WINDSOR, Ont.—Ford work.
ers are asking for an $1809
minimum national wage, col-
lective bargaining security as
part of thhe general fight to
raise living standards and win
full employment in Canada.
This square ‘statement of
policy was submitted to a spe-
cial conciliation board sitting
here last week in a last-minute
effort to avoid a strike after
the Ford company’s provoca-
tive _ attitude had compelled
UAW employees to vote for a
strike to win their demands.
The union’s case was pre-
sented by J. IL. Cohen, K-:C.,
who said at the outset that this
was a hearing of national im-
portance. He went on to point
out the problems facing the
Canadian people in the post
war world. He compared the
victorious conclusion of the
War to a swinging door, in
front of which the people of
Canada stood. Z
interested

“They are in
‘knowing which way it will
Swing,” he said, “whether it

will go forward, allowing them
to enter into a postwar world
which they can enjoy, or back-
ward to hit them in the face
with unemployment and simi-
lar ills.”

No sooner did the “Board
open its session than the com-
pany imnrediately tried to nar-
row it down to a discussion of
the minor details involved and
reserved the right for itself not
to participate in any discussion

which the company argued
that the board has no right to
deal with: the fundamental

probiems of jobs, wages, lay-
offs, seniority rights for veter-
ans, reconversion pay and
other similar problems. In fact,
the company argued that the
board has no authority at all.

: Se
AFTER prolonged argument
the board ch airman, Mr.

Justice O’Connor, ‘ruled that
the proceedings would contin-
ue and that the board has no
authority to examine into the
validity of its appointment.
He then invited Mr. Cohen
to proceed with the union’s

submission on all] problems
that are outstanding in the
dispute.

Mr. Cohen outlined the is-
Sues as follows:

@ Jobs
ment;

@ Layoff
pay;

@
pay;

@ Veterans’ seniority;

and full employ-

or reconversion .-

Two weeks vacation with

@ Minimum yearly income;
@® Union shop and check-off.

He invited the company to
take a “reasonable attitude” in
meeting the demand of its em-
ployees and so set an example
for the whole of Canada in this
era of difficult postwar adjust-
ment. By settlement of this
dispute Windsor can redeem

The Auto Workers Want
Security

the days of the
dropper budget for relief recip-
ients” he declared. The city of
Windsor,
industrial areas of the land,
could set an example for the
rest of Canada and redeem its
contribution to the depression
of the 1930’s by announcing
today that the Ford-UAW dis-
pute on full employment,
wages, reconversion pay, vaca-
tions with pay, veterans’ sen-
iority, union shop, and check

“Campbell eye-

GEORGE BURT
Regional Director

one of the greatest /

“who have lived for one .year

prior to enlistment in the
counties of Essex should be
given that seniority standing
and then only if they apply
within 90 days of their dis-
charge, not allowing any time
for a returned man to recuper-
ate or to re-acquaint- himself
with the community or to re-
cover from wounds suffered in
the service of his country.

‘Mr. Cohen accused the com-
pany of neglecting the cause of
the returned man whenever
union proposals were made to
include seniority clauses in the
contract . favoring returned
men. The company’s attitude
always was: “We will leave
that to the law.”

“I brand the proposal of
the company on _ veterans’
seniority as the evil princi-
ple of isolationism. I brand
this prepesal right now as.
an opportunistic attack,” he
said.

It was brought. forward only
last June at a time when lay-
offs were likely.

The proposals of the union
On veterans’ seniority were
placed before a large meeting
of veterans by Regional Direc-
tor George Burt and it was

accepted by them as the best.

proposals they have yet heard
on veterans’ seniority. Mr.
Cohen concluded this point for
the union by challenging the

“company to immediately accept’

.They are willing to cooperate

gests that it is th
ity of the employ*
ernment to guar"
workers at least
minimum income s
above mentioned 3;
cil of $1,800.06. 7
union demands an
imum wage of $1
this board. -

i By OSCAR KOGAN

2
out throwing the burden onto
the workers who cannot afford
to carry that burden. He added
that “it might be better to
waste a little capital or ma-
instead of wasting

chinery, laid. off he shou
human lives.” : $25.00. It is taken
Undex questioning by the pat the demand
company representatives on week would be taki
where he orders are coming sideration of con
from, Mr. Cohen offered to
place long-distance trans-At-
lantic calls at his expense
which could, he said, produce

orders for the Ford of Canada
firm, provide employment for
its present pay-roll strength
and insure workers an ade-
quate income. This would be
contingent upon the company
‘not being fussy” about credit
arrangement.

Mr. Cohen. felt that he could
summarize his remarks about
the responsibility for full em-
ployment in the following
words: “If industry or govern-
ment do not soon find an ans-
wer to the problems of unem-
pleyment, they will have for-
feit the right to solve them.” _

_The UAW position is clear.

help the present Si
Cohen offered, Just.
company would g
cannot afford to
into the profits tha
pany has made duy
years, and prove th
well afford it.

is the submission 4

for regular rest :
workers engaged in
industry as the ]

impossible. They |
for vacation with 7 4
from six work days
days. Those with «
a year to receive § 3
pay and those wit

with all sections of our com-
munity, government, manage-
ment and the public to solve
the main problém facing our
land—JOBS.

ANE of the chief points in the

off had been’ settled agreeably.

The submission brought out
clearly how the company is
trying to avoid responsibility.
It may be recalled that during

the war period the Ford Motor-

Company and like minded com-
panies were extolling the
prowess and ingenuity of man-
agement. During all that time
they were suggesting that they
would be able to take care of
the contingencies ‘of tnemploy-
ment in the post war period.
‘Now when this contingency has
arisen they say “it’s the gov-
ernment’s fault.”

“THE union pointed out that

the company was doing all
it can to use the veterans of
this war as a decisive force
and trying to make it appear
that the company is concerned
with veterans. The arguments
before the present board
brought out the following atti-
tudes. Whereas the union has

been proposing that all veter
ans who have served with the
armed forces or the merchant
marine of Canada or its allies
should
rights from the time
tered the services the company
proposal says that only those

be given seniority.

they en-.

PSE SE IESE SESE IES
ATTEN

RIESE SESE SEAR AE SEES IESEIE

TION

Opened

SESESESESESE ARSE SE

PAGE 10 — PACIFIC ADVOCATE

During Alterations.
The Peoples’ Bookstore Will Be

875 E. Hastings Street
Hastings and Campbell Avenue

IEA

At

two proposals on veterans.
" (a) That all veterans laid
off should immediately be
re-hired with ful] seniority
and that they stay at work
until
(b) A committee of the
union, management and rep-
resentatives. of the leading
veteran organizations exam-
ine the whole problem with
a view to working out a
clause that would be suitable
to all.
There was no reply from the
company on this constructive
proposal.

DEFORE dealing with this

specific problem, Mr. Cohen
pointed out that only the day
before the board started its
sittings the company arbitrar-
ily ‘laid off another 1,650 em-
ployees bringing the total close
to 3,000.

“This board,” Mr. Cohen
stated, “could do no greater
work for the country than to-
night taking action to make
clear that all lay-offs must be
cancelled and~ work must be
found for’ these men. It is up
to the government and indus-
try to fight it out as to who is
responsible for the lack of em-
ployment. ‘The union will not
be a detective agency to seek
jobs, nor will the workers bear
the brunt of this unemploy-
ment.”

On this question he pointed
out the union has long before
the end of this war made sug-
gestions of establishing joint
labor - government __ manage-

ment committees to go into the ©

problem of reconversion which
the company has rejected, A
company with the prestige and
resources that the Ford Motor
Company has could well bear
the cost of reconversion with-

dispute is the matter of

5 Prime

take-home pay. How much “Even such an

money will the workers have Winston Ch
Minister of

gf. R. J. THOMAS
Intl. President U.A.W.

in their pay envelopes every
week? Mr. Cohen placed into
the records a schedule of fig-
ures showing that the average
annual wage of a Ford worker
with three children after all
deductions. at present in vogue
is $1,440.90. :
* He related this figure to one
outlined in a 1944 survey on
the cost of living in Canada
(published by the Toronto
Welfare Council) which con-
tends that a worker in this
class should have left at least
$1,800 annually to adequately

provide for his family.
The union demands an in-
crease of 20 cents an hour

right down the line in order to

meet the cut in the income of

the worker as a result of short-
er time. The union further sug-

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER.

publicly that ther
periods of rest,
years. He said thay
hours of work wow. |
cut down productig

On the question;
pay for work done?
and Sundays, the a
tends that it is sime
tion against workin
days rather than ag.
more money. “If sy ?
vision is enforced)’
“the company will
attention to plarming
so that men. will no *
work on these da 7 a)
established principle
work done on Sw
holidays be paid dou

‘issued €
tion on behalf -
to the company to
in settling the matter
and he suggested —
sides in the dispuay
words set out in a

document. issued

1945, on employment
come, commonly ‘refe
“Mr.- Howe’s White
that the “motto or st
policy today is to a.
a smooth, orderly 4 ;
from the economic ¢
of war to those of j.
will secure the exte ~
Opportunity, welfare, *
curity of the Canadian

Mr. Cohen went on
from ‘this document
“This goal cannot b

by legislation alone,
Single plan. National
tion is needed.” 1

(Continued next {