LABOR

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‘Labor, political action can defeat bills’

Where do we go from here? That’s the
question everyone is asking after Monday’s
massive general strike against Vander
Zalm’s anti-labor legislation.

The three actions undertaken by the
trade union movement — the 91.6 per cent
vote of trade unionists against Bill 19, the
successful rallies held all over B.C. May 20
to protest the legislation and the huge tur-
nout for the 24 hour general strike June
| — demonstrate the overwhelming oppo-
sition of workers to the legislation.

These actions, undertaken by a united
labor movement in B.C., reveal the mil-
itancy of workers and their preparedness to
support whatever militant and united action
they are called upon to undertake by their
leaders to defeat this legislation.

Reports from workers all over the pro-
vince indicate that they want action follow-
ing Monday’s general strike to compel the
withdrawal of Bill 19 and the scrapping of
Bill 20. The leadership of the trade union
movement must respond to this demand of
the membership for action before the
Socreds can succeed in pushing the legisla-
tion through the House.

Bill 19 is an assault on free collective
bargaining and democracy in B.C. The
Socred government’s response to the 24
hour work stoppage has been tolaunch a
vicious attack on the democratic rights of
every British Columbian. It has applied to
the Supreme Court for an injunction which,
if granted, would virtually ban dissent, or
the democratic expression of the people, on

South Africa
forum picket

B.C.’s right-wing think tank, the
.| Fraser Institute, plans to hold another
‘} in its series of Vancouver lectures
apologizing for South Africa’s racist
system of apartheid.

But when the talk, “South Africa:
the Solution” is presented there will be
a demonstration against it, local anti-
apartheid activists have announced.

Organized by the Southern Africa
Action Coalition and the Anti-
apartheid Network, the demonstra-
tion is set for 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday,
June 9 outside the Hotel Meridien,
845 Burrard St.

The Fraser Institute’s guests this
time are Leon Louw and Frances
Kendall, who in a book by the same
title advocate a “decentralized” South
Africa with a two-house parliament
governing “by proportional represen-
tation.”

The institute’s release describes
Louw as an executive director of
South Africa’s Free Market Founda-
tion. Kendall is editor of the “‘conser-
vative”’ newsletter, The Individualist,
and author of Super Parents, Super
Children.

Demonstrators hit the last talk
sponsored by the institute featuring
Chief Gatsha Buthelezi, denounced as
collaborator with apartheid by South
Africa’s anti-apartheid movement.

Also on the anti-apartheid front isa
talk by the Rev. Johannes Sindano, a
Lutheran pastor in Namibia, the terri-
tory illegally occupied by South
Africa. His talk on the demand for
free elections in Namibia, sponsored
by SAAC and the African Canadian
Association, is also set for June 9 at
the First Lutheran Church, 5745
Wales St. in Vancouver, at 7:30 p.m

12 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JUNE 3, 1987

The province

Maurice Rush

Bills 19 and 20. Vander Zalm has revealed
his real intentions: to take away the demo-
cratic rights of all British Columbians in
order to impose his right wing agenda on
B.C. :

The action launched by the attorney-
general is based on the “seditious conspi-
racy” section of the Criminal Code, used
against the labor movement during the
Winnipeg General Strike, to silence opposi-
tion to its draconian legislation. It is not a
sign of strength, but rather weakness on
Vander Zalm’s part.

The likely aim of government in taking
court action is to stifle the protest move-
ment which is now gathering strength until
Bill 19 can be forced through the legislature.
The fight must now be broadened around
the demand: “Save democracy — with-
draw Bills 19 and 20.”

There is a unique situation in B.C. today.
Not only is labor united as it has seldom
been before to defeat this legislation, but
there are also favorable political factors
which can force the Vander Zalm govern-
ment to retreat.

The Socreds and other right wing forces
have generally proceeded on the assump-
tion that attacks on labor are popular with
the public, and they counted on that when
Bills 19 and 20 were brought down. But the
opposite is proving to be the case. Polls
indicate strong popular opposition to Bills
19 and 20. Deep divisions among Socred
government supporters are surfacing.

The poll published by the Vancouver Sun
on May 30 shows that 50 per cent of the
public feel Bill 19 is unfair and only 29 per
cent feel it is not. More than 55 per cent of
those polled said they were dissatisfied with
the government’s performance. The poll
shows that only 27 per cent of those polled
would vote for Social Credit if and election
were held now.

The political opposition to Vander
Zalm’s anti-labor attack and the divisions
existing among supporters of the govern-
ment was expressed recently by the former
deputy minister of labor, Graham Leslie. In
an open letter to Vander Zalm published in
The Province May 31, Leslie “implored”
the premier publicly to withdraw Bill 19.
Other prominent British Columbians have
voiced a similar demand.

The key to winning the fight to defeat
Bills 19 and 20 is the united militant
response of labor to the latest attack com-
bined with strong political action calling on
all democratic forces in B.C. to compel
Vander Zalm to withdraw Bill 19. there is
still time to launch such combined action to
press the legislature to throw out the anti-
labor bills and to withdraw the court action.

Labor should act while Bill 19 is still
before the legislature. The struggle to halt
the legislation should be mounted with
renewed intensity while there is still a chance
to defeat it in the legislature.

B.C. labor should also take steps to call
on the Canadian labor movement to rally
support for the battle going on in B.C.
which is a fight for all Canadian labor. So
far the Canadian labor movement has gen-
erally been unaware of the struggle in B.C.
and has not taken a part beyond CLC pres-
ident Shirley Carr’s declaration of financial
support. We urge that the CLC organize
massive support for B.C. labor’s fight by
bringing the top leadership of the Canadian

trade union movement, including presi-
dents of provincial federations of labor, to
B.C. to demonstrate their solidarity with the
struggle here.

Working people should also demand a
more active and heightened role by the
NDP, the NDP caucus and NDP leader
Mike Harcourt.

In the political crisis facing B.C., it is not
enough for the NDP to limit its action to
seeking amendments in the legislature to a
bill which is so bad that the trade union
movement has called for its complete with-
drawal. Vander Zalm is leading the pro-
vince into chaos. The NDP should
undertake a program of public action to
rally public opinion for withdrawal of the
anti-labor legislation to prevent the chaos
the province is heading into under Vander
Zalm’s confrontationist right wing policies.
Public opinion polls indicate that such a
campaign in the present political situation
would not harm the NDP but enhance its
political support. We urge New Democrats
to take up the demand on their party leader-
ship for a more active role in the political
crisis engulfing B.C.

The Communist Party will give its full
support to all actions to defend democracy
and defeat Bill 19 and force the government
to scrap Bill 20. We believe that the key to
success is unity of all sections of the trade
union movement, combined with mass pol-
itical action aimed at winning the public for
withdrawal of the anti-labor legislation.

Much time is being taken up by some
people in the trade union movement with
plans for what we do after the bill becomes
law. The first thing, however, is to leave no
stone unturned to ensure that the bill never
becomes law. The fight to defeat the bill
now will lay a broader basis for the next
stage of the struggle.

It should be clear that regardless of what
happens to Bill 19 and 20, the people of B.C.
are faced with a right-wing, anti-worker and
anti-people Socred agenda which includes
continued attacks on democracy and
labor’s rights; attacks on social services; the
sellout of the province to the corporations
through a massive program of privatiza-
tion; a free trade deal which will put U.S.
shackles on the Canadian and B.C. econ-
omy; attacks on the poor and aged; sweep-
ing tax concessions to the corporations; and
more taxes on the poor.

This Socred agenda must be challenged.
What is needed in B.C. is the building of a
people’s coalition with strong labor invol-
vement to fight for a people’s agenda. Such
an agenda should include protection of
labor rights through a labor bill of rights to

‘Ria ta es ed Ge Lead ee He id Ge es se ee Mee

FIRIBUNE

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READ THE PAPER THAT FIGHTS FOR LABOR,

MAY 20 RALLY ... renewed actid!
against legislation urged. a

include the unfettered right to organize," ”
bargain collectively, to strike and to pich
restoration of all cutbacks to social serv!
and education; a massive jobs program”
-include a large scale reforestation and sill
culture program, a public housing pro
and upgrading of the municipal infrast
ture; changes in legislation to lift the
burden from the people and make the 0!
porations pay their fair share; restoratio®
rent controls and protection of tenants; P)
tection of women’s rights and guarantee
the right of choice to abortion and eq"
pay for work of equal value; increases
welfare payments to raise living stan
and an increase in the minimum wage t0
least $6 per hour.

These and other demands of the peopl
can only be won if labor unites with sc0!
of public organizations concerned W!
these social and economic issues in a
ple’s coalition. Regardless of the outcome?
struggle on Bills 19 and 20, such a comm
front will be essential in the period ahe4
But the immediate task is clear: to force
withdrawal of Bill 19 and the scrapping
Bill 20.

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