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LABOR

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bill and insisted that it should remain
essentially as it stands. He also threw
down the gauntlet to the trade union
movement, noting that the legislation
would proceed almost immediately to
second reading.

Following the meeting with the pre-
mier, the federation’s executive council
held an emergency session in Richmond,
together with the BCTF, the B.C. Nurses
Union, unions affiliated to the Confedera-
tion of Canadian Unions and other non-
affiliates to work out a strategy to oppose
the legislation.

The program subsequently adopted by
the meeting sto short of any imme-
| diate demonstrate or job action against
the bill, focussing instead on a communi-
cations campaign to Make it clear to union-
ists and others in the community the
devastating effects of the legislation.

A 10-point program endorsed by the
meeting called on the officers to conduct a
speaking tour to explain the legislation, to
launch a campaign of education, together
with the CLC and affiliated unions, to
outline the impact pf the legistation and to
meet with comm groups to demon-
strate to them the implications of the legis-
lation.

Prompted by the draconian legislation,
which has been welcomed by employer
representatives, the meeting did initiate a
break with the policy of labor-business
co-operation undertaken earlier by the
federation officers. Andstein said that the
ee ae  SaSDong participation in

. fe earring Industrial Poncyas ‘well

as all joint labor-government-business
agencies such as apprenticeship boards.

Over the next few weeks, a working
group of officers, headed by B.C. Fed
president Ken Georgetti and Andstein,
will also be responsible for developing
strategy in the continuing campaign
against the legislation.

One of the first steps that may taken,
Andstein said Monday, is a boycott of the
Labor Relations Board, which will be
replaced by the dictatorial Industrial Rela-
tions Council under the new legislation.

That would be a prelude to non-
compliance with the Industrial Relations
Council which Andstein said would be
policy the federation would recommend to
its affiliates should the anti-labor regime
laid out in Bill 19 become law.

But before that happens, the labor
movement should take every possible
action to stop the legislation, unionists at
Sunday’s meeting in Vancouver declared.

“It’s important we come out of this
meeting tonight with a clear message for
the B.C. Federation of Labor — that we
want them to take every possible action to
have the legislation withdrawn,” Carpen-
ters Provincial Council secretary Colin
Snell told the meeting. “This bill will mean
the de-unionization of the construction
industry.”

Hospital Employees Union secretary-
business manager Jack Gerow declared to
applause: “I say the trade union move-
ment is going to stand, it is going to fight
and it is going to turn back this legislation.

“This new labor legislation has been

- cooked up by the employers and the
government,” he reminded unionists.

campaign on Bill 19

SENIORS’ SPOKESMAN RUSS HUNTER.

“we didn’t let seniors down and

damned if we'll let trade union movement down.”

“The workers have been given nothing
and the big companies have been given
everything. That is not industrial demo-
cracy — it is industrial dictatorship.”

Gerow cited remarks made by Geor-
getti to the BCTF last month in which the
federation president warned Vander Zalm
that if he tampered with the Labor Code,
the federation would take action “that
would make Operation Solidarity look
like a tea party.”

“Well, the Socreds haven’t just tam-
pered with the Labor Code — they’ve
annihilated it,” Gerow declared. “So let’s
stand together and make Operation Solid-
arity look like a tea party.

“Let’s go out to the membership i in the
towns and the cities ... in the logging
camps and the fishing villages, tell them
how bad this legislation is and then take
them to the streets if necessary.”

B.C. Government Employees Union
president John Shields, who came in from
Victoria for the meeting, warned that it

- would “mean the end of collective bar-—

gaining if the legislation goes through.

“We have: to give a clear message
Vander Zalm — if he does not pull t
legislation that there will be no econom
order, no economic stability, no peace
this province as long as that legislatio
stays on the books,” he said to applause

“T don’t believe we have time to wait
time to consider too carefully what we w
do — all the evidence is that they will t
to ram this bill through and make it la
before you can bat an eyelash. So be pr
pared,” he told the meeting.
Several representatives of communi
groups joined unionists lined up at t
floor mikes in the packed hall to voi
their support in the fight against the legi
lation.

Seniors Caucus spokesman Russ Hu
ter recalled the campaign by senior citize
to win back indexed pensions when the
were threatened in federal governme
budget measures in 1985. “There are
341,000 pensioners in this province,” he |
said. “We didn’t let them down — and ale
be damned if we'll let the trade unio
movement down.” ;

Representatives of the province’s 30,000
teachers will be in Victoria Thursday and
they intend to give Premier Bill Vander
Zalm a clear message — that Bill 20, the
Teaching Profession Act, is unacceptable
and should be withdrawn, B.C. Teachers’
Federation president Elsie McMurphy said
Sunday.

“This bill won’t bring peace to the educa-
tion system; it won’t lead to better teaching
and learning conditions; and it won’t get rid
of the BCTF,” she told a cheering pay in
Vancouver

The teachers’ federation -president said
that there would be a series of emergency
membership meetings organized by local
teachers’ associations this week to discuss
the bill and to conduct a vote among
members to register their opposition to the
legislation, tabled by Education Minister
Tony Brummet April 2.

On Thursday, representatives of local
associations will be meeting in Victoria to
discuss further action and to “deliver the
message of the teachers.to the premier.

“One of the points being considered,” she
emphasized, “‘is the necessity of job action
to bring about the removal of this bill.”

McMurphy was given a_ thunderous
reception at the packed meeting, called on
short notice by the Vancouver and District
Labor Council, as she joined other unionists
in condemning the two new pieces of legisla-
tion, Bill 19 and 20, brought down by the
government last Thursday.

“Some are speculating that Bill 20 was
designed by the government to get rid of the
BCTF,” she noted. “But I want to tell
you — there is absolutely no possibility
that that is going to be the result.

12 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, APRIL 8, 1987

“There is no doubt in my mind about the
commitment of teachers to the BCTF and
their willingness to see it continuing to
speak out for their interests, the interests of
their students and the interests of educa-
tion,” she declared. °

For years, teachers have been pressing
for full bargaining rights and for legislation
that would give them the right to choose
whether to resolve disputes through strike
action or arbitration, the same right that has
been given to firefighters and others. The
BCTF also wanted its membership base
maintained, to include principals and vice-
principals.

But instead of that, principals and vice-
principals have been taken out of the organ-
ization, and denied the right to a bargaining
association, management rights have been
expanded dramatically in the new legisla-
tion and although teachers can, by choosing
to certify as a local bargaining association,
get the right to strike, “we don’t knowif that
right means anything any more,” McMurphy
said.

She also noted that the Compensation
Stabilization Program, although it is to be
phased out, has been retained for a year

“probably specifically for teachers since
we’re in bargaining right now.

And even though the CSP will be
removed, she emphasized, wage controls
will remain in the public sector under the
“ability to pay” provisions laid out in Bill
19, the Industrial Relations Reform Act.

That point was underscored in a state-
ment issued by the president of the B.C.
School Trustees Association, whose member
boards bargain with teachers.

BCTF to fight ‘unacceptable’ legislation

Not surprisingly, BCSTA president Eric
Buckley greeted both Bill 19 and 20 “opti-
mistically,” suggesting — in sharp contrast
to most others in the education field — that
as a result of the changes, the “opportunity
exists to establish a new era in public educa-
tion.”” A summary of the legislation pro-
vided by the association emphasized
particularly the ability-to-pay appeal pro-
cedures provided in the Industrial Relations
Reform Act which effectively provide new
wage control mechanisms.

“In this way,” the summary stated, “pub-
lic sector compensation expenditures will
remain within employer fiscal capacity,
despite the demise of the Compensation
Stabilization Program.”

Wage control by that means is no less
objectionable to teachers, McMurphy
noted, telling the audience, “‘Stinkweed by
any other name is still stinkweed.”’

Despite the barely-veiled attempt throug!
the legislation to divide teachers, McMurph)
emphasized that teachers would retain the!
commitment to the BCTF. And she sug
gested there would be no difficulty in gettiNf
local associations to vote to be certified #
bargaining associations.

“If you go the non-certified local associ#
tion route, you won’t have the right to ard
trate anything but salaries and bonuses =
and then only if the board agrees,” she said
“] don’t think we would have a problem
getting all 75 local associations certified fo!
bargaining.” :

But immediately the issue is not how tH
legislation would work or whether teache?
would retain the BCTF — fighting the bi
is the primary issue, she said, ‘We'll
meeting with our members all across Ut
province next week to see what we can dol
have this bill withdrawn.” ;

Address

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