Ontario NDP deserves
support of labour

by Bob Navarretta |

" ineteen nintey-four was the last full
_ year of the Ontario NDP before the next
_ election. We believe that we should
_ relect on the acheivements - and the
perceived shortcomings - of Hee first-
ever NDP government in the history of

our province. From ie labour point “of ee it
ie best thing that could hap-

iSprnetimes it p8. difficult for proniers to under-
sand who their friends are eir enemies

u! to forget that, at the time
this go i

Ae

Bt you combine that with the worst recession

well. At a time when

the rity
Le see ete those who were most a need rere

EST COLUMN

hee therefore the
impal,

can contin-
aes oa there will
beah

ployee has been ke
stated. It is a morale
boost for anybody
who peelly, wants to
get organiz

The ot! ites impor-

In order to appreciate

the Ceres it has made, one really has to look
att] the f the strikes
his p . Right now

it is understood that if

his province back at.
lations. e

Abela

pping Bill 40

ampai;
started I imagine an ae Liberals will say the
e thing.

tp une the NDP took power in Ontario, there
‘as nevi
the province, and now it is in place. The govern-
ment h:
immediate relief, and has gone on to enact some

Thousands of jobs have been saved either
through direct infusion of funds by the govern-
ane or through JobsOntario. JobsOntario is

orking. We have ey of literally thousands of

ers get - ten thou-
pas doliars for every

This has almtinated a It would be a
lot of strikes. When, as
a last peso strikes do
take place, they are
mevally very orderly
and there are no prob-
lems.
Another accomplish-

tion.

NDP were not allowed The

complete their work iid SO
much is at stake

employee that they
tragedy ue ee add to their organiza-
overnment is
working against the
odds because som

nt was the near
completion of pay equity in the province of On-
tari

their i is very little that

looked after, the government

my, via Sean! 92 of Fane fen Relations
Act, the NDP

wish to. Seetion 92 allows a union to go to the
Labour Relations Board rein-

io, which the NDP the minori- M di were created by the NDP gov-
we piberel government. Again, this is a first in than d in the |.
years. Th going on in the
tn aan, there was the achi of em- f th , for example
ployment eq di Ih
ficulties of te economic situation. Ontario is 1995 ‘there will be more people involved in con-

goin; g to 0 be | the fi rst prone to Nags meaningful

statement of eaten discharged for union activi-
ty.

point of view. Before, it used to take months | be-

it will be proactive, meaning
that every Siete oo go through the employ-
mere equity process in order to comply with the

esate sectors of the labour movement ue

Aas pomeone for union activity. one this
damy

government 0}
pacicuar issues. But we believe that the next
election is going to Be ie anest important for
ki ae ece:

union organizing | activity, the Board will reinstate
the empl
tice that it was wrong to fire the employee and

deciding

With Section 92, ae Labour Relations Beard
will hold a hearin; in three days. If there is we again elect an 'NDP
basis for eaveving ving sent the employee was fired ae will allow

e. It is

an has ever happened before. We believe

tha no othe Sovemment has done half as wel
people say that the NDP has not done

everything that ney said they would, and that

build the basement and the frame of a house and
then, all of asudden, not allowing them to finish it.

rmment. Reelection
iem to coinplcior the ee that
they have laid for a better province for

For pour, this is going to be the ten of our
lives. If thi r of

ir work, wh

Bob Navarretta is a Service Representative
with IWA-CANADA in Ontario and is Vice-Presi-
dent inf the NDP Italian Advisory committee in

Better choices available
for eee reduction

better to di dep

foreign creditors?

Mowe interest charges 28 the pub-
ax S, it treats all

yeduce our ¢ deficit directly, they will
ave t

108 a Mis last recessions. If we do
are only solving 6% of the

problem Why solve only 6% of the

problem

entire problem? The only way to solve

the whole problem is to put the pres-

sure

Nelson

ister said
that if he wrestled inflation to ube
ground all would be well. He

e next Finance

dollars for Canada’s wealthiest fami-

In 1993, taxes owing but not collect-

eae a positive climate for
‘osp.

lies. job creation. A pi erous economy

long-term elson Riis is the NDP’s Federal

ed totalled more that $6.2 billion. Cor-
perations accounted gor exer nud
of this

when one considers | that

ihe goal of a full employment econo-

ye must stop blaming our fiscal

Counts pee rd 112 pages of various

rates all would a well. He did. It
helped a bit, but not much ae ange ed.

tio ms. ie ‘or example, the Canadian
hamber of ommietce received a

Ne cuts social programs, all will be be
Hat Is Re message sounding all to

ere we differ is
how hey can be reduced. _ New pe

i yur
national debt is due to tax breaks to
yage 20 corporations. “and the aed

interest and a mere 6% to program
Spending, Of that only half can be at-

programs.
aSiehatics Canada peports eat

rich, with an average income of $1
age iS

annual income tax. In addi-

tion, tax provisi x family trusts
provide a tax estas "of billions of

mbardier re-

eiv NEA ee million, Rolls Royce ‘was

iven $1.7 million. The Hi

ect received $247 mi
ebec golf co

Ose.

The Bank of Canada’s monetary
policy of reducing inflation by intro-
ad

jonumental interest charges on the
public debt hich accounts for a sig-

wl
len to about 6%., while

the total. In contrast, the American
entral Bank and the Federal Re-
serve, hold ;poproximately 30% of the
US federal
Why renal we continue to Pay
f th
debt that Canada could lend us for a
lot less? After all, the Bank of Canada
belongs to the people. Would it not be

 IWA NATIONAL

year union stude:

ORGANIZING af
CLC Wi

year over 50 IWA

16/LUMBERWORKER/MARCH, 1995