PACIFIC ADVOCATE PEOPLE’S VOICE FOR PROGRESS 1, No. 18 “Se 5 Cents VANCOUVER, B.C, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1945 | VICTORIA, B.C.—This e mem and women of the |} Federation of Labor’s legis- 2 lobby had received just y hours earlier, the final re- /ot their Federation officers ae agreement with the gov- jent. They had won a sig- lant and far-reaching vic- | and there was jubilation ‘1 with a strong sense of : in the strength of organ- labor properly directed. tr three days they had seen legislative program of or- ved labor brought to a posi- oi first importance in the rs of the provincial goy- fent, even overshadowing vringing down of the budget. ag Monday and Tuesday had crowded the legislative ‘ings from morning until hey had approached this ' business of lobbying not the timre-dishonored way of horse trade or the ward- ‘ing politician, but as citi- S Seelang a square deal nu their parliamentary re- sentatives, citizens whose n concern was for the wel- ‘ of their communities first, | trade unionism second. when they were through, 7 left behind them thought- faces and a new respect for | dienify and influence of amzed labor. FIDENCE bors legislative tobby offi- : got under way Sunday af- yon in the Victoria Boiler- rs’ Hall, where the‘! 174 edited delegates from every t B.C. union and from tS as far away as Trail, serléy and Cranbrook made ' decisions on the conduct Wionday’s lobby. ‘he thing Struck you about that con— 1cé was the feeling of utter nion Leaders Express atistaction With eport Of Delegation : ~ -. By AL PARKIN is being written on Tuesday it at the end of a three-day demonstration of the power effectiveness of labor unity and labor political action tout parallel in British Columbia’s trade union history. confidence. and they knew it; their program Was correct and they felt no one could deny it. That confidence was carried through the mass rally of union- ists held that night in the York Theater, one of the biggest labor gatherings Victoria has had in recent years. By *Monday night, after or- ganizing themselves that morn- jing into twelve separate groups under group captains and later interviewing eyery member of the House, they were sure of themselves. It was not possible vight then to get a full report en the replies of all the MILA’s, but this much they knew—a majority favored their legisla- tive demands and the govern- ment was reported much con- cerned. -One group reported that MaLA’s Paton and Green were the only ones openly opposed. “And what can you expect from two old-line Tories?” a de- legate remarked. : COALITION CAUCUS Then came the news that the Coalition caucus would meet leaders of the delegation that mght. At ten o’clock they gath- ered again at the Boilermakers’ Hall for a report. It was given by Federdtion officers—Daniel O’Brien, Harold Pritchett, Har- vey Murphy and Alex McKen- zie—and its import was: “Were going to win. Weve started something big: and it’s going to get bigger.” There was some humor in Fed- eration vice-president McKenzie’s report. “T was telling the caucus about labor’s attitude toward the em- ployers’ brief,” he said, “and I —Continued on Page 8 They were strong BY SUCCESSFUI Govt. Committee With Labor Representation To. Consider Union Demands © VICTORIA, B.C —(Special)—The B.C. Federation of Labor’s 174-mem- ber labor lobby, representing 60,000 CCL unionists plus affiliated unions of the AFL Victoria Trades and Labor Council, this week won a smashing victory exceeding in importance the 1943 améndments to the ICA Act when the Hart government agreed to establish a special government-labor committee which will consider all matters of provincial labor legislation Moves toward formation zation as proposed by. CIO Delegate Sidney Hillman were accelerated by the decisions of the Big Three Crimea Con- Above, Dr. Somerville-Hastings, London County Council chairman, greets delegates from 35 countries. ference. and “will make recommenda- tions regarding -changes in existing labor orders.’ Considered a striking suc- cess for non-partisan labor political action, the govern- ment’s recognition of labor's legislative demands came after two days of intensive lobby- ing in corridors and offices of the Parliament Buildings by a delegation which even the commercial press conceded to be the most powerful and represen- tative ever assembled. DIRECT PARTICIPATION Special significance is at- tached to the fact that organ- ¢ |ized labor will nominate its own representatives to the labor committee to be formed, the first ‘time in provincial history that the trade unions have been invited to take a direct part in drawing up labor tegislation. This important policy was clear- ly enunciated in the govern- ment’s statement to the labor men Tuesday afternoon, and later repeated in a statement signed by Minister of MWabor George S$. Pearson, which de- clared: - “The Hon. George S. Pearson this aiternoon advised dele- gates making representation to the government on behalf of all B.C. labor unions, that imme- of a new world labor organi- Steelworkers’ Vote Refutes Partisanship HAMILTON, Ont.—Unofficial figures show that a tre- mendous vote was cast against the partisan policies of the Millard leadership in the recent ballotine by Canadian steel workers to elect a national director. “The results of the elections are not yet fully known,” points out Peter Dunlop, official repre- sentative of George MacNeil, candidate for national director in the recent steel election. “Winall figures will not be avail- able until seeased from Pitts-! burg, the head office of the steel | union. | “However, the unofficial re- ports I have received from members of respective local un- ions indicate a tremendous vote cast against the partisanship policies of Millard and for the constructive program of Mac- Weil and MeLure.”’ Mr. Dunlop pointed out that unofficial figures show that in diately upon arising of the House,*he would ask the yarious labor groups to nominate mem- bers to a joint labor union-de- partment of labor committee for the purpose of considerine all matters submitted to the gov- ernment through labor union briefs, and for the purpose of dealing as far as possible with: 1) matters which do not reauire actual legislation; (2) to make representations to the govern- ment for changes in labor legis- = lation at the next session of the Sydney, Nova Seotia, CGanada’s|House; and (3) to consider re= largest steel center, MacNeil re-|COmmendations to the Dominion eeived 1418 votes as against 137|$overmment regarding changes for Millard. Other unofficial re-|im existing federal labor orders.” sults from large steel centers|POSSIBLY PERMANENT also show a decisive yote against} J, discussing the abeue wet Millard policies. ters, Mr. Pearson made it clear Some of them follow: to the delegation that the 10- Millard MacNeil |point legislative brief presented Oshawa —__ 110 698 by the BCFIL contained six irention 2 164 427 points which did not require new Genera! Steel legislation and could be dealt Wares, Toronto 200 350 with by recommendations to the the Tribune, various boards and agencies con- “Tt is hoped,” Mr. Dunlop said|cerned. An exemple, he said, “Tt is hoped,” Mr. Dunlop told|would be the requests for the Tribune, “that whoever will|changes in the Compensation finally win the election will not|Act which could be taken direct- —Continued on Page 8 —Continued on Page 8