Steelworkers set policies @ Continued from page 5 to include all employees pres- ently: excluded. Among the other suggestions to legislators were the imposi- tion of harsh fines upon employ- ers seeking to defeat a certifica- tion drive; a call to make illegal any efforts at strikebreaking and which would allow trade unions to respect picket lines set up during a legal strike by refusing to cross such lines and allow for a boycott of the products of a company which is on strike. Oppose Longer Day The last point in the policy statement called for amend- ments in the legislation allow- ing strikes during the currency: of a collective agreement ‘on such issues as_ technological change, and requirements to work in unsafe conditions.” In addition to the legislative proposals in the policy state- ment, the delegates supported resolutions which called for the adoption of the principle of the 32-hour week, and eight hour day. In another resolution the conference decided to “vigorous- ly oppose” the idea of a shorter work week by working a longer day. The conference adopted a resolution endorsing “that a ‘voluntary overtime’ clause be made an issue in all-future con- tract negotiations.” Statement on Trade The conference issued a com- prehensive policy statement on foreign trade which. re-emphaz- ized some earlier demands and put forward some new demands. The policy statement - called for the re-statement of the “Union’s commitment to the ob- jective of trade liberalization with all countries” and it urged the government to “proceed, through both bilateral and multi- lateral negotiations toward a trading system that, while re- cognizing this nation’s potential as a seller of natural resources, will provide ample room for growth of processing and fab- ricating industries in Canada.” The statement also called for a reaffirmation of the position, “That governments must take positive action, including invest- ment controls and public owner- ship, to ensure that development is consistent with the nation’s industrial and trade strategies, and that monopolistic practices are not permitted to defeat the purpose of trade concessions or protective measures.” Labor Cooperation The delegates also renewed program of active cooperation with all labor organizations at both national and international levels, in working out effective bargaining and legislative meas- ures to deal with multinational corporations and eliminate un- fair labor practices as a compe- titive factor in world trade.” Neither the policy statement nor the report by William Ma- honey, the national director for Canada, mentioned the proposed U.S. protectionist Burke-Hartke Bill by name, and many of the delegates stated that they felt a condemnation of the Bill was in order. But all attempts to refer the statement back to the resol- ution committee failed in the face of support for the com- mittee’s contention that clauses built into the Burke-Hartke Bill would exempt Canadian workers from any harm, After consider- able debate the policy statement was Carried by an overwhelming majority. Condemn Undermining Many of the delegates felt that the Statement on National- ism, Autonomy, and Internatio- nal Unions was the weakest to come out of the conference. This statement served as a con- demnation of the “anti-union and anti-worker propaganda” from sources advocating the break-up of the internationals and are attempting to “under- mine the important and growing contribution of working people and their unions to social pur- pose and_ national identity throughout Canada.” The statement underlined the history of the 34 years of strug- gle in establishing the Steel- workers union and said that the the union’s commitment to “a “Canadian members __ cherish oS Se © UPE JOURNAL-7 y * LIBERAL 5 5 OWTHS, ONT: 2: MST ONTHIS WE DO AGREE SS BUMS SHOULD GET IT FREE, (GOR THATS HOW WE GET ouR ELECTION MONEE TWEEDLE-DEE AND TWEEDLE- DUM. ¢ Z on IGRES: CONSE, PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1973—PAGE 8 _ proudly their freedom and their autonomy.” That, and the re- mark that “International Unions are a potent weapon to safe- guard national autonomy” were the only two. references in the entire Policy Statement that made any reference to the ques- tion of Canadian trade union autonomy. Avoiding Discussion As soon as the statement was read, one delegate after another went to the microphones to pro- test that the statement was avoiding the discussion for more autonomy in the Canadian sec- tion of the Steelworkers. One delegate said “the policy statement only begs the question of more autonomy. We can rightly condemn the so-called national unions for their raids on the Steelworkers but this isn’t going to solve any of the conditions that made things ripe for the raids.” After the debate, one of the delegates told the Tribune, ‘The only really effective way to counter the raiders is to strengthen our autonomy. It wasn’t enough to say we have the most autonomy of any inter- national in Canada. We need more, then we will really be able to fight them. But that wasn’t discussed.” Maintain District 6 Several delegates also ex- pressed frustration with the handling of the question of div- iding District 6. The District extends from the Ontario-Que- bec border to B.C. and several resolutions came forward. from locals asking that the district be divided or at least a study be made of a division, to make the servicing of the district more efficient. : The entire issue of the divi- sion of District 6 was neatly sidestepped when the resolution committee recommended the adoption of a lone resolution calling for the National Policy Conference to “maintain the unity of purpose and collective strength of District 6 and that regional problems be _ resolved without division and isolation.” While many delegates took the floor to support the commit- tee’s resolution, none of them discussed in any concrete terms how the regional problems were ‘to be resolved or how District 6 could be made more efficient. Led to Raiding Those who argued against the maintenance of District 6 told the delegates of the problems which led to the raiding by the small national unions. ‘Since the raids,’ a delegate from the much-raided Kimberly local said, “we have received better service than ever from the District 6 staff. But it took the raids to get that kind of service and we shouldn’t have to wait until we're raided to get it.” At the close of the confer- ence, many of the delegates met in small groups and discussed the results of the conference. The opinions were unanimous. They felt that some new ideas had been put forward around the question of bargaining and the general improvement of labor legislation as well as an adop- tion of a reasonable resolution on trade. But, they expressed disappointment -with the way many of the-international struc- tural matters had been handled. The issue of autonomy, sover- eignty and independence had not been resolved and a con- demnation of the Committee for an Independent Canada and the anti-labor propaganda wasn’t going to stop the raids. a OUR MOTTO 15- “ UPHOLD the RIG “Justice, mercy, truth. Tact,. courage, understanding and dip- lomacy. Honesty, wisdom and square-dealing.” All this lurid prose and more are used in May 1973’s 4-page monthly letter put out by the Royal Bank of Can- ada describing 100 years of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. If you’re a banker, no doubt descriptions like those would fit the bill. Or if you were a land speculator when the West was settled, a railway baron or fur trader, the formation and role of the North West Mounted Police to secure the land for capitalism was quite important. The Royal Bank’s writer must be living on the moon or in Westmount’s secluded isolation. He (or she) writes about the treatment of Canada’s Indian people in the same sickly way Kipling wrote about the “White Man’s Burden.” Imagine someone scribbling this junk in 1973: “... The Force was busy paci- fying the warring tribes of Indians and persuading them into new ways of-living. The Red Coat became the badge of friendly authority. It meant to the Indians honesty, courage, wisdom and square-dealing...” Someone should ask Fred Quilt’s family about that. Fred Was an Indian who died last year while in RCMP custody. Hearings went on for months - over charges that Fred Quilt was kicked to death by the Mounties. They could ask the U.S. draft resisters, illegally handed over to U.S. marshals by the RCMP, actually kidnapped by the police without benefit of the law -that the Force claims it upholds. Thousands of immigrants, deni- ed Canadian citizenship because of RCMP secret reports on their union, political, or community work could testify as to the “justice, mercy and truth” being applied. Canadian hisfory is full of examples — The Winnipeg Gen- eral Strike, Estevan, the “On-to- Ottawa” trek, the Newfound- land loggers’ strike, Quebec asbestos strike and many more workers’ struggles in which the redcoats played out their role, always firmly on the side of the bosses and their rigged courts. Communists and other demo- cratic-minded people felt the weight of the RCMP during the 30s and ’40s as they spoke up for justice and social chang® They were jailed, framed, hound- ed and deported. Mountie stool pigeons infiltrated their ranks, later appearing in court to test fy against men- and women whose crime was fighting fot workers’ rights. This same ys is described by the Royal Ban as “not trying to impose 7 — strictions .upon society, but to provide lawfulness so that evely" one may be free to live his J#é in safety and peace...” And so we have 100 years of the RCMP, an organization which began its career by hank ing Louis Riel in a Regina ja and has continued throughoU’ the century as capitalism’s hat nosed watchdog. There 1S _ : club-wielding cop the strike sees and the electronics exPe and undercover one he doest i see; the splendid scarlet ue the Queen sees and the pial clothes interrogator the ina rant sees. But they all have 1 same job — secure and hold er the Royal Bank and its frien®™ a White backs off Provincial Treasurer and Mun! cipal Affairs Minister White (who succeeded D i McKeough to this post February) announced that umberland and the eastern munities of Durham will be cluded from the Oshawa-ce? regional government. ‘al The victory is only pa however, because the We will township of Durham county still be incorporated in the well regional government. AS h of three township to the nort nd Oshawa, Scott, Thorah the Brock are to be added t0 Oshawa-centred municipality Monopoly has tempore’ given up its designs on rham umberland and eastern but it has every intention O" 7. suing its aims in the new © Its. nal municipality of Osha nine ye purpose is still to un reate municipal democracy ane ~ the conditions for shifting. avel- 3 of the cost of monopoly © 4. opment on the backs 9 rio’s working people.