| Labor must see past | Union fights for Loan Fund

‘bread-and butter’

Beginning on Wednesday, July 26, representatives of
- labor, management and government held a 3-day confer-
ence in Vancouver. One of the speakers for labor was ED
SIMS, president of the Vancouver & District Labor Council
and Regional Vice-President of the Canadian Labor Con-
gress.

Below are a few excerpts from Sims’ remarks:

Those who glibly write off, collective bargaining as obso-
lete for the second half of the 20th century betray an ignorance
of its revolutionary role in the past and of its indispensable
role in the present . . .

*

It is true, however, that today collective bargaining is
confronted with certain serious challenges. These challenges
arise from problems within our economy. Inadequate econo-
mic growth, together with the swift pace of technological
change, and their consequent impact on jobs, has broadened
the scope, greatly increased the complexity of collective bar-
gaining.

In former days, when contract negotiations were largely
confined to wages and’ hours, the collective bargaining system
was comparatively simple. It was much easier to reach solu-
tions on such “bread and butter” issues.

Today, however, complicated matters relating to job
security are taking precedence over wages. The workers’ fear
of being displaced by industrial and technological changes was
the underlying issue in the recent strikes in the United States.

The charge is sometimes made that unions are conservative
in that they stubbornly resist technological innovations. I
think that this is an inaccurate statement.

It is not technological changes which unions resist, but
rather the consequences of unemployment or inferior employ-
ment which may result from such changes. Changes in tech-
nology which increase productivity and make possible a better
life for all, contribute to progress.

But if such changes are accompanied by widespread unem-
ployment, the result is hardly progress.

’ The Trade Union movement has fought and struggled against

great adversity, and often at a great sacrifice to workers, in
order to achieve security of employment for its members. It
cannot throw away these hard won gains by failing to take
measures to prevent workers from becoming the hapless victims
of technology .. .

* *

* * *

Dr. Siegel has indicated in his remarks that the American
labor movement accepts the economic framework of private
enterprise and seeks to advance its interests within this frame-
work. Although this may apply in the United States, as far as
the labor movement is concerned, this does not necessarily

apply to the trade union movement in Canada . - .
* * *

The (Canadian Labor) Congress feels that collective bar- —

gaining, important as it is for solving those problems which
lie in the area of management labor relations cannot by itself
Solve the unemployment problem. Full employment can only
be achieved by the implementation of appropriate policies by
Our federal and provincial governments.

For example, vast social capital needs exist in Canada, the
fulfilment of which would substantially help create jobs to
Meet employment needs, but are beyond the power of collective
bargaining. For example, there is a great need for more
Schools, hospitals, urban development and renewal, the estab-
lishment of scientific and technical institutes, conservation of
resources, etc.

Economie planning, which would involve the use of fiscal
and monetary policies, as well as the establishment of planning
odes, obviously lie outside the power of collective bargain
hg.

Collective bargaining will continue to play an import
role in our economic society. However, we recognize there are
many important matters which we have alluded to that cannot

ant

be accomplished by collective procedures. These matters lie in

the ;
area of governmental action

STRIKE. BREAKERS IN ECUADOR. Picture shows armed soldiers be-
of factory and office wor :-

i i : g ai
g Used in an effort to orea~ a strixe
Worxer’s Con-

€ts in Guayaquil. The wor:ers are members of the
federation and are demanding more pay, an end to firing
_ cratic rights.

and de-

2
The PT has requested JACK
PHILLIPS, Secretary. of the Van-
couver Civic Employees Union—
Outside Workers, io comment on j
the proposed Municipal Develop-

_ ment and Loan Fund. His com-

ments follow: {
The Vancouver Civic Employees
Union—Outside Workers, «favors
the passage of Bill C-76, which
had first reading on June 17.
This federal Act would provide
$400: million as a loan fund for
municipalities to augment or ac-
celerate municipal capital works.
We realize that the passage of
this Act would be only a small
step in the right direction, that
is, in the direction of making a
larger share of the Canadian tax
dollar available to our municipal-
ities. But we submit that it would

be a backward step if Bill C-76
was destroyed:

The act would provide loans at_
a reasonable rate: of interest
But more important, the federal
government would write off 25
percent of the total loan for all
projects completed by March 31,
1966, or for that portion of the
loan advanced to that date. With
Ottawa putting up two-thirds of
the cost for an approved project,
the write-off feature alone would
bring a saving of nearly 17 per-
cent of the total cost.

Vancouver City Council is ap-
parently determined to impose an
austerity program, to put off
much-needed public works to a
later date. This would mean lay-
offs for our members and, ul-
timately, higher costs for the tax-

payers.

That is why we are urging city
council toe take a public position
in favor of Bill C-76 and to plan
its capital works program with a
view to taking full advantage of
the loan fund.

It is the responsibility of the
mayor to give leadership to City
Council on major policy questions.
On this issue, Mayor William
Rathie appears to have joined
those who are trying to murder
Bill C-76. We submit that such a
policy is opposed to the best in-
terests of Vancouver.

In our opinion, the situation at
City Hall would be much im-
proved if we had representatives
of organized’ labor as members of
city council.

CIRCULATION ROUNDUP:

Paper sales show gains,
large increase possible

By JERRY SHACK
(Circulation Manager)

As can be seen from the table
below, our circulation continues tc
grow consistently—though modest-
ly. In the field of paper sales in
particular, it will be seen that
711 subs have been recorded (one
sub equals 25 papers sold) on a
quota of 1184.

The 711 subs
represent the
figures at the
end of June,
which marks
the 6 . month
period of 1963.
Obviously, if
we can main-
tain the tempo
set in the first
half of the year, we will reach
somewhere around 1425 subs on
our 184 target.

This would be particularly sig-
nificant in view of the fact that
the figure of 1184 has already al-
lowed for a 20% iMcrease over

_sales last year. In other words, if

we keep up the pace we will boost
1963 paper sales by 507% over last

year!

Of course the credit for these
gains cannot be equally distribut-
ed among all press clubs, for the
truth of the matter is that a num-
ber of clubs are still lagging bad-
ly behind the overall pace. Now,
if these clubs can get into the
swing of things, there’s no telling
just how far we’ll go in extending
the influence of the PT.

7

Our subscriptions also show a
reasonably healthy picture. Con-
sidering the fact that most re-
newals fall due in autumn (the
traditional time for our sub
drives) our, 895 subs~sold up to
June 30 indicate that a number
of new readers have been re.
cruited.

. If we can manage to pick up
renewals as they become due, it
is inevitable that we will reach
and surpass our objective of 2695
by Dec. 31. This will depend to a
large extent upon the degree of
planning, organizing and check
up achieved by the press clubs.
The important thing to remem-
-ber is that we have already

achieved the beginnings of a sig-
nificant breakthrough in circula-
tion.

From all appearances, Canada
is in for a prolonged period of po-
litical ferment. The Liberal gov-
ernment is losing a large measure
of whatever prestige it may have
enjoyed after the elections; the
Tories and Socreds will find it
difficult to erase the memories
of their infamous giveaways and
double dealing on the nuclear and
other questions; the NDP has
shown by its parliamentary re-,
cord that it cannot be relied upon
to act in the people’s interest with-
out a great deal of pressure.

Under the above conditions, it
is clear that Canadians will be
searching for an honest alterna-
tive to policies of subjugating our
nation’s interests to the
strings of U.S. monopoly.

It follows that not only will it
be easier to extend our circula-
tion, but that we would be com-
mitting a crime against the
Canadian people if we failed to
do so.

GREATER VANCOUVER Steveston. . ..... 15 4 3
speci ses Trail-Rossland .... 95 10: “Se a4
udS uUoSs
Advance .. 50° - 20.249 3 eo ae : y +
Bill Bennett 100.20 = 42) ..13 a aS :
Broadway 140 35° = 47; 17 VANCOUVER ISLAND
Dry Doc 5S 205721 8 Alberni... 55 “60: 19 34
Fran Rogers 35; 220: 210 2 ‘Campbell River 32) 4 43
Georgia . . 20° 5) 210. 5 Cumberland ..... 60 18. 14 1
Kingsway .... . 75 18 16 6 Cowichan =... 55 15 ) 4
Niilo Maxela .... 20 I Rign  £ Nanaimo... 100. 125.( -27 9p
Olgin 40 6:42 2 Parksville. . 22 2 16
Point Grey 7<30 — 20=-°-10.= .20--Nictoria 75-50. 90. 16
Vancouver East .250 120 101 129 Saanich 30 15 18 5
Vancouver South eae Ree! ee [| a
Victory Savare heres Wek YA 3 Haney-Map.Rg. .. 55 5 15
West End .. 65 12 Les 3 MisGicn a A 5
North Burnaby 1302-95 = 5 27
Edmunds paps as iy 16 OKANAGAN
North Shore oss ©0042 aa me
City misc... 7A Goer war cM ee Saat
City Totals 1365 733 489 461 DELTA
Ft. Langley 50 5°~-18 8
PROVINCE GENERAL a Ladner |. ot ee a
Club area eA ay roe New West: . =... 85 30 28 29
Fernie-Michel 20.0 5-5 8. South Surrey 40 5 12 1
Nelson . 25 Yao (SS | Surrey 125. 50.20 «33
Powell River AS kg ey Prov. Totals .... .1330 451 406 250
Prince Rupert 15 3 2 City Totals ..1365 733 489 461
Sointula 30 3 4 Grand Totals . . .2695 1184 895 711

purse

Tduly}2, \96S2PACIRICTRIBUNE—Page7