TheHflierman
Representing the Organized Fishermen and Shore-workers of British Columbia
VOL. XIV. No. 39. (595)
VANCOUVER, B.C., DECEMBER 16, 1952
• Price: 5 Cents
ON THE INSIDE
PROPOSED FISHERY REGULATIONS
— Pqqe 3
WATCH OUT FOR BILL H-8
— Page 5
NOTES FROM THE LADIES
— Page 7
Union Still Awaits Word On Herring Arbitration
Deputy's Rejection Denied By Chetwynd
British Columbia's herring fishermen, tendermen and allied groups are still tied up awaiting word from Provincial Minister of Fisheries Ralph Chetwynd and the provincial government on whether or not arbitration will be instituted in the herring dispute.
British Columbia TLC Locals Unite In Trade Union Congress
Representatives o f 'British Columbia unions affiliated with the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, acting on instructions from their 70,000 members, voted unanimously at a conference in Nanaimo last week to set up a provincial organization aimed mainly at securing provincial legislation of benefit to all owrkers, rendering assistance to affiliated workers, and letting the public know some of the facts about labor's efforts.
Actually, the preamble. to the constitution of the "British Columbia Trade Union Congress", as the new organization is know states that "Believing a thorough understanding of our class interests is essential for the 'betterment of our conditions, and realizing that our interests will be best conserved by a thorough organization of the workers within the Unions affiliated with the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, we hereby unite on a provincial basis under the following rules for the purpose of:
• Giving collective expression to our legislative requirements and presenting them to our legislative representatives;
• Rendering such aid as is possible in the efforts of all organized workers affiliated, for the betterment of their conditions;
• Acquiring and circulating information of importance to all workers;
• By peaceful and legal methods influence public opinion in favor of organized labor;
• To promote enthusiasm in organized activity on behalf of the working class and to assist, where-ever possible, all efforts of labor for community advancement and social progress in general.
REPRESENTATION
» Two points in the proposed constitution, basis of representation, and composition of the executive, drew considerable discussion from the floor.
Original basis of. representation proposed, a single delegate for each 100 union members, was withdrawn by the constitution committee and a new basis proposed which many delegates felt penalized larger unions. The new plan, adopted despite considerable opposition, allows two delegates for the first hundred members or less, then one delegate per 100 to 1000, but only one per 250 for the next thousand, and one delegate per 500 for Unions numbering more than 2000 members.
This arrangement actually gives small Unions far more control than their numbers warrant.
The Constitution committee originally proposed that there be two officers, a president and a secre-
Three UFAWU Members Win Civic Positions
Three members of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union at widely separated points in the province, were elected to important positions during-civic and municipal elections which took place last week. In Prince Rupert, Darrow Gomez,*'
member of the Shoreworkers Local there, topped the poll but fellow shoreworker Ray Gardiner failed to win a seat on the city council. There were four trade union-endorsed candidates, Darrow Gomez, Ray Gardiner, Jim Pruskey, and Percy Downing. Pruskey, who held a council seat, is a member of the Marine Workers while Downing is a member of the Pulp and Sulphite Union. Gomez was first elected alderman two years ago.
In Maple Ridge, UFAWU member Pete Jenewein also headed the poll with 920 votes, 250 more than the second high man. Pete originally won the seat two years ago. He is president of the Albion Local and secretary of the Fraser River District Council in addition to being a member of the advisory board, International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission.
Nicholas Stevens, member of the Ladner Local of the Union, won a seat on the Delta Municipal Council. He polled a strong vote of 685 well ahead of the defeated candidates. Mr. Stevens is a well known fish buyer, father of
tary treasurer and an indefinite number of vice presidents. These vice presidents were to be elected by the Trades and Labor Councils at various points of the province.
This was turned down by the delegates as an undemocratic way of electing an executive.
Instead, the conference wanted a system whereby all executive members would be elected by and responsible to the Convention. The resolutions committee finally introduced a plan calling for election by the convention of three officers and seven executive members residing in specified zones in the province. The officers are not from any specific area.
The zones, with the name of the person elected, are as follows: Vancouver (George Gee, Electrical Workers); Vancouver Island IC. Peck, Electrical Workers); Fraser Valley and New Westminster (Miss D. Fowler, BCE Office Employees Union); West Coast to and including Prince Rupert (John Soprovich, Pulp and Sulphite Workers); Okanagan and Kamlops (Brian Cooney, Fruit and Vegetable Workers Union). The other two districts, East and West Kootenay and the Caribou were not represented at the convention so there were no executive members elected to represent these areas.
The three officers of the new B.C. Trade Union Congress are, president, James Barton, Plumbers and Pipefitters Union; secretary-treasurer, R. K. Gervin, Street Railwaymen's Union; vice president, A. T. Alsbury, from Local 407, Civic Employees Union.
Affiliation fees as set out in the constitution for the first year at least are on a token basis. Minimum annual fee for Unions with 100 or less members is five dollars and this scales up to a top of $25 for Unions having 1501 or more members.
One point endorsed by the UFAWU executive was passed in part by the convention. That was a pooling arrangement for fares and expenses (to a set amount) to permit adequate representation to all Unions. The convention went for a fare pooling setup as a practical arrangement for the first year.
The committee on constitution reported that a request had been made for inclusion of TLC anti communist provisions in the constitution, but it felt this Was not
UFAWU general secretary Homer Stevens. He is chairman of the Marine Committee of the Delta Board of Trade.
In Prince Rupert, it was reported by candidate Ray Gardiner that "a very vicious attack" was made against the three defeated labor candidates by the Prince Rupert Daily News and Mayor Whalen on the eve of the election when it was too late for a reply. A story on the election has been promised for an early issue. _
Nanaimo TLC Meeting Backs Arbitration Plan
Delegates attending the Nanaimo conference of Trades and Labor Congress Unions in B.C. representing some 70,000 trade unionists, unanimously endorsed the demand of the B.C. herring fleet for arbitration under Section 25 of the B.C. Fisheries Act. As a special order of business at the closing'session of the conference last Friday, chairman R. K. Gervin at the request of UFAWU delegates, introduced a motion to send a telegram to B.C. Premier W. A. C. Bennett urging arbitration be proceeded with as the only way still open to settle the herring dispute and to get an operation this winter. This was unanimously endorsed and the wire immediately dispatched.
^ = =/
necessary. Judging by the reaction of delegates, it is certain that the convention would never have accepted any such proposal.
This opinion is borne out by the fact that delegates at this big meeting had already shown that they were fed up with the red bogey when there are many real issues to be considered.
This was made amply clear during the discussion on Bill H-8, which contains amendments to Canada's Criminal Code.
The Convention had before it a letter from the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada executive which stated it was "not unduly alarmed*' at the contents of the Bill. In addition, the letter opened by going into the alleged political background of the leaders of the League for Democratic Rights, the organization which has published considerable material exposing the Bill's cpntents and sent letters to Unions warning them of the Bill's dangers.
This approach was considered by several delegates as a failure by the Congress executive to provide leadership. "We are not concerned with the personalities in the League for Democratic Rights," one delegate declared, "we are concerned with the dangers of this legislation."
The resolution unanimously backed by the gathering pointed out that many of the amendments to the Criminal Code are "of serious concern to all trade unionists" and "numerous sections are detrimental to the rights and privileges of the Trade Union movement".
It resolved that the conference go on record as opposing "all those sections which threaten or restrict the rights of trade unionists and their members" and "all other sec-
See CONGRESS—Page 3
One report last week from* Deputy Minister of Fisheries George Alexander informed the Union that its application had been turned down but this was later denied by the Minister himself, who said the matter was still under consideration. That is where matters stood at press time Tuesday.
A number of events have taken place since the Union's application to Premier Bennett November 25 for arbitration and his December 1 reply that the request was under advisement and an early decision could be expected.
The Union's proposal on arbitration, which has remained unchanged, is that arbitration should take place under Section 25 of the Fisheries Act and
(a) The arbitration board should decide whether the companies' last offer (i.e., $9.37'/2 per ton based on 12V2 shares or 13 men) or the Union's last proposal (i.e., $14 per ton based on 14 shares or 15 men) or some settlement in between constitutes a fair and reasonable price and share agreement.
(b) The actual herring operation should start' immediately that arbitration has been ordered thus avoiding loss of production.
On December 2nd, the Minister of Labor wired the Fisheries Association asking for their opinions in respect to arbitration. November 28 the Union wrote the Fisheries Association explaining its application for arbitration. In their reply to the Union, the operators expressed opposition to the Union proposal for arbitration of the dispute apparently on the basis that they disagreed with a floor based on their last offer. The Union replied to the operators asking that they submit to the Government their ideas on the scope of arbitration.
On December 5 the Union received a wire from the Minister of Fisheries, the Honorable Ralph Chetwynd, stating that the UFAWU request had been referred to him. He stated "further knowledge of dispute essential in order define scope of arbitration" and invited the Union to meet him in Victoria on December 9.
A sub-committee of five met the Minister twice on December 9 where full details of the dispute were presented.
The following day. the Minister convened a meeting between the Union, the Fisheries Association and the Vessel Owners. At this second meeting, it was obvious tjge companies were extremely reluctant to proceed through arbitration. They refused consistently to state they would start an operation. They also stated flatly that they were not prepared to offer more than $9.37% and in fact withdrew that offer by saying that they would pay less as time went on.
Later, the same day, the Union was told by the Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Mr. George Alexander, that its request for arbitration had
not met with favor from the Minister. He advised the committee that a letter could be expected the next day from the Minister, giving reasons why he was not prepared to recommend arbitration. This was December 10.
The Herring Negotiating and Policy Committee immediately forwarded a night letter to the Minister reiterating reasons for arbitration and insisting that he make further efforts to establish a basis for arbitration acceptable to both parties. The Minister agreed to meet the entire UFAWU Committee in Vancouver on December 13. At that time the Committee again outlined the background and submitted a petition bearing the signatures of over 200 herring fishermen, tendermen and tow-off men.
The Minister said he had not yet made up his mind in respect to arbitration but the door was not closed. He said he would be meeting Premier Bennett in the near future to discuss the matter further. He told the Committee that his Deputy Minister must have "misunderstood" him when he reported that arbitration would not be granted.
A petition being signed by members of the herring fleet for presentation to the provincial minister of fisheries states that:
"We, the undersigned herring fishermen, tendermen, and towofl' men strongly- urge you to provide Arbitration under Section 25 of the Fisheries Act in order to settle the dispute between our Union, the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union, and the Fisheries Association of B.C. over the price and share agreement for the 1952-53 winter herring season.
"We submit that since direct ne-. gotiations have failed to produce an agreement the Union's request to have the matter settled by arbitration coupled with our decision to immediately begin production pending the arbitration award is eminently fair and reasonable.
"We contend that the Fisheries Association's refusal to accept our proposal because they disagree with our proposed scope of arbitration does not constitute good and sufficient reason to abandon arbitration as a means of settlement.
"We strongly urge you to press the Fisheries Association for an alternate proposal in respect to the scope of arbitration which they would consider a fair and proper basis for an immediate start on herring production.
"We ,insist that since the ■ Provincial Government has the power to establish the scope of the arbitration every effort should be made to define a scope acceptable to both parties but if both parties fail to agree the government should nevertheless use its powers under the Act to define the scope of arbitration and to establish an Arbitration Board."
Support for the Union in its demand for arbitration is being voiced by many other Unions in addition to Locals of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union.
TUNE IN
To The Herring Fleet
• TUESDAY NIGHTS - - 6:15 P.M. CJOR — Station 600
- - 6:55 P.M.
THIS THURSDAY - -CKNW - 1320
THIS FRIDAY - - -CKNW - 1320
8:45 P.M.
SANTA SENDS $50
Young North Van. Packer Cook Wins Salmon Pack Contest
A young North Vancouver fisherman will be arriving home from Compbell River this weekend and he'll be greeted by a special delivery letter from The Fisherman containing a cheque for $50, and we're dead certain he's going to be mighty pleased. We know because we've been^-——-->--
talking to his mother and she tells us that like most of the salmon fleet, her son Kenneth McMillan of 3631 Princess Avenue, North Lonsdale, has had pretty tough sledding these past few months.
The $50 first prize in The Fisherman, Salmon Pack Guessing Contest won't, of course, end all Ken's troubles, but the money will help.
The 32 year old packer cook submitted a guess which for accuracy, was outstanding. He missed the actual pack figure as reported by the federal fisheries department by less than 400 cases, and when
you're dealing with figures which are in the millions, that is quite an achievement.
The actual final pack figures was 1,286,468 cases. Ken's guess was 1,286,862 cases.
There were other notable entries in this year's' contest and two of them, while not winning 50 dollars, did come away with five dollar consolation prizes.
They are Mr. Jack Carr of 1823 East Georgia Street with an estimate of 1,285,482 cases (less than 1,000 but) and Gim Chong Ngai of
926 Caledonia Avenue in Victoria with a guess of 1,282,165 cases.
The first prize winner is a member of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union. He has been working at Campbell River for the past two weeks but has nothing definite lined up for the new year.
This year's contest, by the way. brought the largest number of entries ever received and The Fisherman while congratulating the winners, hopes the losers will try again and have better luck in the New Year.