ee | é ea Fishermen and Allied Steye § wel president Homer Night .Y@S acclaimed Tuesday Organizy, Chairman of the Vancou ee Committee of the Comeil s and District Labor ecutive. Position on the council’s Stevens ecutive Since 1964. been = Whose union has only teams the council since its Labo, ‘on into the Canadian Sai ina NEress in December 1972, Th, rcepting the position that Man x Can fill the shoes of the me» "© held the position before 3 SUpports Tano‘s plea ith t : Betnara® final court hearing. for I ee deportation Bates to sy to a later date, last e CLC convention wb Porting procbted a ‘resolution cys -° “1C position of the NDP © emain «ment Arrano’s right migrant Canada as a fended Digtrmitted en trict foy. EeRcy f tye In . ip wel Sove “manding from the y the Vancouver and or Council, the Tesolution also called Sram outlini ang im be Sent aDAne the And: Migratic. ~ 20 Manpower Ny ration Minister Robert lated for Ma’ y 15, as his lawyer © present, a ee Carpent _Sean Griffin-photo cee delegate Lorne Robson led off the lengthy debate on last an trade union autonomy that dominated the CLC convention - (See story inside). In council business, delegates unanimously adopted Steven’s motion that the executive bring recommendations to the next council meeting aimed at establishing a special council committee to ensure “maximum moral, financial and material support’’ to the Chilean labor movement, organized in the Chilean Central Labor Federation COU The motion was in response to a call from exiled CUT viee- president Eduardo Rojas who addressed the council meeting. With him was Osvaldo Cortez, a CUT member himself, and chairman of the labor committee of the Toronto Chilean Association, made up of trade unionists af- filiated to the Chilean labor federation. (See story page 3.) The motion occasioned some initial controversy as council secretary Jack Lawrence pointed out that in previous discussions with the B.C. Federation of Labor on an earlier motion — calling for a boycott of Chilean grapes ~~ the Federation had referred the matter to the CLC convention. While the question of Chile came up several times in the CLC con- vention, any specific course of action was left to the incoming executive council. : Nevertheless, council nese Syd Thompson said the motion cntirely in order and that the executive would discuss it. Earlier he had assured Rojas’ that “‘this council supports the fight of the Chilean people and will continue to do all it can to carry out what you have called for.” Delegates also see LABOR pg. 12 FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1974 Taking advantage of the green light given them by the Trudeau government in a recent directive allowing oil companies to boost prices on gasoline by 9.2 cents and fuel oil by 8.6 cents a gallon, two major oil companies ste Vs 8 OS Shell and Gulf — this week defied a B.C. government instruction asking oil companies to limit their increase to 8 cents. Showing their usual arrogance - as well as disdain for provincial government curbs, Shell an- nounced an increase in prices in B.C. of 8.8 cents last Thursday and was later followed by Gulf who announced an 8.6 cent increase per gallon. These increases are on the wholesale price which will un- doubtedly be passed on to con- sumers. Indeed, some retail outlets have already attempted to boost prices by 10 cents a gallon. The provincial government responded to the challenge thrown out by the major oil companies by announcing that Shell and Gulf have been asked to attend a public hearing June 4 in Victoria before the B.C. Energy Commission to justify their increase beyond.the 8 cent limit set by the NDP govern- ment. At press time there was no indication whether the companies will appear before the hearing. While .the major blame for escalating gas and oil prices lies at the door of the Federal Liberal government for its recent agreement, the B.C. government bears a major responsibility for the present situation. E Despite the fact that Premier Barrett noted at the time of the meeting of the Federal govern- ment and premiers that the oil industry had been making a rate of return much higher than its historic average as well as more fhan the rate of return for other industries, his government practically invited the oil com- scene in the Westbury i h This was t oe che Communist Part convention 0 n and to launch the Party's f Tribune -« 15° VOL. 35, No.-21° panies to raise prices by 8 cents with its recent directive. Although he said at the time his government will take steps to see that this in- crease is not passed on to con- sumers, no such action has yet been announced. Apparently the oil companies took the provincial government’s action as a sign of weakness and decided to challenge the govern- ment’s 8 cent limit. B.C. con- sumers face a new round of price increases if the oil companies’ challenge goes unanswered. The profit position of the major oil companies makes any increase in prices to consumers totally unnecessary, and if allowed to go through will constitute another profit gouge of the consuming public. Gulf Oil’s profits, as an example, were 79 per cent higher in the last year compared to the previous -year’s booming profits. In a statement jointly released by the seven’ federal Communist candidates in B.C. the agreement between Ottawa and the provincial premiers allowing a large increase in prices was denounced as a “profit bonanza for the oil com- panies’’. It said the.people of B.C. should demand the provincial government take strong action to stop the oil company gouge in B.C. The statement urges the B.C. government to. immediately proclaim the legislation it now has giving it power to control gasoline and oil prices; that it order prices be frozen at their previous level pending a full probe of the oil companies with a view to their being placed under public ownership. The statement is signed by Federal Communist candidates Maurice Rush, Vancouver East; Fred Wilson, Vancouver Kingsway; Eric Waugh, Burnaby- Seymour, James Beynon, Kingsway; Rod Doran, New Westminster; Mark Mosher, Comox-Alberni; Ernie - Knott, Cowichan-Malahat-Islands. Carbonic firm listed unfair The B.C. Federation of Labor, in a letter sent to all affiliates, has labelled Liquid Carbonic Canada Ltd. “unfair” and has urged all trade unionists to refuse to handle their products. Liquid Carbonic’s three operations, in Vancouver, Rich- mond and Nanaimo have been struck by the Marine Workers and Boilermakers Union since April 30. The union is demanding higher wages and a cost of living escalator adjustment, thus far flatly rejected by the company. The company’s only offer is 50c per year for two years with no COLA. It was rejected by a 100% vote among the 22 employees. Liquid Carbonic has called in scab labor, so-called ‘‘personnel’’, to continue production and delivery of its products. The scabs have been brought in from Ed- monton, Toronto and Montreal. Scab products emanating from behind the Marine Workers picket lines include a variety of industrial gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, liquid oxygen, acetylene, and dry ice. Other hot products produced at Liquid Carbonic are Red Diamond, Weldco and Electo welding rods, Westinghouse Welders and Victor gauges. The Marine Workers have communicated their desire to continue negotiations but the company has refused another meeting. te: Hotel in Toronto last weekend as more than 140 delegates to the 22nd y of Canada came together to determine policies for the coming period ederal election campaign. (See story inside). —Rod Doran photo