Western Pulp and Paper

JULY 1964 PAGE 6 OCEAN FALLS REPORT by Peter Marshall

Local 312 June Meeting

Membership voted to send $1,500 to the Alberni strike fund and notice of motion was posted for a similar donation next month.

Membership also approved a motion that a door-to-door canvass of the town be conducted to raise funds for the strikers and those honoring the picket line.

The meeting also voted to send $100 to help Local No. 4 of the Pulp and Paper Workers of Canada at Prince Rupert in their legal battles with the Columbia Cellulose Company.

In the Mill

Once again management has been tardy in giving answers to items raised.
- 8 weeks for Management to say "no" to a request for an "A" rate for one
of our members.
- 5 weeks to arrange a meeting to discuss a Steam Plant Recovery item
- 7 weeks to say yes to a request for a five cent adjustment for one man

Rents and Services

The Local has passed the third step of the Grievance Procedure on the question of whether local rents and cost of services are a negotiable item. The Local's position is: If a tenet wants to protest any increase in rent or in the cost of services, then he has to go to his employer to discuss it: not a good position to be in. Company maintains these are not bargainable items, but will sit down and talk to us if we have items to discuss.

Negotiations

Local 360 UPP at Ocean Falls voted 81% in favor of acceptance of the new contract.

Miscellaneous

It has been established that the Precipitator in the mill is partly responsible for some of the radio interference we suffer from in Ocean Falls. A D.O.T. Inspector was up and checked this out. Next hurdle is to get the Company to take corrective action, preferably before we get Televison.

The local doctors have increased their fees so naturally up go the Aetna Medical Plan rates. Couple this to the rent increase, the increase in the price of meals and away goes our five percent.

Good luck to Swimming Coach George Gate, who leaves with wife and family for Montreal in early August.

Store Service

The cashiers in the local Hudson's Bay store are required to take cash, check the goods purchased, and then pack them for the customer, while the customer stands and waits. Packers are provided only at selected times. After many complaints from customers and Local 312 members employed in the Bay, the Local took up the issue. We hope it has now been finally corrected.

Job Evaluation

Local 312's side of the Plant Evaluation Committee will be made up of 1st vice-president Peter Freund, 2nd vice-president Gunter Hogrefe and Treasurer Len Reitlo.