 was 9,511, a drop from
the 1959 figure of 11,360.

One hundred and fifty res-
olutions submitted on behalf
of the Interior membership
were categorized and consid-
ered. The consensus of opin-
ion thus established served as
a guide to a “writing commit-
tee”, which, on the second

and 1-405, Cranbrook.

grammatic resolutions listing
the most urgent demands for
presentation to the employ-
ers,

a. oe
JOE MIYAZAWA
Research Director

The delegates expressed
the desire to co-ordinate In-
terior bargaining with the
coast program, and for that
reason the proposed duration
of the revised contract was
referred to the Regional Pol-

bers in the coast area, re- cussions with Conciliation ceeding with an increasing icy Committee. It was sug-
leased this week, IWA Reg- Officer E. P. Fisher have tension. On both sides of the el ey ce make 8 ane ce A ie ae
1 ional President Jack Moore taken on a new aspect. This bargaining table, the nego- Pp p
is due to the fact that Mr. tiators fully realize that much LLL LLL LLEELLLLLILLLE
N

 eniete

Fisher has undertaken to rec-
ommend specific terms of
settlement in the dispute. It
is possible, he said, that the
Conciliation Officer may de-
cide at any time to break the
existing deadlock by report-
ing his conception of a fair
settlement. The Negotiating
Committee finds it quite im-
possible to state any definite
time when such recommenda-
tions will be submitted for a
membership referendum bal-

lot.
President

stated:

Moore also

EL IE a TL A OE SIL RE a

depends on the outcome of
these talks. The Union’s
negotiators will not neglect a
single demand presented by
the membership. The employ-
ers are continuing to oppose
these demands.

The discussions range over
all the issues, while Mr. Fish-
er attempts to promote gen-
uine collective bargaining. He
is probing to find some basis
on which he may make rec-
ommendations having some
reasonable possibility of ac-

See “ARGUMENTS” — Page 2

readiness.

Wiis dddddaddiliisdiaiisaatisidaidasdssiug

The IWA Regional Policy Committee has requested
coast Local Unions to organize strike committees and to
establish the usual strike structure.

This request conforms with the Union’s usual prac-
tice when negotiations reach the present stage and is a
precautionary move in preparation for any eventuality.

An IWA strike must be authorized by referendum
ballot of the memhers involved. In the event of any such
membership decision, the strike organization must be in

ILL EEE

WiLL idididhiddddidssiidididdlididdiddadddiaddaasu