2 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 \\ gested that the Union would gain a decided advantage if all three master agreements ; had the same termination date. This proposal presented problems which required the consideration of the Regional body. The Northern and South- 1 = 14. 15. Interior Asks ern Interior demands, as pub- lished below, are summarized for the convenience of read- ers. The full text of official statements of demands, as approved by the Conference, will be published in a mem- bership bulletin. SOUTHERN INTERIOR DEMANDS An across the board wage increase for all to bring the base rate in line with the coast base rate. Improved travel time pay provisions for loggers from marshalling points back to marshalling points. An additional five cents an hour for second and third shifts. Paydays every second week, on Thursday or Friday. Double rate of pay for all overtime. Overtime rates to be paid for Sunday work. No compulsory overtime. The employers to ensure that all work contracted or sub- contracted is performed under the provisions of the agree- ment. One additional paid statutory holiday. Three weeks vacation with pay for employees with one to five years’ service; four weeks vacation with pay for employees with five or more years’ service. Improved job-posting and seniority provisions, with amended section for probationary period. Increased rates for journeymen tradesmen and improvers on a basis of parity with coast rates, and to include fire- men and engineers. A single arbitrator to be selected from a panel of arbi- trators to be mutually agreed upon. A job evaluation program for all plywood plants with the same accelerated curve as now established for coast plants. A joint training program in conjunction with the B.C. Apprenticeship Branch, Department of Labour, to provide training opportunities for workers seeking to improve their skills. (Such a program has already been instituted in the Northern Interior). A procedure to ensure revision of category rates during the life of the contract. Categories to be specified. Duration of agreement to be determined by the IWA Re- gional Policy Committee with the object of co-ordinating province-wide bargaining. Parity Rates’ AG 2. The report on political edu- . Duration of agreement to be determined by NORTHERN INTERIOR DEMANDS An across the board increase for all to bring the base rate in line with the coast base rate. Improved travel time pay provisions for loggers from marshalling points back to marshalling points. Transporta- tion for employees, deprived of cookhouse and bunkhouse facilities and required to travel in excess of ten miles to work. The employers to ensure that work contracted or sub- contracted is performed under the provisions of the master agreement. Three weeks vacation with pay for employees with one to five years’ service; four weeks vacation with pay for employees with more than five years’ service. Paydays every second Friday. Double rate of pay for all overtime. Overtime rates for all Sunday work. No compulsory overtime. Improved seniority and job-posting provisions. A premium rate of ten cents for the second and third shifts. Leave of absence provisions for employees engaged on Union business. One additional paid statutory holiday. An additional wage increase for all tradesmen and im- provers to establish parity with coast rates and to include firemen and engineers. A single arbitrator selected from a panel of arbitrators to be mutually agreed upon. . Revision of new category rates not determined prior to industry negotiations. the IWA Policy Committee with the object of co-ordinating prov- ince-wide bargaining. CLC Urges Closer NDP Ties filiation with the Party and to cation received and approved by the recent convention of the Canadian Labour Con- gress advocated closer cooper- ation with the New Democra- tic Party. Local Unions were urged to maintain active af- participate in its affairs. The importance of this form of political action was stressed as necessary for the achievement of organized labour’s econo- mic objectives. Said Pat O’Neal, secretary DAYTON SHOE MANUFACTURING CO. (B.C) LTD. 2249-50 EAST HASTINGS STREET, LOGGERS COME FROM MANY DIFFERENT LANDS3 BUT THEY HAVE ONE THIVE IN COMMON: THEIR DAYTONSS VANCOUVER 6, B.C. CONTINUED FROM PA “Arguments’ ceptance by both parties. A IWA members will il) the situation involves only an exchange of ment and evidence, but an i tensifying test of strength. Because of uncertainties about the timing of these de- cisions, we must make pre. parations for any possible emergency. We have asked the Local Unions to take im- mediate steps to set up their strike committees. This is the usual precaution when nego- tiations reach this stage. Lest " this should cause misunder-,. standing, I must repeat tha no strike action will be take until authorized by a mem bership vote by secret ballot. We will exhaust everyr available avenue to settle this dispute amicably. Should the, employers prove wholly un- reasonable, we have no doubt, but that the membership will ‘/ consider strike action. We will have the legal right to s| strike, if we so choose, but | we will take such action only _ as a means of last resort. Meanwhile we must be }. ready, for strike preparations take time—too much time to | be left until the last minute of, any emergent situation. See “ARGUMENTS” — Page 3 ,{) of the B.C. Federation of La- bour: “We (the unions) have got to decide whether we ane going to be seriously engaged in politics or treat it as a hobby.”