Rally of 500 marks ci While millions marched and demonstrated in the capitals of the World last Monday to mark labor’s International holiday, Vancouver Was host, the day before, to one of the most successful May Day Tallies in recent years. And while around the world calls for international solidarity and the advancement of workers’ rights and living standards rang out, in Vancouver the fight for full em- ployment, for a shorter work week, for labor unity and for solidarity with the freedom fighters of - Southern Africa formed the themes of a spirited and united May Day Celebration. On the platform were the Tepresentatives of the B.C. Federation of Labor, the New Democratic Party and the Com- MARGARET MITCHELL Munist Party. They were com- Plemented by the music of Tom Hawken and Bargain at Half the Price, and the audience of more than 500 at Templeton School cheered and sang all through the concert/meeting. It was the 50th consecutive year that May Day had been recognized n Vancouver under the auspices of the Vancouver Trade Union May ay Committee, New Westminster abor Council president Gerry Stoney noted in opening the Meeting, and although it wasn’t the largest of those 50 years it was Indicative of a growing awareness and militancy in B.C.’s labor movement, “It’s unfortunate that the North American labor movement was separated from the rest of the world seme years ago by the adoption of labor’s holiday in September, rather than May 1, for it has tended to obscure the in- ternational significance of the labor movement,” B.C. Federation of Labor president George John- ston told the meeting. That may change, however, Johnston said, by virtue of a resolution pending before the executive council of the Canadian Labor Congress to establish May Day as labor’s official day and calling on the federal government to declare it a statuatory holiday. Unemployment in B.C. is a “human tragedy”, Johnston said, pointing to information that the real unemployment rate in March of 1978 in B.C. was 12.8 percent — or 160,000 people. The unemployment crisis, in- flation and the anti-social policies of the federal government all point directly at the coming federal election, Johnston and the other _speakers stressed. In B.C., as well, he added, the Social Credit government introduced no less than seven pieces of legislation in the last session of the legislature which attacked the rights of workers. There are two challenges facing workers this May Day, he said, ‘First is to tackle the federal elections and elect working people’s representatives to parliament; second is to' throw out the government in Victoria and banish them to the wasteland of used car dealers where they belong.” Johnston received his strongest response from. the audience when he noted the origins of May Day in the fight for the eight hour day and said, “It is time now to lay the battlelines for the four day, eight hour work week and a new future for working people.” NDP federal candidate Vancouver East, Margatet Mit- chell, appointed by the provincial NDP caucus as its representative, Va DRIVE We have $27,000 yet to raise! TRIBUNE It's Week Five of our financial drive and our total is €ginning to rise. As a matter of fact, we are keeping pace with last year’s record achievement. But please — don’t let up. € owe our success so far to some extraordinary efforts. ~ in’ ~ Our staunch supporter Mike Stevens has raised an incredible $2,171. Ed Dotzler has raised $810; Burnaby’s Beth Chobotuck has $602 turned in and Surrey’s Rita Tanche has $595 raised. Even though he’s retired, Steve Nickyforuk, is working hard aS In past years and has $513 to his credit. hen there is the collective efforts of clubs like the Van- Couver East club whose members rolled up their sleeves last Weekend and put on a May Day dinner and bash that raised about $400 and pushed their total over the $3,000 mark. : But most of all the success of our drive depends on the Support — no matter how small — of our readers. And that too aS been extraordinary. : It was summed up well in a note that drive manager Pat Connor received this week from a young letter carrier: I’ve been enjoying the Tribune since it started arriving, but ever so much as the May Day issue. It was when I was Teading the article on the Post Office sitdown that it occurred to me that this is a story I could only have learned about Tough the Tribune. “Back the paper that fights for labor. I’d be happy to con- tribute. Find enclosed a cheque for $25.00” \.. Thank you for *17,208 _) chose unemployment. and the particular problems of women workers as the theme for her remarks. : She asked: for special con- sideration for the problems of women who work at the lowest rates of pay, suffer the highest rate of unemployment, have no job security, inadequate pensions and lack of day care facilites. Some women, like slaves, are still imported into Canada to work as domestics for the rich at minimal wages, she said. “TJ challenge the Liberal government, and their representative in Vancouver East to aggressively create jobs for women and all unemployed workers Mitchell declared, “Permanent jobs — not makeshift ones. 3 = It was Communist Party labor secretary Jack Phillips, however, who received the loudest ovation for his address that drew several responses from the audience. Phillips began by pledging “‘the full support of the labor movement”’ to the officers of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union who were to appear before a Vancouver court May 1 for the “crime of defending their union.”’ With wage controls coming off, big business is ‘‘testing the waters”, he said, before em- GEORGE JOHNSTON barking on a new program of ac- tion aimed at “holding the line’ against labor, and further reducing standards. While the real income of working people has been cut, Phillips said, corporate income has _ risen steadily and high income earners have increased their share of the national wealth by 25 percent over the past 10 years. Turning around the argument that too many workers are over- paid, or are welfare bums, Phillips charged that former MacMillan Bloedel president Denis Timmis is “a classical example of a welfare —Sean Griffin photos TOM HAWKEN ... in May Day concert with Bargain at Half the Price. ht, D4 bum’’. Even though he has been ousted from his post as chief of MacBlo, Timmis still receives a life long pension of $62,598 per year for “doing nothing”’. Phillips called the relationship “‘parasitical’’ and demanded that he be ‘‘taken to task’’. Phillips, CP candidate in Van- couver Kingsway, singled out the RCMP for special attention for the more than 400 illegal break-ins by the force between 1972 and 1976. “We don’t want a police state in Canada where any person out of favor with a Liberal, Conservative or Socred government would be fair game for the dirty tricks brigade of the RCMP,’’ he declared. The RCMP needs to be brought: under parliamentary control, he said, and in B.C. where it is hired as a provincial force, its contract should not be renewed unless adequate control can be main- tained, and B.C. should form its own provincial force subject to the control of the B.C. legislature. The meeting gave unanimous endorsement to resolutions on unemployment, disarmament, self-determination for Quebec and on international solidarity. An appeal by May Day committee chairman George Hewison drew $1,023 to be used for humanitarian aid to southern Africa. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MAY 6 — The upper hall seating for the AUUC Kobzar Dancers 3rd Annual Hutzul Night has been sold out; tickets are available for lower hall dinner at $4 and for the dance at $3. For reservations phone 325-5760, 299- 8172 and 594-1786. No tickets sold at the door. : MAY 6 African National Congress social. South African food, music, 8 p.m. 7130 Curtis, Burnaby. Admission $5.. RSVP 298-9778. _ MAY 13 — First showing of “Konnen Sie Kappler?’’, 50- minute GDR film on the revival of fascism in the Federal Republic of Germany. Film begins 8:30 p.m. sharp at Karl Zuker’s, . 2809 Wall St., Van- couver. Admission $2.50. Refreshments. Proceeds to Tribune drive. MAY 13 — Garage Sale, Saturday, May 13, 3446 W. 19th Ave., Vancouver, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tools, kitchenware, pottery, etc. Proceeds to Tribune drive. MAY 14 — Annual Mother’s Day breafast, pancakes, bacon, sausages, coffee, refreshments and our annual horseshoe tournament at Gidora’s, 12715-66 Ave. (go along 128 St. to 66th Ave.) from 10 a.m. to? Proceeds to Tribune drive. CAMPBELL RIVER FOR RENT ‘MAY 13 — Campbeli River and Courtenay May Day dinner and social at the Campbell River Labor Centre Hall, 1105 16th Ave., Campbell River. Starts 7:30 p.m. - music, entertainment and guest speaker, Sean Griffin, Tribune editor. All proceeds to Tribune financial drive. BUSINESS PERSONALS CARPENTER 874-1814 MOVING? CLEANUP — Wanted articles for resale. All proceeds to P.T. Phone 526-5226. “THE GOODIE BIN.” » SEE ALEX THE BARBER at 611 Smithe St. on Saturdays and help _ the Tribune Press Drive. READERS IN BURNABY AREA wishing to assist in the Tribune financial drive donations, banquet tickets, ph. 526-5226. Ned ihe Siinellon JEWELLERY REPAIRS, remodelling, appraisals at reasonable charge. For ap- pointment phone 254-7678. Will’ pick up and deliver in Vancouver at no extra charge. 2 bedroom bsmt. suite with large kitchen, $175 mo. near SFU, (Duthie & Curtis), available now. Phone 298-9778. FOR SALE _ FINISHED SOLID OAK garden and patio tubs, 15’’ deep and 24” wide $15.00. All proceeds to PT. _ Phone 936-7308 afternoons. 11th World Youth Festival Posters (50c), pins ($1.00), pennants ($2.00), calendars ($3.00) available at 254-9797. All proceeds to the Canadian Youth Festival Delegation. Strawberry plants for sale. Proceeds for Tribune Drive. Phone 526-3916. HALLS FOR RENT WEBSTER’S CORNERS HALL — Available for banquets, meetings, etc. For rates: Ozzie, 325-4171 or 685-5836. RUSSIAN PEOPLE’S HOME — Available for rentals. For _ reservations phone 254-3430. UKRAINIAN CANADIAN CULTURAL CENTRE — 805 East Pender St., Vancouver. Available for banquets, wed- dings, meetings. Ph. 254-3436. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—May 5, 1978—Page 11