_ EOPLE’S VOICE FOR PROGRESS

eS
SOUVER, B.C., SATURDAY, SEPT. 22, 1945

5 Cents

«tr, LPP National Organizer, congratulates Nigel
his election as B.C. Provincial Leader.

anding Unionist

ad To Lead LPP

3

-Aorgan, one of Canada’s leading trade union
2 new provincial leader of the Labor-Progressive
ed to his new post in the third day of the LPP
nvention by the unanimous standing vote of
gates in attendance, the man who led the cam-
le the open shop in
\bia’s great lumber

: au position for some two weeks due
assume, within 4] to previous commitments in the
e job of leading |TWwa, Morgan later told PA in
mist movement tO/, special interview, that he
“in labor’s fight for| would immediately request the
urity in the post-| B.C. District Council of the IWA
for release as Canadian interna-
tional board member of the
union, to take effect on Septem-
ber 30., 7

“I want to make clear to all
IWA members that my new job,
far from removing me from par-
ticipation in the union, will ac-
ttally -permit me to serve their
interests in a much broader
field,’ Morgan stated.

He made it plain that he in-
tends to continue as. an active
union member fulfilling his .re-
sponsibilities as vice president
of IWA Local 1-71 and main-
taining the many contacts made
during his years of service to
the union.

NATIVE SON
A native of B.C., with experi-

“to -the post by
sett, who as district
-the International
- of America, has
‘time co-worker of
head. Morgan gave
n, in his acceptance
adge to “work col-
. the entire provin-
2e in fulfilling the
20r’S primary task-
peace now that we
e war.”

arty leader, who at
' the youngest men
important political
ere in Canada, was
the opinion that the
erged from the re-
aused by the anti-
ies of Fergus Me-

ee a 3 ence as a young man in the
a ee ee unit-| lumber industry, Morgan first
much clearer P0O-|came to prominence when in

sctive, than at any
recent history.”

ESS Continued on Page 8
» assume his new

See TLEFADER

NCY SESSION

Organized Labor Fights
ag Cuts -- Demands
Gov’t Assurance Of Jobs

Organized labor this week carried the fight to the giant Ford Motor
Company of Canada, as one of the main battles for the maintenance of liv-
ing standards and take- home play shaped into a struggle that may’set the
pattern for similar fights across the country.

Delegation

Successful,

Victoria Cabinet Backs

Labor-Veteran Plan

¥

Minister of Labor George Pearson this week supported
labor’s plan to move on Ottawa to seek. aid in its recon-
version program and promised financial aid to ease the bur-

den on the delegation.

Stating that the
government recognizes the need
for immediate action to avert a
crisis” during the

provincial

reconversion
period, Pearson, speaking on be-
half of the government, prom-

ised full support of labor’s six-

point program and gave assur-
ance that the provincial govern-
ment would do all in its power
to aid in the implementation of
the program. -

The cabinet action came after
a delegation moved in on Victoria
to seek support of it’s reconver-
sion plans. The delegation was
composed of representatives of
the two Vancouver labor coun-
cils, the two Victoria labor coun-
cils, Canadian Legion, New Ve-
teran’s Association, Ministerial
Association, and Junior Board
of Trade. Mayor John Cornett
led the delegation as represen-
tative of Vancouver’s city coun-
ceil.

Mayor Cornett, speaking on
behalf of the city council, under-
lined the need for action by the
provincial and federal govern-
ments, and outlined the city’s
stand in the question of recon-
version.

Malcolm McLeod, speaking for
the. labor delegation, stressed
the importance of finding em-
ployment for the thousands of
industrial workers thrown out
of employment by the cessation
of hostilities, and the implemen-
tation of reconversion plans.

Other speakers for labor in
the delegation were Harold Prit-
chett, R. K. Gervin, Tom Parkin,
and- Bill White. Representatives
of the Junior Board of Trade,
Canadian Legion, New Veterans,
and Ministerial Association. also
spoke.

Labor Minister Pearson ad-
vanced the proposal of a per-
manent committee of labor-man-
agement and government, which
would remain in constant touch
with Ottawa, to be financed by

the oovernment and woatnld keen

in. contact with the industrial
situation of the province and
act in an advisory capacity. In
addition Pearson suggested a
second permanent committee of
twelve to fifteen representatives
of all sections of the people
which would elect a sub-commit-
tee to work in cooperation with
the provincial government.
Commenting on the delegation,
John Turner, secretary of the
Vancouver Labor Council, stated:
“T believe ‘that the delegation
achieved very satisfactory re-
sults, and was given cooperation
by the provincial government.
We intend to stay with the mat-
ter until we get a real program

MAURICE RUSH ;
Elected Provincial Organizer .
at LPP Convention

under way to assure full employ-
ment for every one who is able
to work.”

Plans are now being
pleted for the delegation to Ot-
tawa, and it is expected that the
delegation will. journey to Ot-
tawa to meet with the Federal
Cahinet within a chart time.

com-

¢

Stating that the union is
now “in the fight against pov-
erty, unemployment and op-
pression,’ the Windsor local
of the United Automobile
Workers of America, issued a
clarion call to all union locals
across the country asking their
support in their fight against
the union-busting provocation of
the Ford industrial octopus.

The strike in Windsor was one

-| which the union has for months

done everything in its power to
avoid. Thousands of trade un-
ionists across the country had
hoped that means to avoid open
strife would be found, but the
adamant refusal of the Ford
Company to find grounds for
bargaining precipitated a strike
that involves over 10,000 auto
workers and threatens to tie up
the auto-building industry.

As the situation sharpened,
the Canadian Congress of Labor
sent out notices to Executive
Council members across the Do-
minion that a meeting of the-
council would.be ealled in Ot-
tawa to consider the situation in
Windsor. Harold Pritchett, Dis-
trict President, IWA, prepared
to board ‘a plane to attend the

meeting, and stated that he
would support the delegation
from the Vancouver All-Union

Veteran’s Committee which was
preparing to go in delegation to
Ottawa to present labor’s six-
point demand.

The Canadian Seamen’s Un-
ion, fighting for the mainten-
ace of seamen’s wages and carry--
ing out an all-out offensive
against the proposed cancella-
tion of the War Risk Bonus, con-
ducted pickets in the main ship-
ping centers in Canada protest-
ing cuts that would reduce sea-
men’s wages in some cases to 29
cents per hour.

In Victoria, the All-Union Ve-
terans’ Reconversion Committee
received the support of Labor
Minister George Pearson for la-
bor’s six-point program for re-
conversion, and endorsation of
the proposed delegation to Ot-
tawa. The labor-veteran commit-
tee was supported by various: or-
ganizations representing many
sections of the people.

As the struggle for decent
wages, maintained working con-
ditions and union security sharp-
ened, it became clear that reac-
tionary capital spearheaded by
labor-baiting industrialists was
prepared to battle without quar-
ter to hamstring labor, and pre-
vent any inroads on swollen
profits. Labor on the other hand
was obviously not prepared to
give an inch in their just battle
for union security and a better
break for Canada’s working mil-

lsvanea