Steelworkers win
vote at Kitimat

KITIMAT, B.C.

Three years of a bitter inter-union struggle for jurisdic-
tion in the aluminum empire of Kitimat and Kemano (Al-
can) has ended in an overwhelming victory for the. United
Steelworkers of America, Local 5115, over the 10-union

Allied Aluminum Workers’
In and bitterly-

contested battle for certifica-

this long

tior as the bargaining agency
of Alcan workers, the big vote
now places some 2,400 alumin-
um workers under the jurisdic-
tion of the Steelworkers. The
recorded tally was 1,447 voting
for Steel, with a mere 426
voting for the Aluminum
Workers’ Council.

Following more than a year
cf intensive work the Steel-
workers Union applied to the
Labor Relations Board in May
of 1955 for a referendum vote
to establish jurisdiction. The
LRB turned down Steel’s ap-
plication on the technical
grounds that it had not includ-
ed Alcan’s workers at Kemano.
Determined to provide Alcan
workers with an opportunity
to vote for the union of their
choice, the Steelworkers con-
tinued their re
to win a majority, panel oi
now ended in an overwhelm-
ing vote in their favor.

As a result of the bureau-
ic and reactionary policies
fcllowed by the erstwhile AFL-
dominated Aluminum Work-
ers’ Council, Kitimat became
a virtual company town, run
py Alcan, in which the work-
ers had little or no voice on
the issues of wages or working
conditions in the giant plant,
or in the life of the company-
ruled community. On many
ceeasions reactionary union of-
ficials served as Alcan “spot-
ters’ to hound out and dis-
miss progressive workers, un-
der the pretext of combatting
“communism.”

crat

In Kitimat itself as a result
of Alcan policy, employees be-
came shackled by the purchase
of jerry-built company houses
at exorbitant prices, while
the AFL brass held aloof from
such “municipal” affairs.
(Some time ago CCF MLAs
raised the scandal of Kitimat
housing in the legislature, with
a view to securing a re-assess-
CE Aga: 1.

CONSTANTINE
Fihe Custom Tailoring
Ladies’ and Gentlemen
= Rm. 118, 603 W. Hastings St.
= PA. 5810, Vancouver 2, B.C. =

DUTT tt tir
Ut Ty

Thanievayevanaenaneuaiane De

PROOFING |

REPAIRS

Duroid, Tar and Gravel

Gutters and Downpipes
Reasonable

NICK BITZ AL. 4141

‘i etait ba beet

Council (formerly AFL).

ment of these homes on the

basis of actual rather than
company ‘“values.’’)
In one of their recent cir-

culars against the Steelwork-
ers Union, the AAWC protest-
ed weekly that’they were “too
to give much attention
t>? municipal affairs as they
affected the Alcan workers;
that the labor turnover at Kiti-
mat was so great that it was
difficult for them to consoli-

busy”

date the “gains” they had
made, and that in a difficult
situation they were “doing

their best.” They boasted about
what they had won from Al-
can on behalf of the workers
“without strikes” and gave out
the impression that a vote in
favor of Steel would win noth-
ing except “strikes.”

With the long-disputed issue
now settled overwhelmingly in
favor of the Steelworkers
Union, officials of that organ-
ization have made it clear in
leaflets ‘and other public state-
ments that\they not only have
a program for higher wages
and improved working and
safety conditions in the plant,
which are described as being
“terrible,” but plan to run
union mémbers for the Kitimat
municipal council with a 20-
point program of action.

This is being greeted by
scores of Alcan workers as the
first decisive step towards
breaking Alcan’s dominant
srip on community and civic
affairs in the Kitimat and
Kemano areas. Steel union
spokesmen state that “these
programs will definitely be
accomplished within one year.”

DEAVES TRANSFER

Moving & General Cartage
Reasonable Rates
TERRY BA. 3024

NEW ZENITH
CAFE
105 E. Hastings St.

For the Finest in Good
Eating

OLYMPIA
CUSTOM TAILORS
Also Ready-Made Clothes
2425 E. Hastings St.
at Nanaimo St., Van. 6
Owner: Mr. Carl Pepe

HA, 2923 /

SEEN EEE EEE Re

Castle Jewelers

Watchmaker and Jewelers
Special Dis-
count to all
Tribune Read-
ers. Bring
this ad. with
you.
752 Granville Street

EEE TET bd

SU i it dit

Un tt tt dnt 0 |

al

Two pioneers of the Fin-
nish Organization of Can-
ada were given a birthday
varty attended by more than
100 people at Clinton Hall last
Saturday. They were Vaino
Wasskilla, 80, and Emil Wilen
(above), 70. Wilen, who join-
ed the old Socialist Party of
Canada ‘in 1908, is a founder
of the Finnish Organization
and a pioneer member of the
Communist movement in this
country.

Variety show for
PNE Labor Day

A one-hour variety show and
guest speakers will feature the
special Labor Day show at the
Pacific National Exhibition.

Speakers will probably be
Labor Minister Lyle Wicks and
Trades and Labor Council pre-
sident Lloyd Whalen.

Socred wages

by Civic

Commenting on the Socred “prosperity”
cently issued by the Bennett government ,the Uf
bulletin of Vancouver Civic Employees’ Unio
Workers) draws attention to the disparity in
as between the prevailing wage rates of govell
ployees with those, of city workers.

The Newsbulletin points out
that “B.C. government employ-
ees work for sub-standard
Wages and are denied collec-
tive bargaining rights,’ and
poses the question that many
government employees must
be asking: “Why waste our
time working for the govern-
ment when there is such a big
beom in the province?”

In every classification of
work listed in the civic em-
ployees’ paper, it is shown that
government employees’ wage
rates for a similar work cate-
gory, range from 10 cents to
30 cents per hour below that
of Vancouver civic employees.

“While these categories,”
says the Union Newsbulletin,
‘have been selected from a
much larger group, they rep-
resent an accurate cross sec-
tion of rates, demonstrating
the extent to which most pro-
vincial government employees
are underpaid.”

Since the Bennett govern-
ment never tires of boasting
about its record reduction of
the public debt, and supports

Work

this boast with i

ures in its recent ?
Union Newsbullewi®
question: “Would
place then for B.C.£
employees to ask
not a substantial
debt reduetion sh
to bring their waé®
aries up to decent
levels?”

In a new one-yé
The wage hike, re®
May 1, brings the
£2.27 an hour.

The agreement ©
men working on @
in Vancouver, Ne
ster, Port Alberni ®
ainus, ;

There is also imp
erage under the ul
fare fund. :

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISI

A charge of 50 cents for

each insertion of five lines or
less with 10 cents for each ad-
ditional line is made for no-
tices appearing in this column.
No noticer will be accepted
later than Tuesday noon of
the week of publication.

NOTICES

DEADLINE FOR COMING
EVENTS COLUMN — All
copy must be in the Pacific
Tribune office’ not later
than 12 noon Tuesday.

Will the person who, sever-
al months ago, borrowed the
1936 bound volume of the
B.C Workers’ News from the
Pacific Tribune offices on the
strict understanding to return
it within a few days please re-
turn it immediately.

- WHEN MAKING A WILL,

you may wish to remember
the Pacific Tribunue as a
means~ of continuing the
cause for which you have
worked during your life.
For further information,
write the Business Manager.

COMING EVENTS—CITY

CHANGE OF ADDRESS for
Vancouver East Popular Girl
Social, FRIDAY, AUGUST
10th to 2747 GRANT ST.—
Phone HA. 6077-R. GAR-
DEN SOCIAL, refreshments,
fun for all.

AUGUST 1 AFTER THE
SOCCER
GAME come and enjoy your-
self at a HOUSE SOCIAL at
Doris Bratko’s, 3847 East Hast-
ings. Dancing, refreshments,
and lots of good food.

AFTER THE

AUGUST 1 LOKOMOTIV-

B.C, ALL-STARS GAME, re-
fresh yourself at 149 North
Kootenay. Dry Dock Press

Club will soothe your jangled
nerves from 10 p.m. on.

HASTINGS BAKE
—Scandinavian
specialty. 716 Ea
Street. Phone T.

34 TRANSFER &

Courteous, fast,
Call NICK at G
HA. 5794L.

~

COMING EVENTS — PROV.

PICNIC

SUN., AUGUST 12
Confederation Park

BUSINESS PERSONALS

THE MOST MODERN
CLEANERS Cleaning, Press-
ing and Dyeing. Alterations
and Repairs. 754 East Hast-
Ings. TA. 0717.

UKRAINSKA KNYHA — Per.
sonal parcels to the Soviet
Union (Russia, Ukraine,
Byelo-Russia, Latvia, Lith-
uania, Estonia and other So-
viet Republics.) 625 Kings-
way (at Fraser). Phone
EX. 3118,

KEITH FISH AND CHIPS
Deep Fried Chicken ‘and
Fish in Peanut Oil our Spe-
cialty! Take Out! Phone
YO. 9919; 749 w. Keith,
North Vancouver. Mary and
Jim Beynon, Props.

August 10, 1956 —

REGENT TAILOR
Custom Tailors #
to wear. For pé
vice see Henry
324 W. Hastings
couver 3. PAcifl

O.K. RADIO SEM
Latest factory
equipment used.
SERVICE, 1420
West. TA. 1012.

SUITE FOR RENT
phone D, GreenW
1820-M ‘this week

HALLS FOR

20 et an
RUSSIAN PEOPLE
Available for mee
dings, and banqué
sonable rates. 600
Ave. TA. 9939.

CLINTON HALL, ”%
Pender. Available ¥
quets, Weddings
Etc. Phone HA. 3

a
PENDER |
AUDITORIV

(Marine WO

339 West Pe
LARGE & SMA
FOR RENT.
Phone PA.

TLL

a:
of

€

PACIFIC TRIBUNE