THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

CONFERENCE SCORES W.C.B.

Delegates attending the 24th Annual Safety Conference August 17-18, at Woodworkers’ House in Vancouver, again _ scored the Workmen’s Com- pensation Board inspectors for their failure to insist on having a union representative present when making inspection tours of manufacturing plants and logging camps.

The Conference also . eriticized what the delegates referred to as ‘‘Workmen’s ._ Compensation Board kick-

backs”. The Council officers reported that the Board, in the dispensation of funds under Section 32 of the Act, will direct to the companies full com- pensation benefits for walking wounded employees.

The delegates approved a motion demanding that the provincial government enact legislation prohibiting such “kickbacks” in the future.

The Conference was also intahly critical of the forest

companies using incentives for safety records and went on record aS opposing such programmes and incentives. It was suggested that money spent on such measures would be better directed to improving safety conditions on the job.

Other resolutions called for the elimination of night logging, improved safety conditions for the public on logging roads, hazardous noises be controlled at source, a request to the WCB that a two-week follow-up inspection

_be made where work orders

have been issued.

All in all the delegates dealt with 32 resolutions and ap- proved 5 recommendations. These were:

@ Requests that the Regional Safety Director contact the Department of Industrial Transport re the availability of inspections made by that Department.

@ Water, coffee, and refreshments be supplied to the Regional Safety Con- ference delegates.

© That the next Regional Safety Conference be held in Kelowna March 1 and 2, 1974.

@ That the Safety Council officers and Local Safety Directors meet two months prior to the Regional Safety Conference, on January 17, 1974.

® That the Regional Officers set up a committee to study the facilities of the Regional Safety Director with a view to establishing a functioning Safety Department within the Regional Council.

During the second day the delegates heard addresses from members of the Work- men’s Compensation Board and afterwards broke into “buzz”? groups to evaluate what had been learned.

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

Chokerman Charlie told us about a new organization called ‘“‘Athletics Anonymous.”’ When you get the urge to play golf, handball, or indulge in any other strenuous activity, they send

in 1972 Led Group A” in the shing

someone over to drink with you until the urge passes.

Kk

A bigamist, says Sawmill Sue, is a man who likes to keep two himself.

AV LAKE CEDAR EMPLOYEES, members of ere 1-367 IWA avai were awarded } 's Compensation Board Meritorious Safety Performance plaque, for achieving rec le division. |1WA members shown in

Letter received by the tax department from an Interior mill operator: ‘‘Enclosed is $1,000. I feel I would not be able to sleep unless I paid you. If I still can’t sleep, I ll send you

. the rest.”’

es Glason front row, third from left, Local 1-367 Safety

‘Local 1-367 First Vice-President Joe Fowler back = oe from left.

REGIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL officers pose for their picture during the Safety Conference August 17-18. Group left, Jack Welder, 2nd Vice-Chairman; Erich Ewert, Chairman; Jack Mumm, Ist Vice-Chairman; Verna Ledger, Recording Secretary; Bob Birchette, 3rd Vice-Chairman.