8 Shop Stewards Answer CCL Commission Report ‘Vicious Blow Against Labor's Role In War’ Following is the text of a statement endorsed by shop stewards of the Boilermakers Union at their meeting Tuesday, answering charges set out in the CCL Conroy-McGuire Commission report. HE action of Messrs. Conroy and Maguire in suspending the charter of the Boilermakers and Iron Shipbuilders Union, Local No. 1, with 12,000 members; suspending affiliation of the B.C. District Council No. 1, International Woodworkers of America, with 9,200 members, together with their announced intention to “set up local unions on a strictly industrial basis in each yard or plant” is a vicious and dastardly blow against labor’s responsible role in the war effort without precedent in the history of the trade union movement in this province. For over a year the membership of the Boilermakers and MIron Shipbuilders Union, Local No. a have suffered from inefficient and incapable leadership, yet on each occasion that the membership at- tempte to elect a capable leader- ship, the elections have been ar- bitrarily overruled by officials of the Congress acting apparently on the instigation of Alex McAuslane and Dan O’Brien. On the occasion of the election of delegates to the last Congress con- vention, the election was declared null and vold on a technicality, the wishes of the membership over- ruled and the convention delegates arbitrarily chosen by McAuslane. Again on the occasion of the previous - annual election of of- ficers the election was also declared null and void by McAuslane and an administration chosen by himself appointed. These high - handed @ AID THE RUSSIAN RELIEF DRIVE ... . and help those who are deserving of our help! autocratic actions, together with a weak leadership dominated by Mc- Auslane were mainly responsible for generating dissatisfaction, dis- trust and a general chaotic condi- tion with the union over a long period of time, thus retarding the strengthening of the union, ef fectively hindering the establish- ment of proper relations between the unions in the shipyards them- selves and rendering almost im- possible the achievement of har- Monious labor-management Tela- tions which could have done much to overcome production problems and step up the production of badly needed merchant ships for the cause of the United Nations. On another occasion, when Mc Auslane was unable to secure his own way and impose his will on the Vancouver Labor Council, he attempted to have the Congress suspend the charter of the Council. In this instance, as on each occas- ‘ion when McAuslane attempted to ™ 45 East Hastings St. STYLES — VALUES — QUALITY Tes 4-4 TOPCOATS Imported Barrymore, Vel-Tabs and Tweeds . . . Flawlessly finished and distinctively styled by leading Canadian manufacturers. Slip-on and Balmacaan models— 25.00 ENGLISH GABARDINE and - POPLIN RAINCOATS 16.50 22.50 SUITS—SERGES—TWEEDS and WORSTEDS 30.00 35.00 40.00 SHIRTS by FORSYTH—TOOKE and ARROW Whites and attractive patterns in soft and fused collars— 2.00 2.50 2-95 Home of Union Made Clothing and Friendly Service 27.50 30.00 Vancouver, B.C. *) ost overrule the democratic procedure of union members and union dele- gates, he attempted to justify his action by the most unprincipled and despicable red-baiting cam- paign, raising the ery that com- munists were attempting to “‘cap- ture control’ of the union or council as the ease might be and that he, McAuslane, was attempting to safe- guard the workers from the com- munists. The record shows quite clearly that the only persons or person de- sirous of “capturing control” of B.C. unions and labor councils afe McAuslane himself and his hench- men. - Having failed in the attempt to impose an administration on the membership of the Boilermakers union for ‘tthe second time, in complete violation of the consti- tution, the commission composed of Messrs. Conroy and Maguire, has now fallen in line with the “rule or ruin” policy of the labor czar, Mc- Auslane, suspended the charters of the union and dissafiliated the IWA, thus by a stroke of the pen throwing 21,000 workers out of the Congress, which constitutes about three-quarters of the total membership of the CCL in B.C. Just at a time when Canada and the United Nations are preparing to take the offensive in Europe, when U-boat sinkings of Allied merchant ships are reported to have reached alarming proportions and when merchant ships are more badly needed than ever before to supply our sons and brothers over- seas, Messrs. Conroy and Maguire nonchantly announce their imten- tion to, in effect, smash the Boiler- makers and fron Shipbuilders Union, Local No. ji, which em- braces a majority. of the total workers employed in the Vancouv- er shipyards and to plunge the Van- couver shipyards into a condition of complete chaos by “reorganiz- ing the workers employed in the boilermaking and shipbuilding in- dustry" through the medium of “setting up local unions on a strict- ly industrial basis in each yard or plant upon the application of bona fide and genuine trade unionists.” The full significance of this statement can only be appreciated when it is understood that a union local with a “strictly industrial basis” is one having jurisdiction over all crafts and occupations in the yard concerned. Such a union would inevitably come into immediate conflict with the thirteen unions already estab- lished in the yards, resulting in bit- ter jurisdictional disputes with unions of the CCL, AFL, and ABW or C; violating existing agreements which all of these unions already hold and, worst of all, possibly provoking strikes and lockouts which could tie up the shipyards and thus sabotage our war effort. However, the officers, shop stew- ards and members of the Bolier- makers Union have no intention of allowing anyone to destroy our union, throw the Vancouver ship- yards into chaos and sabotage the production of ships, at the most eritical period of the war. On the contrary, we intend to hold our ranks solidly together, further strengthen our union and in cooperation with the other unions in the Wancouver ship- yards, who we believe are also interested in maintaining produc- tion, effectively prevent any at- tempt to disrupt the trade unions, and sabotage the war effort by forming new unions in violation of existing trade union agree- —< ments. The ridiculous argument of Messrs. Conroy and Maguire pre- sented in their report that the union contains CCF and commun- ist workers, therefore the members cannot be entrusted to elect their own officers, is an insult to every worker in B.C., and only goes to prove the bankruptcy of those re- sponsible for this attack on the B.C. trade unions in their attempts to provide plausible excuses to justify their attempts to subjugate the workers of the BC trade unions to the domination and control of McAuslane, O’Brien, et al. How Messrs. Conroy and Maguire could lend themselves to such ac- tions, placing in jeopardy the fu- ture of 21,000 trade union mem- bers, turning both members and prospective members against the CCL unions and seriously threat- ening the uninterrupted production of vitally neéded ships is beyond our comprehension. We can oniy conclude that they have been so misinformed and blinded by the representation of McAuslane, O’Brien and _ their henchmen that they have permitted their better judgment to be over- ruled, particularly in view of the fact that no evidence was submit- ted-by the shop stewards and offi- cials of the union because of their inability to secure an open hear- ing. bven at this late date we wish before any further damage is done to appeal to Messrs. Conroy and Maguire to recognize the gravity and dangers of the decisions they have taken, to reconsider their ac- tions, and to arrange an honest and democratic settlement before irreparable harm is done to trade unions and the war effort in B.C. In addition to the above state- ment, endorsed by a meeting of ever 200 Boilermakers’ shop stewards Wednesday, a program was adopted “te consolidate our union in order that we may take our rightful place in the Vancou- ver trade union movement.” ‘We are ignoring the suspension decision arrived at by the two-man commission here recently,’ de- clared William Stewart, elected president of the union in Decem- ber, following the meeting. “We intend to inform the man- Bae attention to be pe) bone of the union, mus j close to the leadership o# union at all times.” Thes~ be supplied with shop ste) manuals, and be given th | portunity of attending c: | in their duties, “in ordr have stewards who can ai the questions raised by members.” Po A the matter of labor-ma | ment committees, so that : er good can be accompli by labor playing the dom | role in them. rs oat Continued Buck Stating that he was wiring opinions to CCL President 4 er, denying Commission chz of “communist control,” Tim = said he was urging Mosher t to the coast at once to perso examine the situation, “espec because the CCL executive not endorsed the Commission’ port and because the membe of the Congress undoubtedly oppose such arbitrary action a2 Commission recommended.” “If Mosher should go to couver,”’ Tim Buck concludec conference of CCL unions, at ¥ Mosher should speak, would doubtedly reveal the wishes- opinions of the membership © “All-out production is the preme thing now, not inner 1% disputes of this character. F dent Mosher himself corr stated, only a few days ago, all-out war production is the - task at this time. Consequeni am making this statement to false charges of communist trol. “J wish to point out that June, in the name of the ¢ munist-Labor Total War~ € mittee and in speeches rece in Vancouver, I put forward position of Communists for out production and the def of workers’ rights. Nowhere there be found any proof of t redbaiting charges which only do great disservice to lal agement in all yards that we will expect them to honor agreements presently existing with the Boiler- makers and Iron Shipbuilders, Local No. 1, and we are moving to call an election of officers. We will function as a bona fide trade union and pledge ourselves to live up to agreements now held in most yards and to bring into our union unorganized workers in yards where we at present have no agreements,” The program, Stewart said, eluded: in- —Consolidation by a drive to fully organize all yards and bring the new members closer to the union. . ace of all unorganized workers in the boilershops, Hamilton SBridge, Bridge, and the West Coast Shipyard, with a drive agreements. —Greater ers in their ent local. —The shop stewards ¥ DR. W. 207 West Hastings Street eas a 2 1 J. DENTIST os CURRY Tel. PAc. 1526 Dominion for responsibility to be given to the sub-locals in each plant to make them real lead- respective yards under the guidance of the par- “having proven themselves the back- case and give another weapo the enemies of labor to at the whole labor moyement.” Continued Shipyard: in the shipbuilding indust setting up local unions on as industrial basis in each yard. concern was expressed by del to the Vancouver Labor C€ Tuesday regarding the effect two-man commission report in the shipyards and in aff unions. Delegate S. G. Co time, sponsoring a motion 1 a reconsideration of the CCI mission decision, was of the c that such action could only in disruption of other CCE « zations. Boilermakers’ shop st meeting Wednesday set up . mittee to investigate thre: anonymous letters received t Secretary Pat Conroy, and a that Conroy turned over c report to local police togeth« a list of names of ‘certain yard workers. DANCE at the EMBASSY 1024 Davie OLD TIME: MOI Wed oh Tues., Thurs., Sat.