Labor Front

By WILLIAM KASHTAN

The easing of international tensions is also bringing about
an easing of tensions in the trade union movement and a growing
trend towards unity. The pace ofthat developmentis still far too slow
despite the conditions which make such unity imperative.

On an international scale a growing body of trade unionists are
beginning to urge, more and more insistently, that the ICFTU and
the WF TU unite for common aims.

The Australian Trades Union Congress, affiliated to the ICF TU,
recently endorsed a resolution calling for ex-
changes and contacts with national trade union
centres affiliated to the WFTU. At the same
time it agreed that its affiliates could partici-
pate in meetings of the WFTU as observers.

Dore Smets, President of the International

Federation of Building and Wood Workers, the

International Trade Secretariat of the ICF TU and

President of the Belgium Wood and Building

Workers Unions recently declared that: ‘*Re-

lations must be established between the trade

unions affiliated to the ICFTU and those of the WFTU, Particularly

within the framework of the International Trade Secretariats. We,

must no longer obstruct such relations,’’ he said.

The Congress of Norwegian Printers’ Union recently adopted a
resolution calling on the Norwegian Trades Union Congress to use
its influence in the ICFTU to make it take the initiative in calling
a: conference of all world trade union centres for the purpose of
uniting the working class in a single organization.It also urged
the International Graphic Federation to convene a conference for
purposes of uniting all printing workers into one single international
organization.

The President of the Swedish Trades Union Congress, Mr.
Arne Geijer, recently declared that the Swedish trade union move-
ment, in the spirit of peaceful coexistence, has stopped applying

direct pressure on thoseof its affiliateswhich wish to establish con- -

tacts with trade union organizations in the socialist countries.

In Italy and France, it is now common practice for all trade
unions, irrespective of their affiliation or outlook, to unite in com-
mon action against employers.

These few examples indicate that the trend towards contacts.
cooperation, unity in action and organic unity is becoming an ir-
resistible current which the fight for peace and peaceful coexistence
has made possible. The U.S. State Department and its boys in the
AFL-CIO, despite all their efforts, have been unable to prevent
this process.

* * *

Unfortunately this current has not yet made its full impact
felt in Canada, largely because of U.S. control over the Canadian
trade union movement. This suggests the need for a reassessment
by trade unionists, directed to asserting sovereign rights and inde-
pendence of action here as on other matters.

Why is it quite proper for CLC President Claude Jodoin and
other officers of the congress and affiliates, to sit down side by side
with representatives of the trade union movement from the socialist
countries in the ILO and agree on a common position there, and at
the same time consider it improper to establish a rapprochement
with the trade union centres of these countries and with the WFTU,
outside of the ILO?

Who stops them? Is it the AFL-CIO, the U.S. State Depart-
ment, the Canadian government or employers in Canada?

Whatever the case may be the time for a re-examination is
long overdue, not only by the CLC but by all trade unions in this
country. The struggle for peace, against monopoly and its poli-
cies and for the needs of the workingclass, makes such international
cooperation and unity essential.

: Above all, a re-examination is necessary with respect to the
need for establishing a fully united House of Labor in Canada. The
problem of relationships between the CLC and the Confederation
of National Trade Unions has still to be resolved, So has the rela-
tionship between the CLC and the various independent unions.

At the last CLC convention the executive council was instructed
to bring in recommendations to the coming April convention on how
to resolve the problem, Will it come forward with proposals that
can unite the trade unionmovement ona truly democratic and autono-
mous basis? Or will it continue along the old, sterile cold war line
which has already damaged the image of the trade union movement
and weakened its great potential?

* * =

It is common knowledge that the Steel union leadership has been
among the foremost divisive elements in the Canadian trade union
movement, with the unenviable record of doing more than any other
group to prevent the achievement of an all-inclusive trade union
movement. :

Does Mr. Larry Sefton’s recent appeal to Mine Mill indicate a
change of heart, a long overdue recognition, ashe says, that division
hurts labor and helps the employers at labor’s expense? Or is it
merely a cheap manoeuvre, lip service to the growing urge to-
wards unity in the ranks of workers while continuing a policy of
wrecking, disorganization and division?

A good way for Mr. Sefton to show his sincerity would be for
the Steel union to press for the inclusion of all unions in the CLC,
thereby making it a more effective instrument of the working class
in this period of great challenge.

Communists and the left have for years fought against divi-
sions and for unity in the ranks of labor, pointing out that only the
employers, only monopoly and its governments gain from dis-
unity. Unpleasant facts have made this all too crystal clear.

The trend towards disunity now needs tobe replaced by a power-
ful current of unity. because it is the power of unity which will help
the working class to advance on the economic, legislative and poli-
tical fields and isolate and curb the power of monopoly.

Will the CLC convention face up to this challenge?

In the meantime, a good place to develop unity is on the bar-
gaining front this year.

By CHARLES CARON

This Saturday, March 7, Can-
adian Labor Congress unions will
be meeting in Vancouver to co-
ordinate their activities for con-
tact negotiations.

The B.C. Federation of Labor
has called the Wages and Pol-
icy Conference in line with in-
structions to do so issued at its
last convention held in the middle
of November. With the IWA go-
ing into contract negotiations
soon, and the shipyard workers
already out on strike, this con-
ference will have its work cut
out for it.

Although the idea of unity of
the labor movement is almost
as old as the labor movement
itself, the present leadership of
the B.C. Federation of Labor
has great difficulty in under-
standing this elementary need
of the working people.

At the Vancouver-New West-
minister Labor Council meeting,
when the announcement was made
of the scheduled conference,
delegates were very critical of
the tardiness in calling the con-
ference. A number of unions had
already concluded their contract

negotiations and reached settle-
ments that reflected the disunity

of the labor movement.
Even ‘a cursory study of dev-
elopments in industry today can-

not but result in serious con-
cern for labor. Last year the
top representatives of industry,
educators and advisors in North
America met in conferences to

discuss the effect of the techni-

cal revolution in production. In
their opinion the vast changes
taking place in industry will re-—

quire bold imaginative plans.
They had to admit that our pre-

sent society was not equipped to

deal with the problem.

Capitalism is confronted with
this contradiction: that at the very
time when the national product
shows a substantial increase due
to the technical revolution, this
increase is also accompanied by

the phenomenon of mass unem-
ployment.

The most alarming thing about

this new phenomenon is the fact

that it is at its early stage of

development. Big business is not
concerned over the misery this
state of affairs will inflict on
the working people, but over the

Valley workers on strike

‘This picture from the Surrey Herald shows some of the young workers on

=

the picket line at the Gearmatic Plant in Surrey.

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unrest it will create. The

of the monopolies are for

to become the victim of the

nical revolution. }
@

Labor cannot ignore the
responsibility it has to 25°)”
historically. A comprehe
plan of action has to be ®
ed to meet present condi
It is not enough to pas
shelve resolutions on how
work. A shorter work day
be planned and fought for.
ing structural reforms hav
enacted also to provide [0
ernment control over if
and labor voice in produe
processes.

Some of the long term cont
that have been signed, su“
the plumbers and sheet ™
contracts, fall short of 1”
needs. They represent mane
ment’s outlook of the future ~
term contracts to ignore
shorter work week, and
provide no guarantee of
ted employment, is the m
in which the monopolies
responsibility for labor’s
ture.

a)

The B.C. Federation of L
leadership cannot ignore the
ticism of its lack of leade!
and shortcomings in contract,
tlements to date. Howevels it
not too late to reverse the #@
negotiations. Many of the bul
ing trades unions are discU®
new contracts and of majo!
portance is the I.W.A. neg
tions. ‘ 2

Unity of labor could prow
through the I.W.A., a new #
for British Columbia. It iS
sible to force a new deal
of the powerful lumber mon,
lies. They are exploiting ©
people’s heritage, the timbel”
sources of this provinces
are also accruing gigantic P
fits as a result of techno”
which is also a product ®
people. :

Delegates should come out
the B.C. Federation of Labor ®
ference with a new outlook
plan of action to carry it thro™
Nothing short of that can ®
fice to cope with the pré
situation. ;

Workers fight
U.S. company

Strikers at the Gearmatic Ph
in Surrey have been on the pi
et line since February 18
they struck after the comp
failed to bargain in good

The workers are membe!’
Steelworker’s Union Local 2
About 56 workers are inv?

The workers on strike tol
PT that Gearmatic has h@
labor strife until now in it®
years of existence. In the {4
1963 it was taken over by pis =
fic Car and Foundry of seat

Only offer made by the co
pany has beenathree year a8
ment and a 20¢ package wil
betterment of vacations 2
worsening of hourly conditi®
The strikers are determine
hold out for agreement W
would bring them in line
others in the same industry:

March 6, 1964—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Po