' t FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1970 DEMAND LEGISLATURE ACT INDUSTRY MUST BE MADE TO CLEAN UP POLLUTION Halt oil exploration says Alberni council With the Legislature opening this week the demand Cities of the future — if we don’t stop pollution NOW IWA drafting demands Delegates from coast locals of the [WA meet in Vancouver next weekend to formulate wage and contract demands to be presented shortly to employers. There is considerable interest in IWA demands, because the 50,000 wood and pulp workers constitute the largest and probably most restless block among the 120,000 workers in B.C. whose = greements open this spring. Plauged by wildcat stoppages reflecting dissatisfaction with the settlement two years ago, Operators are already expressing fear it may well prove impossible to ‘‘keep the lid on this pear when sharp struggles are emerging with 1% million Canadian and 6 million U.S. workers contracts up. Heading the list of demands advanced by all locals of the IWA in this Region is a $1.00 per hour Increase, with variations such as 30% across the board alternative, and ‘‘cost of living adjustments” extra. Widely demanded also is a reduction in “retirement age to 60 years” with a company- paid, union-administered pension fund to fill the gap; the bringing of all sub-contracting back under the agreement; and establishment of a stipulated set of industry-wide work rules to settle such issues as fallers and tradesmens grievances, fire-fighting, night-logging, shift rates, clothing allowances, sick pay, overtime, etc. Concern has been expressed in some areas over sectional divisions appearing, and the large number of resclutions being submitted, creating the danger of too much diversity and diffuseness. _ However, in Vancouver last Sunday, a well- attended Local 1-217 millworkers’ meeting overwhelmingly voted down the chairman’s opposition to a demand for a reduction in hours. VOL: 31, NO. 4 ‘is sweeping across B.C. that the government take action at this session to bring pollution under control, to make industry clean up its own pollution, and to cancel all permits for oil exploration in Georgia Strait at once. These demands are _ being taken up by people from all: walks of life, including trade unionists, municipal leaders and councils, anti-pollution organi- zations, and all those concerned ‘with survival in face of runaway pollution hazards. The latest influential body to add its voice to the rising danger was the Port Alberni City Council. Acting on a motion by Ald. George McKnight, the ——————————————— The B.C. Federation of labor and Vancouver Labor Council have launched a province-wide petition demanding ‘“‘survival action’ from Ottawa and Victoria. A statement® accom- panying the petition demands, “immediate setting and enforcing of standards of purity for air, water, and food.” as ee ea nes en cae ee council unanimously adopted a motion calling on “‘the Provin- cial government to act to put an end to oil exploration in the Straits and declare the whole area out of bounds as far as oil exploration or drilling is concerned.”’ The Port Alberni City Council expressed its solidarity with the _,many island city councils and Regional District Boards which have come out against oil exploration in Georgia Strait. McKnight’s resolution said that the exploration for oil in the © Straits has caused widespread concern The resolution points out that even the method of drilling from shore does not completely remove the possibility of pollution through leakage and faults. In a statement to the public McKnight said that the problem of pollution “is more urgent now and we have reached the point where we will destroy our environment unless _ effective action is taken very soon.” McKnight said that what is needed now is very stringent anti- pollution laws applied to all sources. of pollution, parti- cularly industry, the main source of pollution. These laws, he said, must be passed and enforced by our senior govern- ments:on the principle that those who do the polluting must pay for cleaning it up. The Port Alberni alderman warned that there is an attempt being made now to win tax con- cessions for industry to help them pay for anti-pollution measures. ‘‘This must be resisted on the grounds that it would pass on the cost of indus- trial pollution controls to the ordinary citizen who is already bearing too heavy a load. “Industry can afford to clean up its own pollution and industry can afford the cost,”’ he said. PASTOR MARTIN NIEMOLLER, above, and India’s Krishna Menon, prominent figures in the world peace movement, will speak at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Fri. Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. under the auspices of the newly-~ formed Vancouver Moratorium Committee.