Labor needs ‘civil rights’ too EMENT sidewalks are hard at the best of times. But they are a whole lot hard- er on a long winter’s night of bitter frost, snow and sleet. Yet, braving such conditions, hundreds of Toronto boys ‘and girls sat down, in turns, in front of the U.S. consulate for the past seven days and nights in solidarity action with civil rights fighters in Selma, Ala- bama. All democratic Canadians have acclaimed their action. And in greeting this great de- monstration the trade union movement will no doubt deter- mine to press more vigorously its fight for labor rights. Last Octo cr the Ontario Fe- deration of Labor convention adopted clear-cut positions op- posing the use of court injunc- tions to limit picketing, and for amendments to the Labor Act for the right to strike during the life of a collective agree- ment on those questions not covered by the contract. Since the convention the courts have continued to hand out injunctions on a wholesale scale. A number of strikes have been broken by the employers with court and police assitance. Grievances continue to pile-up in plant after plant. Striking printers, autoworkers’ and electrical workers have de- monstrated against employer abuses, court bias and Labor Act inadequacies to city coun- cils and the provincial legisla- ture. Soe Local unions and labor coun- cils have requested the OFL to initiate coordinated action for the correction of these abuses. Suggested actions have included withdrawal of labor representa- tion on the Ontario Labor Rela- tions Board, a mass lobby of all -labor councils and union locals at the Legislature, a one-day general strike. How has the leadership of the OFL responded to employer- court-police abuses, trade union actions and requests for coor- dinated action? — Seven months and_ several. broken strikes after the October convention, the OFL leadership will convene a two-day con- ference on these pressing issues. It is to take place May 7 and 8. It is likely that the conference will take place after the Legis- lature, presently sitting, will have prorogued and the MPP’s gone home. Consequently the unionists attending the confer- ence probably will not have the opportunity to lay the findings of their deliberations before that’ body. This is poor timing indeed. Despite its tardiness, the May 7-8 OFL conference can mark an important step in Canadian labor’s long struggle for social - justice. It can map out a cam- paign to win a democratic labor code for Ontario workers, an achievement which would bene- fit all Canadian workers. The conference can begin by endorsing the demand made by the Ontario council of the United Brotherhood of Call ers and Joiners that the Om government forbid strike-Di@ ing and allow strikers acce® persons they want to pels! to their viewpoint. It can take into accoufl speed by which automatidl coming in industry and and the great social proble™ creates, and formulate 4} gram to both meet this © and to rally all unions, W% and the general public. Needless to say, rights for labor along lines must be accomplish a plan for concerted mil less. The problem of decidint Otherwise it would be me) a bill! an effective plan of action» | simple. But one thing 18 * Needed labor legislation . not be won without deter struggle. And the responsi of leadership is to head-UP / struggles, not to side-step * Labor e in Cana ABOR, as the trade union movement is commonly called, must always move forward, and, in doing so it must provide means of com- munication to those members of society that do not become directly involved with the move- ment itself. As an example of this, let us go into the school classrooms away from the big industrial cities and in most Cases you will find children who for the most part do not in any way come in contact with what is-known as the “union”. A large majority of these children hear only the words “union” and “labor” as they ap- ucation needed ian classrooms ply to their parents’ interpreta- ‘tion of what they read in their local newspapers about unions. Examples of this are very clearly shown in the newspaper field. If a certain union goes on strike for better working condi- tions, decent wages, etc., quite often the headline will read “Union strikes so and so com- pany” and underneath, “thous- ands of dollars lost in wages by the company’s workers”. “Union” intends to stay out on strike till it gets longer rest periods. The newspapers in a lot of cases refuse to print the facts of why strike action is neces- sary. UP A TREE A silhouette in grays is created by the camera as sky-diver Brent Salmon, of Hamilton, climbs a tree to free his parachute after getting loose from the shroud lines following a parachute jump at a carnival in Niagara Falls, Ont. After the strike has been set- tled, the same newspaper will pick out a spot in the paper that will be obscured by other news so as not to be noticed, and then put in a manner such as this: so an so company work- ers back on the job, with the company “giving” them better working conditions, and a raise in wages, etc. Prejudiced newspapers can in- fluence people who do not come in direct contact with the work of trade unions. Parents Who are denied all of the facts dealing with the tradé union movement (unions) because of distorted newspaper stories, unwittingly carry someone else’s prejudice of “unions” to their children. ~With this in mind local unions in certain areas of the United States have asked for and received permission to have their education committees send lecturers into the classrooms of some of the schools to tell the story of labor and the trade union movement. In this. we wholeheartedly agree; it is a step in the right direction. Informed children, leaving school after graduation, can move into the field of em- ployment with a greater know- ledge of unions and with a much better understanding of security. We as Canadians can follow che example of these lectures. Canadian schools should fol- low the pattern that has been established in the United States and to this end we can improve the standards of living for every one in Canada. As more and more prejudices -and biases are eliminated, the quicker a better way of life will be had for everyone. “—Ford Facts I think it’s time to celebrate The modest millionaire He doesn’t waste or speculate His bank accounts are square Search all our penitentiaries You'll never find him there. In dives obscure when deeds impure Provoke a policeman’s blush He shields his eyes when in such styes And raids them in a rush What millionaire was ever caught In that ungodly crush? | Digers St. John’s to Stoney Mountain comes eviden® | all is not well with our prisons and penitentiaries. agreeing that there is something wrong I now gO yond the lack of pepper on the table. For, as was explain@ | to me, I might accumulate enough to fling it in the eyes of a guard and make a break. Guards spend enough til? weeping with pity over their charges without weeP with pepper as well. No, the trouble is deeper. than that. So deep that } doubt if the committee of 15 that has been set up © recommend reforms will find the answer. Yet, come to think of it, the solution is simplicit? itself. So I nominate: @ A couple of current federal cabinet ministers. @ Several provincial ex-cabinet ministers, especially | from Quebec and Ontario. ® At least one judge from Quebec and, to mat? him, at least one from Ontario. @ Half a dozen mayors, including one or two from thé | prairies. \ ® Plus the heads of a score of corporations. Such as Swifts, who have just been fined $500 for consistently: 4 despite warnings over the years, selling adulterated fe! :: lizer. And the Johnson-Kiewit Corp., fined $800 for violatiné ii half a dozen safety regulations, thus leading to the de@ of Lauri Kargas. I nominate all these to a term in penitentiary. There mixing with run-of-the-mill criminals, their morals wi mi improved. And their interest in prison reform so stimula that in no time there will be model institutions and m methods from St. John’s to Stoney Mountain. Slogan: Make our prisons fit for millionaires to 1%* in—and see that they do. Psi eer, : 8 Aprii 2, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—-Pa9?