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“Don't get too complacent about the women’s liberation_
movement. The army couldn't take over if WE went on

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Season’s Greetings
to the Labor Movement

from.:.

TRADE UNION RESEARCH

PH. MU1-5831

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1971 we will mark the 100th Anniversary of
British Columbia’s entry into confederation, and
the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the

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Local unions should tackle
problems faced by jobless

By OBSERVER

In my article on organizing the
unemployed (PT, Dec. 11/70), I
dealt with large policy questions.
In this article, I will try to deal
with some key related questions.

Some union officers with an
unemployment problem don’t
seem to know what to offer their
unemployed members aside
from participation in demon-
strations to change government
policies. In the first place, where
there is a body of unemployed
members in a local union who
have no early prospect of return-
ing to work, they should be
called to a meeting to register
and elect a committee from
their own ranks, with a pledge of
full support from the elcted
officers of the local.
’ Advice and assistance should
be given in respect to problems
of obtaining unemployment
insurance and welfare benefits.
Where unemployed members
are in a bind because they cannot
meet a mortgage, automobile or
other term payment, the union
should take action to have the
payment deferred. In the second
place, thayunion should be
knowledgeable in connection
with all retraining oppor-

tunities available through govern-

ment agencies and the allow-
ance payable to participants.
Where there is a large number
of unemployed in any local
union, consideration should be
given to offering them suitable
premises for their activities.
Where food and other essentials

PEACE, PROGRESS

can be obtained at reduced
prices on a co-operative basis, it
should be done. The key to all
this activity is involvement of
the unemployed, with the
backing of their union and the
labor movement as a whole.
What about unemployed
workers who do not belong to
trade unions? I would suggest
that labor councils should assist
them to get organized. The May
convention of the Canadian
Labor Congress stressed the
importance of community
activity. One of its projects
should be to go into every com-

munity where there is a serious _

unemployment problem and
assist the people concerned to
organize and to become involved
in activity to better their lives.

WAR ON POVERTY

If the labor movement is
going to wage effective war on
poverty, then it must go among

the poor. This means organizing -

the unorganized, poorly paid
workers (particularly in service
trades) and paying particular
attention to those unemployed.
with special problems.

Young people coming into the
labor market who can’t find
employment should be invited to
come to meetings and to unite in
appropriate forms around
demands for jobs and the special
requirements of voung people.

Similarly, full co-operation
should be given to representa-
tive organizations. of welfare
recipients and other poverty-

conditions. Those who are unable
to work because of ill health,
physical impairment or any

No PT next week

The PT usually finds it
necessary to miss one issue
during the Christmas and New
Year holidays. This has been
found necessary in previous
years to get around the problems
of printing during this period and
to give our staff a chance to also
mark the holiday season.

This year it has been found
most practical to miss next
week’s issue which would have
gone out Christmas Eve and
would lie idle in the post office
for days. We will return-to our
regular publication schedule
with an issue on Thursday, Dec.
33:

What we have to fight for is the
concept that unemployment is
one of the top priority problems
for the trade unions. Labor must
take up this challenge in order to
preserve established trade
union conditions, because a large

* pool of unemployed will weaken

the bargaining power of the
unions.

Further, if policies can be won
that will put the unemployed to
work, the economy will be
stimulated and the bargaining
power of all organized workers
will be improved. Above all, the
organized workers must be won
for the idea that unemployment
is immoral and unjust, the
product of an immoral and
unjust society.

The left can play a special role
in this battle for full employ-

os ERE cs aR ER SRE stricken groups. ment at three levels which are
SEASON’S GREETI NGS SEASON'S The fundamental philosophy in _ not separated by partitions.
approaching these problems Firstly, in helping the &
And Best Wishes for a New Year of fresh GREETINGS TO ALL must be that every man and eyed i eatity ee
advances for the cause of Peace & Socialism. In woman able to work should have immediate needs.
For a job with trade union wages and

‘Secondly, in helping to
advance programs and to
organize actions that will arouse

nist Party. Let’s make it a Banner Year! in the NEW YEAR other legitimate reason, should the people to demand new,
Communis y have a guaranteed income high Meaningful policies to create
COMMUNIST PARTY OF CANADA enough to allow them to live = sr in employment
2 B.C, PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE OLGIN CLUB, CPC decently. sai a on
Pomc nen na ENTRIES DERN Same young peapis counerye ocrepeeeve of seeialiat which
with university circles have 3 :
RE ELE CECI wed he guess of what can means planned economy in
SEASON’S GREETIN be done for what is said to be a :
SEASON SSAEEENE N| large body of university eee catia bomen
to Our Many graduates who cannot find PF ean
From suitable employment. needs and aspirations.
FRIENDS & SUPPORTERS (P.S. — If you are a trade
THE YOUNG COMMUNIST LEAGUE a Some of ee Bone — eee Get idee
/ From BoeDE GrUployinent aipirs h 8 support the unanimous. resolu-
— YCL extends its appreciation for men if they could ae i wi fiom. of the Mancouver Labor
the ee ptnt received from the Party and sympa- would prefer to find employ” Council to request the B.C.
K thizers in the struggle for PEACE & SOCIALISM. THEN UCTORS SRUARE ment more in keeping with their Federation of Labor to organize
inet 99 LOGGERS CLUB, CPC etucaHonal (ualBeavions: 207s lobby-demonstration for jobs
bhtasasturthert profesional during the next session of the
RRR RE RE RE RE RE RER EP eieechoue ee legislature in Victoria?)
BCs ve PIP ADS PRS PR Pro unemployed woodworkers in a
Best Wishes of the HOLIDAY SEASON BEST WISHES of oneven ie a veprecentative | BEST WISHES FOR PEACE
TO ALL THE HOLIDAY SEASON body can be found to speak for
j i 3 them, the labor movement TO ALL
oer cnc es TO ALL should offer assistance.
IT FRIENDS & READERS
PEACE pate SECURITY From TOP PRIORITY
In all of these projections it
eo
FRASER VALLEY REGIONAL C’TTEE. phe seca deere ees penne si air La fi
; normal and basic work of the
C.P.C. trade unions must go on. That MISSION CITY CL
Communist Party of Canada Sone eae ee
es collective bargainin
Sopra pen SMtRD AD BADIA ADP RDADD noone ng,
processing grievances, taking
LPR SLE BS SLE AK EL IS AS AE SDE ES AEE EAS AS up compensation cases, organiz-
. ing the unorganized, conducting
: HOLIDAY Ca ee : Onward to a Socialist strikes, working for the election HOLIDAY GREETINGS
THE ST es of labor-endorsed candidates,
$ PORWARD 2 ue ¥ World unifying all ‘and presenting briefs and sub- To Our
¥ FOR y | people fora WORLD AT | missions to government bodies.
x De cee AFUL | Neither must it be forgotten | FRIENDS & SUPPORTERS
a *PEACE *PROGRESS *DEMOCRACY ae oe YOUTH HO UL. that not all unions are affected to
the same degree. Further, not all from the
4 IN 1971 ¥ WHITE ROCK union leaders are prepared at
: DELTA CLUB, CPC | tts time topitch in and gotobat_ | VANCOUVER EAST CLUB
’ ’ or the unemployed, including
4 Vancouver REGIONAL C TTEE., CPC x some in industries where .there. . poeta piiccsoenibilinaia
Wh es pcr a Ong a OK WA TRL IR GAN Om PRL RES BRO isaseriousproblem, cep; wigs ar: GS

_ PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1970—PAGE 5

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