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PACIFIC ADVOCATE

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PEOPLE’S VOICE FOR PROGRESS

Published every Saturday by The People Publishing Com-
Pany, Room 104, Shelly Building, 119 West Pender Street,
Vancouver,’ British Columbia and printed at East End
Printers, 2303 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, British
Columbia. Subscription Rates: One year $2; six months $1.

Editor Phone
Cc. A. SAUNDERS MA rine 5288

Union Security

T HE labor movement of today is a vastly different
force to that which faced the problems of the
last war. It has grown in strength and stature; it has
become integrated with all of the major problems of
the country. It has become a political as well as
economic force. It no longer has to stand for the
pushing around it has been subjected to hitherto.

Labor speaks today with the voice of the
majority of the industrial workers of the nation. It
embraces within its ranks the largest force of organ-
ized people in the nation. ,

It has put its foot on the first rungs of legislat-
ive protection and has the strength to go further.

The present nationwide attack on organized
labor fully expresses the fear of those reactionary
elements who see in a strong and, unified labor
movement the end to their hopes of a return to the
“palmy” days of the hungry ‘thirties.

All across the country the attack is centered
against the attainment of any kind of union
security.

Along with the present attack on the shipyard
unions on the coast, a vicious attack has been
opened up against the UAW in Ontario.

The Automobile Workers are interested’ in
postwar plans for their industry; they want jobs, not
breadlines; they realize that economic security for
the workers means job security and job security
depends on union security.

The employers, spearheaded by Ford, notori-
ous opponents of organized labor, are trying to force
the signing of the equivalent of ‘a company union
agreement on the workers.

The UAW is forced to take a firm stand to
preserve their union.

Ford’s have offered to sign an agreement they
balked at renewing while the war was on. Now that
the war is over and the conditions are no longer the
same, they introduce this offer while a conciliator
is endeavoring to make a settlement.

The workers are determined to
and will take a strike vote if the findings of the
conciliator are unsatisfactory.

The whole future of the people of Canada is
ound up with the present struggle of labor to main-
tain its organizations. The attack on the trade
unions is preliminary to wage cutting. The object-
ive super-profit at the expense of the workers.

The struggle of the auto-workers in Ontario for
union security, the attacks on the closed shop ship-
yard workers of B.C., and the adamant stand of em-
ployers, represented by the CMA against granting
any form of union security, are part of a pattern of
union busting let loose with the defeat of Germany.
It is the fight of all organized labor and calls im-
peratively for united action if organized labor is to
hold and extend its strength.and influence.

PAGE 4 — PACIFIC ADVOCATE

“most efficiently along these

make a fight .

| In P assing By C. A. Saunders

d eee reply carried in the CCF News last week

to the LLP resolution calling for labor unity
and electoral agreements in the coming provin-
cial elections demonstrates no departure from
the position taken previous
to the elections.

The' article is the usual
red-baiting blast against
the Laber-Progressive party,
with no attempt to analyze,
as a serious workers’ party
must do, in terms of what it
meant to the workers as a
whole. The whole article be-
trays the fact that the CCF
leadership have not as yet
learned the lessons of the
last elections. In fact, if one
is to judge by the reports of
the recent meeting of the
Provincial Committee of the
CCF in Vancouver, the sub-
ject of Labor unity was not even on the agenda.

How a major party purporting to serve the
interests of the workers can ignore a question
that is being freely discussed, among workers
on the job and everywhere that workers get
together, is a mystery.

Their reaction is well expressed by the
well-known “Marxist” George “weasel” Weaver
who refers to the LPP appeal for labor unity
as unmitigated gall. His statement that the LPP
threw ten seats to the “capitalists” rather than
let the CCF have them totally ignores the fact
that the LPP appealed for unity and electoral
agreements for months before the elections. The
fact is of course that the CCF threw their own
chances away and contributed ttc the defeat of
labor by their outright refusal to cooperate
with anyone.

If they continue to follow that path they will

inevitably find themselves bucking the stream,-

for the .demand for labor unity is growing in
the face of the dire necessity of all progressive
forces to unite to stem the rising tide of reaction.

Around Town  »y cynthia carte

LAST week Labor-Progressive party members in

Vancouver, having decided that the time had -

come to get down to brass tacks on civic issues,

got together and formed a Vancouver LPP City _

Committee, whose task it will be to take a lead
in campaigns for housing,
better civic services, and to
organize work of LPPers

lines.

The idea of LPP members
taking an active part in
civie affairs, of course, is no
innovation. Being among the
best informed members of
each community, LPP men
and women have played an
active role in almost every
progressive campaign org-
anized here. They may not
have been acting as official

representatives of their party—sometimes they
just. joined in as ordinary citizens who wanted
to help get a job done—but you could always
find them around when a group of citizens were
rolling up their sleeves to tackle 4 local problem.

Sa

Take the housing crisis, for example. More
than a year ago, when the problem was very
much smaller than it is now, a group of people
formed a committee to campaign for building of
5,000 homes immediately.
chairman to fepresent them before the city
council they chose an LPP member—not because
of his party affiliation, but just because he was

N every country of Liberated ]
communists are a part of the
structed governments, and whereve
have been held communists have be
in large numbers to form part of 1
ments.. In every case unity has bee
a working unity between leftwing f¢
this is the secret of the rising ase

the workers in those countries.

In Norway the newly construct
ment, in which labor has the majo
seats, includes two members of the
party in the cabinet with the full. ;
the Labor party. The French Soci
working in close harmony with t
communists ard this is also the cas
while in Czechoslovakia a working
has been reached between the thre
parties, the Social-Democrats, the
and the Communists, by which each
identity. and autonomy but work to
specifie questions of mutual interest.

This is the hope of the people |
and a splitting of forces could onl
disaster at this time when.the forces «
are still struggling to retain a hold.

And the people of Canada face:
situation in which reaction has alre
tremeridous gains, mostly as a result -o
in the progressive vote, which in tu
directly from the refusal of the CCF
to cooperate with anybody.

The workers of Canada are beginr
the effects of this blind policy; the di
labor unity is growing.

The CCF eannot ignore it, nor
they solve the problem by abusing ¢
Progressive party when it puts for.
quest that expresses the wishes and |
the workers. It may be embarrassii
must be faced and a solution found; tk
are demanding it.

the corner store making arrangements
fare officers to find the family
accommodation.

When houseboat tenants were ordere
Denman Street docks, it was a comm:
a West End LPP club who came to t
organized a committee to visit Buscon
home, and finally gained the house’
month’s extension in which to find nev

APART from housing, LPP members :

ported campaigns for day nurseries
grounds, and in Grandview, LPP mem.
in leadership of the famous “Stifle th!
committee which fought to elear Eas?:
of odors from the Burns Packing Plai

In the fight to broaden civic franch:
Ruddell, LPP member, worked tireless
suade the city council that the people:
change. Bearding the aldermen in 1
Ruddell made a statement which:
chuckles from the press table and blu:
council members. :

“If the city charter denies citizens
then the charter must be changed,” he ve

And now,-Elgin Ruddel has been cho;
man of the LPP city committee, and
the choice is a wise one. Elgin has a bror
edge of civic affairs, and his ¢heerful
familiar sight at council meetings. Yo
Sure that when the council tries to turn.
mands for a housing plan away with’
“technicalities,” Elgin will smile blar
declare, “then the technicalities musi!
moved.” ;

Working with Elgin and other LPP |
will be Vi MacCrae, who has been give |
portant post of organizer for the city
tee. Those who know Vi have confide
she will lead the committee well, and di
her years of experience gained while we
the progressive movement. Vi is small:
with dark eyes, an upswept hairdo, ani
petual smile. She’s done practically ¢@
their is to do around a progressive nm)
from bookkeeping in a provincial officel
movement work and editing of a union ;
__No, there’s no doubt about it. Whe
like Vi and Elgin and the rest of the !:
committee members get to work, rest
follow. Keep your eye on the LPP @
mittee! : i)

SATURDAY, JULY,