STRIKE NOT LATER THAN MAY 15 IWA in U.S. orders immediate strike vote By TERRY PETTUS Taking of an immediate strike vote to back up its demands for an employer paid health and welfare program and six paid holidays was enthusiastically voted at the second regional negotiating conference of International Woodworkers of America here. Delegates from locals and -dis- trict councils in Washington, Ore- gon, Idaho and Northern Califor- nia heard the negotiating -commit- tee, headed by President James Fadling, report on deadlocked ne- gotiations. If called, as is expected, the strike will be the most widespread in the lumber industry since 1935. Fadling stated that the confer- ence, took the following actions: @ Ordered an immediate strike vote with all ballots to be re- turned not later than April 30. @ Strike action, if voted, to be put into the hands of the negotiat- committee. The committee was ordered to call a strike not later than May 15 if a satisfactory set- tlement of the demands is not forthcoming from employers. “We will continue to try to ne- gotiate,” Fadling said. He reported that the committee had met with Long-Bell Lumber and got the usual “no.” Sessions were also schedul- ed with Weyerhaeuser and the Lum- bermen’s Industrial Relations Com- mittee. The later represents a number of employers. It is also reported that the con- ference rejected every proposal that would water down the demands for which the union is preparing to hit the bricks. Delegates also assailed the so-} called Weyerhaeuser “pension” plan which has been offered to locals in both the CIO Woodworkers and the AFL Lumber and Sawmill Workers. After it was emphatically rejected by IWA locals Weyerhaeuser put it back into the negotiating pot as a “counter-proposal” to the broad health and welfare demand. Conference speakers blasted Wey- erhaeuser’s contention that the plan, to be adminstered solely by the company, would cost 10 cents an hour per employee. If this were true, they asked, why was Weyer- haeuser insisting on it instead of the health and welfare program which would cost only about 6% cents an hour. What could have been a strong united front against Weyerhaeu- ser was broken when AFL Lum- ber and Sawmill officials recom- PORTLAND HAROLD PRITCHETT The WIUC will cooperate mended that its Snoqualmie local accept the “pension” proposal. It did. However at a meeting in Port- land the executive board of the Lumber and Sawmill Workers’ Northwest District Council reversed its position. The board has now come out for a $60 minimum pen- sion (exclusive of social security payments) to be handled on an in- dustry-wide basis. Earl Hartley, president, said that the cost (estimated at about 10 cents an hour) would be born by employers. Under the plan em- ployees could move from one em- ployer to another without forefeit- ing their pension rights.. The plan would be administered by a union- employer board. Hartley said the plan was being presented to .em- ployers. id In the meantime however all eyes are on the CIO Woodworkers and its strike vote. Outcome of this struggle will set the pattern in the industry this year. Unity of all B.C. woodworkers can win 17c increase “Let’s stick>together to win a 17 cents per hour wage boost this year!’’ declares a call for woodworkers’ unity issued by the Wood- workers Industrial Union of Canada this week,. following a weekend meeting of the national council in Vancouver. Placing the urgent need for a pay hoist in 1950 at the head of its program of work, the WIUC leaders adopted a three-point plat- form to rally all woodworkers —- TWA, WIUC and unorganized — to stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight against the lumber barons this spring. - All officers, job stewards and members of the WIUC will do everything within their power to win the just demands of the wood- workers for a 17 cents per hour wage increase across the board and union shop. That we bend every effort on the job to unite all woodwork- ers in the fight to process and win job grievances created by the em- ployers’ chiseling policy and speed- up and to build up the greatest feeling of good will and solidarity among all woodworkers, proceeding on the premise that an injury to one is an injpry to all. 3 That the WIUC pledges its “* time, energy and effort to ob- tain victory in the coming wage and contract struggle, including if necessary, strike action; and we will work to seek cooperation on all levels. In his report to the WIUC coun- cil, president Harold Pritchett warn- ed that the woodworking industry in B.C. is quickly approaching a Fit @ Spring and to guard against WINTER’S FINAL Nip + What—he tried tovoell yoo @ Set thet det MP Change your store. my ber ead try THE HUBT 45 East Hastings Street a 45 EAST HASTINGS STREET Red Label $3.50 Blue Label Vancouver, B.C. VANCOUVER, B.C. _ “The Home of Union Made Clothing and Friendly Service” LT O* 45 EAST HASTINGS CASH = Hus STREET Please send me the goods listed below: MAIL ORDER | VANCOUVER, B.C. CHEQUE C.0.D. I enclose: | ! I I 1 T ! I ] } I I I } I } 1 I « PLUS. PROV. SALES TAX 3% . TOTAL. :.... aout Special Remarks on Godds Ordered: / cence hee! A gk Nee tee te em ee cree ee eee ee pl aly Ge fe ee ee tw eee \ o, crisis. “The lumber bosses are pursuing a policy of wage cuts and open chiseling,” said Pritchett. “They hope to abolish the 40-hour week. Speed-up is rampant, to which the accident and fatality rate bear stark testimony. “Employer attacks on woodwork- ers are part of a general pattern instigated by the Canadian Manu- facturers’ Association, which is pro- posing wage cuts.and elimination of hard won conditions in the coal mining industry, building construc- tion, fishing, metal mining and in practically every ingustry through- out Canada, “These attacks can be success fully defeated and the: just de- mand for a much-needed 17 cents per hour wage increase across the board won, provided we wood- workers get together now with- out delay. We must not allow differences of the past to stand in the way of our unity. “Everywhere in the woodworking. industry a solid front of united woodworkers must be built to win the workers’ demands. Through such unity on the job against em- ployer chiseling on the present ag- reement and the full mobilization of all woodworkers in preparation for the struggle, we can write a new. agreement in 1950, embodying the i7-cent wage increase and union security.” The WIUC statement points out that it is two years since wood- workers received their last wage increase of 13 cents per hour, Ris- ing costs of living have caused real wages to drop; and dollar devalu- ation last year lightened the buy- ing power of workers’ pay envel- opes stil! further, _Meanwhile, employers’ profits con- tinue to soar and man-hour pro- duction reaches an unprecedented record. More logs, lumber, ply- wood, shingles and pulp is being produced than at any time in the ae of the woodworking indus- ry. “Higher production by fewer men means lower labor costs to the em-_ ployer, and higher prices for wood products ‘sold to the consumer means even higher profits for the boss,” the WIUC statement con-. tinues. “The latest price increases — have taken place in-the period since last October, during which time the — price of shiplap and two-by-fours jumped from $55 to $77 per thou- sands, an increase of 40 percent ‘in six months.” Shipping of raw logs to the Unit- ed States while Canadian mills are shut down was condemned by the WIUC council, Close to 30¢ workers at Mohawk, Riversidé, Superior and Elsona shingle mills at New Westminster are currently ‘uemuloyed because of this prac- _ The council members condemned action of the Labor Relations Board in upholding unfair employer chis- eling at Pacific Veneer and decet- tifying the IWA because the 750 workers at the plant walked off the job in protest. “Adoption and carrying out these proposals will mean not only a great victory for the woodworkers in Wi- ning the 17-cent wage increase, but will pave the way for the unification of all woodworkers in the industry, into one union,” the WIUC policy statement concludes. PACIFIC TRIBUNE — APRIL 14, 1950 — PAGE 2