40°

January 14, 1987

Vol. 50, No. 1

Peace groups in Vancouver have scheduled a candlelight vigil
in Robson Square for Jan. 16 to protest a U.S. nuclear test set for
Jan. 17 — a test that is of ominous significance because it will
force the USSR to end its 17-month-long unilateral test mora-
torium.

The vigil, which is set for 5:30 p.m., is endorsed by the
230-member-organization End the Arms Race coalition.

Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev announced earlier this year

Vigil to protest U.S. nuclear test

that the U.S. failure to respond to the Soviet test ban would

compel the USSR to end its moratorium but added that the ban
would remain until the U.S. carried out its first test in 1987.

The Nevada test was originally set for Jan. 24 but was moved
up one week so that it could be carried out before
Congress — now dominated by Democrats — reconvenes.

The B.C. Peace Council, one of the organizers of Friday’s
protest, has also asked that telegrams be sent to Prime Minister
Mulroney urging that he protest the U.S. test.

socreds’ labor code
hearings called sham

Hastily called provincial government -
hearings into changes to British Columbia’s

Rogers slammed for lockout stand | css tesco sinee

screen intended to cover a series of regres-

: sive amendments already planned.

17 B.C. Communist Party leader Maurice

: ‘ . Rush charged that the short time allowed
for the hearings, and the even tighter dead-

--line-for-printed submissions to the govern-
ment shows. that-the~entire" process isa
farce.”

Provincial trade unionists have also cri-
ticized the short time allowed for briefs —
the deadline is this Friday, Jan. 16 — and
say they expect little or no changes for the
better from B.C.’s traditionally anti-labor
government.

In a letter sent to trade unions and other
groups Dec. 15, B.C. Labor Minister Lyall
Hanson laid out the deadlines for written
and oral submissions to be heard in a series
of public meetings around the province,
claiming the government was seeking to
“change confrontational attitudes” and
establish “an improved climate of labor
relations.”

The hearings begin Jan. 19 in Nelson and
conclude Feb. 7 in Abbotsford. Vancouver
hearings are slated for Feb. 3 and Feb. 5.

“The whole process will be over in less
than a month, before most public organiza-
tions will even know it has begun,” Rush
noted.

“This is not meaningful public consulta-
tion. It is a sham to give the appearance of
consultation when the government has a
course of action in place,” he charged.

“Tf the government is serious about con-
sultation, the Jan. 16 deadline should be
lifted and a proper program of public hear-
ings convened in all major B.C. municipali-
ties at which oral and written submissions
will be received,” Rush demanded.

B.C. Federation of Labor secretary Cliff
Andstein said the federation sent notice of
the hearings to affiliates as soon as it was
informed of them.

In the brief it will be presenting, the fed-
eration calls for changes to enhance collec-
tive bargaining, prohibit strikebreaking

ANC marks
75 years

— page 5 —

~ Members of Local 213 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical workers were still out on the picket line this week at
Rogers Cablevision- Vancouver after the company rejected the settlement deal worked out with five other cable compan- activities, establish pay equity measures and
ies. The Toronto-based employer is demanding the right to punish workers for picket line incidents. The B.C. Federation of expand the scope of picketing, Andstein
Labor responded last week with a hot declaration against the company and a consumer boycott against services and said

rentals. Story page 12. “It is necessary to point out, and clearly
defend, the right of workers to free collec-
tive bargaining. We’re looking at something
much more fundamental than a process of
amendments,” he said.

Andstein said that the brief time allotted
for the hearings means that several com-
munities in the province will not have a
chance to participate. :

see CODE page 12

§ Ottawa ‘bowed to blackmail’

| — page 3