) Seamen Ask
Wage Review

- an editorial in the ‘“Search-
light,” official ergan of the Can-
adian Seamen’s Union, draws
attention to the need for a re-
view of the basic wage rates
applying to merchant seamen.

The editorial points out that
the question of a basic wage rate
for Canadian seamen is vital in
any post-war program for mer
chant seamen.

“The fact is,” the editorial
continued, “that the bonus and
current pay taken together now
comprise no more than a mini-.
mum living wage. If the bonus
-were wiped out at the close of
the war, seamen would be left
in the worst kind of way.”

Stating that the placing of
seamen in an “economic spot”
will not fit into an expanding
postwar economy, the editorial
says that the only kind of econ-
omy that will mean jobs for all
and thriving business is a post-
war expanding economy.

The editorial warns of the
dangers in the sudden shrinkage
of the buying power of essential
groups of workers, pointing out
that this is entirely out of line
with practical postwar policies.
“Such oceurrences would inevit-
ably affect the jobs of many
* others and tend to push every-
one back to the set-up of the
bleak £30’s’.” ;

“To the shipping industry,”

FERGUS McKEAN

Union Fights
Predjudice

A reversal of the attitude of
the Halifax Manning Pool to
Negro ratings, and the obtaining
of entry »}of Donald Pilgrim,
Negro seaman, into the pool un-
der long term agreement was

‘obtained by the Canadian Sea-
men’s Union.

The dispute arose when Pil-
grim protested that other sea-
men, registered with the pool
after he had, were shipped out
and he felt that he was the ob-
ject of a discriminatory atti-
tude on the part of the Pool
officials.

the editorial continues, “re-
moval of the War. Risk Bonus
could only bring. chaos. Much
of «<the . technical . experience
upon which the industry is
based would be lost since large
numbers of the most highly

- skilled seamen would. look
elsewhere for wages sufficient
to support themselves and
families.”

In conclusion it is pointed out

that an efficient merchant mar- |

ine will be a prime factor for the
handling of the tremendous ex-
port trade Canadians must have
in the postwar, and it is stated
that the union advises maritime
unions that minimum wages, and
bonus questions, should be work-
ed out on an international scale.

The issue was forced when the
union official in charge of the
case demanded that Pilgrim be
placed on -Jong term agreement
and shipped in rotation. The
union official informed the Pool
authorities that unless this re-
| quest were granted, the union
would take the question to Otta-
wa and the Pool officials would
be held responsible for diserim-
ination.

-Shortly after the demand was
made, the Pool contacted the
union representative and =  in-
formed him that Ottawa had in
structed that if Pilgrim were a
Canadian or could prove legal
entry into Canada he would be
given a long-term agreement
and shipped in rotation.

Labor Council

Dalskog for signing their names
te an LPP election advertisement
was later withdrawn in favor of
an amendment by Delegate Fred
McNeil which asked the council
officers to issue a public state-
ment declaring. their names were
subscribed as individuals, not as
officers of the council.

But the amendment was not
approved before: the meeting had
been treated to the usual wild

charges from members of the
Steel “bloc,” and before President

Leary had taken the floor in a

epirited defense of his action.
Despite noisy

from the floor, Leary emphasized

that there was tno intention on

the part.of any of the officers to
ereate the impression that the
Vancouver Labor Couneil favor
any political party. .
“T have been, and will remain,
one of the staunchest supporters
of non-partisan political action, as
all of the delegates know,” Leary
asserted. “I signed my name to
that advertisement as an indivi-
dual who supports the LPP, and
as long as I am president of this

interruptions

council, I believe I have the right
to append my title to my name
at any time I wish. No one tried
to prevent Rowe Holland, run-
ning as a Liberal candidate, from
using his title as chairman of
the parks board during the elec-
tion campaign.” |
ONE MAN CARS

‘Council approved a resolution

condemning the use of one-man
cars after hearing Delegate Stan

Woolgar of the Shipwrights,
Caulkers .and Joiners Union
sharply criticize the BCElec-

tric’s. attempt to confuse the pub-
lic on the comparative safety of
one and two-men cars.
“There’s no doubt that one man
cars are more dangerous,” Wool-
gar said. “The company is using
weasel words to confuse the is-

sue, and they should be fought
by the entire labor movement.”

Harold Pritchett, reporting for
the BCFederation of Labor, sta-
ted the Federation was now mak-
ing plans for its second annual
convention, to be held in the

The Road Ahead vine,

In the Quebec elections only one labor man was elected, in New Bri
wick none; in Alberta one; in the Ontario election CCF representation dr}
ped from 34 to 6. While Saskatchewan has a CCF government, it is. dou.
ful if there is a single trade unionist among those elected. Saskatchev§
is predominantly an agrarian province. ea

In the federal election the picture is the same. ‘Not a single labor re
resentative was elected from Canada’s greatest ‘industrial province, Onif
io. The CCF elected one from the coal fields of Nova Scotia and two fry
Winnipeg. The LPP elected one from industrial Montreal. Most of 3
other 23 CCF members elected were from. the agrarian areas of Sask
chewan and Manitoba. 4

ul

andidates of labor? The ans:
he CCF leadership to datef
nts to avoid splitting }
ly for the CCF but

Why these repeated defeats for the
is very obvious. .The absolute refusal of t
even discuss the question of electoral agreeme
labor vote has had disastrous consequences, not on
labor as a whole. :

Far from entering into any electoral agreements in ‘order to set
labor representation, the CCF leadership concentrated its main effort:
securing the defeat of the candidates of the LPP where they had,the |
chance of election.

i

In Toronto Spadina and Toronto Trinity they first conducted a vic§
red baiting campaign to secure the defeat of Tim Buck and Sam Carr, {
when that did not appear to be sufficient advised their supporters to, §
Liberal. ss SS

B.C. offers the best example of the disastrous results of the «}
unity policy of the CCF leadership. The CCF leadership concentrated ©
main efforts on the defeat of Tom McEwen in the Yukon and Nigel Mo
in Comox-Alberni. Here again the basis of the CCF campaign was
baiting which was then taken up and used by the Tories. The net result
the election of the Tory candidates. : = 25

FPS

On the other hand, the lack of electoral agreements définitely los |
CCF themselves the seats of Kamloops, Nanaimo, New Westminster, |
couver Centre, Vancouver North and very probably lost them Vaner
Burrard, Victoria and Yale. _

In other words the refusal by the CCF leadership.to even discuss.
toral agreements to avoid any split in the labor vote as proposed ‘time |
again by the LPP rabbed B.C. labor of the opportunity of .securing 104
tional representatives in Canada’s next parliament.

Electoral agreement not to oppose each others’ candidates could f
resulted in B.C. labor taking 15 out of 17 seats in B.C.*and the Yuk
LPP and 13 CCF, and possibly even 16. Instead of that B.C. and the ¥ J
will be represented by seven Tories, one independent Tory, four Lik
four CCF, and one independent CCF. J

The outstanding lesson of the election returns in B.C. is the ould
result for labor of the anti-unity policy of the CCF leadership. _ t

However the Labor-Progresive party emerged from the election c@
of Canada’s major political parties: with 105,000 supporters casting
ballots for the 68 candidates nominated. The extent of the support <®
for LPP candidates in B.C. and the Yukon was particularly gratifyi §

dates, although four constituencies were not contested. Strongest shf

was in the Yukon and Comox-Alberni where Tom McEwen and Nigel}
gan polled 33 percent and 28 percent of the vote respectively. #

Substantial- votes were also rolled up in Skeena, Kootenay East J
couver East, Vancouver North, Vancouver Centre, and Nanaimo. _

It is essential that B.C. labor achieve that degree of unity necess
the struggle to advance labor’s interests in the political field during t#
of the present parliament and that before another: election is held:

early fall.

PAGE 6 — PACIFIC: ADVOCATE

unity becomes an accomplished fact.—Fergus McKean.
“SATURDAY, JUNE