2 ~ Around the Slipways By Charles Saunders Bert Marcuse, Director Pacific Coast Labor Bureau, is pinch-hitting for Charles Saunders, our regular columnist. THE FLYING SCOTSMAN. 1“ NOT referring to the crack Scotch. railway train but to “Chuck” Saunders, popular president of the Dock and Shipyard Workers’ Union, who is now flying back from Ot- tawa where he presented a brief to ihe special hearings of the National War Labor Board on behalf of the three thous- and members of his union. Probably I shouldn’t have said “his union,’ because the Dock and Shipyard Workers’ Union, like every democratic union, belongs to all its members — and in a very real sense, to their families as well. That is why the Union isn’t Chuck Saunders’ any more than it is Bill Smith’s or Joe Yampol- sky’s or Wong Lee’s. And it’s up to the Joes and Bills and Wongs to keep it functioning democratically. fal Ba about this brief. For one thing, it is concerned with maiters of urgent importance to every shipyard worker. Firstly, it deals with the necessity of guaranteeing to all workers the right to bargain collectively through the union of their own choice. Seems like an obvious thing to grant workers in a free country — but freedom is not a handout. Its something we have to fight for to get and to keep. Then the brief deals with the cost of living. It shows how, as far as the industrial workers are concerned, that the increase in the cost of living is a much more than the government would like to kid the workers into believing. The brief doesn’t only claim that this is so — it proves it! It demands a wage sufficient to provide a decent standard of living for a shipyard worker and his family — and it shows how most of them haven't got such a thing. It also raises other vital issues such as taxation, labor-management production, etc. — all with the purpose of furthering the welfare of the worker Don’t Canadian servicemen like their arettes at a canteen dance. Mind If I Do! the Montreal local of the Internationa smokes as well as the next one, so these pretty memb 1 Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, AFL, distribut Continued Production due to a breakdown of federal concillation machinery. So serious had the situation be- come his week that the Canadian Congress of Labor issued an emer- gency statement declaring that federal action is needed immedi- ately to avert a serious situation. Said the CCL statement> “The conciliation services, Te- stricted by the purely negative pol- icy of the government, have suc- and at the same time aiding in the war effort. How was the brief prepared? It is a result of the co- operation of the Union and the Pacific Coast Labor Bureau. Which means that Chuck Saunders and the writer spent many hours together in working out a strong case for the union. At this point someone always says, “Okay, but why spend the Union’s good money on an outside organization — Saunders and the rest of our executive can draw up a good brief themselves.” Sure they can — but if the writer wanted to have a tooth pulled he’d go toa dentist, or if he wanted to learn more about the work of a rigger he’d go to the union. Similarly, if the union wants to employ statistics in the presentation of a case, or make an economic survey, they go to a specialist in that field. The Bureau does not dis- place the work of a union executive — it merely supplements it through technical assistance. The bosses have always used statistical and economic experts for their purposes — mainly to hoodwink the workers. Why shouldn't labor unions use science on their behalf? Incidentally, the number one rule of the Pacific Coast Labor Bureau is “No work for employers or company unions!” © COOPERATION ESSENTIAL. AUNDERS and I may prepare a brief but without the full- est cooperation from Leary, Dobson and the rest of the executive, the shop stewards and the rank and file of the membership the brief would never be the finished job it should be. But to be frank, cooperation is not always 100 per cent. For example, in April we went after a raise in pay for the 50-cent men. It is, of course, obvious that this is a criminally low wage — especially for a married man. But we wanted to prove it to the government by showing just how these men and their families lived. So questionnaires were dis- tributed to the approximately 500 men concerned. As we expected, and as you probably read, the results revealed shameful conditions. But about half the men who received questionnaires did not bother to fill them out. Why? This attitude plays into the hands of the bosses every time. It is this attitude that helps them to maintain their low wages. Only the Chinese workers gave 100 per cent cooperation— proof that they are fully accepting the responsibilities of union membership. This is part of the spirit which has enabled the poorly-equipped Chinese people to hold off the fascist Japanese for so many years. ceeded only in producing delays where swift solutions were imper- atively necessary. “While labor itself has been sub- jected to rigid controls by the gov- ernment, employers remain free to deny collective bargaining. The inevitable results are the disrup- tion of the war effort and an in- creasing spirit of resentment among Canadian workers. , “The situation is so grave as to call for immediate action. What is needed now is dominion legislation to enforce collective bargaining and union recognition, with effective machinery for end- discrimination and other unfair labor practices.” (7 John Stanton Barrister, Solicitor, Notary 503 Holden Bldg. ES EE. Hastings St. MAr. 5746 A} SHIPYARD WORKERS! | Eat at the Sugar Bowl Cafe NORTH VAN Soviet Women in the War Against Hitlerism 14 Stories, including one about Pavlichenko; 76 Pages — 40c WE CARRY ON 172 Pages — 7dc THE HEROIC DEFENCE OF SEVASTOPOL 128 Pages — 65c UNIVERSAL NEWS 138 East Hastings Tuesday night. The question of 4 production conference among all union mem- bers employed in war industries also came in for discussion from the floor. A motion from Aeronau- tical Lodge 756 asked for the cal- ling of such a conference, and al- though the executive felt that the Council was not in a position to take such a step, several delegates thought the idea a good one. “4 is time this council quit sitting on the fence,’ said a dele- gate. “We should go on the of- fensive, and show the govern- ment that we want a voice in production.” “This is a matter in which we + + HAst. 0240 166 E. Hastings Hastings Steam Baths Vancouver, B.C, Always Open — Expert Masseurs in Attendance ee fu p-m.... 400 and 50c MODERN and OLD-TIME DANCING WEDNESDAY and SATURDAY Wastings Auditorium $28 EH. Hastings MODERATE RENTAL RATES 100% Union House Meet Me at KING’S CAFE for a Square Meal! THE BEST OF FOOD Your Host .. GEORGE DRICOS 212 Carrall Street PAs. ossa, Py = be 4 $2.15 per Gallon PAINT Kralso, 4 tbs. 25¢ Malls’ 156 West Cordova St. Buy now while buying is good ! = TLC Meet Endorse}, Stand Of Fisherme; Stand taken by United Fishermen’s Union on the s~ price pegging order, and the brief which United Fisherme - Native Brotherhood officials presented to Ottawa this were endorsed by Vancouver Trades and Labor Counce must take the initiative,” another delegate. a The advisability of deck company “unfair” even @ trade union affiliated to council is fighting a com emy with the Canadian € of Labor—not & wart them.” “We cocperated on our f passing of the ICA act er on othér matters,” § delegate. ; Trades Council, asking ths ances to dependents of ser convicted and sentenced overseas should be contin Worth End, 2nd Narrows in case of rain, Festi will be held on JULY 4th * Crowning of Midsum Queen Games and Sports for © * S ments; surely we can work A resolution from the — stead of discontinued as 1 at present, was endorsed. §& G = Midsumme! FESTIV/ Seymour Pa Sunday. Jume Music in Pavilion REFRESHMENTS SEE| <<< s | council had organized its* F also came in for comment | al delegates pointed out th § 4