- Bjarnason to run in Burrard on

anti - BCER’ ticke

independent

<n I
MP

mT Pe mim iF itl

v tl) iN Tat

(5 i

FRIDAY, MAY 23, 1952

Braaten contests
Centre on ‘charter
of labor’s needs’

Realizing that trade unions in British Columbia need better
labor representation in the provincial legislature, the recently-form-
ed Labor Representation Committee is sponsoring Orvilie Braaten,
‘business agent for Local 433, Pulp and Sulphite be ottahe I as a

candidate in Vancouver Centre.
“Born in Saskatchewan in

1918, Braaten is married and
has four children,’ a brochure
issued by the LRC this week
states. ‘He has been continu-
ally active in the B.C. labor
movement since 1941 when he
joined the Steelworkers Organiz-

‘ing Committee. From 1942 to
1945 he was an active member
of the Boilermakers and Iron
Shipbuilders. Since 1945 ‘he has
been a member of Local 433,
Pulp and Sulphite Workers and
has been business agent since
1947. He was also on the B.C.
provincial executive of the
Trades and Labor Congress of
Canada for the term 1949-50.”

Radio election broadcasts
have been arranged by the La-
bor Representation Committee
over CKWX May 29-30 at 9:55
p.m.; CKMO May 27, May 30

and June 5 at 5:55 p.m.; CJOR |
June 2 and June 4 at 6:10 p.m.;_

and CKNW May 26 at 9:40 p.m.,
May 28 at 4:05 p.m. and June 3
at 4:10 p.m,

Braaten is running on a
“charter of labor’s needs’’ plat-

‘now providing for others;

* ple.

g
form drafted by the LRC and
stating the trade union position
on the ICA Act, Compensation
Act, hospital insurance, sales
tax, natural resources, public
utilities, education, recall, and
old age pensions.

The LRC stand on natural re-
sources is, clearly stated:

“We stand for‘termination of
the waste and squandering of
B.C.’s natural resources by huge

companies whose profits from

our heritage aré many times the
taxes they pay.

“We ask’ for repeal of. the
Forest Managerial Scheme; for
a stop to the export of iron ore
to foreign countries, and for the
establishment of a steel industry
to give the workers of this
country the employment it is
we
demand protection of our fish-
eries from encroaching foreign
interests and the development
of our power potentialities in
the best interest of our own peo-

2°

Twenty-seven raised $100 or more

JUNE

Emil Bismnacon of the Rei Trade Union Reseanch Bureau will contest Bie
stituency in the provincial elections June 12 as ‘‘an independent candidate fighting against the BC:

tric monopoly.’

He announced his intention to run after

the provincial cabinet this week re

to act on an appeal from citizens’ groups against a recent Public: Utilities Commission decision
ing the BCER its latest fare increase. .* :

EMIL BJARNASON
“No newcomer in fight against
ie BCER” :

Fire chief protest
blocked by council

Mayor Fred Hume, heeding
the protests of the Firemen’s
Union; made a. motion in Van-
couver. City Council Monday this
week to rescind appointment of
Hugh Bird as fire chief, but al-
dermen blocked it in a 4-3 vote.

‘Bird is scheduled to take over
June 6 on retirement of ‘Fire
Chief Alan R. Murray.

Protests against Bird’s ap-
pointment have also been receiv-
ed from Hastings East Canadian
Legion and the Army, Navy and
\Air Force Veterans.

Banquet honors press workers

“he Honor Press Builders
sitting at this head table, plus
the 200 or more Press Builders
present here tonight and others
who are not here, combined to
raise more than $13,000 in the
successful 1952 press. drive
which raised a grand total of

$18,502.92. in cash and $1,-

712.20 in subs,” Tom McEwen,
editor of the Pacific Tribune,
told a victory banquet audience
in the Russian People’s Home,
on Saturday night last week.

.Sitting at the head tabie were

more than 20 of the 27 recorded -

Honor Press Builders,’ all of
whom raised $100 or more for
the Pacific Tribune tinanciat
campaign,
ae “Included were such well
_/ known supporters of the la-
bor press as William Hrcher-
chuk (who collected $323.75
to win the top individual
~ award), Harry Seland, Lena
‘Lipsey, Mike Gawrycki, Ed

Dotzler, Johnny Moulin, Frank
Politano, Rita Whyte, Ronald
Cosulich, Dusty | Greenwell,
Irving Mortenson and many
others, : vs

Preparation of the Chinese
food was organized by members
of the Peng Pai press club, one
of the more than 50 press clubs
in the city and province which

‘surpassed drive “quotas.

Final tabulation. showed that

in addition to 27 Honor Press

Builders, 286 Pacific Tribune
supporters collected $25 or more
for the paper and became Press
Builders. A newly-designed PB
button is being manufactured
but will not be available for an-
other two months.

raised more than $1,000 on a
quota of $700, won the PT city
shield. The provincial shield
went to Campbell River press
club, which nearly doubled its
$125 quota,

Among the clubs ‘singled out

' Square,

for special mention by Tom Mc-
‘Ewen were Civic Workers, Ad-
vance, Georgia, Kitsilano, Peng
Pai, Ship and Steel, Victory

Cumberland, Nanaimo, North
Vancouver, Powell River, Salmon
Arm, Sointula, Trail, Victoria,
Webster’s Corners, White Rock
and others.

McEwen’s ‘‘As We See It” col-
umn, appealing particularly to
friends of the late Ol’ Bill Ben-
nett (referred to by the Pacific
Tribune editor as “our greatest
Press Builder”) received a total
of $533.35 during the drive.

“The wonderful feeling of love
and devotion for our paper which
is expressed here tonight will in-

: _ spire us to work harder than ever
Grandview press club, which —

to produce a better paper in the
coming year,’’ said McEwen.

Following the banquet a dahce
was held, which was attended by
‘Press Builders and other press
workers who weré unable to
come to the banquet because of
limited seating facilities.

West End, Courtenay,

“Prior to the cabinet’s dis-
graceful action I had no thought
of running for public office,”’
said Bjarnason, who released
this statement to the press on
Wednesday:

“Announcement by the pro-
vincial cabinet that it can find
‘no reason for disturbing the
decision of the Public Utilities
Commission with respect to
transit rates’ has convinced me
that this issue, which is of para-

_ mount importance to all the peo-

ple, must be brought into the
coming elections.
have decided to run in Burrard
constituency aS an independent.
candidate.

“1 have no machine behind me
and no political backing.. But I
am confident that I will have

_ the support of thousands of citi-

zens who are just as indignant
as I am about the cabinet’s de-
cision,

“tT am no new-comer in the
fight of the people against the
BCElectric. I believe that I am
the only citizen of Vancouver
who can truthfully claim to have
opposed the BCER’s unreason-
able demands at every public
hearing since 1945. I was one
of those who launched the re-
cent appeal to the provincial
cabinet, the first appeal ever

-heard against a PUC decision.

The cabinet has rejected our ap-
peal. I, therefore, am giving
the citizens of Burrard constitu-
ency the opportunity to repudi-
ate the cabinet’s policy at the
polls.

“The issue is this:

“Owing to the private mono-
poly character of the BCElectric,
Vancouver has the highest rates
for domestic electricity and the
highest bus fares in any major
city in Canada. Both of these
unduly high rates Nave been fur-
ther increased in the past five
months. These increases were
granted on, the pretext ‘of in-
creasing wage costs. It has been
irrefutably demonstrated that
the BCER wage costs are not
now increasing or have not in-
creased in the past two years.

‘Tt. has also been shown that
the cost figures on which the

bus fares increase was granted.

included the deliberate over-
statement of the company’s in-

-come tax by four million dol-

lars. The cabinet’s decision, in
effect, condones the company’s
misrepresentation of its costs.

“T am appealing for support
from the thousands of trade un-
ionists who know me through
iny activities as an economist of
the ‘Trade Union Research
Bureau and from the thousands
of citizens who have come to
know me through my fight
against the BCElectric and other
monopolies over the past seven
years.”

Biertneon,. 33, is an honor
graduate of Puiversity of Brit-
ish ‘Columbia, 1940, Before es-
tablishing the Trade Union Re-
search Bureau he was employed

on the staff of Queen’s Universi- _

ty, the Dominion Bureau of
Statistics, the Department of
Labor and the CPR.

Labor Roundu

Therefore, [|

‘day:
'ate with a phonograph. We

Building

workers
united

Building T
(a group of 26

Vancouver
Council

‘unions with a> combined

bership of 20,000 construct
workers) took steps this week
prepare for possible strike act
against employers in the ba
over 1952 wages and won
conditions.

Charging that bosses are *
viting workers to strike”
their attitude in current not
tions, president Frank Carl
told Vaneouver and ’ pistrit
Trades and Labor Council Tue
“We might as well nes?

the ,same record ‘back eV
time.”

. He continued: ‘Feeling tha!
is their intention to take
unions on one at a time 4”
break them if possible, the mé
ber unions of the ‘Buildi?
Trades Council have decided
pool their joint strength belt
any union that is forced oD
picket lines, The emplo
have united to break labor.
will succeed only in uniting
‘bor as it has never been wy
before.

‘Pirst unions to take a SW!
vote in the Building Trades ©
be the Carpenters and the Pail!
ers. To these locals and to &4
succeeding local as it comes
difficulties with the employe
the member unions of the BU
ing Trades Council have pled
their full support. When
employer takes on the CarP
ers and the Painters he will 4!
be taking on the entire membe
ship of the Building:
Council.”

x x *

Leaders of the Internatio
Woodworkers of America in '
couver announced this week

“are “getting the machinery

up” for’ possible strike
June 14. ‘When negotiati!
with employers broke dow?

cently the IWA called ina?

ciliation officer, who faile
achieve agreement between |
groups. The-union is dem!
ing a 35-cent hourly, wage bo
plus .other concessions; the
ployers are offering a aM
cent wage cut, .

at 9 * x
Hotel Vancouver empleo

members of the Canadian

erhood of Railway Emp!
(CCL) voted 409 to 38 this ¥
to take strike action if the ™
agement rejects pay aw
commended by a_ concil
board.

“We're now prepared to §
at any time,” declared N¢
Lance, local chairman of
CBRE.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — MAY 23, 1952 - = - page