J. C. WALLS For several years, the mat- ter of IWA organization in the Province of Manitoba has been before us, It is the only province in our Region where we have had no membership since the Pas Lumber Com- pany moved to British Co- lumbia. In the past six years, about four hundred (400) woodworkers have been lost to the IWA because we have not had the required Local Union set up for recognition as required by the Manitoba Labour Relations Act. : Recently a situation pre- sented itself which gave us an opportunity to establish a “beach-head” from which we can spring-board future or- ganization as the favourable times develop. The situation came about as the result of the United Steelworkers of America drive to organize the potash plant at Esterhazy, Saskat- chewan. In the course of visit- THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER BEACH-HEAD” ing their membership in the Roblin district, the request to organize Roblin Forest Prod- ucts Ltd. and Olson’s planer- mill was made. Wally Ross and Steel Organizer Ron Posnick referred the request to President Glen Thompson, IWA Local: 1-184 and also contacted the Organization Department. Prior to my visit to the area, Bro. Posnick made the preliminary contacts with the workers in the plant. The Steelworkers have assisted us in many ways since that time. The plant is located at Rob- lin, Manitoba, about eleven miles east of the Saskatche- wan border. In making: the decision to establish the “beach-head” here, the loca- tion is such that Roblin For- est Products can be adminis- tered and serviced .by the Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Local 1-184. The Local Busi- ness Agent drives within 60- to 70 miles of Roblin to serv- ice an operation at Sturgess, Saskatchewan, In addition to the mill, there is a wood-treating plant which treats fence posts, tele- phone and ‘utility poles. The latter are trucked to all parts of Manitoba and Saskatche- wan. It is rumoured the com- pany is going to expand its By J. C. WALLS Assistant Director of Organization operations to a yard at Este- van, Sask., and Killarney, Manitoba where a_ storage yard is already in operation. Employees work 9 hours a day and 54 hours a week. There is no medical plan, in- surance, etc. The plant has been in operation about eight years. We are informed that _none of the workers, includ- ing a number of eight-year employees, have ever quali- fied for paid annual vacations. We are told that this is be- cause under Manitoba law an employee is required to work 90% of the work-year in order to qualify. The com- pany makes sure that none qualify. by laying off employ- ees temporarily as they near the qualification deadline. Organizer R. E. Larson was ° assigned to organize this special project because of his WAGE RATES Here is a sampling -of the wage rates paid at Roblin Forest Products: 1. Labour, Green Chain, Canter, Tail Edger, Trim Sawyer, Front End Loader __.........._ IWA = knowledge and former: con- nections in the area. He had been raised and educated in the Yorkton, Sask. area, just west of Roblin. Because the company is owned by some 67 local share- holders, there has been the anticipated opposition. At a meeting called on Sunday, May 9, all the bosses showed up. We flushed them out and made them retire from the meeting. The company is em- ploying the usual “rumour, fear and threat techniques”. We have statements of com- pany threats, etc., for use be- fore the Labour Board. How- ever, no one at this time has been fired. Organizer Larson is confident he will have the required majority to make application for certification sometime soon, if nothing un- toward happens. 2. Cat Driver, Sub-foreman, Truck Driver, Highway Haul, Peeler Operator . Millwright . Mechanic ye 1 Ste SLO oie, $1.20 ” ” $1.25 57 $1452,” $2.00 ” ” This advertisement is not X Anv beer this : BEL. LACK LABEL!" atistying you should try! NO CROSSING _ Business Agent Bob Schlos- ser of Local 1-417 IWA, re- ceived the following letter from the Hector Trucking Ltd., Lethbridge, Alberta, after notifying. the Firm that its trucks had been seen cross- ing the picket line at the strike-bound Frolek Sawmill, North Kamloops. . “Mr. Bob Schlosser, Box 820, Salmon Arm, B.C. “Dear Sir: “Regarding your telephone conversation the other day concerning my trucks cross- ing the Picket Line in North Kamloops. I have instructed all my trucks not to cross any Picket Lines at any time. “In the future, I would ap- preciate it very much if you would notify me of any mills in British Columbia which are on strike. I do not know that these mills are on strike until after my trucks have travelled 500 to 1,000 miles to pick up their load, This up- © sets me as much as it does you. “IT hope that your strike | ends soon.” Yours truly, JOE HECTOR, Hector Trucking Ltd., Lethbridge, Alta. EEE DOWN PAYMENT Labor Minister MacEachen told Parliament last week he would enquire into com- plaints that two New Bruns- wick firms are requiring em- ployees on the M/V Boylen to put down a $400 deposit before they get jobs. The question was asked by NDP member Arnold Peters and concerns Engineering Con-. sultants Limited and the Irv- ing Oil Company, both of Saint John. MacKEachen said he had no knowledge of this but would investigate to see whether any action “can be taken”’. HOPE SLIM The slim hopes for settling the 10-month strike of the Toronto Typographical Union and the sympathy walkout of the Toronto Mailers Union at the three daily newspapers have faded still further. Acting after receiving a di- rective from the parent Inter- national Typographical Un- ion, the membership of the Toronto Mailers Union threw out a tentative agreement -reached with the Toronto newspaper publishers, The agreement, which would have opened the way for return to work of 200 of the 225 mailers, contained sweeping concessions to the publishers including a five- year wage freeze and elimin- ation of the closed shop. The ITU’s directive also warned the printers’ local against submitting similar proposals to the managements of the Daily Star, Telegram and Globe and Mail.