45

Steel Men Discuss

Production Problems

Joint executive of United
-trict 6, acting on a letter from

discussed labor-management committees at their meeting last

week.

Although committees have been
set up in several shops, delegates
believed that as yet many work-
ers were not yet clear on the func-
tions of labor management com-
mittees, and they are to some ex-
tent still looked upon as speed
up committees, while, in the words
of one of the members, “some man-
agers still feel that the workers
will provide the labor and the
bosses will provide the manage-
ment.”

Tendency to allow problems not
directly affecting production to be
brought into the meetings was
mentioned. Grievances which should
properly be handled by shop stew-
ards took up the time of the meect-
ings, sometimes to the exclusion of

production problems, it was stated.

An example was cited of a plant
having no labor-management pro-
duction committee, where recently
three machines affecting seven men

Steelworkers of America, Dis-
Phillip Murray, CIO president,

were shut down for two shifts. It
was felt that this problem could
have been met before necessitating
a shutdown, by re-scheduling shifts,
jhad a production committee been
functioning.

Pacific Bolt, sub-local of 2765, al-
ready has a committee and holds
| monthly meetings with the mansge-
| ment. Several questions that in the
past have affected production in
the plant have already been ironed
out, it was reported.

In Dominion Bridge, where there
is as yet no labor-management com-
mittee as such, a committee of the
union members is studying prob-
lems of a technical nature slowing
up production, and hope to make
arrangements at an early date for
a meeting at which labor and man-~
agement will sit down together and
discuss bottlenecks said to be the
chief obstacle to increased produc-
tion there.

A further meeting will be held on
April 1 to compare notes and make
further plans for extending the
| work of these committees.

Machinists May Sever
Affiliation With AFL

Members of International

vote in April to determine whether to secede from the American
Federation of Labor, local officials of the union stated this week.
The vote will involve 5,000

carries, will divorce all locals of
the union throughout Canada and
the United States from the AF of L.

Officials declared the ballot is
the outcome of a jurisdictional dis-
pute between carpenters and ma-
chinists over assembling and dis-
mantling of machinery. The with-
drawal will not necessitate an af-
filiation with any other labor or-

Association of Machinists will

Vancouver machinists, and it
ganization.

I. V. Sandvigen, business agent
of the union’s Seattle local, said the
vote signified a revolt against “re-
tetionary and undemocratic rule” by

the AFL's executive council.
Some observers believe there is a
strong possibility that the move
will meet with majority approval of
the ITAM’s 700,000 members in Can-

Ban On Communists
Obstacle To Total Wap

PRINCE RUPERT, B.C.—That the ban on the Communist *
Party in Canada is a serious obstacle to total war was em-
phasized in a press release issued by Prince Rupert Communist-
Labor Total War Committee after a conference held here
last week.

“The enthusiasm and organizing
abilities of Communists has speeded
the war effort in every community
irom a uce MUD eL ES EMER in cooperation on the part of labor
states the release. “If the party 544 management. To this end joint
were free to act, speak, and or- jabor-management production com-
ganize publicity their power to aid mittees have been formed in many
the war effort would be multiplied. |industries, with the aim of increas-

“Canada can contribute her full ing production by drawing upon
. ,the workman’s experience. Griev-
share to the cause of victory only snces are a union affair and

through an all-embracing national | should be treated as such.”

ance, no personal or class interest
can justify any hold-up of produc-
tion.

“The heart of national unity is

unity. For all-out war every group
must be convinced that the threat |
of victorious fascism. overshadows |
all other considerations. No griev-|

Problems of food and housing are
paramount in Prince Rupert, the
report continues, and the final solu-
tion can only come about through

fascism. To the cause «
greater
munist-Labor Total War ¢
tee pledges its efforts.”

united effort of all civic, =
and labor bodies,

“There is a smajl minc
unscrupulous business i7
who place profits before th ™
of war,” the release states. 4
standard wages, harmful 1}
conditions, company unions, ©
solute opposition to collecti)
gaining are the impedimen:
people place on national uri

Another dangerous gsrou))
maintained, are the so-call’
cialists,” who “pose the j
of changing the social |
against the winning of thi

“The people of Prince E
the release concludes, “h
ready done much in the war |

achievements the

material, The People press dri

of their own to support but have
turned in $25 and report another
$15 on the way.

In spite of rumors of impending
action returns from the shipyards
are low. Salvage workers, who
had difficulty in raising their quota
last time, rate a cheer for leading
the shipyards in the first ten days
of the drive and issuing their own
booster leaflet preparatory to big-
ger and better returns.

Worth ~ Burrard boosters are
pledged to oversubseribe their quota
by + larger percentage than any
of the other yards, and want a side

ada and United States.

bet with South Burrard, the loser

hats are off to the Ukrainians who have two language papers

Fast Pace Being Set
By Drive Committed

~

: tt : “4902 = ~ BS Se
With Ol Bil and his Shock Brigade setting a fast pace, 5 Alphbbetical tists of 2
and the Victoria committee ‘burning up the wires for more /ers who are due for renew:

ve is off to a good start. Our

to give the winner a set of “Selected
Works’’ Rumor has it that South
Burrard is planning a counter pro-
posal on a more equitable basis.

There’s been big talk around the
shipyards that calls for real per-
formance in the coming week.
(Shelly Rogers, please note.)

Members of committees are asked
to note the following:

1. Every worker in the press
drive is asked’to sell four copies of
The People a week to be followed
up by personal canvassing for subs.
If your local press committee has
not reached you, please get in touch
with the office of The People.

about April 14 will be hung
office this coming week. T
for your guidance. Please ui

8. One free ticket in eve
goes to the seller of dance
If you turned your books :
to the announcement, come
office for your free chanc
bate.

4, Press committees, plea
count of individual drive ©
in your own groups, to de
prize winners at close of d
prizes will be offered for
Individual prizes will be an:
next issue.

5. Beginning next week t
ers in the office will regi
pressure you put into th
Come in and see.

Plea For
Unity Of
AFL-CCL

Resolution urging that the gov-
ernment “use greater influence
within the war councils of the Unit-
ed Nations, to make sure that a real
second land front is opened in
Europe at the earliest possible mo-
ment,’ was unanimously passed at
second annual convention of United
Fish Cannery and Reduction Plant
Workers’ Union last week. Other
resolutions passed unanimously
were:

“That since unity of all workers
is necessary to accomplish a maxi-

mum war effort for the defeat of
Hitlerism, be it resolved that this
convention appeal to leaders of
American Federation of Labor and
Canadian Congress of Labor to do
everything possible to work towards
establishment of one united trade
union movement in Canada.”

“That, whereas it is the desire

of all loyal Canadians, regardless
of parties, classes or creeds to do
their part to ensure the defeat
of the Axis powers as quickly as
possible, and whereas a parliament-
ary committee on Defence of Can-
ada Regulations brought down a

Cannery Unionists In Convention

ce
he

majority report, supported by the
general public, recommending meas-
ures be taken to democratize the
Regulations and restore legality to
labor and farmer organizations in-
| eluding the Communist Party, we
| therefore urge the government to

immediately implement these fre-
commendations on the regulations.”

“That, since the armed forces are
primarily composed of men and
women from the ranks of labor and
therefore the repres@ntatives of
labor are most qualified to repre-

‘sent the interests of these Ty
women, this convention der
‘the government that labor Ti
tatives sit on every SoOvlg
board or council which is:
to deal with the rehabilits
members of the armed f

a