THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER AUTHORIZED AS SECOND CLASS MAIL, POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, OTTAWA, AND FOR PAYMENT OF POSTAGE IN CASH. Vol. XXXVI, No. 10 VANCOUVER, B.C. 5c PER COPY eS 2nd Issue May, 1968 WHERE DO YOU STAND? J. MacKENZIE, IWA Regional 1st Vice-President, Chairman B.C. Federation of Labour Political Education Committee UCH Roe been made of the fact that Pierre Trudeau once campaigned in Quebec for the New Demo- crats. This is supposed to attract support from people who normally vote NDP. Trudeau fought the tough fight with men like Chuck Taylor and Robert Cliche — but not for very long, be- cause it didn’t look to him like the shortest road to Ottawa. Chuck Taylor and Robert Cliche are still in there, - and they’ve since been joined by men like LaPierre and Gifford. The fight is just as difficult for them as it was for Trudeau, but they would rather stay with their principles than jump into bed with the Hellyers, Laings and Winters. Trudeau got to Ottawa all right, but somewhere along the way he forgot the purpose of getting there. What if Tommy Douglas had become frustrated enough to take this easy route to power? There can be no doubt that he would today have been the Liberal Prime Minister. What could Trudeau have done in those circum- stances, join the Tories? There is nothing in his record that makes that unlikely. : Working people and their friends are fortunate that there are men in Canada, like Tommy Douglas, who don‘t discourage so easily. These men, statesmen rather than politicians, will be needing support from all the men and women in Canada who like themselves have not yet given up the fight. They will get it. Trudeau will have to depend for his support on those who can reconcile themselves to politicians who join whatever party offers them the greatest power, regardless of principles. But history is moulded by men and women who stay with the tough fights. Trudeau in his old age will have to content himself with memories of kissing girls; Tommy Douglas will have the satisfaction of seeing a world that is better because of his long and lonely struggle. This is an appropriate division of rewards. But Tommy would be the first to admit that he can’t do it alone. He needs the support and help of hundreds of thousands of Canadians across the land. Bill 33, Bill C-186, postponement of medicare, over 9% mortgage rates; we elect the people who pass this ~ legislation, we deserve what we get. If we elect the same people again, we'll get more of the same. — : But if we get out and work for, give to, and support the NDP, there shall be relief, and justice. DURING COAST NEGOTIATIONS FREER WARNS MEMBERS — “DISPLAY UNITY OF PURPOSE” In his presidential address to the 18th Annual Delegated Meeting of Local 1-71, May 18, Local president Ernie Freer warned delegates that membership. ‘June 14. A BIG UNION VICTORY: HEAVY STRIKE VOTE A heavy membership vote is reported by the Coast Local Unions in the referendum strike ballot presently being conducted. ‘All indications point to an overwhelming “yes” vote for strike action. Observers -state. that the members are making no attempt to hide their anger over the employers’ refusal to bargain in good faith and are openly — | voicing their intention to vote for strike. The vote will be tabulated May 31, and the | results announced the same day. The Union’s Negotiating Committee authorized ' | the taking of the strike ballot following government | Conciliation Officer John Sherlock’s recommendation | that no Conciliation Board be appointed. Sherlock’s recommendation was made after it | became obvious that the employers were not | pared to enier into genuine bargaining. This dead- locked the contract dispute leaving the Union no alternative but to seek a strike mandate from the The Union is seeking a fifty-cent-an-hour ‘in- crease for its 28,000 members on a one-year con- tract. Expiry of the present contract is midnight, to achieve the kind of wage increase they desired, the IWA Coast members must dis- cipline themselves by display- ing complete unity of purpose. pre- He suggested that the pos- sibility of a Coast strike was remote provided the members heeded the advice of their Ne- gotiating Committee over the next few weeks and main- tained a united front. The ninety delegates meet- ing in the Hallmark Hall, Van- couver, paid tribute following Freer’s address, to the tre- mendous fight put up by Southern Interior strikers. A motion was unanimously approved to wire congratula- tions to the officers and mem- bers for their militancy and determination during the seven and one-half months struggle which saw them eventually win the largest wage increase negotiated in the history of the Union. During the busy one-day session, the ,delegates dealt with sixty resolutions, two by- law changes, elected 14 dele- gates to the regional conven- tion, approved the Officers’ and Financial Reports, and listened to four guest speak- ers. Guest speakers were Inter- national secretary - treasurer Bill Botkin who gave a short report on the financial struc- ture of the International; Re- gional president Jack Moore who gave a run down on the implications of Bill 33; Harvey See “1-71” Page 2 MacNEIL REVIEWS HISTORY OF SOUTHERN INTERIOR STRIKE By GRANT MacNEIL Now that the battle is over, any account of the Southern Interior strike should record . all, not just some, of the fac- tors that made it the longest and most costly area strike in the union’s history. The gross distortions of developments during the conflict, invented and broadcast by the employ- ers, do a grave injustice to the men and women directly involved. These call for re- pudiation by all IWA spokes- men. The driving force in the struggle was the determina- tion of the rank and file mem- bership to win a greater meas- ure of justice. This was ap- parent to Regional and coast Local Union officers who at- tended the Kelowna Wages and Contract Conference and who later spoke in the Inter- ior to urge a solid strike vote. The unanimous demand to substitute the coast contract for the existing Interior con- tract was fired by the success of the 1966 coast negotiations. The demand for gained the support of the en- tire union. CONSTANT THREAT The coast Local Unions had sound economic reasons for their support of the Interior demand. Low wages in the In- terior, where production riv- als coast production, had pre- sented a constant threat to coast employment and wage standards. equality Everyone then knew that a tough fight was in prospect. Everyone praised the resolu- | tion of Interior IWA mem- bers and urged them not to “chicken out.” Any union leader who might have dared to suggest any hedging on the issue would have laid his head on the block. From the outset the strategy of the See “INTERIOR” Page 11 STRIKING MEMBERS of Local 1-423 IWA are shown manning the picket line at the Grand Forks Sawmills Ltd. in the heavy snow of last winter. :