j } ist Issue, November B.C. LUMBER WORKER FINAL CONVENTION of the B.C. Trade fait cies TLE, oF on Nov. 14th, ratified the recommendation of their exeentive commits tee and the unity committee to enter into the new provincial merger. The enthusiasm for unity shown at this convention proved a potent factor in the success of the following merger convention. From Page 1 "MERGER" the platform by the members of | the Unity Committee, whose rec- ommendations were contained in a report and a draft constitution. Guest speakers were: Executive Vice-President Gordon Cushing, Canadian Labour Congress; Dir- ectorTom Ward, Department of Federation and Councils, CLC; Director Jack Williams, Depart- ment, of Public Relations, CLC; Chairman Edwin J. Eades, of the Workmen’s Compensation Board, and the Hon. Lyle Wicks, Pro- vincial Minister of Labour. Honorary president of the Ca- nadian Labour Congress, Percy Bengough and Angus MacInnis, LLD, MP, were presented to the convention with honorable men- tion as highly esteemed veterans in the service of labor. Parliamentary representatives who were present as working delegates were also introduced during the convention proceed- ings. They were: Bob Strachan, MLA, CCF Leader of the Opposi- tion, Carpenters’ delegate; John Squire, MLA, Local 1-85, IWA; Rae Eddie, MLA, Local 1-357, IWA, and Tom Barnett, MP, Lo- cal 1-85, IWA. Major task of the convention was the examination and ap- proval of the constitution re- ceived in draft form from the Unity Committee and the Consti- tution Committee, Chairman George Mitchell, IWA. The prin- cipal changes made after were the deletion of provisions for zone representation, and in- creased authority for the execu- tive officers. Most dramatic moment in the proceedings came when the dele- gates endorsed a resolution de- nouncing the massacres perpe- trated in Hungary by Soviet forces. This brought the delegates to their feet to express unani- mous approval. Most embarrassing experience was that of the energetic repre- sentative of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, George Dro- neck, who, while promoting his usual free suit trade union label contest, was approached by a lady delegate, The feminine trade unionist mformed him that she could prove that she was wearing |: a union-made suit, if he would be so kind as to examine the label ORT ALBERNI BUSINESS GUIDE MacGREGOR’S MEN’S WEAR _ We Can Afford For Everything A Man Wears + WORK, SPORT or DRESS *« To Sell The... BEST For LESS! WOODWARD STORES (PORT ALBERNI) LTD. “Your Family Shopping Centre” “Closed Wednesdays All Day” Phone 1600 Nanaimo Phone 1515 NANAIMO BUSINESS GUIDE IRA BECKER & SON VANCOUVER ISLAND DISTRIBUTORS _ FOR THE FAMOUS LEL. POWER CHAIN SAWS alia pHone 160 W. H. JONES & SON NANAIMO, B.C, "Auto, Fire and Casualty — Dwellings a Speciality Palace Hotel Building—Next to I.W.A. Hours: 9 - 5:30 Campbell River Phone AT 8-6742 fastened to the most inaccessible | month per portion of the skirt’s lining. Among numerous convention decisions, the following were in- cluded: @ A middle-of-the-road policy on political education. @ Vigorous condemnation of murderous Soviet extermina- tion of the Hungarian freedom movement, @ Support of the principle of public ownership in public utili. ties, conditional upon recogni- tion of the usual bargaining rights for the employees. @ Establishment of a perman- ent world police force. @ Decrease of interest rates, now imposed, to curb inflation. @ A full-scale public works program to take up the slack in employment, whenever and wherever required. @ Payment of a one-cent per capita to the ICFTU. @ Campaign to secure early enactment of federal legislation to introduce a comprehensive national health services plan. © Establishment of a provin- cial government owned and op- erated auto insurance plan so that car owners may enjoy “low-cost insurance”. @ Release of the full RCMP report on the Sommers case for discussion in the legislature. @ A new approach to munici- pal financing, urging a tax on industry in the municipality to relieve taxation on the homes of working people and asking the Dominion Government for assistance in financing educat- tion. @ A move by all unions to press for a 30-hour week with at least the same take-home pay. @ Establishment of a liaison committee between the federa- tion and the B.C. Co-operative Union to promote better under- standing between the two. @ Income tax deductions on income spent on travelling to work at points away from the workers’ established residence, excessive clothing, board charges for married men work- ing away from home, and de- preciation on tools. @ Tax deduction of $25 per pint of blood donated to a rec- ognized charity during each income tax year. It was pointed out that voluntary cash dona- tions to charity were deductible from income tax. @ Establishment of Chilliwack Lake and its surroundings as a provincial park, provision of adequate park land beside Har- rison Lake and building of suit- able roads to these areas. CLC BAN STANDS An overwhelming majority of the delegates attending the recent merger convention in Vancouver of the B.C. Federa- tion of Labour upheld the Ca- nadian Labour Congress in the decision to exclude Communist- dominated unions from the Federation. Bill Stewart of the Marine Workers and Boilermakers Union led a small minority, who made a strong plea for the reinstate- ment of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers, and other unions affected by the ban. He based his argument mainly on an B.C. TRA UNION CONGRESS executive members, in final session, before they led the former TLC affiliates into the merged provincial organization to form the B.C. Federation of Labour. (From O’Neal, and Bob Beddome. left) Tom Gooderham, CLC Regional Director; J. Hayward; Vic Midgley, TUC vice-president; Pat “ON THE LABOR SCENE”’ BY DAN ILLINGWORTH REGULARLY IN The Province 100% UNION PRODUCED BY VANCOUVER MEN AND WOMEN ~ attack upon certain Congress unions, which he claimed had-not followed democratic procedures. Majority Rule Defied Spokesmen for the Congress point of view pointed out that these unions had not been disci- plined because of Communist be- liefs, but solely because under Communist domination they had ignored majority rule, and per- sistently attacked and under- mined the policies of the Con- gress. They could return if they agreed to accept majority deci- sions. During the convention, repre- sentatives of these unions dis- tributed literature at the entrance to the building. As pointed out by George Mitchell, IWA, they had not requested the right to appear before the convention and plead their own case, 1-80 Meets December 9 Membership meeting of Local 1-80, IWA, will be held Dec. 9th, in Duncan, com- mencing at 10:30 a.m. Busi- ness will include election of delegates to represent the Local at the Annual District Convention in Vancouver.