“Prog

When the delegates to the Octo-
ber, 1979 convention of the Cana-
dian Union of Public Employees,
Canada’s largest trade union, called
for the resignation of Dennis Mc-
Dermott, president of the Canadian
Labor Congress, it was a major
~ news story from coast to coast. Two
months have passed and the reper-
cussions from that sharp criticism
of McDermott continue to provide
feature stories for the news media.
However, the big business press
has given very little coverage to a
much more significant decision by
the CUPE convention — the pro-
_ gram of action adopted by the dele-
gates. ‘That program is designed to
“reverse the defensive psychology
- fostered by the business community
and its governments” and to lay the
basis for militant action.

The program can be summarized
as follows:

1) An economic program to ex-
pand the public service;

2) An organized fightback
against public service cutbacks;

3) A legislative program to win
full bargaining rights;

4) A special campaign to expand
the right to strike;

5) A research and education pro-
gram on public sector financing; —

6) Stepped-up efforts against
-eontracting-out;

7) A campaign .to “*humanize”’
nursing homes for both patients
and workers;

- &) Special programs to meet the
needs of women members;

9) The forging of a coalition of
public sector unions;

10) A reform program for CUPE
within the CLC.

The action program is to be fur-

“ther developed at a meeting of
CUPE’s national executive board
and representatives of provincia! di-
visions, to be held some time this
‘month. However, the policy docu-

~ ment distributed to the convention

_ clearly establishes the guidelines for

the national executive and the pro-
vincial divisions.

The first point in the program
calls for the forging of alliances

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with citizens who use the services
provided by CUPE members. “‘In
doing so,”’ the ‘statement points
out, ‘‘we can politically isolate our
employers.’’ Applied to British Co-
lumbia, where the big majority of
CUPE members are employed by
municipal and educational author-
ities, this could lead to CUPE join-
ing with other labor, community
groups and reform organizations to
elect progressive candidates to mu-

nicipal councils and school boards.

LABOR |
COMMENT

BY JACK PHILLIPS

The second point projects an of-
fensive against cutbacks “with all
determination and energy at our
disposal.”

Every provincial division is
charged with creating a “cutbacks
committee”’ to coordinate the fight
against cutbacks at the provincial
and municipal levels. ‘‘This com-
mittee,”” according to the program,
“will be charged with developing a
coalition along with other unions
and community groups who are
struggling against cutbacks. It will
be responsible for initiating rallies,
demonstrations press conferences,
lobbies and other political actions.”’

The third point pledges a cam-
paign to end discriminatory legisla-
tion against public employees; a na-
tional drive to restore and defend
the right to strike; a campaign to or-
ganize the unorganized; and a fight
for the expansion of workers’ rights
on the job and for the strengthening
of basic trade union rights.

The fourth point declares that
programs must be initiated to en-
sure the continued effectiveness of
the right to strike. It also states that
“CUPE will mobilize all its strength
and resources possible to retain the
right to strike where it exists and to

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fight against all present restrictions

on the full right to strike for public

employees.”

The fifth point argues for an eco-
nomic policy program with empha-
sis on the expansion of the public
service, for discussion within the
CLC,

The sixth point calls for aggress-
ive measures to counteract the
threat of contracting-out which
“‘poses a major threat to the unions
and to the job security of public em-
ployees.”’

The seventh point commits
CUPE to launch an organizing
campaign to bring union represent-
ation to the many thousands of un-
organized nursing home workers in
Canada. :

The eighth point commits CUPE
to use its resources to improve the
status of CUPE women on the job
and in the union. Forty per cent of
CUPE’s 257,000 members are wo-
men, which means that this unionb
is in a unique position to improve
the status of working women. Ac-
cording to the program, CUPE lo-
cals will be urged to negotiate col-
lective agreements which contain
special provisions for women such
as childcare programs, maternity
leave and protection against sexual
harassment and which eliminate
discriminatory clauses.

No one in a leading position in
the trade union movement could
take public exception to the eight
points above. But differences could
arise on questions of tactics, for ex-
ample, in building coalitions at the
local and provincial levels and in
the forms that will be devised for
political action.

However, major differences have
already surfaced in respect to points
nine and ten of the program. I am
told that Dennis McDermott, presi-
dent of the CLC, has sent out a let-
ter in which he voices his concern
over these points.

In order to clearly establish the
importance of these points for
CUPE and the labor movement as a
whole, | am giving you the complete
text, in each case: ©

“Public Sector Coalition: The
corporate sector is united in its de-
mands to reduce public services at
all three levels of government. It is
united in its demand to restrict the
rights and to reduce the living stan-
dards of all public employees, yet,
the public service unions are at-
tempting to fight back and to de-
fend themselves in a disorganized,
uncoordinated manner on a union-
by-union and local-by-local basis.

Accordingly, CUPE will take the
necessary steps to initiate a Coali-
tion of Public Employee Unions.
This will be.a broad-coalition of all
public sector unions, both inside
and outside of the CLC. Its object-
ive will be to develop and imple-

ment a strategy and a program to. 4

defend and expand public services

effective actio

and to defend and expand the rights
of public employees.

To ensure the widest possible
rank and file participation, such a
coalition will not only operate at a
national level, but will also operate
at the provincial and local level. It.
will seek out and work with all com-
munity groups interested in preserv-
ing and expanding public services,
such as pensioners, tenants and so-
cial consumer groups.

CUPE in the CLC: In the past
CUPE has spearheaded programs
of reform within the-CLC. As a re-
sult of recent events and actions
both inside and outside of the labor
movement, it is agaih necessary for
CUPE to assume that reform role.
Accordingly, the following initia-
tives will be taken:

t) CUPE will again develop a re-
form program for the CLC and will
host a caucus of public sector union
delegates on the day prior to the
CLC convention. We will work to-
gether with the private sector un-
ions to explain how these reforms
will benefit all workers, both public
and private;

2) CUPE will demand that CLC
officers defend the rights of public
employee unions. CUPE will not
support any CLC leader who does
not defend public employee unions
or leaders who are under attack, as
has recently occurred in the case of
the Canadian Union of Postal
Workers. We will demand a leader-
ship more responsible to the issues
of the day; ;

3) CUPE will work within the
CLC to strengthen the collective
bargaining position of -all unions.
This will include:

a) Coordinating bargaining strat-
egy of unions in the same industry.

b) Developing an active CLE
strike assistance program.

c) Encouraging mergers of un-
ions in the same industry. Particu-
lar emphasis will be placed on unit-
ing all health care workers in Can-
ada within one strong and effectiive
union.

4) CUPE will continue to oppose
all forms of tripartite programs of
cooperation between government,
management and labor and will in-
sist that the CLC discontinue all

“SEASON'S GREETINGS

such tripartite discussions and pr
grams. By tripartite programs W
mean formalized structures Ul
commit labor support to social a
economic programs without pri
and final membership approval; —
5) To ensure that the CLC f
mains a democratic rank and P
controlled organization, CUPE wi
resist all attempts to limit direct re
resentation from local union
CLC conventians. :
This raises a very interes’
question: What is there in these
points that could possibly dis
Dennis McDermott and those W
supported his policies within t
CLC leadership? E
I would say that McDermott
mainly concerned with po
number 10, in which CUPE ple t
itself once again to develop a!
form program and to host a cauc,
of public sector employees on
day prior to the CLC convent
CUPE’s reiteration of support
the Canadian Union of Po
Workers, and its clear statem
that it will not support any ©
leader who fails to defend pul
employee unions or leaders, ¢
not, in my opinion, sit well '
McDermott. The CUPE statem
is quite categorical: ‘“We wi
mand a leadership more respo S|
to the issues of the day.” 4
The CUPE call for a stro)
CLC presence in respect to ¢
ive bargaining strategy, strike
ance and union mergers is real}
call for a more effective and 0
tant trade union movement. I
mand on the CLC leadership to
continue all tripartite discuss
and programs, and to cor
themselves to oppose attemp!
limit direct representation fror
cal unions to CLC conve
must have greatly irritated
McDermott. It is well known 1?
bor circles that he has a ver
fuse, and is quick to explode
British Columbia’s labor ™
ment has a record of milite
progressive trade unionism.
provincial division of CUPE
local unions throughout th
ince play an active part in pro
ing support for the action prog
they will, | am certain, recei
wide and positive support.

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