Bell Asbestos Mines to Canadian Johns-Manville Enclosing Union and Company Briefs to the National War Labour Board (1944)

A September 9, 1944, cover letter from Bell Asbestos Mines Ltd to Johnson's Company, Asbestos Corporation, and H. K. Sherry of Canadian Johns-Manville, enclosing two papers from a wage dispute before Canada's National War Labour Board. In a translated rebuttal brief of July 28, 1944, the Union of Canadian Asbestos Workers, Local No. 5, at Thetford Mines, asked for a raise of 15 cents an hour, citing the danger of asbestos dust and the companies' refusal to insure their workers under group plans "precisely because of the too great risk involved." In its reply memorandum of August 30, Bell's lawyers answered that asbestos dust "does not constitute an occupational hazard to any appreciable degree."

What it shows

The union pointed out that thirty claims had been made to the Workmen's Compensation Commission in two years and only five accepted, that twenty-eight miners (eighteen at Johnson's and ten at Bell) had since been forced to stop work because their health was "so greatly impaired," and that the companies had worked to keep asbestosis off Quebec's list of compensable diseases. It cited Dr. Alexandre Sirois of Thetford Mines, a physician for the Anti-Tuberculosis League, who called asbestosis an industrial disease from inhaling asbestos dust. Bell denied that ten of its men had left because of dust and noted that a 1943 Quebec statute recognized asbestosis after five years' exposure. Canadian J-M received both positions: the workers' account of men leaving sick, and the producers' denial before a government board.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

Bell Asbestos mines (Thetford Mines) sends to CJM, et al., 9/9/44, a copy of its memorandum to the National War Labour Board (Ottawa), 8/30/44, and a copy of the rebuttal brief by the Union of Canadian Asbestos Workers, Local No. 5. 7/28/44.

The union requests higher wages because of the hazardous conditions under which its members must work. It states that during the past two years, 30 claims (presumably asbestos-related) have been made to the Workmen's Compensation Commission, and since the presentation of the union's brief, 28 workers have been forced to stop work because of their health. In general, insurance covers a portion of the wages lost, due to illness, but at Thetford Mines, companies "do not wish to insure their employees under group insurance plans, precisely because of the too great risk involved." While workmen's compensation exists, the compensation is not adequate. The union attaches to its rebuttal brief a transcript of a speech by Dr. Alexander Sirois of Thetford Mines in which he affirms that asbestosis is an industrial disease.

Dr. Sirois has been a physician for the Anti-Tuberculosis League for 20 years and is a sanitary engineer for the County of Megantic. In his speech he states that Dr. Murray first described asbestosis in 1900, and the first case was cited in 1924 and 1928. "[I]t [is] necessary to work at least 7 years in an atmosphere saturated with asbestos among very fine dust, in order to contract asbestosis." Baggers and drillers are most likely to contract it. Asbestosis is caused chiefly through chemical action. "It is an insidious disease which develops slowly." Dr. Sirois then discusses the essential elements in making a diagnosis of asbestosis. He states that x-rays are difficult to read. He then discusses disease prevention. Then, replying to questions from the audience, "Dr. Sirois expressed the opinion that the asbestos dust in the town is not a danger, but a nuisance."

Bell Asbestos responds to the union's demands by telling the War Board that the presence of asbestos dust in the industry "does not constitute an occupational hazard to any appreciable degree." Bell also argues that the necessity of maintaining wage uniformity within the asbestos industry is imperative if the industry is to survive.

Editor's note: J-M's description says the union attached a transcript of Dr. Sirois's speech and summarizes it at length. The speech is not in this file, which holds the cover letter, the union's brief and the company's memo.