VLC DECISION

Labor plans to

organize jobles:

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FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1958

Continued from page 1

FESTIVAL

the patience and understand-
ing that made it possible.
Well-balanced as the pro-
gram was between “Our Heri-
tage” — the music, songs and
dances of the Ukraine itselfi—
and “Our Land’’—the adapta-
tion of that cultural heritage
by Ukrainain immigrants to

Canada, now including third
and fourth generation Cana-
dians — it was the second

half of the program: that held
the greatest interest for the
majority of the audience.

Outstanding among the num-
bers in this part of the pro-
gram were The Ukrainian
Suite, specialy written for the
festival by Karl Kobylansky,
who demonstrated a consider-
able talent in his direction of
orchestra and choir; the Log-
gers’ Dance, adapted from a
native Ukrainian dance by
Beatrice Bezubiak, of which
the audience showed its ap-
preciation by thunderous ap-
plause; and the Extra Gang
Song, written by John Weir
and set to music by Eugene
Dolny and Mitchell J. Sago,
who also wrote the continuity
competently narrated by Wil-
liam Philipovich.

Perhaps more than
other number, this song and
its accompanying tableau cap-
tured “the epic of labor” of
the first generation of Ukrain-
lan immigrants with its
words:

any

A Family Day Annual

LABOR
PICNIC

From New York:

EARL ROBINSON
Folk Singer, Balladeer

® Champion wrestlers
Family sports
National dishes
Food galore
Games, ponies,
merry-go-round

AUG. 10 — 12 Noon

Confederation Park
North Burnaby

and

“Someone laid those rail-

road tracks

To B.C. from Halifax.

Lord Strathcona drove one

spike,

All the rest were done by

Mike.”

The outstanding numbers of
the first part of the program
was undoubtedly those pre-
sented by the Bandurist Chorus
of Winnipeg, under the com-
petent direction of Myron
Shatulsky, whose fine tech-
nique and sensitive interpre-
tation demonstrated how well
they. have earned their na-
tional reputation.

Soloists in a program whose

whole emphasis was _ placed
upon collective effort were
Marie Prociw of Toronto, a

very charming girl who de
lighted the audience with her
acrobatic dancing; Harry Hos-
howsky, who showed what
can be done with a mandolin
in the hands of a master;
Stevie Bob, whom it can be
said only that her splendid
voice should be heard more
often; and John Bokla of Tor-
onto, of whose fine lyric tenor
voice too, audience would
gladly have heard more.

The finale, We’re For Peace,
in its simple introduction — a
man, a woman and a child
outlined in lights — and its
climatic parade of banners,
was a fitting conclusion to a
program whose entire theme
rang, as John Chitrenky noted
in his introductory remarks,

~with-the aspirations of Cana-

dian working people of every
national origin.

Greetings from the national
executive of the Asociation of
United Ukrainian Canadians
were brought to the festival
by Peter Prokop, national sec-
retary.

The one omission was the
failure to ask the officers of
the Ukrainian Festival Com-
mittee — Peter Maksylewich,
chairman; Hannah _ Polowy,
secretary; and John Dubno,
treasurer — to take a bow.

but for them perhaps, the suc-

cess of the festival and the
obvious appreciation of the
audience was reward enough.

‘and youth who

Vancouver Labor Council will call a mass meeting of unemployed in the neat

By BERT WHYTE

j
|

future

the first step in a campaign to organize Vancouver's jobless thousands—both trade une fe

and those not members of unions. Council’s executive will meet soon with Canadiaf etd

Congress representatives to “discuss the advisability of organizing the unemployed afl y sit :
a

oping a program to meet the “situation,” dele gates decided by unanimous vote Tuesd

this week.

B.C. Federation of Labo
will hold a one-day conference
on unemployment immedi-
ately before the opening of
its annual convention here in
October, BCFL president Bill
Black told the VLC meeting.

‘TJ know that there is a
division in the labor move-
ment as to whether we should
organize the unemployed as
such,” said VLC president
Lloyd Whalen. “It is no sec-
ret that the Canadian Labor
Congress has been reluctant
to act on the matter. I think
the CLC has made a mistake.

“At this time, when the job
situation should be at its best,
there are 31,495 registered for
jobs in Vancouver. And this
figure doesn’t include thous-
ands of high schoo] graduates
have left
school.

*“Some of the unemployed
are members of trade unions
—but what: about the 60. per-
cent of the unemployed who
belong to no unions? Are we
going to take a negative
position and leave them to
fend for themselves? I say we
must not do this. We should
meet with the BCFL and CLC
leaders and take a position on
organizzing the unemployed—
all the unemployed.”

Prior to the VLC meeting a
score of unemployed union-
ists distributed leaflets to
delegates entering the Labor
Temple, and later they sat in
the visitors’ section of the
hall, listening with keen in-
terest to the discussion on the
jobless crisis.

“Supplementary benefits
have. been cut. off,” said the
leaflet passed out by the un-
employed unionists. “We’re in
the peak of the summer
‘boom’ and tens of thousands
are still without jobs. Many
of us face seizures and evic-
tions :

“Where can we turn for
help, if not to the trade un-
ions we helped to build? Are
you unconcerned that we are
being denied our rights and
are being pushed around’ by
government and Welfare
alike?

“We want help in getting
organized; in taking up griev-

ances; in getting government
action. We appeal to you to
discuss our problem and take
steps now to help.”

A recommendation by the
VLC’s unemployment commit-
tee that a mass meeting of
unemployed be organized
(time and place to be decided
by the executive board) was
passed unanimously.

“On June 28 some 6,000
workers were cut off supple-
mentary unemployment in-
surance benefits, and were all
referred to Social Assistance,”
said Charles Lemarch IWA
Local 217.

The second resolution sub-
mitted by the VLC executive
pointed out that “there is
every reason to believe there
will be a serious unemploy-

2

Labor presses
probe issue

Vancouver Labor Council
will continue to press for a

labor representative on the
royal commission investigat-
ing the Second Narrows

bridge disaster, delegates at-
tending the VLC meeting
Tuesday night decided.

Council will also ask B.C.
Federation of Labor to de-
mand that the government
enact legislation to substanti-
ally increase pensions to wid-
ows and allowances to child-
ren of industrial victims.

“Since the inception of
Workmen’s Compensation an
average of 260 industrial ac-
cident deaths a year have oc-
curred,” said Bill Black,
BCFL president.

“We are not opposed to
giving donations to the Famil-
ies Fund,” said Paddy O’Neale
(IWA). “The real concern of
trade unions, however, should
be to win an increase in the
allotment to widows, which
is totally inadequate.”

“Our union members donated
to the Families Fund,’ said
Bill Stewart (Marine Work-
ers). “We should now concen-
trate on forcing the govern-
to boost pensions,

July 18, 1958 —

aft
ment situation this fall
winter” and resolved:

@ That council autho
its officers to call a ™ 4
of officers of the B.C: “if
ation of Labor, the tW? “197
dian Labor Congres® ios! |
presidents, and CLC rein
director, for the purer d]
discussing the advisabily y
organizing the unemp’ iy
and developing a prost® —
meet the situation. a:

port |

@ That council aut visi |
its officers to make Pf? f
for attendance at the oot
meeting of the executiv? pot
cil of the CLC, for Me ig
pose of making oral repr tte
tation regarding this pest
if the same is foun
essary and expedient.

“It is time we ee
shilly - shallying,” Oe
Bernie Keeley (Marine 18

ers). “It isn’t enough ' :
pious resolutions and 5
on them. This coun gh |

take the lead and pegin © 1
izing the unemploye®

“When you see 2 aeteet
of unemployed outside : ye
Labor Temple such mes
saw tonight, we must no
nize the fact that mé

hardships,”
(Auto Workers).
set up an organization p

employed workers:
the unemployed w®
conjunction with the
ver Labor Council.” ft
“One reason we mv de
is to prevent a situa é
veloping where one gre ys
workers would Pe:
against another grouP - ¢
unemployed versus jp
ployed,” said Joh® — yas
(Painters). “We hav€ 1 i
ponsibility to our une’,
which we must fulfill.
panera

Castle Jewelel?,
Watchmaker and ew
Special Dis-

count to all
Tribune Read-

ers. Bring
this ad with

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