hited Mass Meeting Plans ght Against Unemployment | ove intend to fight as trade unions and not as unemployed organizations,” was the Higing statement “of Harvey Murphy, International Representative of the International :. o Mine, Mill and Smelterworkers, addressing an overflow meeting of warworkers ee 6,000 Vancouverites ; speakers and passed reso- | demanding immediate ac- 4 the authcrities to. meet F sent layoff situation and yl {mass unemployment. Pally was. called under. the ©; of the Joint Shipyard i nee, which comprises 4 CIO - CGL Amagamated ~ and the Aeronautical 4 756-IAM, representing < er’s many aircraft work- @ 1eeting, under the chair- si} of W. L. White, presi- | the Boilermakers and -ipbuilders Local No... 1. = a resolution which is teassembly of the Do- -Provineial Conferetice, abor and management “ntation, te devise an -ate program to assure | ment to displaced war ¥ \. special session of the “ial Legislature to hear -ort of the Rehabilita- | nmittee, encourage pre- ‘/lustry, and aguneh new i v es, » ne months severance » each year worked to d war workers dur- reconversion pericd. nmediate adoption of i0ur week with no re- inthe “worker’s’ take- = ay. ’ Murphy, addressing ‘ing, reminded the crowd workers won the war fascism and intend ‘to fruits of victory. ‘The of world democracy aaity to win the war and e the perspectives of _t their conferences,” | urphy, “Either we have security, or we face F -t of another war.” _¥ pointed out that. the ll drift toward war un- unity which won the the Allies is maintained, “zalled for similar meet- | layoffs across the na- e indicated that Can- ubor organizations .are fF nough to build a power- nization to prevent lay- ed assure full employ- stated that what is in this country is a re- of the hours of work maintenance of pres- standards. “The de: £ the labor movement g-Over pay is not a re- san,” Murphy pointed is necessary if we are waste Canadian labor.” G there is a shambles Ae, and starvation in 1 Europe. These repre- ‘kets. We can work with zeal to build-the peace hhown to win the war.” iY urged the workers not . town, but to stay and izether for decent wages s their trade unions. He hat the B.C. Federation =" convention has already ibor’s position before the tent. ‘ory is not for a few, the stands and covering part of the infield at Capilano Stadium on Sunday last, must be a people’s peace, ” Mur- phy concluded. : SHOCK DECISION Charles Caron, secretary of the Boilermakers pointed out that the unions had not been aware that mass layoffs were contemplated, but it took the government just one hour to de- cide that the ship builders’ con- tracts were to be cancelled. He stated (that ‘the unions had maintained a responsible atti-' tude during the war, even though many times they were under pro- vocation. He said that a plan was needed to utilize’ the pro- ductive capacity of the province, and ‘reiterated the’ demand for a shorter work “week with no reduction in take-home pay. He outlined ‘that the Dominion- Provincial Conference had ad- vaneed no concrete proposals to meet the demands of the recon- version period and demamded that labor be’ consulted and the conference be reconvened to discusS reconversion and . con- tinued employment. “ There has been too much talk aiready,” stated Caron, ‘and now. the workers demand action.” UNION VETERAN UNITY Jack Henderson, President of the Pacific Command of the Ca- nadian Legion, and Henry Holmes, chairman of the: New Veterans’ Association addressed the meeting and called for unity between trade unionists and vet- erans. Henderson recalled the soup kitchens of the hungry thirties and called for a better deal for veterans. Holmes call- ed for labor-veteran-citizen unity to meet the stern realities of the bread and butter fight “or our victoify may be lost.” Bill White, chairing the meet- ing, protested the mass termina- tion of workers in war industries and demanded means be found to l'avoid mass unemployment as the result of cancellation of war |’ contracts. He pointed out that contrary to promises, thousands of workers had received termina- tion notice before V-J Day, and stated that there has been no plan advanced by the federal or other governments to meet the situation. “Labor is proud of the job it has done m _ wartime,” comment- ed White, “and has no inten- tion to return to the thirties.” He levelled his fire at Mayor Jack Loutet.-of North Vancou- ver, and Mayor John Cornett of Vancouver for their refusal to attend the meeting, and indicat- Jed that it was a reflection of | their attitude toward: the plight confronting the workers. A continuations committee was formed at the meeting to carry forward the proposals passed in the resolution, and take further action in meeting the layoff situation. Statement streams damaged by logging op- erations. @ 40 HOUR WORK WEEK. The provincial legislature should take steps to press for in- auguration of the 40 hour work week without. reduction. in pay as an important postwar meas- ure. The reduction in working hours would provide more jobs and correspond to the technolo- gical developments in Ganadian industry during the war. @ PROTECT THE WORKER DURING THE PERIOD OF RE: CONVERSION: The - Provincial Legislature must move immediately to en- sure that adequate protection is provided, for the worker during the present difficult period. (a) | Steps should be taken to see that the worker and his family do not suffer hardships during the period of enforced unemploy- ment. The demand raised by or- ganized labor for one month’s Severance pay for each year worked .should be supported. Steps should also be taken to see that the savings portion of the income tax be made avail- able where needed. (b) The transfer of workers from one industry to another should be done with full consideration of the workers qualifications and and without lowering of incomes or breaking down of trade union organization. “{~ Ce) The provincial legisla- people’s Victory, and BPN OCATE PAGE 3 “ture. “must also press for the training; his personal problems;. exercise of greater control in layoffs. As much as possible an attempt should be made to strike a balance so that’ where lay-offs) are threatened that workers are laid off in pre-’ portion to the opening up of available. and suitable jobs. Mass layoffs are ‘favorable to the big employer, who, finding 2a fleod of labor on the market seeks to take advantage of the situation by lowering wages and attacking labor organiza- tions. ‘ The Labor-Progressive Party puts forward these proposals for immediate action. In our opinion action by our legislature along the above lines is essential to meet the rising level’ of unem- ployment and to re-establish the thousands of service men who are returning home. The fight- ers on the production and bat- tle fronts have acquitted them- selves well. We owe it to them to see that everything possible is done to create conditions for their readjustment into an ex- panding peace time economy. This letter is written to you, Premier Hart, because'«the re- sponsibility’ for action’ in this situation is in the hands of your government. Organized labor has already asked that the legis- lature be. convened. All -public- spirited citizens: join im that re-- quest. This is no time for pro- |: erastination—it is “time for ACTION! SLUM CLEARANCE AND BOW-RENT HOUSING PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, _ COMMUNITY CENTRES POSTWAR PROJECTS CANADIANS THINK MOST IMPORTANT IN NIMERONING THE COUNTRY AND FADING JOBS RURAL ELECTRIFICATION fr 37% nonns [S| EN 33.7% Ty) zzz 30% ‘REFORESTATION AjA=e 2% me SOIL IMPROVEMENT Ga A EE 25% . RESULTS OF A RECENT SURVEY. PERCENTAGES ADD TO MORE THAN 100% BECAUSE PEOPLE GAVE MORE THAN'ONE ANSWER 8. b B-