IFIC ADVOCATE

FOPLE’S VOICE FOR PROGRESS

‘UVER, B.C., SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1945

' Citrine, - British
Fi Conference.

n Jouhaux, French Confederation of Labor:
©-sov, Soviet Union; Chairman Sidney Hillman,
1; Vincente Lombardo Toledano, Mexico; and

Trades Union Congress, at

nwa Delegation
brts Progress

fs of the all-union, veteran-civic reconversion
-ist returned from Ottawa, pointed out this week
F:gation had accomplished its objective in bring-
— tention of federal authorities the united demand
©e of British Columbia for measures to assure
‘iversion from wartime to peactime industry, and

sie labor movement
Esain pressure on
find provincial gov-
ziction is to be ex-

statement to P.A.,
Vancouver Labor
ary and member of
-on delegation, said:
fling that. the dele-
ell worth the effort
2of the trip to Ot-
teconstruction Min-
owe and Labor Min-
irey Mitchell made
‘that federal author-
ve that the respon
©  full-employment
teir government.”

iZnizing that the re-
ded to the British
‘€gation is an index
‘ance with which the
mment views the re-
‘oblem, labor is de-
t promises to “take
possible” are not

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enough to meet the
problems that

complex
confront labor,
management, and government.
Reconstruction Minister Howe
and Labor Minister Mitchell were
vague about most of the pressing
problems that, confront organized
labor in-B.C. While Howe was
frank in~his promises of ship
constracts for B.C. shipbuilding
yards, stating that costs will
have to be cut if contracts are
to be expected, he neglected to
mention that steps would be ta-
ken to insure protection to union
security, which will undoubted-
ly be the point at which indus-
try levels its attacks.

The question of an adequate
labor code, guaranteeing union
protection and mantenance of
wartime wages with reduction of
the average working week, has
not yet been satisfactorily an-

(Continued on Page 8)
See DELEGATION

RIKE CONFERENCE CALLED

Local Labor Will Meet:

Supports Auto Workers-
Demands Federal Action

As the strike of the United Automobile Workers against the giant Ford

empire stretched into a month-old dispute,

organized

labor across. the

Dominion gave every indication thatthe workers of Canada are united in
support of the Ford employees’ demands.

The B.C. Federation of Labor (CCL) already has issued a call to its
affiliates to attend a conference called in Vancouver on Sunday, October

Raps Bevin
Far Eastern
Policies

The Vancouver Labor Coun-
cil (CCL) unanimously re-
corded its protest at British
Intervention in the Dutch
East Indies, and in Greece,
at its: regular meeting held
this week, and demanded that
Foreign Minister Bevin imme-
diately order the withdrawal of

British troops from those two
countries.

Fred MacNeil, Dock and Ship-
yard Workers Delegate, entered
a motion which urged that com-
munications be directed to the
British Home Office, through
the Canadian Secretary of State,
protesting’ authorization of use
of British troops to crush up-
vising by native peoples of co-
lonial countries desiring free-
dom. MacNeil further moved
that communications be directed
to the British Home Office de-
manding immediate withdrawal
of British troops from Greece.

It was pointed out that it ap-
peared that Foreign Minister
Bevin’ was quite prepared to use
British might to subjugate co-
lonial peoples, and stated that
while Prime Minister Winston
Churchill had been forced to ex-
tend the provisions of the Atlan-
tic Charter past Suez, Labor’s
spokesman, Bevin, appeared anx-
ious to restrict the Charter to
the area west of Suez only.

The Dock and Shipyard Wor-
kers delegates also made a
strong demand for the immedi-

ate withdrawal of British armies.

from Greece. “Eight thousand
men, women, and children have
been taken to Tobruk and lodged
in a British concentration camp
as a result of the liberation up-
risings in Greece, and are still
there.” MacNeil expressed am-
azement that a government pur-
porting to represent labor could
allow the Greek situation to per-
sist.

The unanimous expression from
the Council indicated a growing
awareness by Labor of the reac-
tionary policies of the Churchill

(Continued on Page 8)
See BEVIN

14, for the purpose of forming a strike committee
and raising funds to aid the strikers. Many local
unions have already contributed funds and there

is every indication that

unionists will contribute

a day’s pay toward the strike fund.

While the ten

picketed the plant, the danger of
the strike spreading to 33 more
plants employing 12,000 workers
in the Windsor area was an-
nounced as a strong possibility.
The UAW announced it has ask-
ed the UAW international of-
fice for authority to call a strike
of members of the Amalgamated
Local 195, covering 33 plants, in-
cluding Chrysler Corporation and
General Motors.

Meanwhile leading trade union-
ists across the country, recog-
nizing the strike as the opening
battle in the all-out fight against
reaction for the maintenance of
hard-won union rights, went on
record in support of the strike.
Locally, many unionists pledged
the support of their unions to
the strikers.

Danny O’Brien, Regional Di-
rector CCL, told P.A.: “The CCL
has issued a call to all of its af-
filiates to give every support to
the’ strikers. We recognize the
strike as the first skirmish in
the battle against the drive of
anti-union employers to wipe out
wartime gains.”

Harold Pritchett, District Pres-
ident of the International Wood-
workers of America, stated: “The
I.W.A. is greatly concerned with
the outcome of the Windsor
strike. Our union looks forward
in the near future to gaining
union security throughout the
logging industry. We are in full
support of the Ford strikers.”

W. J. Robson, President Dock
and Shipyard Workers, said:
“There is no doubt but that the
outcome of the Ford strike will
gravely affect. the future of la-
bor across the Dominion. My
union is in complete support of
the strikers, and will give them
all the assistance we can.”

“Digger” Smith, West Coast
representative of the Canadian
Seamen’s Union, stated: “The
battle for union security is the
battle of every trade union in
Canada. The seamen are faced
with many of the problems fac-
ing the Ford workers, and we
are in complete sympathy with
their strike.”

G. Baird, President Aeronauti-
cal Lodge, IAM-AFL, stated: “We
are in support of the Ford strik-
ers, and will give them our full
assitance.”

thousand Ford employees

Throughout the whole trade
union movement it, was clear that
labor is closing its ranks to meet
the onslaught of a company
which has an international rec-
ord of labor-baiting provocation.

Evidence of the increasing
pressure on the federal govern-
ment was plain in a statement
by Secretary of State Paul Mar-
tin that “the Ford Motor Com-
pany is one of the important
companies of this country. Over
the years, its policy of industrial
relations has not been such as
to make easy the task of a min-
ister of labor.”

Martin, however, gave no in-
dication of the seat of responsi-
bility for maintenance of Ford’s
scarlet record of anti-labor acti-
tivities.

While frankly stating that
“these industries will have to
learn they cannot treat their
workers as bits of steel lying on
the cement floor of the plant” and
pointing out that “the automobile
industry, like other large indus-
tries, will have to realize their so-
cial responsibilities to the men
in their plants,” he has not taken
steps to translate his sentiments
into action designed to get at
the core of the problem by put-
ting into labor legislation gov-
erning disputes.

By mass delegation, public
meetings, and strike action the
labor movement was making it
increasingly clear that responsi-
bility for the present situation
rests with the federal govern-
ment‘s timid labor policies and
stubborn refusal to crack down
on flagrantly anti-labor employ-
ers.

Labor Minister Humphrey Mit-
chell was adroitly side-stepping
direct action in the situation, and
has issued a number of appeals
to both union and labor “to get
together and talk things over,”
but. blame for the strike situa-
tion obviously ress with the Ford
management who have steadily
refused to meet with the union to
amicably settle the dispute.

Organized labor, recognizing

the importance of the strike’s
outcome, was prepared to battle
until the dispute is brought to a
victorious cenclusion.

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