12 ? B.C. LUMBER WORKER CABINET HEARS CCL PROGRAM The federal government, on December 13, came under sharp attack by the Canadian Congress of Labor for its failure to implement a national health insurance plan. In a brief placed before the federal cabinet, the 400,000- member labor group said that health insurance was “the biggest remaining gap” in Canadian social security. The memorandum, presented by President A. R. Mosher and Secretary-Treasurer Donald Mac- Donald, who were accompanied by union representatives from all parts of Canada, dealt with a variety of subjects. On some points the government was com- mended, on others it was criti- cized. Mention was made of the fact that, in view of the forth- coming merger with the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, this was the last occasion on which the CCL, as such, would approach the government. An important section of the ~ 9,500-word document was devoted to CCL views on international af- fairs. Other subjects covered in- cluded general economic condi- tions, social legislation, labor laws, housing, and taxation. ’ International Affairs Discussing international affairs, the labor group said the refusal of the Soviet to budge on a num- ber of important issues was dis- couraging but the Canadian gov- ernment’s continued efforts to obtain a genuine disarmament agreement was endorsed, as was continued support to NATO. . “Defence and negotiation must go hand in hand,” the brief said. “Neither can safely be jettisoned in favor of the other.” The uprooting of poverty and exploitation, particularly in un- * der-developed countries, should be considered a part of defence and Canada’s contribution to the Co- lombo Plan’ and U.N. Technical Assistance should be increased to at least $100,000,000. The CCL supported the government’s pack- CUTS MOST ANYTHING ‘Super-speed in light timber. Also cuts timber up to 3% ft. in diameter! Has more horsepower, higher chain speed, wrap-around handlebar plus extra light weight and McCulloch’s ~ famed professional features and quality. It’s the new Super 33 chain saw of course! The new Low Low maintenance saw. TRY IT NOW! . . + Drop into your dealers for a demonstration. McCULLOCH COMPANY OF CANADA LTD. 220 West Ist Avenue Vancouver 10, B.C. Phone: EM 2155 age admission plan now before the United Nations but deplored the exclusion of the effective gov- ernment of China and the inclu- sion of Franco Spain. Economic Situation While there had been great improvement in the general eco- nomic situation there remained “disquieting features”. “The industrial production in- dex for the first nine months of the year is almost 8 percent above the same period last year, but the employment index (indus- trial composite) is up only 1.4 per cent,” the CCL noted. “The indications are that un- employment this winter will not worsen as it did two years ago. But it looks as if by March, 1956, the number of unplaced appli- cants might well be higher than in any March since the war, ex- cept 1954 and 1953.” The CCL stated it recognized and welcomed the efforts being made by the government to com- bat seasonal unemployment, but much of the problem was not sea- sonal. Throughout this year, while production was above 1953, un- employment also remained above 1953. Technological advances were one factor in the situation and the organization asked the summoning of a conference of government representatives, both federal and provincial, with labor and management to consider the effects of automation, particular- ly upon employment. With net income of farm op- erators down almost 48 percent in three years, the drop in farm income had reached “alarming proportions”, The labor organiza- tion endorsed the -proposal of some farm organizations that a 75 percent cash advance he made to farmers on grain harvested and stored during the current year. Social Legislation The inauguration of a domin- jon-provincial public assistance plan to assist needy families and individuals was welcomed but the exclusion of such groups as re- cipients of mothers’ allowance, old age and blind pensions and o FOR THESE WET DARK, SLIPPERY 1G! HTS) FOGGY “QUICKEST ACTION” REPAIR SERVICE CALL PA 9267 BODIE COLLISIONS Ltd. The Best Equipped Collision Shop In Town 1150 SEYMOUR ST. Free Estimates The U.N. International Refugee These two Korean children are part of the 5'million refugees re- sulting from Communist aggression. The 20th Century has been a period of warfare with the human cost.measured in refugees. Since World War Il over 40 million people have been displaced. portant role in their resettlement. Organization has played an im- (LIAPS) disabled assistance was termed “Gndefensible”. It was also sug- gested that instead of the domin- ion contribution being a flat 50 percent it should be graduated to provide a greater measure of as- sistance in areas where the need was greatest and the ability to meet it limited. A number of proposals were advanced for revision in unem- ployment insurance and there was a request for clarification of the relationship of supplemental earning plans of the guaranteed annual wage type to unemploy- ment insurance. The tendency toward single large corporations operating plants in many parts of the coun- try was cited as evidence of in- creased need for a national labor code, and the CCL also asked for amendments to the existing fed- eral labor legislation to facilitate procedures with regard to unions changing their names. This was needed in the face of the likeli- hood of unions amalgamating in line with the CCL-TLC merger. A streamlining of conciliation processes was also sought. Compulsory Arbitration On compulsory arbitration, which has twice been applied to a large group of railway unions in recent years, the memorandum said: “We unhesitatingly condemn the imposition of compulsory ar- bitration in any dispute, or the threat of such imposition, and we shall do everything in our power to protect the rights of the work- ers we represent . .. Legislation which takes away from workers the traditional and inherent right to strike, and-imposes compul- sory arbitration, belongs only on the statute books of totalitarian regimes; it has no place in. a society which calls itself free and democratic and certainly it has no place in Canada.” The government was urged to extend to its own employees the same basis of union recognition to which other employees are en- titled by law. Improved condi- tions were asked for hourly-rated federal employees. Health Insurance Health insurance was described as “the biggest remaining gap in our social security system.” “The workers of Canada are getting more and more weary of procrastination and excuses on this subject,” the brief said. “It is now 39 years since the Liberal convention of 1919 adopted a health insurance plank. Most of those who were responsible for it have been gathered to their fa- thers and still nothing has been done except to gather statistics and draft bills and sketch pro- posals which become less and less “Current idcdrrmies various quarters that can be done by subsidizing exist-— ing commercial and_ non-profit — private plans are entirely unac- ceptable,” the brief continued. “They would mean a crazy-quilt of varying services and varying premiums; much wasteful dupli cation of administrative machin-_ ery; an enormous bureaucracy, ill-controlled and probably. often overpaid; and the burdening of the taxpayer with everything the private plans found too high or too costly. It cannot be too often emphasized that the object of a health plan is to protect the health of the people, not the vest- ed interests of insurance.” Immigration “Disappointment” was express- ed “that the government is so stubborn about maintaining the many sections of the immigration act which place the immigrant at the mercy of officials endowed with sweeping and arbitrary pow- ers.” There was need for thorough revision of the immigration act with the appointment of a royal commission or a special parlia- mentary committee to which vari- ous groups could make represen- tations. There should also be, it was suggested, an advisory com- mittee on immigration. Housing While new housing was now running considerably ahead of new family formations, there was still a huge backlog of housing need, and both down payments and interest rates were too high for ordinary wage earners and good low-rental housing — prob- ably the greatest need—was ex- tremely scarce. Pensions The government was asked to increase old age pensions to $65 a month, payable at 65, and to extend children’s allowance to 20 years when children were still attending school. Elimination of the means test and increased pay- the effort and the struggle and tears that went into 20 years 20 years.” Convention of “IT WAS WORTHWHILE”: “If you were to ask me: Was the CIO worthwhile? Was invesment?—I would answer to you: If we did nothing else, if we didn’t raise wages one penny, if we didn’t give workers better working conditions, if we did nothing at the bargaining table, I would say CIO’s contribution in the struggle against racial intolerance itself would haye justified the total efforts of —Pres, Walter Reuther at the last Constitutional the sacrifice, the sweat and the of struggle, was that a good the CLO, December 1, 1955. definite and more and more ten- tative every time they make their appearance. Hospital and health grants now provided were merely a help to- ward a groundwork for a na- tional plan and provided practic- HEADS Champion of All Lightweight LIGHT CRUISER Caulked Boots © Featuring High Carben Steel Oil ~ PD) Tempered Boot Caulks FOR SURE GRIP Another Favorite HEAD’S famous “SAFETY TOE BOOTS” for Mill Workers 21 East Hastings St. W. J. HEAD BOOT FACTORY LIMITED (PA. 4844) “HEADS YOU WIN” | Vancouver, B.C. ments on blind pensions were also asked. The establishment of an indus- trial pension plan was proposed to provide: (1) universal indus- trial pension coverage of all workers; (2) a fund of employee- employer contributions adminis- tered by the government through an industrial pension commis- sion; and (3) pension credits ac- cruing to employees during their working life regardless of the number of their employers. Taxation The memorandum reported that the recent CCL convention had adopted a series of proposals on taxation calling for raising in- come tax exemptions to $2,000 for single persons and $3,000 for married, with $400 exemption for each child qualifying for family allowance or attending school. Recognition was asked for mar- ried women who worked and who had expenses in the care of their children. ‘ The CCL took a strong position favoring the construction and op- eration of the whole of the Trans- Canada pipeline by a Crown com- pany as a public utility. The present proposal with private en- terprise building the p parions of the line, was