© Dave Barrett © Ken Georgetti e Shirley Carr Guest speakers slam GST Guest speakers at IWA-CANADA's Convention took their turns hammer- ing away at the proposed nine per cent Federal Goods and Services Tax to be implemented in January of 1991. Canadian Labour Congress Presi- dent Shirley Carr, said the new tax would result in an unjustified sub- stantial tax hike for many lower and average income earners and “cause serious damage to an economy which is already limping towards recession because of high interest rates, the impact of Free Trade and government spending cuts.” Sister Carr called for a Royal Com- mission on Taxation and outlined cri- teria for establishing a fairer tax system. Sister Carr called for an abolition of the capital gains tax exemptions, a reduction in the government’s reli- ance on sales taxes, and restoration of a real progressive personal income tax system. Sister Carr also called for a tax on accumulated wealth, a special tax on luxury goods, an immediate 2% cut in interest rates, and, most importantly, a minimum tax on profitable, non- taxpaying corporations. Where Sister Carr expressed fear at a full-blow tax revolt, B.C. Federation of Labour President Ken Georgetti told the delegates that “if we are asked on a national campaign to revolt on the GST, the B.C. Federation of Labour will gladly coordinate the B.C. segment of that revolt.” Brother Georgetti condemned the government’s $20 billion worth of handouts to profitable corporations and the $34 billion in deferred corpo- rate taxes. “If these corporate bums aren’t paying their fair share of taxes then we shouldn’t be subsidizing them any- more,” said the Federation President. Georgetti said the labour move- ment must work to stop the tax now and prevent having to counter it with higher wage demands and strike action. Federal NDP Leadership Candidate Dave Barrett told the Convention that corporations are getting away with “bloody blue murder.” He listed several corporations including Hees International, Xerox Canada, Wardair, PWA, and Union Carbide of Canada which paid no tax in 1988. Barrett also said the new GST will bring Canada’s working poor ($24,000 annual income for two workers) a total tax increase of 60% since the Tories took power in 1984. Meanwhile, upper-income Canadi- ans earning at least $122,000 per year will eventually receive a tax increase of only 6.4%, according to Barrett. IWA joins coalition calling for toxic ban VANCOUVER, B.C. — IWA-CANADA has joined with four other trade unions, the BC. Federation of Labour, the West Coast Environmental Law Association, and a citizens’ group (The Fraser River Coalition) in calling for a ban on a toxic wood preserva- tive, TCMTB. On September 25, the IWA’s Clay Perry, spoke on behalf of the union at a press conference which included Gid- eon Diekman of the Canadian Paper- workers’ Union, Fred Henton of the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers’ of Can- ada, Dennis Brown of the United Fisherman and allied Workers’ Union, and Don Garcia of the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union (Canadian area). Representing the B.C. Federation of Labour was Bruce Elphinstone, Director of Occupational Health and Safety. Calvin Sandborn was present as spokesman for the West Coast Environmental Law Association and Will Paulik acted as spokesman for the community-based Fraser River Coalition. The coalition called the press con- ference to express concerns over the health and safety and environmental impacts of the deadly substance. The anti-sapstain chemical is used by the forestry industry to stop the growth of mould and fungus on lum- ber which stains the building material. On August 18 a spill of 9,100 litres of TCMTB washed into the Fraser 16/LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER, 1989 River causing a twenty-four hour clo- sure to the local sockeye fishery. It was estimated that 1,600 gill-net fish- ermen lost in excess of $1.6 million in revenue from the spill. Clay Perry expressed the IWA’s con- cern over its membership who work with TCMTB. He noted the immediate acute effects of exposure to the chemi- cal which includes nose bleeds, nau- sea, sore throats, and skin rashes. “Tf this stuff can kill fungus and moulds, it has to be dangerous to humans as well,” said Perry. He then questioned the government’s lack of evidence over the long-term effects of exposure. IWA-CANADA is pressing the gov- ernment to eliminate the use of the substance and is calling for the con- struction of dry kilns as a method of eliminating sapstain. Perry said additional dry kilning costs would easily be recovered by the additional value of the product. He also told reporters that dry kilned lumber products are more marketable in European countries. In the Fraser River area as well as other parts of the province, lumber is treated with the toxic substance which eventually leaches and washes off, draining into the waterways. Only fifteen parts per billion is considered as life threatening to salmon. That’s the equivalent of fif- teen drops in an Olympic-sized swim- ming pool. Military suspected in murders of unionists EL SALVADOR — A bombing of a trade union headquarters and assassi- nation of trade union leader Febe Eliz- abeth Velasquez and nine other union Brothers and Sisters and guests on October 31, has catapulted this small Central American national into a state of terror. The car bombings, which occurred at the Office of the National Unity of Salvadoran Workers’ Union (FENESTRAS), are linked to the right-wing military government of President Alfredo Cristiani. Shortly after the bombing occurred, IWA-CANADA President Jack Munro sent out messages demanding that the murderers of the trade unionists and guests be brought to trial. Ina telegram and telex to Cristiani and Colonel Rene Emilio Ponce, Munro said the bombings of the union headquarters and a nearby office of a group called Co-Madres (an associa- tion of mothers with missing rela- tives), mark a further escalation of human rights’ abuses in El Salvador. On behalf of the IWA, Brother Munro also sent similar messages to U.S. President George Bush, Demo- cratic Speaker of the House, Thomas Foley, and House Minority Leader Robert Michel, urging that the U.S. government help put an end to the barbaric death squad murders. Munro also contacted Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs Joe Clark with a request that the Canadian government convey its out- rage to the Salvadoran and U.S. gov- ernments at the continuing and esca- lating murder of trade unionists and human rights activists in El Salvador. The October bombing of the FENESTRAS headquarters followed a rocket attack on the premises in early September. In July and August of 1989, dozens of trade unionists were arrested by the military, and tortured. Some have disappeared without a trace. In August, 5,000 unionists, civil- ians, and students, church group members, farm workers and mothers of disappeared persons, joined in a protest organized by the National Unity of Salvadoran Workers (UNTS) to demonstrate against escalating human rights’ abuses. The marchers, some wearing masks to hide their identity were surrounded by government riot police and tanks. El Salvador is supplied with mili- tary and other aid from the U.S. which averages about $1 million per day, more than the country’s gross domes- tic product. Since 1980, the U.S. government has pumped over $4 billion in arms and aid to El Salvador, some of which has gone to back up the country’s National Guard and Treasury Police, both of which operate terrorist death squads. More than 70,000 people have been murdered since 1980 in clashes between the military and rebel forces, with mostly innocent civilians as vic- tims in the reign of terror. In late November, the right-wing ARENA government which dominates El Salvador’s National Assembly, passed an “anti-terrorist statute” which provides lengthy prison terms for persons having or distributing © Trade union leader Febe Velasquez (r.) seen above with UNTS leader Humberto Centeno was murdered in October bomb- ing. (Photo: Kim Bolan, Trade Union Group) information deemed as “subversive to public order.” Unionists causing “public distur- bances” such as a public transporta- tion strike can now be imprisoned for up to twenty years. Foreign journalists are now subject to persecution for allegedly spreading “tendentious or false information aimed at disturbing constitutional order.” At press time, the army and heli- copters bombard working-class neigh- bourhoods in the capital in search of rebel forces. The murder and mutilation of six Jesuit priests, housekeeper and daughter by the military on Novem- ber 16, has sparked an international outcry. El Salvador’s military government is now linking progressive agencies such as human rights organizations, churches, and foreign development agencies to rebel insurgencies. Hun- dreds of Salvadorans are fleeing the country to re-unite themselves with relatives in Canada. & ¢ On tour in the Queen Charlotte Islands, [WA-CANADA President Jack Munro met with union committee chairman and grapple yarder hooktender Claude Levasseur at Western Forest Products’ Sewell Inlet operation. The September tour also saw Munro, accompanied by Local 1-71 officials, visit union loggers at Dinan Bay, McLinton Bay and Louise Island. (Photo: Bob Freer, courtesy Green Gold News)