Nfld. loggers’ strike endangered by divided trade union movement By WILLIAM KASHTAN It would be stupid to deny that events in Newfoundland have taken an extremely dangerous turn. What makes it dangerous is not only the fact that Premier Smallwood was able to get the provincial legislature to break’the laws of the land and endorse his union- busting effort, and that Liberals and Tories united behind him, but that the trade union . FARMERS! SUPPORT THE MASS DELEGATION! SAVE THE FAMILY FARM! The farm organizations are circulating a petition asking the federal government for deficiency paymeé! that would ensure Smallwood’s defeat. ) movement in Newfoundland is divided and therefore unable to exert its strength in a way One would think that by now some of those who class them- selves as trade union leaders would fully appreciate the value of unity and solidarity, rise ahove petty craft and sec- tional interests and subordi- nate them to the common good; in this case, all-out as- sistance to the loggers who are conducting a heroic strug- gle for improvements ‘in their conditions of work. But this is not the case at all. And no amount of “ex- plahations” can explain this Lt ti et as SLI) FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1959 Nurses set March 12 date for city hospital strike Deadline for a strike of nurses in eight Greater Van- rcouver hospitals has been set for March ‘12, the Registered. Nurses Association announced this week. Hospitals have offered a $20 monthly pay hike effective April 1, but the nurses are holding firm for a conciliation board award which gives wage increases retroactive to July 1958. - The strike, if it takes place, will be the first of its kind in Canadian labor history. Hospitals affected are Royal Columbian, St. Paul’s, Child- ren’s, Mount St. Joseph,, St. Mary’s, Grace, Burnaby and North Vancouver General. Five hospitals in the East Kootenays may also be tied up. Nurses there had stated in ad- vance they would accept con- ciliation board awards which have since been denied by managements, NOTICE CONCERT of IGOR BESRODNI SOVIET VIOLINIST a so scheduled for GEORGIA AUDITORIUM .— MARCH 9 HAS BEEN CANCELLED due to the fact that this artist broke his thumb while in Chicago - ANNUAL SHEVCHENKO CONCERT Tribute to the Bard of the Ukraine SUNDAY, MARCH 15.— 8 P.M. INTERNATIONAL CINEMA 765 Granville St. A colourful program of Ukrainian music, songs and Folk Dancing — Commentary in English — Admission — Voluntary donation Sponsored by Ass’n. of United Ukrainian Canadians ‘company’s Charlie McCarthy. away. Things have come to such a pass that the Canadian Labor Congress was compelled to lift the charter of the Grand Falls- Gander Labor Council. But that alone is not enough. The problem still remains: to unite all the trade unions in New- foundland in support of the loggers so that Premier Small- wood comes up against a stone wall-of active resistance and opposition to his anti-union policies. Where are the leaders of these unions in this situation? Why haven’t they gone to Newfoundland to convince the the workers concerned to adopt a positive attitude to the strike? And where is the Congress leadership in this regard? Isn’t it time for CLC president Claude Jodoin and his entire executive council to go to Newfoundland? Jodoin and his executive council should visit Newfound- land not only to make clear to Premier Smallwood that the trade union movement of Can- ada is fully behind the log-~ gers and the IWA to a man, but also to help establish unity in the ranks of the province’s trade union movement behind the strike. a Events in Newfoundland not only expose the Liberals and ~ Tories, they emphasize the need for effective labor legi- slation nationally which would make it impossible for any tin-pot Hitler to do what Smallwood is doing. This country needs a na- tional labor code which would serve as a model for all pro® vincial labor legislation; legis- lation which could not be torn to shreds at the whim of any on all grain, and are preparing a mass delegation : Ottawa to present it. 2s Those of us living on’ the prairies still depend _ great deal on agriculture for our prosperity. Wher things go wrong with the farmer the workers suffe j just as unemployment and low Wages cut down the | market for the farmer’s goods. o- - THE MAIN PROBLEM IS MONOPOLY EXPLOITATION ‘ : ae Everything the farmer must buy is sold to him by monopoly at exorbitant prices. The monopolies tty — 3 to hide this by spreading the yarn that “farmers are | hard-up because of high wages.” And in the cities you hear the propaganda that prices are high because the farmers are given “floor prices” and demand “parity prices.” : : Wage increases are only a fraction of costs. The main reason for high prices is profits and inflation. © But the prices of the things the farmer sells are dropping. He must sell his goods to those monopolies” who pay as little as they can for them. MARKETS—PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE : Huge surpluses press down prices. Canad# is an exporting nation. But during this past dozen years Canadian governments have foolishly followed U.S. | foreign policy, cutting Canada off from hundreds of | millions of customers in the Socialist countries. AS @ result we are stuck with mountains of unsold -grail. — The sale of our surpluses does not depend upon e some gimmick, or the “good-will” of the United States. — Competition for markets will increase as crisis de- é velops, U.S. Agricultural Secretary Benson recently " told a press conference that the U.S. government — would make an effort to step up disposal of U.S. sur- pluses, and so they are. But they have more surpluses now than ever before, despite their schemes. ae The LPP years ago presented the answer which will — 4 have to be faced up to, unless an endless round of crop | failures can be arranged. That answer is to be found — in the concept of peaceful co-existence. It means a¢- ceptance of the fact that today on our planet there | - “are two systems — the socialist and the capitalist. Markets for our goods depend on government poli- | cies which extend credits, loans, and friendship with | other countries, regardless of their social systems. Our huge war expenditures limit this kind of development —money spent for war can’t be spent to expand mar- kets for farm goods. 4 ; ; ; Canada spends over four million dollars every day of the year on war preparations. That’s one of the main reasons for inflation. These fabulous sums come out of the people’s pocketbooks. It’s why farm taxes have risen four and five times: over. DEVELOP CANADA During this last 12 years federal and provincial governments have sold the ownership of Canad’s raw materials to U.S. monopolies. This means that U.S. _ monopoly has the say in what, how and when Canada’s industrial wealth will be developed. The development of manufacturing in Canada could mean cheaper pro- ducts for the ‘farmers; it would. mean more skilled — workers with steady jobs and higher wages — and — ' workers with steady jobs and higher wages eat more of the things the farmer produces. Everyone has a stake in the petition campaign. We urge everyone to get behind it. Agricultural Mini- | ster Harkness has told the farmers his government has already decided against deficiency payments. The gov- ernment of Canada must be made to accept responsi- | bility for the well-being of the farmer. MAKE THE PETITION CAMPAIGN A SUCCESS! COMPEL THE DIEFENBAKER GOVERNMENT TO LIVE UP TO ITS PROMISES! SUPPORT THE TREK TO OTAWA! : Issued by the Saskatoon Labor-Progressive Party, 1202 Lorné Avenue, Saskatoon, Sask. &