Sawmills

Audio interview of Karm Singh Manak, an Indian Immigrant. Karm Singh Manak immigrated to Canada in 1921 from Banga in Punjab, India. In this interview, Karm Singh Manak is talking about his immigration to Canada, struggles, schooling and work. He also talks about his struggles with racism and how he countered it. Moreover, he talks about his work history, politics, wars and the labour union strikes.

The front page of the December 16th, 1946 issue of the IWA publication The B.C. Lumber Worker . The front page features an illustration of two lumber workers shaking hands over the IWA logo, and includes a "Seasons Greetings" message rendered in French, English, Swedish, Punjabi, Ukranian, and Chinese.

Page 5 of the November 1st, 1943 issue of the IWA publication The B.C. Lumber Worker . This page includes an article covering the accomplishments of South Asian workers in a Youbou Sawmill, which the article identifies as the first group of Asian workers in said mill to be one-hundred percent unionized. Through organization, they were able to achieve equal pay and improved living standards.

Two pages of the July 12th, 1943 issue of the IWA publication The B.C. Lumber Worker , including pages 3 and 6. Page 3 includes a brief article covering a gathering of Sikhs at the town of Paldi, B.C. Page 6 includes an article covering the continuing fight for equal pay among Youbou labourers, which is accompanied by a statement regarding Youbou wages rendered in Chinese and in Hindi.

Two pages of the March 8th, 1943 issue of the IWA publication The B.C. Lumber Worker , including the front page and page 3. The third page includes a story covering the efforts of Indian and Chinese workers at the Youbou Sawmill to attain equal pay for their work. Also mentioned is their endorsement of the plea for Ghandi's release from prison and for the granting of self-government to the people of India.

Front page of the April, 1975 issue of the IWA publication Green Gold News . The headlining story concerns an ongoing conflict with another union. At the Canadian Cellulose Company's Sawmill in Terrace, B.C., the PPWC (Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada) staged a "raid" where they attempted to convince a majority of the mill's employees to sign up for their union instead of the IWA. The article alleges that this was motivated by revenge, as many of the PPWC leaders were former officers of the CLAC (Christian Labour Association of Canada), the Union that held the majority of the sawmill's employees before the switch to IWA control. A frequent refrain in the article is the IWA's capacity to provide better benefits to its members through stronger bargaining ability than the CLAC or PPWC. The article also accuses the PPWC of various unethical practices, such as wasting union funds on luxuries afforded to high-ranking officers and only raiding workplaces controlled by unions that provide better working conditions than they do. Included in the article are photos of Plant Chairman Surinder Malhotra and Walter Kozij, both of whom played a role in resisting the raid.

Front page of the May, 1978 issue of the IWA publication Green Gold News . The headlining story concerns a settlement between Ranjit Bhatti and his employer, Empire Lumber. Bhatti's grievances with the company were over two suspensions, one for refusal of a work order and one for his insistence on bringing a kirpan to his workplace. Bhatti would eventually recieve pay equal to the duration of the second suspension, but the proceedings were delayed when the company initially refused to agree to an arbitrator. The article also mentions a similiar grievance concerning the suspension of Walter McConnel. Included with the article is a group photo of Ranjit Bhatti standing with committee member Peter Errington and Chairmen Harry[sic] Bhatti and Secretary Avtar Giri. A kirpan is a single-edged blade worn by Khalsa (initiated) Sikhs as part of the "Five Ks" religious uniform. Traditionally it was a long Talwar, but modern Sikhs who observe the five Ks typically wear a short knife instead, often without any sharp edges.

Front page of the April, 1979 issue of the IWA publication Green Gold News . One of the headlining stories covers the recent appointment of Bill Hutchison and Surinder Malhotra to the Local Union's Executive Board on March 12th, 1979. Another headline advocates for union members to vote for the New Democratic party in the upcoming Provinicial election. Further down the page, an article covers employee action at Price-Skeena Forest Products Ltd., where employees in Terrace, B.C. recently voted to join the ranks of the I.W.A. Also mentioned on the page is the appointment of Sandspit Sub-Local Chairman Bob Smith to the Board of Trustees.

Front page of the December, 1979 issue of the IWA publication Green Gold News . One of the headlining stories covers a recent negotiation of pay rate determination, and includes a photo of union representative Surinder Malhotra conferring with Empire Lumber's plant chairman Hari Bhatti.

The front page of the June, 1985 issue of the IWA publication Green Gold News. The headliner covers a recent gaffe by the B.C. Minister of Forests, who failed to provide correct answers to a surprise quiz about B.C.'s forestry industry issued to them by the NDP. The article then includes the quiz itself, continuing onto the next page. The front page also includes the beginning of an article concerning union negotations in Nanaimo, continued on page 2.