= 5» Cents VANCOUVER, B.C:, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1945 Refusal of Machinists’ owler’s ruling to free,” compelled his “retire- nt” from this week’s meet- of the Vancouver Trades and vor Council (AFL). thowler made the “sit down or ire? ruling during discussion an executive report on the © legislative lobby, arranged Friday of this week, which fny delegates felt should have m made a joint affair with 4 unions who are participat- in “Labor’s Legislative Lob-} | on Monday of next week, also Victoria. ‘roposals for amendments to ' federal wage control order, orted by council secretary R. Gervin for a special commit- set up during consideration the BCER dispute at the last Wary meeting, were adopted the delegates, who defeated fove led by Irving to ‘up the ®” on the proposal for increase m 35 cents to 50 cents an hour tional minimum wage. Irvy- *s amendment to make the imum wage 65 cents was de- ted after Gervin and many br delegates pointed out that inmerease to 50 cents would an a big gain to organized la- ‘throughout the Dominion and § im line with the unanimous- agreed on position of last Vs Trades and Labor Gon- ‘SS of Canada convention. CISION CRITICIZED Valliam Rigby, Fishermen’s ton delegate, criticized the de- On of the executive to hold i legislative lobby separate- from other labor groups. i feel very disappointed,” he , that we are displaying to ae a deplorable lack of xy in the ranks of organized or in bringing the maximum pressure on the government.” igby referred to the effec- mess of the joint lobby of |= L and CCL two years .ago ch, he said, got such good re- fot Debate Preceaes LC Decision To See ‘cabinet Separately delegate J. H. Irving, CCF ididate in the 1943 civic elections, to obey President Birt “Sit down” ainst CCL and CIO whom he labelled “‘rotten to the highest and cease a vicious tirade sults and which he was sure no union regrets haying partici- pated‘in. He asserted that he had noted with pleasure through the press that the €Ci had pub- licly endorsed the TLC brief to the cabinet and asked why the TLG should not take advantage of the opportunity to more ef- fectively press their demands. Rigby’s attempt to introduce a motion instructing council of- ficers to join in next week’s lobby was ruled out of order by President Showler who gave as his reason that the council was not “affiliating with a dual or- ganization.” The Fishermen’s delegate later in the discussion announced that he was not chal- lenginge the ruling in the inter- ests of unity, but said he dis- agreed with it In view of the fact that in Wictoria the TLC there was sponsoring a mass rally on Sunday jointly with the €CL council to back up Monday’s lobby, and that in the state of Washington both AFL and CLO were cooperating in a joint la- bor lobby with outstanding re- sults. {EMPLOYER OPPOSITION Street Railwaymen’s delegate Gregory also supported the idea lof cooperation and pointed out that the list of organized em- ployers opposing labor’s demands was headed by the “company street railwaymen work for,’ and that the employers had not hesitated to unite against labor. He also stressed that the joint lobby of two years ago had achieved “an act which was a eredit to the organized labor movement of this province,” and said the street railwaymen be- lieved that joint representations would be more effective. Aeronautical Lodge 756 dele- gate Baird stated that his union’s membership also supported joint —Continued on Page 8 OVT. BILL STEP FORWARD Power Commission Will Significant step toward the goal, Develop Hydro - Electric Resources In Province ‘essential to B. C. postwar industrial de- velopment, of public ownership of hydro-electric power resources was taken in the provincial legislature this week when Premier John Hart introduced a bill authorizing formation of a three-man electric power commission which can take over any privately-operated power unit, necessary. President Roosevelt and | Premier Joseph Stalin talk things over in the grounds oe Livadia Palace following the Yalta Conference. Labor Lobby To Hit Victoria In Full Force More than 200 unionists, representative of thousands of APL and CCL workers in B.C., will invade the precincts of the provincial legislature on Monday of next week as “Labor's Legislative Lobby”’ swings into large scale action to impress lawmakers with the necessity and wisdom of granting organ- ized labor’s demands for changes in labor laws. Meeting in conference on Sun- day afternoon to lay final plans for the monster lobby, the dele- gates will be guests at a mass rally in the evening sponsored jointly by the Victoria Trades and Labor Council (AFL) and the Victoria Labor Council (GCL). The rally. symbolizing the common demands of all or- ganized labor in B.C.. will pro- Vide a mass sendoff to the con- ference delegates. MASS RALLY The conference, initiated by the B.C. Federation of lMLabor (CCL). will be attended by all BCEFEL officers. some of whom have been invited to speak later at the mass rally. The lobby which will be in- augurated on Monday will pre- sent labor’s demands directly to legislators and attempt to se- cure agreement and a statement of position from each one. Gheck- up on such statements will be maintained by the full watching brief which BCFL officers will continue throughout the present session Major demands of the lobby will be for legislative provision for inclusion of union shop and checkoff clauses in agreements. These points are being actively cpposed by a well-organized lobby of employers led by several reactionary interests who have already presented a lengthy brief. Labor delegates will represent all branches of industrial activity in the province. by expropriation if The bill also authorizes the commission to construct new power units and operate them, as well as distribute the elec- tricity where provincial goy- ernment action is necessary. FURTHER EXPANSION The projected scheme, mod- elled after Ontario’s public hydre system, provides for a $10,000,000 beginning for public ownership of power in the prevince, but the premier spoke of possible “further ex- pansion” -and “consequent future increases of this amount. While action on the major is- sue of taking over such under- takings as the B@Hlectric, key to large seale maintenance and ex- pansion of secondary manufac- turing industries, was not touch- ed on by the Premier, it was ebvious that, by introducing a bill with such sweeping powers, a lead had been given to all sec- tions of the public interested in such action that concerted pres- sure on their, part would enable the Liberal elements to over- come the known Tory opposition. © The power commission pro- posal follows the Premier’s an- nounced legislative program for 1945 whith ineludes several pro- gressive measures involving edu- cation. highway construction, as- sistance to farmers and hospital construction. OTHER LEGISLATION The proposals regarding edu- cation were especially welcome, involving increased teachers’ Salaries, major university build- ing program and establishment of new faculties at UBC. Failure of the government to announce action on amendments to labor legislation, requested by organized labor, is being tackled by the B. C. unions who are faced with reactionary employer op- position with strings obviously leading to elements within the cabinet itself. No group in the legislature has as yet raised the two major is- sues of public ownership of the BGEleectrie and labor legislation improvements, on both of which the government has failed to take necessary action.