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LABOR SCENE:

Labor backs April 15 peace mart

FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1967

Hydro rate boost stirs
strong public protest

The announcement by the B.C,
Hydro Commission of a $7 mil-
lion rate boost for users ofelec-
tricity, which went into effect on
April 1 — April Fools Day —has
stirred up a wave of indignant
protest.

The Vancouver Labour Council—

at its meeting this Tuesday unan-
imously adopted a resolution call-
ing on the council to join with the
B. C. Federation of Labor in
strongly protesting the hydro in-
crease,

Alderman Harry Rankin, chair-
man of the Vancouver Central
Council of Ratepayers, said the
increase which is pushing domes-
tic power bills up by as much
as $1.50 a month, “is obviously
putting the higher rates on the
wrong people.” He announced his
intention to push for a public
hearing on the rate increase.

North Vancouver District
Reeve Ron Andrews said the
increase had nothing to do with
the hydro system at all butis due
to difficulties being faced by the
government in its power develop-
ments, The same view was ex-
pressed by opposition leader
Robert Strachan, NDP, when he
Said, ‘Obviously the price in-

crease is the first payment onthe
bungling of the Columbia River
Treaty.”

The B.C. Committee of the_—
Communist Party also registered
a sharp protest over theincrease,

_At the same time it demanded

from Ottawa an immediate public
inquiry into Canada’s position
under the Columbia River Treaty
in light of the U.S. decision to
boost Grand Coulee power gener-
ation by 250 percent.

“B.C. should not be forced to
subsidize Bennett’s bungling on
the Columbia on which U.S, re-
turns are quite evidently over
$150 million short of meeting the
costs of the dams, Nigel Morgan,
provincial leader, said.

In a telegram to Premier Ben-
nett, Morgan reminded him that
**B.C, Hydro’s new _ increase
brings Vancouver light rates up
to the highest of any major city
across the country with the ex-
ception of Charlottetown, PEI.
They are almost double those of
Toronto and Winnipeg and con-
siderably higher than even
Prairie cities that are largely
dependent on thermo-generated
power.”’

City tunnel-bridge plan
‘a welcome development’

Vancouver City Council’s de-
cision to join with the North
Shore municipalities in an effort
to obtain a tunnel crossing is a
welcome development said
Charles Caron, Vancouver Com-
munist Party secretary, in a
letter to City Council.

The letter added: “It is also
our view that financing of a
tunnel-bridge complex isthe
responsibility of the Provincial
and Federal governments,

-. “The City Council’s proposal.
that the senior governments grant
$35 million each with an addi-
tional loan of $30 million from the
Federal government to be repaid
out of the gasoline tax is a sound
approach to finance the project.

“There remains to be worked
out by the councils affected the
use such atunnel-bridge complex

‘will be put to. Either its use
will be to further traffic con-
gestion by increasing thenumber
of cars in the heart of Vancouver
or whether emphasis will be
placed on bringing people to the
area,

“We submit that the tunnel-
bridge complex must combine
“with a rapid transit to the centre
of Vancouver and perimiter faci-
lities on the North Shore. We
further propose construction of an
access road on the waterfront

(not a freeway) having the requir-
ed outlet east and west of the
city.”

LONGSHOREMEN HELP LOAD AID FOR VIETNAM. Photo
shows Longshoremen in New Westminster helping offi-
cials of the Canadian Aid for Vietnam Civilians load
crates of babies knitted wear and surgical instruments,
and medicines aboard the Soviet M/V “‘Ola’’ on March

Morgan said, “the particularly
vicious side of the increase is
that it is being applied on $39
million worth of residential pur-
chases, while the $71 million
worth of industrial and commer-
cial customers have been let off
scott-free.”

The Communist Party has de-
manded that the Bennett govern-
ment take another look and cut
hydro rates as was promised by
Premier Bennett. In a speech at
Chilliwack on Feb. 26, 1963,
Bennett pledged that hydro rates
would be reduced by $5 million
annually for the next 10 years.

Blood on
the coal

The B.C. Executive of
the Communist Party has
wired the President of the
Natal-Fernie local of the
United Mine Workers ex-
pressing sympathy over the
terrible tragedy which this
week took a toll of fifteen
miners lives and caused
serious injury to ten more,

The Pacific Tribune ex-
tends its deepest sympathy
and sorrow for the bereaved
families ofthe dead miners,
We hope next week to be
able to bring our readers a
full: account of. one of the
worst mine disasters in re-
cent years,

&

An appeal to all unions affiliated with the Vancouvel
District Labor Council to participate in the April 15 d
tion for peace in Vietnam was made at the Council mee

day night.

A few dissenting delegates
raised the question of ‘‘some
groups participating” and cau-
tioned, “it is wise to know where
we are going”.

Citing Canadian Labor Con-
gress policy on Vietnam, which
calls for an end to the. bombing,
a negotiated peace by all parties
including the Viet Cong, the re-
moval of all foreign troops from
Vietnam, and adherence to the
Geneva Accord of 1954, the VLC
made it quite clear “we know
where we are going.”

“There has been a serious lack
of initiative by the trade unions
in the struggle for peace,” stated
delegate W. Stewart (Marine
Workers), ‘‘and we can become
over-cautious. Don’t let the
presence of a few screwballs
embarrass or hold us up now.”

Delegate Clarke (Plumbers)
declared, ‘‘I’d much rather be em-
barrassed by who might attend
a peace rally of suchimportance,
than be embarrassed sitting on
my hands,”

* KOK

A five-year plan to establish
‘*neace’’ in the plumbing and pipe-
fitting industry, well larded with
some attractive wage “bait”, plus
some losses and changes in fringe
benefits already included intheir
existing wage agreement, over
400 members of Local 170,
Plumbers and Pipefitters Union
voted unanimously last Friday to
reject this ‘‘industrial peace’
pact. As a substitute for their
present wage contract this “pact’’
would have reduced trade union-
ism to little more than a cor-
porate appendage,

Reporting to this week’s ses-
sion of the Vancouver and Dis-
trict Labor Council (VLC) the
delegate from the Plumbers Union
outlined the “pact” in some de-
tail.

“The Journal of Commerce had
lauded this agreement as a

revolutionary wage formula,

31st. They are being carried free of charge by the Soviet
grain boat to Vladivostok and then shipped to Vietnam.
The medical aid group has raised nearly $28,000 and is
currently involved in adrive to reach the objective of
$50,000 by the end of the year.

« stewards shall be giV@ yg

emo!
ting

which it certainly is -
verse,” stated the dele
‘twhile Tory Alvin Hamill
commended the plumber
claring the pact would my
tremendous influence ™
in North America.

“We have plenty 0 a ;
hands without trying #0 mt
North America.” Anothe! if
gate pointed out that the af
of Commerce could ha? if
accepted as an authority if
olutionary trade unionis™ *
the new building it noW o¢ ;
was built by an injunction
non-union contractor’

'
In this ‘industrial pet
many of the beefs which ie
most unions — and if ae
“beyond provisions of thls pit
ment”, will go to @ stl
Joint Conference Board,
arbitrary rulings will

‘
According to Clausé 16,

priate training under yi
pices of the Piping Indl af
prenticeship Board 0 ; iit
sponsibilities and condué e
stewards, .and on ® ait
completion receive 4% |
tion certificate’. j
‘‘We have always es
elected our own shoP we
stated the Plumbers ie
“and intend to keep 08 do! :

The Joint Conterene ag
as set out in this “Pi gat
also regulate the cost rd
wage escalator machinery
ing employers and unio? im él
on any proposed wage
or decreases.

4

Another section of tf i“
trial peace pact” deal F Y
“Industry Service Fuh
which the employet§ in
(4¢) per hour ear?
employee, but this fund y ny
be used for the purp? yo
establishment and co” oft
additional personnel ins?
to service the B.Ce Pip
dustry more efficientlY* yi

This fund must aesisit
be used “to cause oF © af
any strikes, work stoP! o,
downs, stay-ins, sie in
any other action whic é op
feres with an employe! “i
tion, etc., etc. - ** nel
anything like that OCCU” 9s
Conference Boar m
final decision. ; Pi

i

The VLC body g4¥%@ we

gates’ report and ” of

rejection of this aindustt
pact” a rousing a

approval, f

!
The five B.C. trawlers!
in Prince Rupert sinc 108
vith an approximate tot set
000 “hot” fish on boa?
deadlocked. ect
The trawl owners a
Supreme Court injuncl™ sl
the United Fisherme? as °s
Workers Union, but “0
workers have had Te850 inf
on previous occasiO®” 4 i)
tions don’t catch or UP e A
an 84,54 percent vote get
UFAWU members Daily
mined that its PEt
members “should no’ nde fi
to handle or proces® eee
ed unfair by the {
trawlers”. ge

* * * i

t

E _pod

April 7, 1967—PACIFIC TRIBUN F