TO rm Th 1) Th

Wildcats in Montreal

(Continued from Page 5)

craft Workers Division Number
4 agreed to negotiate together,
the leadership’s: changed tactics
came too late.

The results of early bargaining
was summed up by R. C. Smith,
chief union negotiator. The com-
pany came. up with an offer of
$350 lump sum on top of the
7.5% 1974 cost of living wage
increase. Smith claimed this
would amount to a total increase
of 12.5% for the year.

In commenting on the offer,

one of the workers stated that,
“they, the leaders, thought we
would ratify the contract with
our pencils. Instead we are going
to ratify it with our feet.”
' This type of thinking has left
some of the union leaders aston-
ished and dismayed, and evi-
dence points to the fact that the
gulf between the workers and
their representatives continues
to widen.

The age of the rank and file is
very young today and their mili-
tancy is acute. Given this rising
awareness one might almost in-
terpret the recent wildcat as par-
tially due to the worker’s grudge
against the leadership.

Another and more pressing
aspect is the objective economic
situation. What does a young
family man think when he reads
that Great Western United Sugar
declared a 1,200% increase in
profits over last year, or that
Pittston Coal Co., reported a
third quarter profit up 787.1%
over last -year?

Or again, how does he make
do with the raging inflation
which besets him from all sides.
When the media states that food
prices are just now going to start
rising, what has it done till now?
And the cost of homes increased
50%, car prices increased 25%
and so on.

Workers are no longer naive
enough to accept the rubbish the
government issues as cost of
-living as opposed to fictitious in-
flation figures,

One worker explained it to the
Canadian Tribune this way: The
cost of living bonus is simply a
Christmas present slipped to us
by the company so that we sign
the contract. But after taxes,
that money is reduced to $250
which is roughly $5 per week.

The metro workers in Mont-
real obtained $600. The federal
civil servants $500 and the city
firemen $750.

The rank and file anticipate a

worsening inflation and a real
wage deficit.

It was-pointed out that railway
freight rates could rise by about
25% next year following yester-
day’s Cabinet decision to lift the
federally-imposed rate freeze at
the end of this year.

Given these indicators, it is
easy to see why, in spite of the
leadership’s claim that the agree-
ment is substantial, the rank and
file are bitterly dissatisfied.

Led by the boilermakers, pipe-
fitters and electricians the wild-
cat managed to effectively close
down ll CP-CN facilities. Some
of the workers claim to have
formed a rump group and man-

aged to set up quarters in a.

place other than union head-
quarters,

It was reported that one
spokesman would be named to
deal with revised demands and

that the dissidents wished to deal °

with the company directly. ~

MCM wins great
election victory

(Continued from Page 5)

lors may now develop sufficient
spine to differ with the mayor. It
would not be beyond the imagin-
ation to anticipate some disen-
chantment and perhaps even a
split in the ruling municipal
party. It bears remembering that
Drapeau’s platform was _high-
lighted by his promise to con-
struct 10,000 low-rental homes.
And one can rest assured that
the MCM will serve to keep him
reminded of this target.

The spirited success of the
group was based on their poi-
tical spectrum, which of course
is a coalition of left-wing ideolo-
‘gies. The amalgum of New
Democratic Party and Parti Qué-
bécois members served to under-
line the instrinic truth in unity
being the keystone to victory.
This is the political lesson to be
learned. The main feature of the
coalition was not others group-
ing around the Parti Québécois
but rather a submersion of all
under a common platform with
common objectives and common
strategy.

Provided they remain united,
the promise for greater things
for the working people of the
city of Montreal is bright, and
the community control so eager-
ly. sought after by so many will
be closer at hand.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1974—Page 10

Study session
in Toronto

(Continued from Page 5)

cat the Maple yard that were

not part of the study sessions,
“so we decided to: g0 back and
Save our energy for a strike if

the unions turn down the com-
pany’s offer.”

According to the latest infor-
mation that the Tribune receiv-
ed, the proposed contract is for
one year. Each worker is to re-
ceive a $350 bonus to offset the
Cost of living increases in 1974,
The bonus however is not con-
sidered wages and will not add
to the percentage increase for
1975. Effective Jan. 1, 1975,
there is to be a 10% wage in-
crease and a further increase of
23 cents per hour.

New provisions in the pension
fund include a clause granting
the workers 2% from the first
day of employment. Other fringe
benefits include new vacation
rates of three weeks after five
years, four weeks after 15 years,
five weeks after 25 years and
six ‘weeks after 30 years. The
life insurance is to increase from
$4,500 to $7,000.

The proposed contract also in-
cludes a new shift differential of
15 cents for the afternoon shift
and 20 cents for the night shift.

The two main points with
which many workers are un-
happy are the $350 bonus, which
isn’t considered enough, and the
Proposed cost-of-living allow-
ance. The proposed COLA only
becomes effective after the first
10% rise in inflation and then it
it to provide a %4% increase for
every 1% increase in the Con-
sumer Price Index after 10%. Of
the COLA, one worker said,
“Why in the hell should we
have to wait for a 10% increase
in the cost-of-living before we
get anything. The companies
aren’t being locked into any set
rate of inflation before they can
raise their freight rates.”

U.S. warships flout
Indian gov't. wishes

WASHINGTON — The US.
Navy has sent a Carrier task
force into the Indian Ocean. de-
Spite past protests by India of
other such actions. A Pentagon
spokesman announced Thursday
that the carrier USS Constella-
tion. carrying 5.000 men and about
80 warplanes. had sailed from
Singapore into the Indian Ocean

accompanied by 3 destrovers and
a Supply ship.

at Ontario meetings

Among Canadian events com-
memorating the 57th anniversary
of the Great October Socialist
Revolution in Russia in 1917,
were four so far reported from
Ontario points -- including pub-
lic meetings, socials, a banquet,
films showings, music and danc-
Wee

- A meeting of some 300 people

‘on Nov. 7 in Toronto was ad-:

dressed by . Communist Party
leader William Kashtan, who

‘, also spoke to upwards of 100

people at a buffet banquet and:
dance in Hamilton, Nov. 9.

Ontario Organizer of the Com-
munist Party, Ed © McDonald
spoke and had a discussion with
20 interested people at a social
marking Nov. 7 in London, and
addressed more than 100 at a
public meeting in Windsor,
where the film of-the Helsinki
Tribunal on: the Chilean junta,
and films of Soviet life were
shown.

At the Windsor meeting, Mar-

‘ f
garet Longmore, a candidate 7
the Alliance of Democratic ©
tors described conditions for
working people of Windsor sci
solutions to problems .
them.

f
-Ed McDonald highlighted i
‘road traversed by the

0k
people since the workers * "7

power into their own han

: jon. He
established the Soviet Us

pointed to its effect on the wo
today. Today’s “liberation tr
gle,” for example, “is $0 ig
in content and anti-imperi worl
expression. Efforts of the
Communist’ movement to sais
detente irreversible,” he
“are now finding ry ents
among people on. all com ;
— and it is an outgrowtt oo
Soviet policy of peace the 9°
existence dating back t0
cialist Revolution.”

Literature, including te pr
lar The Forge Glows Red i the

‘McEwan, sold briskly at

November 7 celebrations.

PLO invitation ‘nol

directed at Israel!

(Continued from Page 5)

State of Israel the Palestinian
problem has been the thorniest

,one. It became more acute fol-

lowing the Six Day War in 1967

and it reached a critical stage’.

after the tragic war of October
1973. Today, there is virtually
unanimous recognition among
all political forces that the main
barrier to a peaceful solution of
the Arab-Israeli conflict, is the
problem of the Palestinian peo-
pte. At the same time the pre-
valent opinion in the world is
that the Palestinian problem can-
not be solved through dickering
with King Hussein of Jordan, but
by forthright recognition of the
rights of the Palestinian. people
to self determination, to a state
of their own.

Following the agreements for
the separation of the armed
forces of Israel, Egypt and
Syria and the beginning of talks
in Geneva, the main emphasis
now must be on avoiding any.
obstacles to a speedy reopening
of the Geneva. peace negotia-
tions. Inasmuch as the Palestin-
ian problem is of cardinal im-
portance, Israel, all its true
friends and all peace lovers
everywhere must direct all their
efforts to achieving a just solu-

tion of this problem, thus open- -

ing the road to renewal of the
Geneva peace talks. It is not for
the State of Israel to determine
who is to represent the Pales-
tinian people, anymore that it is
for the Palestinians to decide
who is to speak for Israel.

It is the considered opinion of
the-United Jewish Peoples Order
ot Canada that in the interests
of Israel, in the interest of
peace in the Middle East, only
one condition should be para-

- mount (when the problems un-

der consideration are the future
of the Palestinian people or any
other issue in the Israel-Arab
conflict) and that is full recog-

~ nition by all Arab states, includ-

ing particularly so the Palestin-
ian people and their representa-
tives, of Israel’s sovereignty and

_ the guarantees of its right fp

es e
-men for the Palestinian P aot
to voice their demanty ine)

es’
ist within secure

spirit of Resolution #2
United Nations. hin the
Such agreements, bot © ie
United Nations and hoe Fnde
Geneva peace talks wil sas0t!
cut the very base and fe (es)
for the terror acts by th aero
guerillas, the bloody
attacks exemplified by t
vents of Maalot, Kereat

ents
and Nahariya. Such agré

; bY

ation
will also halt’ the retaliat® oft

the Israeli forces wae gf
harm innocent men, W®
children. fist"

of 5

Israel must’ break out © or)
lation. It must not stale ati
tire future on an aS59v a6 |

solely, with the United ° Gem”

The decision of the UN es)

eral Assembly to invite opt

grievances, is in accor
UN, charter and with t
UN resolutions on the §
in the Middle East. is
The Geneva Conferenct of
der the joint chairmans 1a,
the two main world POW R. A
United States and the U ef
the current session of ™™ jgi0
eral Assembly, (Tuesday
ber 24) Andrei Gromy™ coglf
Foreign Minister of thé
Union, once again em ‘opti
that the “Soviet Union § jew
the existence” of the aev™
state and supports “its indePey
ment as a sovereign Gi
dent) state.” Many he dee
facts demonstrate that i op
sion of the UN to inv! aig
resentation of the Palé og
is not a decision directed Fa
Israel. It is in fact in the ot #
of peace in the Middle
peace without which th opi
future for Israel. Publi jad
in Israel expresses all rec
growing desire. for f¥ ‘
nition of realities. E wit?
Only an understand fi
the Arabs, not military ‘ jst

=

will secure the future 9% ~

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