B.C. FED GIVES KING ITS PROPOSALS B.C.’s teachers in convention at Vancouver Hotel. Teachers stress ‘moderation’ but endorse right to strike B.C. teachers, meeting in the second day of three day annual general . meeting Tuesday voted to seek provincial legis- lation guaranteeing them the right to strike ‘“‘under excep- tional circumstances.’” The second part of atwopart motion called for the establish- ment of procedures whereby local associations would have the right to withdraw services where school boards or govern- ments unilaterally alter the con- ditions or fail to correct intol- erable conditions of empoy- ment. The first part of the motionen- dorsed the continuation of pres- ent time limits and procedures including compulsory binding arbitration for normal bar- gaining processes. Although the motion repre- sented a compromise between those who wanted to withdraw FILM ON DR. BETHUNE Renew your acquaintance with Dr. Norman Bethune — outstanding Canadian. National Film Board Biography GREEN TIMBERS HALL, 14210 - 88 Ave. Surrey Sunday, May 6th — 8:00 p.m. Refreshments — Adm. $1.50 Proceeds to PT Drive Ausp. Surrey Club from the militancy of the pre- vious year’s meeting and em- phasize professionalism in- stead, and those who viewed the political situation as an oppor- tunity to advance the teachers position, the delegate who moved the motion underscored the fact that the right to strike ““must be seen as a fundamental right.” Once passed, the motion took precedence over an executive recommendation calling for the introduction of legislation to guarantee satisfactory proce- dures providing for negotiation, conciliation, voluntary binding arbitration and the right to strike. In the debate whichraged for some time before delegates moved that the question be placed, opinions ranged from ideas that strikes were an ‘‘out- moded’’ and ‘‘ineffective’’ measure, to full endorsement of the right to strike as a neces- sary part of the collective bar- gaining process. One delegate suggested that, with the election of a new government, teachers were no longer in an employer-em- ployee relationship with school boards but instead were ‘‘part- ners’ along with government and local boards— in the educa- tional community. Several others stated that strikes were “ineffective.” MAY DAY GREETINGS from The Vancouver Civic Employees Union LOCAL 1004, CUPE PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1973—-PAGE 12 In answer, a delegate from the Representative Assembly of the teachers’ organization pointed out that the B.C. Teach- ers Federation itself was the out- growth of two strikes of teach- ers in B.C. in the early part of the century. Burnaby Teachers Associa- tion president Betty Griffin de- clared, in support of the right to strike, that ‘ those of us who work for a living and have to negotiate for oursalaries must have the right to strike. Ihave more respect for my colleagues than to think that it would be used indiscriminately.” In Monday’s session of the con- vention delegates had moved to turn the question of affiliation of the B.C.T.F. with the B.C. Federation of Labor over toa membership referendum at some unspecified future date, but to exchange observers with the Federation and the Cana- dian Labor Congress. On another important ques- tion of organization, compulsory membership in the B.C.T.F., the 650 delegates to the meeting overwhelmingly endorsed a motion instructing the incom- ing executive, in its sub- missions to the provincial government, to seek legislation making it compulsory for all teachers in B.C.’s public school system to be members of the Federation. Membership was compulsory prior to 1971 but a hostile So- cred government removed the “closed shop’’ rights in an attempt to stifle the organi- zational strength of the teachers. Despite the tone of modera- tionstruck at this year’s conven- tion, there was considerable resentment among delegates over outgoing president Adam Robertson's caustic comments inreference to other members of the executive. The B.C. Federation of Labor has released an outline of its main proposals for changes in B.C. labor Legislation made to Labor Minister Bill King during the recent talks in Victoria. The proposals callforadras- tic overhaul of legislation along the lines promised by the NDP and demanded by labor but not yet implemented by the NDP government. At the top of their proposals is the call for the drafting of new act to replace the three major pieces of existing legislation: the Labor Relations Act, Media- tion Services Act and the Trade Union Act. The Federation says that emphasis in the new legis- lation should be given to detail- ing the rights of employees in B.C. to have trade union repre- sentation, and to bargain collec- tively. The BCFL puts great stress on the importance of eliminating the present exclusions which deny thousands of British Columbians the right to trade union representation, such as professional people, fishermen, and agricultural workers. It urges strong guarantees to pro- tect workers’ rights, with streamlined procedures for those seeking union repre- sentation, and more effective barriers against company unions. Hitting out against ‘‘serious inadequacies’’ in present laws which are supposed to protect workers from intimidating em- ployers, the BCFL urges changes that will require an employer to justify any firings while union organizational activity is tak- ing place. It also proposes that union certification be granted automatically whenever an em- ployer is shown to have acted il- legally ininterfering with em- ployee rights. Calling for legislation to clarify and strengthen union security sections of the legis- lation, the Federationcallsfor the repeal of Bill 42 under which workers are forbidden to make political donations— through their union. RIGHT TO STRIKE Lashing out against present restrictions on the right to peaceful picketing enacted by the previous Socred admin- istration, the Federation has called for extensive revisions to ensure that workers ona legal strike are guaranteed theright ad to picket wherever the em ployer is doing business. It also proposes legislation t0 protect the right of workers refuse to cross legal picket lines and the right to support boy- cotts of ‘‘hot’’ products, an calls for outlawing of hiring of strikebreakers during a lega strike. Pointing out that inmost wes tern countries, including the U.S. and Britain, workers are free to strike over grievancesat any time, the Federation pr& posed that procedures in arb tration of grievances during the life of a collective agreement be streamlined to eliminate the long delays. ay Contending that technologica change alters the basic condl: tions under which an agreeme? has been negotiated, the Fedet@ tion advocated inclusion in neW labor laws of a section which provides for negotiation of new terms in the event technolosr cal change takes place duriné the life of the collective agre@ ment. Failure to reach agreeme™ with employers followiné negotiations under a new 1aW: should enable the union to app) to the Labor Relations Boar : declare the agreement ter inated. Turning to the present Labol Relations Board which has bee? under strong fire by organize labor, the Federation called 0! an overhaul of the Board. . urges that Department of Lab? officials be excluded from Board and that a new board truly representative. The Federation also called vi the government to repeal be present accreditation lee lation. Stating that “acer tation of employers groups is no place in legislation whict supposed to deal with the rig of employees,”’ it charges the legislation is discri@ inatory. (The accredition legislat™ was pushed through by the f cred government at the requ of big construction compam™ i to force smaller companies form a united front in nes tiations against the unions. ) — NAME: . ADDRESS: . SUBSCRIBE TO PT SPECIAL MAY DAY OFFER 6 MONTHS — $2.00 Send to CIRCULATION DEPT., MEZ. 3. 193 E. HASTINGS, VANCOUVER 4. —_