— page 5 | Groups gearing up to take on Tories October 3, 1988 SOS Vol. SI, No. 36 : di : ‘Uniondemanding |—,.. i -also hope that the new sche ee — I . will facilitate some improve- — s <==! actionon PCBs __ stiton Present more timely coverage of mid- — oe = une agenda bargaining By JOHN RADOSEVIC The BCGEU Strikers and their wage demands were on the cutting edge of the labour movement’s efforts to bust out of the wage controlled restraint era of the past 10 years, and their struggle was supported throughout the labour movement. After a week on the picket line, the 29,000 BCGEU members were success- ful in winning a wage package that, according to union officers will give them a 20 per cent increase over three years, including new wage increments for lower paid workers. Ironically, the placards carried by the strikers were a little off the mark by the time members shut down govern- ment work sites. “Fighting for our jobs and your services,” the signs read in expectation of a public sector strike against privatization. However, both the union and the government made it known that an agreement was reached on the issue of privatization which allows government employees whose jobs are privatized to bid on other jobs in the government sector. That raises an obvious question, which affects both the labour move- ment and the community organizations that have formed several broadly based coalitions in the province: “Where now, can labour and the public rally to fight privatization? Can the Socred’s extreme right, neo- conservative agenda be stopped?” The summer is over and the BCGEU oS Demilitarize Arctic, says Jewett — by promoting the United Nations and by ridding itself of its own at End the Arms Race press conference last week. Jewett, pictured h annual peace conference sponsored by EAR at the University of Can in ensuring world peace : ey ita eee says NDP defence critic contract settlement brings almost to a With EAR president Frank Kennedy, opened the fourt ? con he ar a se oa B. ett’s comments page <. Sees hi haope be C. on the weekend. Story on Jew ny wre But there wasn’t a shot fired in the expected battle over the government’s extreme right program. eS Organized labour did win significant economic gains this summer, led by the | see BILL 19 page 12 mn: