THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

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Recently a full page advertisement attacking the trade union movement with a number
of false and misleading statements was published in several B.C. newspapers. The ad
was placed by the Independent Contractors and Businessmen’s Association (ICBA), a
group of anti-union employers whose primary purpose is to campaign for so-called
“right to work” legislation. But “right to work” legislation is wrong and the campaign for
it misleading.

What is “right to work”?

®@ So-called “right to work” laws prohibit workers from negotiating with their employ-
ers a “union security” agreement that all employees in a bargaining unit should be
members of the union. Workers want this agreement because it protects them from
a Situation in which a small group of anti-union employees could be hired and used
by the employer to disrupt the union and undermine wages and conditions.

@ In spite of the attractive sounding phrase, “right to work” laws do not create new jobs,
safeguard existing jobs or guarantee workers a job.

@ ‘Right to work” is an American concept that has not been adopted anywhere in
Canada. In the U.S. this so-called “right” has helped keep the minority of states that
have it, such as Arkansas, Mississippi and the Carolinas, the poorest in that country.
it is significant that after some initial inroads, only one state, Louisiana, has adopted

“right to work” in the past 19 years, while a number of states have defeated the
proposal.

Who wants “right to work”?

@ Employers. The ICBA, an employers’ group, paid for those “right to work” ads. There
are no workers groups or unions that support the idea.

@ Employers in the iCBA want “right to work” because they hope to weaken the trade
union movement and drive down wages and conditions so they can reap more profit.
Although they claim not to be anti-union, none of these employers will sign a
collective agreement with their employees.

@ Employers in the ICBA have launched a totally misleading campaign for “right to
work”. For example, their ad states that the B.C. Federation of Labour has a $700,000
fund contributed by the B.C. & Yukon Building Trades Council to fight “right to
work”. No such fund exists. In fact that would be more than the total annual budget of
the Federation. What's more, the ad irresponsibly attacks union leaders who have
been elected by the members, but the attack is asmokescreen designed to obscure
the real purpose of so-called “right to work”.

Why is “right to work” wrong?

@ It is undemocratic. By prohibiting workers from having union security agreements

such laws would allow the employer to use a minority to disrupt and obstruct the
majority.

@ By attempting to undermine the trade union movement, employers who support the
so-called “right to work” hope to drive down wages and working conditions. If they
succeed, incomes in B.C. will start falling behind the rest of Canada and everyone’s
standard of living will be hurt.

@ With lower incomes, there is less of a tax base from which to provide funds for
schools, health care, pensions and other social services...

@ “Right to work” will create chaos in industrial relations at a time when just the
opposite is needed.

The employers who want so-called “right to work” laws claim they are not out to
undermine workers’ rights, but that they are opposed to compulsory unionism. Well,
there is no such thing as compulsory unionism. In fact only 45% of the work force in
B.C. belong to unions. All we ask is that the democratic process of majority rule upon
which all free societies are based, not be tampered with. When the majority of workers
vote to have a union or to have aunion security clause in their collective agreement, we
think it is only fair and democratic that the majority view should be upheld.

We don't believe the majority of British Columbians want to see their province ruined by
“right to work”. We want to see the province continue to grow and prosper so that our
incomes and standards of living remain good and so that we can provide decent
incomes and social services for all our citizens.

If you agree with us, you can help by joining the campaign against the so-called “right
to work”. Contact your local union or the B.C. Federation of Labour for more
information.

Help us
stop B.C. from becoming
a Canadian Mississippi.

“Right to work”

a creates no rights.
it creates no work.

Don't be misied.

This ad placed on behalf of the 250,000 members of

B.C. Federation of Labour
3110 Boundary Road, Burnaby, B.C. V5M 4A2 ¢ Phone 430-1421