Labour Continued from page 1 Procopation said that fisheries depart- ment representatives on the working group had suggested that any new draft regula- tions be taken to the U.S. for prior approval to “make sure they’re not surprised.” But that approach would mean the U.S. is given the right to approve Canadian regulations — and then it has the power to challenge them under the free trade deal. “That’s outrageous,” he charged. Wilson also noted that the language of Section 304 of the free trade deal virtually requires the U.S. to challenge the regula- tions, stating that the president “shall take appropriate action” within 30 days to uphold U.S. rights under GATT. The brief filed with the U.S. Commerce Department notes that a recently passed U‘S. federal trade bill similarly requires that the Canadian regulations be challenged. It also notes that the landing regulations would be in violation of the free trade deal which, according to the Tory government’s own documents, only allows government regulation “to protect health, safety, essen- tial security, the environment, or cOnsumer interests.” Wilson’s comments appeared to refute Fisheries Minister Tom Siddon who said Monday that the charges raised about the danger to the Canadian fishery under free trade were “lies ... malicious, dishonest (and) phoney speculation at election time.” Siddon’s statements echoed the Tories’ response to virtually all of the examples raised about the danger to Canadian jobs and programs posed by the free trade deal. Procopation demanded that Siddon apologize to the union and B.C. fishermen. “He called us a bunch of liars — but the documents are all there proving what we’ve - Trade deal pushing fish firms south been saying,” he said. “T hope this makes people realize that free trade really is threatening industry in this country,” Procopation said. “The fish- ing industry isn’t the first and it won’t be the last.” The UFAWU secretary pointed out that U.S. processors already get 27 per cent of Fraser sockeye and 32 per cent of pinks as well as some other species under the terms of the Canada-U.S. Salmon Treaty. “And now this is going to open the door to more Canadian fish going to the U.S. “How much will they get — 60, 70, 80 per cent?” he asked. And without government measures to ensure that processing jobs stay in Canada, “the jobs will go south, too — and that’s the big thing,” he warned. Statements this week from both fishing companies and economic development representatives in the U.S. have given real substance to that fear. The president of Great Northern Packing Company Ltd., Don Millerd, said Monday that Canadian companies are being encour- aged to relocate in the U.S. where wage rates are less and environmental regulations are less stringent. His own company has been approached by the Skagit County economic development association as well as the Port of Anacortes, he said. Procopation said that representatives of other fish companies on the coast have told him of similar approaches. Don Wick, executive director of the Skagit County economic development association, said there had been “‘a lot of interest expressed” by Canadian companies in re-locating in Washington state. He added that the interest “‘has really been spurred by the free trade agreement.” Workers at White Spot celebrate new contract Members of CAIMAW’s negotiating team joined White Spot workers for a 6:30 a.m. breakfast at the restaurant chain’s Georgia and Cardero outlet Thursday as they celebrated the end of the 10-week strike — and the re-opening of the restau- rant which had been the top item on the bargaining agenda. The 1,100 workers at White Spot’s 18 unionized restaurants, members of the Canadian Association of Industrial, Mech- anical and Allied Workers, voted 95 per cent to ratify the new collective agreement at five union meetings in Victoria, Nanaimo and Vancouver. CAIMAW staff representative . Denise Kellahan said the mood was “very up” at ratification meetings as the union was able to achieve “essentially what we went on strike for.” The new 30-month agreement provides for protection against contracting-out of janitorial work and a significant improve- ment in seniority provisions, assuring senior staff of “the maximum number of straight time hours per week,” Kellahan said. It also provides for wages increases of 35 cents an hour over three years for employees receiving tips and 50 cents an hour for non-gratuity employees. New employees starting work this year will get 15 cents above minimum wage while those starting in the second and third year of the agreement will get 20 cents and 25 cents above minimum wage respectively. All employees rise to the full job rate after nine months employment. 8 e Pacific Tribune, November 14, 1988 Also achieved was the re-opening of the Georgia and Cardero restaurant, near Stan- ley Park, which the chain has closed early in the dispute. One other outlet which was closed will remain shut down, although employees will be re-located in other White Spot restaurants. The agreement was a major victory for the union since White Spot had clearly intended to use the restaurant closures as a means of intimidating union members in a bid to break the strike. The restaurant chain, owned by multi-millionaire Socred Peter Toigo, had rejected a resumption of bargaining but suddenly agreed last week to return to the table under the auspices of Industrial Relations Commissioner Ed Peck. The deal was hammered out after a 32- hour bargaining session which wound up early in the morning Nov. 4. Kellahan said that the public and trade union support as well as the profile of the dispute in the media were key factors in bringing the company back to the table. Although CAIMA W is not an affiliate, the Vancouver and District Labour Council’s strike support committee had held regular leafleting and picket support. Still at issue is an attempt by what Kella- -han called a “small dissident group” to - decertify one of the chain restaurants on Vancouver’s west side. The application is expected to be heard this month by the IRC. The same group had also brought in the Teamsters in an unsuccessful attempt to raid the local. Autonomy issue still simmering in Guild It’s one of those situations that calls for diplomacy, delicacy and tact. The’ largest unit of The Newspaper Guild in Canada is straining at the bonds of its relationship with the international union. It wants to move forward in the spirit of Canadian autonomy that now pre- vails in the Canadian Labour Congress since the historic formation a couple of years ago of the Canadian Auto Workers following its break with the international on the policy of concession bargaining. The problem for the 2,500-member Southern Ontario Newspaper Guild is that it more or less stands alone within the Guild’s Canadian District Council in wanting to fashion a greater measure of Canadian autonomy. The council met in Sudbury, Oct. 29- 30, to discuss SONG’s autonomy prop- osal. It was defeated, along with another watered-down plan from the Vancouver local, after an impassioned and disci- plined debate. ) SONG put up a five-point autonomy program that called for the election of the Canadian director by a vote of the Canadian membership, and definition of a new mandate for the director, making him/her the union’s political leader in Canada with a seat on the international executive board as the Guild’s chief spokesperson in Canada. It called for setting up a Canadian executive board composed of the direc- tor and two Canadian vice-presidents, who would be responsible through the Canadian council and the locals to the Canadian membership. It also called for Canadian executive board control over strike approval, defence fund expendi- tures and contract settlements in this country. As well, the director would be empo- wered to hire Canadian staff and admin- ister a convention-approved budget for organizing, research, education, health and safety and political action. The proposal also sought constitutional recognition of the Canadian members’ right to merge with another union and to a separate vote on any international merger proposal. The defeat of both the SONG and Vancouver proposals reflected the mat- uring process being played out in the Canadian Guild. : On the one hand, there are those for- ces, in tune with the CLC’s forward momentum in the fight for Canadian autonomy, that connect the Guild and its activities to the Canadian trade union movement. On the other, there is the nagging fear of being left outside the “protection” of the international union, denied access to the substantial strike fund and resources. A massive strike fund, in and of itself, has never won a strike. And as long as the authorization for strike action remains outside the country, the workers directly involved can never have full con- trol over their ultimate weapon in the bargaining process. Unfortunately, there have been in- stances in recent memory where this lack of direct control has had an impact on the outcome of certain battles. As the autonomy advocates forcefully argue, as progressive as the TNG is within the framework of the AFL-CIO, there are fundamental differences in the character and agendas being advanced by the Guild and its Canadian affiliates. These differences touch not only on internal matters such as organizing prior- ities and an anti-concessions stance in collective bargaining, but on the recogni- tion by some within the union of the need for all-in labour unity in this country against the impending disaster of the Mulroney trade deal and the climate it would create for big business.and the Tories to press ahead with their neo- conservative agenda of privatization and deregulation. The fight against free trade in particu- lar is a battle in which Canadian Guild Mike Phillips LABOUR members must be free to frame their own strategies and make their own decisions — in line with the CLC’s fightback pro- gram. So far, the autonomy forces in the Guild prefer to reach that stage within | the constitutional framework of the international union, and given an enlightened approach and good will on both sides, this can be achieved. The defeat of these autonomy propos- als cetainly hasn’t drawn the debate to a close by any means. A number of options will undoubtedly be explored further by the autonomy forces who don’t see the current structure compati- ble with the CLC’s beefed-up autonomy — standards. However, a prerequisite of success will © be to unite the bulk of the Canadian Guild locals around the issue of greater autonomy. A momentum is building that reflects the dominant current in the politics of the entire Canadian trade union move- ment and is a sign that the Guild in~ Canada has come of age. It is a development in the union’s 49- year history in Canada that the interna- tional will have to consider with sensitivity, wisdom and maturity. — ms, | Pons FIRIBUNE Published weekly at 2681 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. V5K 1Z5. Phone 251-1186 eooeere rer eee eee ee eee eee SS ae Hee ee SB ek ess ea roe ee te See ee Postal Code . eoveee OPP ape le es el . wie. ekse 6 © 970 en 0 0 29 je 0/0 ae fem, lamenclosing 1yr. $200 2yrs. $350) 3yrs. $50 O Foreign 1 yr. $32 D Bill me later L] + Donation$........ 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