Civic union places wage demands

working conditions, before public

Approximately 1600 of Vancouver’s civic employees engaged in the waterworks, parks

and other “outside” departments, pending concilia
Larsen, presideat of Local 28,

case before the public, Edwin
the Pacific Tribune this week.

Abbott menu fo
a balanced diet

Finance Minister Abbott has
frowned on the suggestion. to limit

Despite misrepresentation of
their case by the local press, Van-
couver firemen, together with 98
percent of Local 28 membership, re-
jected the city council's wage offer
by secret ballot ... an offer which
fell far below that sought by fire-
men and outside workers.

“In rejecting this offer,” said Lar-

tion proceedings, are now placing their

Civic Employees’ Union, told

Larsen further stated that the
present high costs of outside de-
partmental work flows ‘from the
fact that civic workers are under-
paid, which creates a wasteful turn-
over of labor in: the Board of
Works.” “We contend,” said Larsen
“that if the city would grant our
men a substantial wage increase,

, She: Taportation of US motion pic-'..n “the union made it clear that and make the job reasonably at-

ture films as a means of conserving it was our desire to continue direct tractive, the extra cost would be

US dollars.

“Some people," pontificated the

collective bargaining with the coun-
cil. The city council, however, meet-

offset by creating a stable, efficient
labor force. This is good business
‘and if the city fathers cannot see

minister, “consider that films are ing as bin ce: committee, decided i, it is high time they gave some-
just as necessary a part of life as, to call in a conciliator. However we one else a chance.”

shall we say, strawberries in Jan-,
uary or “some other things.”

While the minister's “austerity”!
program took the “some other
things” (strawberries excluded
since they were never there) off the
workingman's table under the pre-
text of conserving US dollars, the
minister now says, in effect, that
the gangsterized, sexy, political

smear products of Hollywood are
a good substitute for tettuce, toma-
toes “or some other things.”

are ready to place our case before

a conciliator or conciliation board,
confident that it will stand on its
merits, and on the good sense of
the taxpaying public.”

President Larsen emphasized
that the union “is not in favor of
raising the taxes of the small tax-
payer, but we are not responsible
for the financial troubles of this
city We will gladly lend our weight
to any progressive measures to
straighten out the finances of our
city, but not at the expense of our
own livelihood.”

Socialist youth body
aimed at in NFLY call

‘The National Federation of Labor Youth has issued a

The call states that youth
and despair of the bitter depression
years when we: were not wanted,
and bore the main brunt of the
fighting during the war years, when
we rallied to the defence of our
country. What an indictment of a)
system which only needs its youth
in time of war.”

“The urgency for such an organ-
ization is pointed up by the speed
with which this country is heading
for depression and war. We will

have to fight for the Canada of our |
- @reams. We must build a united

youth front for peace, and already
hundreds of young people have re-
‘sponded to the call for such an or-
L Sagat se data ;
Although the convention is to be

held in the latter part of March to

establish such a body, already it is
estimated that over 25 clubs have
been organized across Canada. An

- call to all its clubs and affiliates to prepare for a convention
to establish a socialist youth organization in Canada,
“experienced the hopelessness

estimated one hundred delegates

are expected from Montreal to Vic-,
toria, tc meet on the weekend of;

March 27, 28 and 29 in Toronto.
From British Columbia four del-

egates have been elected to repre-,

sent six new socialist youth clubs

‘in this province, They are: Vancou-

ver, Grace Hilland, Glyn Thomas;
Port Alberni, Denny Arsenault;
Victoria, Tommy Rayfuse.

| The national executive of the
NFLY stated that “there is an ur-
gent need in Canada for a youth
organization. which by its whole

program and aims would be part of |

|the forces consciously fighting for
‘a socialist Canada.”
| There has been no strong inde-
pendent. youth *organization in Can-
ada since the time of the Young
Communist League.

“The aim of the union,’ contin-
‘ued Larsen, “is to give the taxpayer
loyal efficient service, and to pro-
vide a good livelihood and security
for our members.”

1 JAMES G. PATTON
Charging that the $5-a-ton
price boost by US steel corpora-
tions was “a clear and brazen
violation of the anti-trust laws,
President James G. Patton of the
National Farmers Union called
for a Justice Department investi-
gation, In view of the steel
industry’s swollen profits in 1947
there was no excuse for this
increase, he said. Similar com-
ment in Canada is in order,
where big business interests in
a whole string of basic industries
have boosted prices in face of

steadily rising profits.

~~ Meeting this week in Vancouver the B.C. District Union
Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers (CIO) forwarded a strong
Mackenzie King, protesting the announced in‘ention of the federal government to bar inter
national union officers and organizers from entering Canada.

Text of the resolution reads:
_ “Whereas it has come to the at-

- tention of the BC District Union

Executive Board that the Domin-
jon government’s immigration

= -service has received instructions

to bar from entry into Canada
certain trade union organizers
and officers, and refused to renew

‘Miners score interference with union

Executive of the International
resolution to Prime Minister

permits which had previous been
granted, and

“Whereas, these officers and
international representatives are
engaged in the work of further-
ing the interests of their respec-
tive international unions and
their duties call on them to ser-

a -

‘The Taft-Hartley plague inv

ades Canada

_vice Canadian members of their
international union.

Any attempts to bar them can-
not be construed as anything
other than interference in the
internal affairs of trade unions,
and discriminatory against Lab-
or, since similar action is not
taken against any representative
of business management.

“Therefore be it resolved, that
this District Council protest to
the Dominion government against
this violation of the rights of
Canadian citizens to receive the
services of their international
union representatives and that
copies of this wire be sent to
all locals of the B.C, District

Union.”
K. A. Smith, Secretary,
B.C. District Union,

Hardrock miners and other sec-
tions of organized labor in eastern
Canada have also voiced vigorous
vrotest against this unwarranted
interference with the free entry
‘nto Canada of international union
organizers and officials, under the

pretext of combatting communism.

Pageant af Russia !

In one of the most unusual film productions yet made,
some 35 Soviet cameramen participated in the filming of the
great All-Union sports demonstration on Physical Culture
Day at the Moscow Dynamo Stadium. Working with the
new type of color film which the
Soviet Union has developed, the athletes live as well as shots
cameramen literally shot miles of the training which went into
of film, covering every facet of the preparation for the great day.
activity of the 42,000 participants All the “backround” scenes as
and more than 100,000 spectators.|well as the vast footage taken

Color, was the keynote of the at: the stadium itself, were sub-
pagent as it is of the film. Part- sequently turned over to the tech- -
icipants from all over the Soviet micians of the Documentary Film
Union performed in their gay nat-| Studio, Moscow, who were en-
ional costumes, each distinctive, trusted with the job of editing
yet blending into the pagent as, the Production.

a whole. The final film production

Each group. picked as its Pageant, of Russia, which will
specialty a display or dance, or be shown in the State Theatre,
feat of prowess which rose out Vancouver, beginning Sunday,
of the traditions of the Republic March 14 with a midnight show,
from which it came. In preparat-' has been considered by motion
ion for the event, the cameramen picture critics everywhere, to be
had photographed scenes of the the most completely colorful film
countryside where these young;document ever screened.

Ship officers’ strike
solid-15 seamen jailed

Canadian Communications’ Association (CIO) and the
National Association of Marine Engineers (TLC) have been
on strike since March i. All Canadian deepsea shipping on
both coasts are tied up, with some fifteen ships strike-bound

in B.C. ports. Round-the-clock
picket lines are being maintained

’

‘conditions.

on Atlantic and Pacific seaboards.
The dispute goes back to Oct-
ober of 1947, when the four sea-
man’s groups, radio engineers,
deck officers and the Canadian
Seaman’s Union endeavoured to
negotiate agreements collectively
with the deepsea ship-owners. The
four seamen’s organizations set up
a Joint Marine Council to coord-
inate the interests: and activities
of the four ‘groups in negotiation.
This action marked a big step
forward in maritime unity.
Negotiations opened in Van-
couver early in November last
year, but the shin owners refused
to meet the four organizations
collectively, and adopted delaying
and hostile tactics,
towards the officer groups. Neg-
otiations were then transferred
to Montreal, and in order to get
around the ship owners’ oppos-
ition, it was jointly agreed to neg-
otiate with the CSU first. The
CSU won satisfactory agreement,
but only after threat of a strike.
Officer groups met with bitter
opposition from the ship owners,

particularly |

CSU, longshoremen, boilermakers.
steamfitters and other unions are
supporting the officers’ strike.
USA maritime unions have agreed
not to supply engineers or radio
operators to work Canadian “hot”
ships.

Tuesday this week fifteen sea-
men, members of the CSU were
arrested at Halifax N.S. and
charged under the antiquated
Canada Shipping Act for refusing
to sail their vessel, struck by
radio operators and engineers.

Children will eat, if
‘approved by Ottawa’

OTTAWA — Vincent Price, na-
tional chairman of the Canadian
Appeal for Children, has revealed
that export licenses for supplies
purchased under Appeal auspices
would be granted only when sup-
plies were being sent to countries
approved by the Canadian govern-
ment.

The Price statement would indi-

and finally Ottawa appointed Mr. ‘cate that the cries of the children
Justice McNiven as conciliator in from those countries which do not
the dispute. Conciliation proceed- pow down to the power of the’
ings dragged alonx until December Marshali Plan dollar will not merit
when Justace McNiven arbitrarily the “approval” of Ottawa.
suspended hearings until January

14. In protest the officer groups |

refused to sail on the basis of CRA whist drive

a “no contract, no sail” isue. This |

action was later called off by the; A city-wide whist drive has been
unions affected. : arranged by the Civic Reform

The offer of the ‘shin owners, Association on Saturday, April 9.
which precipitated the present; Supporters of the Effie Jones
strike, are considerably lower Fighting fund are asked to invite
than the reccomendations made their friends, neighbors and sup-
by Mr. Justice McNiven. Radio porters to thelr homes on that
operators and engineers are de- evening. Prizes will be awarded’
manding ware increases equivil- on a city wide basis as well as —
ant to the 1234 per cent won by small prizes in each home. For
the CSU, together with other im- further information phone the

proved remunerative and working Civic Reform Association, TA. 2030.
PACIFI:) TRIBUNE—MARCH 12, 1948—PAGE 2