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Two 60-Year Pins Given to Old Friends
L.U. 23, Victoria, B.C.
It has been some time since the Journal has heard from Vancouver Island, but two 60-year pin awards have made it a must for us to report in. Earlier this year Local 230 had the privilege of visiting the homes of two long-time brothers and presenting them with their 60-year pins.
Brothers Smith and Brown have been IBEW members for over 60 years. Brother Brown was with B.C. Electric and Brother Smith with B.C. Telephone before retirement.
Local 230 learned that the two Brothers have more than just the IBEW in common. Brother Brown was Brother Smith's best man at his wedding in April of 1920. Both Brothers have some interesting stories to tell and Brother Brown presented Local 230 with his collective agreement of 1916 between the IBEW and the old B.C. Electric Railway Co. Ltd. As small as it is in number of pages, it contains many of the identical clauses that we enjoy in today's collective agreements. Such as double time for overtime, call outs, travel time, and many other items including paid statuatory holidays. I wonder how many other unions had these type of conditions over 60 years ago. Local 230 wishes both Brothers the best of health.
The work picture on Vancouver Island has remained steady since our two infamous construction lockouts except for a slump in the private shipyards. Negotiations under the federal government anti-inflation guidelines have delayed some settlements up to 10 months in some cases with approximately six sets of negotiations ongoing at this time.
Local 230 will celebrate its 75th anniversary on February 16, 1977. We will hold a supper-dance on February 18, at the Victoria Union Centre. We hope to see you there.
Until next time.

J.R. McAvoy. B.M.

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Construction Agreement Negotiated by Bargaining Council
L.U. 230 Victoria, B.C.
At the time of this writing, the British Columbia construction industry is voting on a $1.62 two-year package retroactive to to May 1, 1978. This is a totally new concept in which the construction agreement is negotiated by a bargaining council representing all 17 international building trades unions for approximately 40,000 building tradesmen - combined vote to count. This new structure (government imposed) has a long way to go to reach perfection, especially since it pertains to the IBEW.
We have started negotiations for the West Coast shipyards, which are also conducted by a bargaining council. As the employer likes to say, "We are the highest-paid shipyard workers in the world now." A new contract will be tough sledding. The work picture in British Columbia has picked up, but we still have a number of inside wiremen unemployed around the province. We are also having a go-around with the "right-to-work" (for nothing) contractors who are attempting a foothold in the province.
I have just returned from Canada's first Building Trades Convention in Toronto. President Pillard was in attendance and we in Canada in the IBEW feel that it is the first step in the right direction toward handling some total Canadian building trades problems by our new Executive Board, chaired by our own Vice President, Ken Rose.
I wish to thank President Pillard for taking time from a busy schedule and coming up to Canada to participate in our first convention.

J.R. "Jim" McAvoy, B.M.