A Tribute

JT was evident at the recent convention of the
B.C. Federation of Labour, that the delegates
were unwilling to let the occasion pass without
paying their tribute to the worth of the organiza-

tion, as disclosed by its remarkable record of ser-
vice to the workers of British Columbia.

For the same reason, it is the desire of this
publication to place on record some of the out-
standing achievements to the credit of the Fed-
eration. It is not by any means a matter of self-
congratulation, for, of course, the IWA has played

_ an important part in the building of the Federa-
tion. It is rather because the Federation as a
cohesive unit has pioneered successfully in fields
of trade union endeavor, that were formerly
neglected.

These matters should be mentioned before the
Federation sinks its identity in that of the new
merged provincial trade union organization. The
Federation in the past set standards of service,
that should never be lowered, whatever may be
the type of organization in the future.

In the Officers’ Report, submitted to the last
convention, are found several clues to the nature
of this work, for which the major burden was
placed on the Federation.

It reads there that the Federation again made
a presentation to the Provincial Cabinet, dealing
with labor legislation. The truth is, that a simi-
lar presentation was made every year since the
formation of the Federation. Moreover, it has
been the Federation that has sparked off every
fight for better labor legislation, especially dealing
with bargaining rights and Hospital Insurance.

The workers of British Columbia are under a
great obligation to the Federation for its persist-
ent and fearless endeavor to convince the Legisla-
ture that better labor laws had to be written on
the statute books of the province, for the welfare
of the province.

The report refers to political action. Here
again the Federation was in the vanguard. It was
the Federation, mainly, that broke down the old
tradition which claimed that politics could not be
safely discussed within the walls of the Union.
The contrary was shown. Labor’s silence about
politics, had enabled the employers to steal away
with one hand almost everything they had been
forced to grant with the other. It was shown that
political action in some form is inevitable, if labor
is a be sure of its gains made at the bargaining
table.

Another subject, to which the Federation has
given a great deal of attention is that of the con-
servation of the natural resources. The report on
last year’s activities indicated how strenuously the
Executive has striven to influence the acceptance
of public ownership in the distribution of natural
gas. The Federation has been one of the most
active champions of the rights of the people in the
province.

Again the Federation sought to encourage
good relations between the farmers and industrial
workers. The Fraser Valley Local Union in the
IWA has been particularly active in this field, and
has had the whole-hearted support of the Federa-
tion’s officers.

Another item appears on the Federation re-
port of recent yeaxs, and this one is headed
“strike”. This should remind all trade unionists
that the Federation has been a potent instrument
for the protection of their interests, when locked
in struggle with the employers.

It also serves to remind unionists, that the
Federation is a clearing-house, through which
unions may develop plans of mutual aid, without
in any way crippling their own independence.

It is all these traditions, so well upheld by the
Federation, in the past that must be carried for-

ward into the new provincial branch of the -

merged Canadian Labor Congress.

AUTO WORKERS
AID CCL-PAC

OTTWA (CPA)—The United Auto Workers (CIO-CCL)
international union has recently made contributions totalling
$18,000 to political action work in the Canadian labor move-
ment. The international sent a cheque for $12,000 to the Na-
tional Political Action Committee and an additional $6,000 to
the Ontario Federation of Labor (CCL) for political action

purposes.

Workers’ Share
Grows Less

OTTAWA (CPA)—Canada’s
workers are now getting a
smaller share of the national
income than they were during
the depression and wage rates
have been lagging behind the
increase in Canada’s wealth for
many years, COMMENT, the
national research magazine of
the CCF, indicates in a recent
issue,

* Using tables drawn from of-
ficial government statistics, the
magazine shows that during the
period 1930 to 1985 the workers’
share of the national income var-
ied between 64.8% and 74.4%
while during the ‘boom year’ of
1954 the warkers were receiving
only 63.9% of the national in-
come,

Bigger Share

~ Who was taking a bigger
share? Comment indicates that
corporations, whose share of the
‘national pie’ between 1930 and
1935 reached a high of 6.8%,-re-
ceived 11.1% in 1954, while in-
vestors, who received a maximum
of 16.6% during this depression
Period, last year took 19.8% of
the national income.

The publication refutes “anti-
labor propagandists” who claim
that labor is grabbing a larger
share of any increases in national
production. It states that only
four times between 1931 and 1952
have real wages increased at a
greater rate than the gross na-
tional production. and adds that
during this period real wages
have risen by only 59% compared
With the 161% climb in the coun-
try’s wealth.

NO RACE
SUICIDE

OTTAWA (CPA) — Can-
ada’s population reached an

estimated 15,706,000 at the
beginning of September, the
Dominion Bureau of Statis-
tics reported. This was a gain
of 105,000, or 2.7%, from the
June estimate of 15,601,000,

Shirts Given
Union Label

A nationwide campaign to
promote the sale of shirts bear-
ing the label of the CIO Cloth-
ing Workers was kicked off
last week at simultaneous cere-
monies in Troy, N.Y.; Pater-
son, N.J., and Atlanta, Ga.

The first union labels were im-
printed on shirts by union opera-
tors at these ceremonies. The
operations were watched by of-
ficers of ACWA-CIO and of
Cluett, Peabody & Co. and the
Manhattan Shirt Co., on whose
shirts the imprints were stamped.

$750,000 Fund

The union will use part of
$750,000, which it sets aside an-
nually for its union label cam-
paign.

Pres. Jacob S. Potofsky said
the union has spent $2.5 million
to date in promoting the union
label, principally on men’s and
boys’ clothing, outerwear, pants
and neckwear. He added that
ACWA-CIO will increase its al-
location for extending the cam-
paign to men’s and boys’ shirts.

Dollar for Dollar

“We have demonstrated,” Po-
tofsky said, “that, dollar for dol-
lar, in whatever price range, the
consumer makes a better buy

when he purchases a union-made
product.

“The union label is assurance
that the product is made under
acceptable conditions. It is an
assurance that the worker en-
joys a decent standard of living
and that he; in turn, can make
a useful contribution to the com-
munity in terms of better pur-
chasing power from which all
retailers benefit.

WATSON’S

No. 108

LUMBER GLOVE

Cut from new soft tan
Pearl Mule Split leather. *

These gloves are reinforced
with double sewn thumb
strap and wrist patch for.
added strength.

A B.C. Product
Union Made by

JOHN WATSON
LIMITED

127 EAST SECOND AVE. _
Vancouver, B.C.

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