THOUSANDS TO MARCH Labor Day had origin in Canada By MEL COLBY One in every foul auto workers in Windsor laid off WINDSOR Prime Minister St. Laurent’s war program has hit this comma 4 savage blows since April. On August 22 Ford chief Rhys M. ee declared that 2,000 more Ford workers would be laid off on Augu oa 31. This will bring the total of laid off Ford workers to 4,200. ae In addition there have been 800 workers laid off by the Chrysler corporation and feeder plants. A predicted Chrysler layoff next month, it is calculated, will bring TORONTO Thousands of Canadian unionists in cities and towns will march this Labor Day as they participate in the traditional parades that mark the annual holiday. Watching the marchers will be additional thousands of unorganized workers, men and women who are potential unionists and who will undoubtedly take part in similar parades in the not too distant future. : Unlike May Day, Labor Day has governmental approval. Gov ern- In telegrams sent to the govely — ment and party leaders by TOM McLean, UAW assistant directOh — the union declares that Windsor — tion”, in the eyes of many old- ment. spokesmen at the various picnics and rallies use their oratory in an attempt to “soften up” the labor movement, but the militant sentiment of workers breaks through. This’ year, as in other years, there will be picturesque floats de- picting the produce of factories that workers operate but don‘t yet own. But, as in other years, there will also be banners and placards demanding peace in the world, higher wages, the universal 40-hour week, labor unity, increased old age pensions, higher unemploy- ment insurance, a decent labor code and other issues close to labor’s heart. A fact that is not known to many Canadian unionists is that Labor Day originated in this coun- try. Originally it had always been believed that the idea for setting timers, indicated that the origin- ators of Labor Day had an entirely different concept of the celebration than it eventually became. It was in 1872, as a matter of fact, that the great and _ historic strike of printers closed down the old Toronto Globe. It was a strike which saw dozens of printers and sympathizers jailed under the ruthless anti-union, anti-labor laws of the times. Mass sympathy and support for the strike was so great that a crowd of 10,000 citizens attended a strike rally held at Toronto’s. Queen Park. It was the strikers solidarity, backed by the support of the citizens, which eventually won them the day. Labor Day was officially estab- lished in Canada as a result of a resolution passed at the 1892 Mon- treal convention of the Trades and the total of laid off auto workers faces economic chaos. Text of t ry Presents appeal to the staggering total of 7,000. That means: one-third of Wind- ployees Union (Outside Workers) and Labor Congress of Canada, week TLC wrote Smith informing the Committee on Officers’ Re- - Ports. Chairman of the commit- conciliation committee here. | sor’s auto workers will have been thrown out of their jobs by the St. Laurent-Truman war policy. Appeal of Local 28, Civic Em- against expulsion from Trades At present one of every four Windsor auto workers is walking the streets, jobless or, under notice to be’ laid off. Auto payrolls have been chopped by $350,000 a week. Sale has announced that the Ford plant will go on to a four- day, 32-hour week. He has pub- licly declared that there is no hope of laid off Ford workers getting back on the payroll, and told them to look for jobs elsewhere. will be presented at the coming j Halifax ° convention by president’ Edward Smith (above). This him that the appeal goes before tee is Alderman R. K. Gervin of Vancouver. Ironical note is that Gervin is also on city council’s telegram reads: oy he “The mass layoffs which Hom. D. C. Howe and other top cabinet ministers assured the UAW-CIO would never happen have hap — pened. With 2,200 laid off at | Ford of Canada, 2,000 more La go at the month’s end; 1,500 at Chrysler’s reported for layoff im mid-September and other thou- sands in the automobile feeder plants, Windsor faces economic chaos. The UAW-CIO asks you — to consider. the representation® 5 ‘made to the government by th UAW in April when present lay- offs became foreseeable.” Labor Day Greetings _ Standard Electric & Furniture Ltd. WOULDNT you RATHER WEAR © A - SUIT WITH one day a year apart to be known! Labor Congress of Canada. The 45 West Hastings Street MArine 6471 as “Labor Day” came from the resolution asked that “The first : THE @ LABEL? New York Central Labor Council in 1882. ‘ This was dispelled by the re- ‘Search of J. W. Buckley, former secretary of Toronto and District Trades and Labor Council (TLC), and one-time Secretary-treasurer. of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada. Buckley’s diligent re- _ Search into the files and minute _ books of the Trades Council re- vealed that in 1872 Council dele- gates Hewitt and Tood moved that “we have a demonstration” to be known as Labor Day.. Council passed their motion and voted to pay five dollars to each of various bands for their services in the parade that was to take place. The use of the term “demonstra- oa Greetings © SILVER’ | LADIES WEAR 1470 Commercial Drive HA, 5432 Monday in September be made a public holiday to be known as Labor Day”. The convention: dele- gates instructed the Congress ex- ecutive to bring the question before parliament. This was.done and Labor Day officially established. William Jenovese, president of the Toronto and District Tradés and Labor Council and Ontario vice-president of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, said in 1941: “The workers must make it clear in no uncertain terms that there shall never be a repetition of the Hungry Thirties. We had full production for a_ destructive war and we must have full pro- duction for a constructive peace.” Jenovese has since tossed these sentiments aside and attached him- self to the red-baiting, splitting and pro-war policies of the right-wing in the labor movement.’ But the words he spoke in 1947 are words which truly reflect the feelings of the great majority of the rank- and-file of the trade union move- ment in 1951. *: : Labor Day Greetings from NEW METHOD BARBER SHOP 600 E. Hastings wN Labor Day Greetings to All Our Patrons REGENT 324 W. Hastings St, CUSTOM-MADE CLOTHES : Every Garment Strictly Union Made TAILORS. Vancouver, B.C. LABOR DAY GREETINGS from . i MAX GOLDBERG PLUMBING & HEATING SUPPLIES a Complete line of new and used Fixtures and Materials 424 MAIN ST. (AT HASTINGS) et uo suote! urray eoldmen § HASTINGS ar! cAmB!e ee LABOR DAY GREETINGS FROM RENFREW CLEANERS ~ 1615 Renfrew St. PHone HAstings 1934 Pick Up and Delivery LABOR DAY GREETINGS FROM > ON WO TAILORS Slacks Centre for Men and Women 11 Pender Street West Vancouver PAcific 6578 ; CAMEO CAFE} 324 Cambie Prompt Service Good Food Send Labor Day Greeting and _— rerreriesieireel!® Nal BiBlalietiey TERS Greetings from 311 Main Street ; FULLY INSURED We ‘Specialize in YT at tn a ad tn | |i’ EAST END TAXI STOCKHOLM CAFE |: excecone CND=™ Extends Greetings Labor Day 1951. “HAstings 0334 24-HOUR SERVICE — Lu 811 East Hastings UU DL Th Sh es Workmen’s Meals HOME FANCY SAUSAGES rs EE aNEE eee eee Labor Day Greetings from J? Lacey Sign & Sheweaut Studio “Signs for every purpose” a a Smile Cleaners & Tailors QUICK SERVICE 594 Richards St. PA. 4418 352 WATER STREET \ Le OUR 5S.) CAS FE SSS) Sea 779 Granville Street j ee a eae 264 East Hastings Street. w 3613 “We Never Close” bese esa DAY GRBPETINGS : Ee el ae ae bs VANCOUVER, B.C. : as 7 ot) EO PUSS ae CONFECTIONERY |||: COMPLETE LINE OF SCANDINAVIAN UNION MEN... SP IMPORTS : 443 Abbot St. = PA. 0761 : For your own good and welfare, support Trade re : SALUTE TO LABOR | \ we Unionism by dem ait the Union Tabet a clothes ee ugst | re : Deva diiwal uatavone i Pert peuesierie eile created by Vancouver Union Craftsmen . ,. at the SOUNE AG Se re eee fe : Old-Established Reliable Firm of TOBACCO PAcific 9615- _ Extends Labor Day Greetings > SSS SSE oa PACIFIC TRIBUNE — AUGUST 31, 1951 — “PAGE z