Ontario labor demands
people’s energy policy

TORONTO — Demands for an
energy policy based on people’s
needs, not corporate profits, and
a deeply Serious examination of
the issues surrounding the nuclear
power debate, dominated the On-
tario Federation of Labor’s two-
aay aoetey Conference, March

The conference, designed by
the federation as a basis for detail-
ing a more Comprehensive energy
program at the 1980 OFL conven-
tion slated for next November,
examined several aspects of
energy poilicy in Ontario in-
cluding: renewable and alternate
sources in response to the crisis in
oil; the role of oil, gas and hydro in
' the development of an energy

strategy for Canada; and the pros
and cons surrounding the nuclear
power debate.

Delegates heard from, and re-
acted to, a series of industry,
academic, political and conserva-
tion experts on the various as-
pects of energy policy in Ontario.
But what came through practi-
cally every presentation was how
the. grip over our energy re-
sources held by the multi-national
corporations robs Canadians of
jobs, affordable energy, and a pol-

icy based on conservation and use

for the people’s benefit.

Delegates saw how the control
by multi-national oil companies
over energy supply and energy
policy inhibits the development of
comprehensive conservation

Jicies such as home insulation,
and more rational and efficient
energy use. They also saw how
the energy monopolies are using
the super profits extracted from
homeowners and consumers at
the gas pumps to expand their
control into other energy sources
and natural resources.

‘Labor’s Political Power

But despite all of the expertise,
the real solutions to the energy
dilemma came from the dele-
gates. United Electrical workers’
president C.S. Jackson focussed
on the ‘tremendous political
power’ the organized labor
movement has, if it wants to use
it, in forcing governments to
adopt and develop energy policy
in line with the people’s interests.

Jackson said the. labor move-
ment should mobilize itself
around the demands for the
nationalization of the petroleum
industry and for the creation of
‘an all-Canadian east-west power
-and energy distribution grid.”

Only the multi-nationals have
access to information on the real
extent of oil and natural gas re-
serves, Jackson pointed out. The
federal government, or any other
governments in the country have
no objective basis for evaluating
the extent of oil supply and re-
serves. :

Jackson reminded the confer-

ence, that ‘“‘in every province in -

the country where hydro power is
produced, they ship that power
south to the U.S.

“‘There’s an intertie between
the states in the U.S. from east to
west and it’s Canadian electricity
that is piped into that east-west
network.”

Jackson called it ‘‘the grossest
sell-out of this country’s birth-
right there ever was,’’ and said:
“‘Our power and resources should
be channeled into a network from

coast to coast to unite this country
like the railways did in the last
century.

“But for this. to happen’’,
Jackson siad, “‘it is vital for the
labor movement to go on a politi-
cal offensive to demand an east-
west power grid for all the energy
we produce.”

Ironworkers’ delegate Joe
Grabek agreed with Professor
Desmond. Morton in the panel
discussing oil, gas and hydro in an
energy strategy, when Morton, in
outlining the history of Ontario
Hydro declared, *‘energy belongs
to all the people and not to any
foreign-owned corporation.”

Nationalized Energy

Grabek developed the theme
saying, ““when we’re talking
about energy policy I can’t see
how we can have one when
multi-national corporations con-
trol energy.’ He called for ‘‘an all
inclusive’’ energy corporation
which would also control the de-
livery systems and power grids.

‘The profits of a nationalized
energy corporation’, Grabek

said, *“‘could be ploughed back in,

to develop other energy sources
and develop secondary industry.
I don’t think there’s an energy
shortage in Canada; energy re-
sources and the so-called shor-
tage are manipulated by the
patter af ee to get more pro-
ts33*

Steelworkers’ delegate George
Gilkes took his own party, the
New Democratic Party and some
in the labor movement, to task for
past reluctance in demanding
nationalization of Canada’s
natural resources.

“It’s almost ironic’’, the Local
1005 (Stelco) delegate said, ‘that
it seems its fashionable and
necessary for the labor movement
to talk about nationalization.

“The question was put before
the NDP years ago and for the
sake of political expediency was
dropped,’’ Gilkes said. ‘‘We
should have foreseen the need
and necessity to promote it then,
and not drop it from our plat-
form.”

On the contentious nuclear
question, the delegates grappled
with. the opposing viewpoints of
Dr. Gordon Edwards of the
Canadian Committee for Nuclear
Responsibility, and W.G. Morri-
son of Ontario Hydro, whose
slick presentation glossed over
the potential health risks  sur-
rounding nuclear power
development.

Long-term Effects

Edwards projected energy
conservation as a greater priority
than expanding nuclear power
capacity, saying it was more job
intensive for the investment in-
volved. Labor should be con-
cerned about the long term effects

of introducing nuclear tech- |

nology, he said, and stressed the
need for labor and the public to
press governments and the nu-
clear industry for more complete
studies and information on the
health effects of radiation and
other health hazards of work in
the industry. m
Morrison argued that nuclear
power was needed to replace oil
as a dwindling energy source, that
it was a clean industry, and that it
would produce power more

economically than most. other
sources.

The delegates focussed on the
health aspects of the industry as a
whole from mining uranium, re-
fining it, and transforming it into
nuclear energy, noting the risks
workers are exposed to in radia-
tion, and respiratory diseases, at
all levels of the process.

The Hydro representative
questioned extensively about
health precautions, and the safety
of the nuclear installations, but
his answers did little to win the
workers to his position.

UE delegate Tony McNulty,

asked the question that seemed to’

be on the minds of most of the
delegates at the conference.
‘‘Most of the propaganda we get
from Ontario Hydro about the vir-
tues of nuclear power seems
aimed at justifying more sales of
electrical power to the U.S.’’, he
said.

“Given what little we know
about the health hazards and
safety of the installations, is it
worth the risk?’’

THESE STRIKES
ARE. RUINING THE
COUNTRY / THERE
OUGHT TO BE A LAW /

<
FEEL LIKE
AN INCOME

INCREASE

New Winnipeg labor leadership
promises militant action program

Special to the Tribune

WINNIPEG — The recent vic-
tory by the left and centre forces
in the Winnipeg Labor Council’s
annual executive elections pro-
mises to. point the city’s labor
movement in a refreshingly new
and progressive direction.

Significantly, the development
takes place as a prelude to the
biennial conference of the 2.3-mil-
lion member Canadian Labor
Congress which takes place here
in May.

The new 13-member executive

-headed by President Ewald
Schentag of the United Food and ~
mining policies and direction of

Commercial Workers Union,
(UFCW) includes six women with
Darlene Dzewit as a vice-
president and Don Plowman of
the Carpenters, a_ well-known
Communist as a member at large.

Dissatisfaction with the lack of
leadership and bureaucratic be-
havior of the former right-wing

executive has been brewing
among the labor council delegates
for a long time.

What led to the forging of left-
centre unity around an alternative
progressive slate was the recogni-
tion of the need to mount a fight
against the threat of so-called
“‘right-to-work”’ laws; to’ estab-
lish a functioning strike support
committee to rally the united
strength of the trade union
movement behind every struggle
of labor; to actively pursue new
affiliates; and, to provide for grea-
ter communication with, and
input from, the locals in deter-

the labor council.

The defeated executive didn’t
let go of the reins of power willing-
ly. They tried to upset the election
results by challenging the creden-
tials of some of the newly-elected
officers. An appeal was made to
the CLC asking for a ruling on the

legality of the vote. They even
aired the internal council dispute
in the daily press in their desper-
ate effort to reverse the council
members’ decision.

However, these efforts all
failed. The election results were
upheld and the new executive was
installed.

The election victory is ex-
pected by the delegates to open a
new chapter in the labor council’s
history. It is hoped it will reverse
the council’s former reputation as
a ‘‘do-nothing”’ and conservative
body.

Delegates expect that with the
challenges facing labor in the 80s,
the left-centre unity which pro-
duced the new executive will con-
tinue to grow and get stronger in

. the days ahead, in the coming bat-

tles to advance the interests of
Winnipeg's working people and in
building a stronger labor move-
ment.

Es ee eae

U.S. government workers march against job cuts

Nearly 1,000 Civil Service Employee Association members gather at the New York state capital to protest an
attempt to cut 9,000 civil service jobs. Representatives of the union said the workers would withhold votes and
support from any state lawmakers who vote to cut jobs or service.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—APRIL 4, 1980—Page 5