IWA CONVENTION DELEGATES are shown on the steps of the Holiday Innin Vancouver, getting ready to parade through the city to demonstrate their support for the CLC and International Confederation of Free Trade Unions’ boycott of the military junta of Chile. vw thewestem canadian Vol. XLVII No. 7 VANCOUVER, B.C. lumber <—S* SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1979 IN CONVENTION ADDRESS MUNRO STRESSES NEED FOR INDUSTRIAL UNIONS COUNCIL The need for the establish- . ment of an industrial unions council, better management of Canada’s forests, and a pro- gress report on the proposed merger of the IWA and Canadian Paperworkers Union, were the highlights of Regional President Jack Munro’s presidential address to the 42nd Annual IWA Regional Convention Sep- tember 10-14, in Vancouver. In calling for support of a convention resolution dealing with the establishment of an industrial unions council, Munro told the more than two hundred and fifty delegates that the industrial unions in B.C, needed such an organiza- tion to better promote their political and social goals. He stated that talks about setting up the council would eens | py oat g -¥| | Be &%) sas! Se . i lZe2' OS wi! Ba.) Bat = Si ja52) EO eB} } eq Hf 7 so eet etd 188s) ER wei AEE So a>! a | ‘= , ccony SR one | include those unions not as- sociated with the craft unions. The council, he suggested, would be structured along the lines of the AFL-CIO’s In- - dustrial Unions Department. In his progress report on the proposed IWA-CPU merger, Munro stated that a number of fruitful meetings had been held by the two unions in the past year and that merger in the not too distant future appeared highly promising. His optimism was_ sub- stantiated by the following telegram sent to Munro at the start of the convention by CPU President Henry Lorrain. “I very much regret that my attendance at the function of my Own union makes it impos- sible for me to accept your kind invitation to attend the Region 1, IWA convention. Would you please convey my warm fraternal greetings to your delegates. I was delighted when, one year ago, our two organiza- tions signed a no-raid agree- ment and ‘pledged mutual cooperation with a view to an eventual merger. I feel that we should now be moving forward to start implementing the spirit of that accord in some practical ways which can be of benefit to our membership and to all workers in the forest and related industries. It should be possible during the near future to undertake an exchange of research data and, perhaps, undertake joint com- mittee and legislative action on matters important to our members. Perhaps these specific suggestions can be firmed up at our next joint meeting. In sending greetings, may I express our thanks to you and your delegates for the solidarity displayed to head off recent management strike- breaking proposals.” In calling for more efficient Management of Canada’s forests, Munro expressed alarm that if private com- panies were allowed to con- tinue their present exploitation of our number one natural resource, there would be few jobs available for wood- workers in the future. . He was critical of both senior levels of government for their failure to spend the money required to ensure proper reforestation. He also con- demned B.C. Forest Minister Tom Waterland for not following up on the new forest legislation which requires the ° forest industry to make the highest use of all logs. ° FOREST COMPANIES SCORED BY UNION The forest industry was eriticized by the convention _ delegates for its failure to in- entices in ac- The conference gave ap- proval to Local 1-367’s re- solution instructing the Re- gional officers to voice the Union’s strong disagreement with the industry’s lack of action. shee IWA DELEGATES HOLD CONSTRUCTIVE MEET The Forty-Second Annual Regional Convention held September 10-14, at the Holiday Inn Vancouver, proved to be one of the more constructive conventions in years. The 250 delegates ac- complished a vast amount of business during the five days with very little acrimony. The expected explosion by iades men delegates unhappy with the recent contract settlement was quickly defused when the convention agreed to a resolu- tion calling for a tradesmen’s conference. The conference will be held later in the fall when its terms of reference are finalized. Speakers included NDP Opposition Leader Dave Barrett, International Presi- dent Keith Johnson, former International President Ron Roley, International 1st Vice- President Fernie Vialla, Swedish Labour Attache May- Britt Carlsson, and the Presi- dent and Financial Secretary of the Swedish Woodworkers Union, Bertil Jonsson and Albert Nilsson, who were making a tour of B.C. under the auspices of the forest industry and the IWA. A number of resolutions and Regional President Jack Munro’s address to the conven- tion have been written as separate stories because of their importance and are published elsewhere in the paper. ‘WCB CHAIRMAN A TTACKS REGION ® Dr. Adam Little, Chaiwnae of the Workers’ Compensation Board, in a letter to Regional President Jack Munro, bitterly attacked the Regional Council for what he described as “‘inac- curate, inflammatory allega- tions” contained in the safety report submitted to the Regional convention. He accused Verna Ledger, Regional Safety and Health Director, the Regional Safety ‘Council and Regional officers of knowing that the report was untrue. In the report Ledger stated that 63 woodworkers were killed on the job last year and a, further 25 were killed up to . July of this year. In reporting these statistics she questioned why the Board was “‘strangely silent” about the high death toll. She also accused the Board of decreasing service in the province and overturning a number of favourable decisions of the boards of re- view regarding the plight of injured and_ industrially diseased workers. In_refuting Ledger’s accusa- tions, Little stated, ‘“The Board is angered and disappointed with the substance of this report. We are angered because we believe that Ms. Ledger, the Safety and Health Committee of the IWA and the IWA leadership itself know that the report is inaccurate. We are disappointed because irresponsible accusations and public posturing such as this serve only to create an at- mosphere of confrontation. The cause of industrial health and safety can only be ad- vanced through a complex system of education, regula- tion, enforcement and co- operation, not through public diatribes. “The Board believes that the dishonesty shown in the report serves the workers poorly, creates anxiety amongst the families of deceased workers, distorts Ait responsibiines and actions of the WCB and attempts to deny completely the responsibility of workers and, in particular, of IWA members for their own health and safety.”’ Not only were copies of the letter sent to all B.C.-MLA’s, Verna Ledger, The Vancouver Province, B.C. Federation of Labour and the B.C. & Yukon Building & Construction Trades but as well Little called a special press conference where he accused the IWA of playing politics and using the Board as a whipping boy. Regional President Munro in a short letter to Little stated that Ledger was in the Union’s opinion, an excellent Director © of Safety and Health and the officers are prepared to back up any statements, written or verbal from her. He also stated, I do not ap- preciate having to get into a public dispute over this; how- ever, Iam sure you will under- stand that we will be cir- culating our response with at Jeast the same circulation which your letter received. 8 a ‘NDP WINS | ‘SUPPORT Sate the ee of Dave Barrett, NDP Leader of the Opposition, who scored the Social Credit government’s: — giveaway of millions of dollars worth of coal to the multi- national companies, IWA convention delegates reaf- firmed their support of the New Democratic Party as the political arm of labour. Support for the NDP was proposed in a resolution from Local 1-357, whose officers also called on all IWA Local Unions to affiliate to the Party.