Labor Notes

OFL SPONSORS DAYCARE MEET
TORONTO — Canada’s first labor-sponsored daycare con-

‘ference will be held Oct. 17-18 by the Ontario Federation of

Labor. More than 150 participants are expected to attend the

conference organized by the federation’s women’s committee to |

launch daycare week. 5 : ;

Delegates will discuss an OFL position paper calling for univ-
ersal publicly-funded daycare, and the debate will form the basis
for a major policy paper on daycare for presentation at the annual
OFL convention in November.

_CUPE PROTEST SAVES A JOB

PETERBOROUGH — A one-day protest strike Oct. 2 by 100
Members of Local 504 Canadian Union of Public Employees,
(CUPE) compelled the city’s public works department to back off
from its decision to fire the local union’s vice-president for ‘“‘dis-
obeying an order.” :

After five hours of meetings, Oct. 2 the workers returned to

their jobs when management agreed to cancel the dismissal.

TASK FORCE TO PROBE ALGOMA STEEL

SAULT STE. MARIE — Flowing from a demand by the
United Steelworkers, a task force made up of representatives of
the Ontario labor ministry. and officials of the Algoma Steel Corp.
Ltd., has been set up to investigate working conditions in the

» facilities where five workers have been killed during the past
year. see (
Steelworkers officials say that the Sept. 10 death of 29-year old —

William Ebertt could have been avoided if the provincial labor

‘Ministry had cracked down on safety abuses at the plant when the

union complained last spring.

DAVIS IGNORES STRIKERS’ REQUEST

BRAMPTON — Striking workers at Maple Lodge Farms Ltd.,
the scene of a recent police attack on the United Food and
Commercial Workers Union picket line, paid Ontario Premier
William Davis a visit at his home here Oct. 5. The strikers got no
Satisfaction from the premier on their request that he personally
intervene in the strike and tell the company their union-busting
tactics are unacceptable in Ontario.

__ True to his big-business class loyalties, Davis refused to prom-
ise he would take any action.

GENERAL STRIKE CALLED IN ITALY

ROME — An Italy-wide work stoppage was slated for Oct. 10
by the country’s three trade union federations to protest the
three-month layoff by the Fiat car company of 23,000 workers. In
ajoint statement by the federations which are led respectively by
the Communists, Christian Democrats and the Socialists, the
federations charged Fiat was ‘‘trying to chase thousands out of
their jobs forever.”’

The 23,000 laid off workers join strikers at Fiat’s Turin fac-
tories while a country-wide blockade of Fiat plants is continuing.
The three federations unanimously have agreed to launch a sym-.
pathy strike. a4

ated | SAW

1D
iLL LAST NIGHT
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EIDINCOIRILALL
COMIMUSINT

“Who will pay for Massey?

The federal government, be it Liberal,
or more rarely, Conservative, is big busi-
ness to the hilt, and is infamous for its
handouts to corporations, monopolies,.
even multi-nationals. Now Massey Fer-
guson is lined up with its poor cup, for a
donation from the people of Canada, in-
cluding the workers who’ve been
exploited for generations by Massey
Ferguson, and its predecessor, Massey
Harris.

Today, Massey is in dire straits. Aban-
donned, temporarily at least, by Argus
Corporation and commander Conrad
Black, and apparently unable to get
further backing from its financial guar-
dian, the Ganadian Imperial Bank of
Commerce, the company is looking for
public — that is, federal treasury —
financial life saving.

Strange to the ears is this cry of a cor-
poration with 90 factories (45,000
employees) in 30 countries — you can bet

, sweating its workers — for succor from

the Canadian taxpayer.

Can anyone believe that Argus Corpo-
ration, The Establishment personified,
gave away $27.5-million in shares to
Massey’s pension fund, no strings at-
tached? Now, it is said, the government,
Herb Gray, industry minister, prop-
rietor, is considering buying into Massey.

It is a shame that the government re-
fuses to take over — nationalize — key
industries and financial institutions in
the interests of 24 million Canadians.
But, a word of caution is warranted.

When the wealthy and cunning Argus
Corporation drops Massey like a hot
potato, and some economists say that
Massey, which is seeking $600-million

(Canadian) to conquer its debts, is incur- _

ably headed for bankruptcy, why must

the Canadian people, via government -

financing, bail it out?

One reason is because 5,200 Canadian
jobs are at stake. And Massey Ferguson
internationally must be held responsible
for those jobs! The weakness is in
capitalist governments which have never
laid anything but velvet tax evasion on
the monopolies when they should have
been using the full force of parliament,
the taxation branch and should have
caught up with the 20th century and put
these profiteers under public ownership.

While some of Canada’s wealthiest ty-

coons were building fortunes on the
backs of Massey workers (and are now
living tax-free in the Caribbean, what did
Canada’s big business government do to
protect its citizens and Massey workers?

A major lender to MF has been the
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce,
with profits of some $90,000,0000 in six
months.

Should our money rescue Massey,
which, greedy for expansion and profits,
revelled in payment of dividends to the
elite? Or should public monies guaran-
tee jobs for workers, and provide Cana-
dian farmers with implements free of
super profits?

The federal government has to accept
responsibility for the conduct of corpo-
rations under its jurisdiction. The tre-
mendous profits of Massey, which in a
just, socialist society would have been re-
turned to the working people, are now
payable and overdue to society. Let them
cough up out of the bank vaults the mill-
ions they’ve taken.

The government has a responsibility
to the taxpayers, the workers, the far-
mers. Let the industry minister con-
template the ramifications as he ponders
Massey Ferguson’s future.

The U.S. and us

Earlier this month, Canada’s ambas-
sador to the USA, Peter Towe, expressed
criticism of that country, noting the Se-
nate’s untimely adjournment, stalling an
east coast fisheries and boundaries trea-
ty, possibly till February. He cited also

acid rain problems, mushrooming “buy .

American” laws, and downgrading
Canada as electoral strategy.

But that is only the tip of the iceberg.
Two of the worst U.S. encroachments on
Canadian sovereignty, connived in. by
Ottawa, are in being shackled to U.S.
military strategy, and in U.S. ownership
and control of vast parts of our economy

-— and the consequent loss of jobs and

stagnation of development.

We can understand Ambassador To-
we’s frustration, but he should turn some
of his criticism on the government for
which he works, which consistently in-
vites the USA to ride rough-shod over
Canadian interests.

Clerks earned solidarity

The Clerks and Regulatory workers of
the Public Service Alliance of Canada
have accepted the proposed agreement to
end their strike with the federal govern-
ment.

The gains achieved are due to the ex-
emplary militancy of the federal clerks in
their first strike. They stood steadfast
against all attempts at intimidation.

Their strike has further pointed the ,.

way to achieving labor’s decisive voice in
all matters pertaining to jobs; and it
raises to new levels the prospects for
workers’ influence in the economy and
society in which they live and work. In
the face of skyrocketing inflation and
unremitting assaults.on workers’ living
standards, the battle put up by the CRs
has won deserving support. Never more
apt were the words: united we stand;

divided we fall.
PACIFIC TRIBUNE—OCT. 17, 1980—Page 3

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