The Merger

DELEGATES to the approaching International

Convention will show no disrespect to the cause
of labor unity, if they take time to consider the
terms of the proposed CIO-AFL merger with
great care.

The same attitude will be required when the
question of Canadian unity is aired at the conven-
tion of the CCL this autumn.

The joint committees which undertook the
preliminary drafting of the unity constitutions
performed their task well in regard to the major
principles involved. The spirit displayed was
above reproach. Z

Their work has won unqualified praise from
the rank and file membership. -

This does not mean that they found no difficul-
ties when they gave consideration to the details
of organic unity. They acted with their best judg-
ment, in the belief that they were interpreting the
wishes of the members concerned in regard to the

~ various aspects of the merged structure. They
will serve the trade union movement well if these
details are scrutinized further. ,

The details will fall into place, if the essential
principles involved are faithfully traced into the
new pattern of organization.

As a matter of fact, while these conditions are
in a state of flux, is the proper time to adjust mat-
ters that may require adjustment, in order that
the trade union edifice of the future may have
fewer of the defects, known in the past.

The paramount consideration in view during
the entire merger proceedings must be the wel-
fare of the rank and file workers. It would be
arrant folly to erect a magnificent structure which
bore no actual relation to existing needs of the
“oveat unwashed”.

The workers have not demanded a merger
merely for the sake of having a merger. They
asked for this proposed merger that unity might
forge a real and practical instrument in their
hands for an effective onslaught upon entrenched
profit-grasping interests.

It follows that every detail of the new struc-
ture should be examined to make certain that it
leads to the final result desired.

The new merged organization will be a giant
in shackles unless it shows increased effectiveness
where effectiveness is required, and that is at
close grips with the employers when bargaining.

These remarks are made because of the ten-
dency to fasten attention upon what is happening
at the top, i.e., “How do we take care of so and so,
etc., etc.?”. The reality of the situation demands
that we should ask always, “What will happen on
the job and at the bargaining table?”

The real purpose of the merger must be to

mobilize the maximum strength behind the forces
arrayed against the anti-labor forces on this
continent.
+ "The workers want nothing to do with a gigan-
tic organization, which can bid for their confidence
only because it is of giant size, but with heads
who are hypnotized by the dimensions of their
new responsibilities and not the quality of their
accomplishments.

This places the onus on IWA delegates to make
plain that the principles they have followed in
their own work must be retained.

The new merged organization must allow
ample elbow room for industrial unionism, and no
pretended truce.

Most important of all, it must make plain that
any alleged efficiency, which may set aside~the
democratic procedures, must be thrown out of the
window. ;

The IWA has watched too many of those so-
called “short-cuts” which short-circuit the will of
the membership, and eventually destroy the work-
ers’ fighting spirit.

sterling -

Alb EAE:

CF This

WORSE AS

TRYGVE LIE
WON TOP POST

Contribution made by noted leaders In the fight for social justice
as waged on the international front by the world Labor and Social
Democratic movement is the theme of this series of biographical

articles.

This week’s article presents a brief summary of the life of Trygve
Lie, Norwegian diplomat and First Secretary-General of the United

Nations.

Mr. Lie was born July 16, 1896
in Oslo. Between 1922 and 1940
he was closely identified with the
Norwegian Labor party as its
legal adviser and later as 2 mem-
ber of its national council. From
1935 to June 1939 he was Minist-
er of Justice, then Minister of
Commerce, and after the German
invasion of Norway, he went with
the exile government to London
as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Lie was re-appointed Minister of
Foreign Affairs when the exiled

government returned to Norway
in 1945.

He served as chairman of the
commission that drafted the char-
ter for the Security Council at
San Francisco, California. At the
London meeting of the United
Nations General Assembly, he
was elected Secretary-General on
February 1, 1946, a post which he
held until November 10, 1952
when he was succeeded by the
present incumbent Dag Ham-

REFUND
PROPOSAL -
BANNED

TORONTO (CPA)—A union
cannot give a money-back guar-
antee on a ‘success or failure?
basis when organizing a plant,
the Ontario Labor Relations
Board stated in a recent de-
cision.

The Board rejected an applica-
tion by the Pulp and Sulphite
Workers (AFL) for certification
at Continental Paper Products
Ltd., Ottawa, whose employees
are represented by the Ottawa
Paper Products Workers Union
(CCL). The OLRB found that
the AFL union had offered to re-
fund dues paid to it if it failed
to win the certification election
and had also offered to give such
dues to the CCL union to cover
back dues of the employees in-

marskjold.

volved.

Pension
Reforms Urged

OTTAWA (CPA) — A plea
for more assistance to Canada’s
senior citizens was voiced dur-
ing consideration of Health and
Welfare Department expendi-
tures in Parliament this week.
Payment of old age pensions to
former citizens residing outside
Canada for health reasons was
also requested by a number of
members.

A, M. “Sandy” Nicholson (CCF
Mackenzie) stated that Canada
was “about 25 years behind the
times” in planning for the aged
compared with many other coun-
tries. He suggested that Health
and Welfare Department should
offer “assistance to provide de-
cent housing for people receiving
old age pensions”, provide them
with free medical and hospital
care and take steps to supple-
ment the present $40 monthly
pensions,

Purchasing Power

A request by a number of op-
position members for payment of
the old age pension to senior
citizens resident outside Canada
for health reasons was turned
down by Health Minister Martin.
The Minister stated that “there
is the difficulty of administra-
tion”, the cost would be “at least
$10 million” and, further, any
such amendment to present regu-
lations “would not look good”
since pensioners resident in Can-
ada still continue to contribute to
the pension fund through pay-
ment of sales tax even while

drawing pensions.

ZA

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