THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER NDP- MLAS’ SCORE SOCREDS' MENTAL HEALTH BUNGLING New Democratic Party MLA’s are scoring heavily with their scathing attack on the Social Credit government for its bungling of B.C. Men- tal Health Services. The NDP-MALs’ ridiculed the government by saying that ten years ago the B.C. Medi- cal Association said there was a crisis in B.C.’s Mental Health Services. The minister responsible at that time was Wesley Black. The Annual Report of the Mental Health Services for 1958 was tabled in the legislature by Mr. Black on the last day of the session so that it could not be discussed and it contained complete information written by the civil servants running the service that the situation was one of chaos. This year, the Psychiatric Section of the Medical Asso- ciation has described the Mental Health Services as still being in a “deplorable condi- tion.” Health Minister Black is still cranking out his annual replies. that “next year” im- provements will be made. The NDP’s health critic Dr. Ray Parkinson,. stated that the major problem at River- view Hospital is the lack of adequately trained staff, es- pecially psychiatrists. Because of the staff short- ages, the available beds have been reduced, waiting lists es- tablished and urgent cases not admitted. The alcoholic ward closed more than a year ago, still does not function, leaving B.C. without any public care of the alcoholic sick. Parkinson also stated that during the past year only one trained psychiatrist was re- cruited and thirteen resigna- tions occurred with more ex- pected in the immediate fu- ture. The NDP caucus, in blast- ing the government for its al- most criminal failure to act in the matter, called for the establishment of a Standing Legislative Committee on Health to examine the Mental Health crisis and find solu- tions. It also called on the govern- ment to show its good faith by: © initiating a crash recruit- ment program throughout North America and the U.K. to obtain as many qualified psychiatrists as possible in the next few months; © appeal to private psychia- trists to assist on a temporary basis; © appointing respected psy- chiatrists, other professionals and persons from the com- munity to a Board of Trus- tees at Riverview so that it can operate in the same way as all other hospitals; © relieving the pressure on Riverview by the commence- ment of building psychiatric beds in the Vancouver area through paying the entire cost from provincial funds (as was done in Victoria.) This would allow building to proceed that is now stalled under the new regional district of Fraser- Burrard; © upgrade the salaries for the staff at Riverview im- mediately. WALLY ROSS APPOINTED NEW B.C.-NDP SECRETARY The New Democratic Party announces that Wally Ross, the former director of the NDP in Ontario, has been ap- pointed the new B.C. provin- cial secretary succeeding Clive Lytle who resigned the position to run as a federal candidate in the New West- minster riding, Ross was the Party’s unani- mous choice for the position from among the more than eighty applicants applying for the job. The new secretary is 47 years of age. After complet- ing his education in Ontario and working for several years in industry, Mr. Ross became an Organizer for the Cana- dian Congress of Labor in 1948. After four years on the CCL staff, he became a staff representative for the United Steelworkers of America, in which capacity he was active for 14 years, : Active in the CCF and NDP since 19438, Ross became WALLY ROSS Director of Organization for Ontario in 1966 and played a major role in the organiza- tional growth in that province which led to the NDP gains in the last Ontario election. ie FROM PAGE ONE “AVOLA EVICTIONS" cuses for eviction such as the company’s inability to meet the cost of heat, light and water, the Local Union of- fered to pay for same. The Company refused the Local Union’s offer and started legal action. The East Indian members involved sub- mitted the February rent by money order on January 31 and presently are still occupy- ing the premises. K. P. Wood Products Co. Ltd. is a subsidiary of the Weyerhaeuser chain and it is truly a sad day in the history of Canadian labour-manage- ment relations when an American owned company tries to boot our members out on the street as a result of a legal Canadian labour dis- pute. Chapter 207 and Amending Acts. NOTICE TO QUIT TO: D. Seckon Avola, British Columbia. TAKE NOTICE that you are required to quit, vacate and deliver up to K. P. Wood Products Co, Ltd., vacant pos- session of the premises pres- ently occupied by you on Wednesday, the 31st day of January, A.D. 1968, which said premises are more par- ticularly described as the bunkhouse, cookhouse, wash- room and trailers situated at the Canadian National Rail- ways Station and owned and operated by K. P. Wood Prod- ucts Co. Ltd. ; _ DATED at Kamloops, Brit- ish Columbia, this 13th day of January, A.D. 1968. K. P. WOOD PRODUCTS Co. LTD, PLYWOOD EVALUATION RESULTS By AL BUSCH Regional Evaluator The largest single group of changed jobs ever submitted for re-evaluation was recently completed by the Industry Evaluation Committee. The evaluation tour which involved re-rating of 56 job categories and approximately 280 workers netted substan- tial wage increases and sig- nificant sums of retroactive pay. Among the chief reasons for submissions of so many cate- gories were the extensive pro- duction changes undertaken in the layup and hot pressing area, the hardboard depart- ment, and the construction of a new building for wood graining and _ pre-finishing of decorative panels. Workers in 27 of the cate- gories studied received wage rate increases varying from one to four grade increments (4c to 20c per hour). Workers in 26 of the cate- gories received no wage in- crease and workers in three of the categories studied were evaluated downward one grade increment with Red Circle protection to maintain the Incumbent’s rate. SS eee PICTURED above is Mr. Gordon Fisher, manager of K. P, Wood Products Co. Ltd. at Avola who, in the opinion of the IWA, is spearheading the drive to evict seven New Canadians of East In- dian descent from their present living quarters in spite of having accepted the agreed-upon rent for numerous months since the Southern Interior strike started, AFTER APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS of strike action against giant Interior Forest Companies the solidari- ty of Southern Interior IWA members and their determina tion to gain “equal pay for equal work” remains steadfast. On one or two occasions this solidarity and determination has been challenged by IWA members working behind a legal picket line. Pictured above is Mr. Don Weller, a mechanic employed by K. P. Wood Products Co. Ltd. at Avola leaving the strike-bound company property. The restraint shown by IWA picketers is to be commended. The stigma of having “scabbed” will remain with a person for the rest of his life and makes him an outcast of society. The life of a “scab” is a mighty lonesome existence, a justly deserved award for placing greed above principles. A SCAB (Author: Jack London) After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad and the vampire, he had some awful substance left which He made a SCAB. A SCAB is a two-legged animal with a- corkscrew soul, a water-logged brain, and a combination back-bone made of jelly and glue. Where others have hearts he carries a tumor of rotten principles. Ksau sold his birthright fo Iscariot sold his Saviour for t dict Arnold sold his count sion in the British Army, his birthright, his countr fellow man for an unfilled trust or corporation. Esau w. dict Arnold was a traitor to huts r a mess of pottage, Judas hirty pieces of silver. Bene- ry for a promise of a commis- The modern strikebreaker sells » his wife, his children and his promise from his employer, as a traitor to himself, Bene- his country. A STRIKEBREAKER IS A TRAITOR TO HIS GOD, HIS COUNTRY, HIS FAMILY AND THE WORKING CLASS.