Some 800 construction workers picketting the Pacific Centre in 1972 demanding
the lifting of the CLRA lockout on schools and hospitals.

Tenants Act reviewed

Continued from Page 1

principle of the new Act which
provides that there be justification
for rent increases and opens the
way for landlords to force tenants
out of their suites so that he can re-
rent it at higher rents.’’

The new Act also contains
guidelines on evictions which,
Yorke said, are “pretty good.’’ In
effect a tenant will be able to
require that the landlord give
cause in writing for eviction, and
the tenant can appeal to the ren-
talsman to make a decision, in
which case the rentalsman is
required to abide by the Act’s
guidelines.

Yorke singled out the two main
bad features of the new Act as the
denial of collective bargaining to
tenants; and failure to provide for
rent review boards unless the
municipalities opt for it, and the
setting up of the rentalsman as a
substitute.

“Both collective bargaining for
tenants and rent review boards
were promised by the NDP in the
last provincial election, and the
failure of the government to in-
clude them’is a violation of their
election promises,” said Yorke.

The worst feature of the new Act,
said Yorke, is the institution of
security deposits. Under the Act
new tenants will be required to
deposit one month’s rent with the
rentalsman who will invest it and
the interest will be added on to the
provincial government’s Renters
Grant of $30. If a tenant moves, the
deposit will be refunded unless
there are claims against it by the
landlord.

“This actually means,” said
Yorke, “‘that a renter will have to
put up in many cases more than
$500 before he or she can even
move in if the rent is say $250 a
month. This is totally unjust to
tenants and imposes a_ severe
financial burden on them.”

Yorke said the B.C. Tenants
Organization’ will be meeting
shortly to adopt its formal stand on
the new legislation and that it will
likely demand complete removal
of security deposits from the
legislation, and in the interests of
consistency, it will probably
reiterate its demand that rents be
based on the premises rather than
the tenant.

WILLIAM STEWART, B.C. Federation
of Labor vice president and leading
Communist trade unionist is Critically
ill in Lions Gate Hospital in North -
Vancouver. He suddenly became ill
two weeks ago and doctors have been
trying to determine the source of his
illness.

LABOR COMMENT
In 1970 and 1972, the Construction
Labor Relations Association
locked out a number of con-

struction unions. It could happen °

again this year.

On the basis of the experience
gained in the previous two sets of
negotiations, twelve out of
seventeen construction unions in
British Columbia have delegated
their bargaining rights to the B.C.
and Yukon Building Trades
Council. Outside the unity pact are
the Teamsters, Electrical
Workers, Plumbers, Ironworkers
and Lathers.

Those on the union side who
Oppose joint negotiations reflect
many viewpoints. There are the
narrow craft unionists who place
the advancement of their craft
position ahead of all other con-
siderations. As well, there are the
office holders (elected and ap-
pointed) who act as if they had a
vested interest in promoting
disunity. Some of them give the
impression that their authority will
be threatened should joint
bargaining succeed. In addition,
there are elements of the ultra left
who have come out against joint
negotiations in their- locals with
pseudo-radical appeals to  self-
interest, They are political ad-
venturers who do not hesitate to
appeal to the most backward craft
prejudices, while posing as the
champions of the rank and file
advocating a radical tran-
Sformation of the trade union
movement. Joint negotiations are
presented as a surrender of local
autonomy and membership con-
rol, an argument which the in-
ternational roadmen find no dif-
ficulty in accepting. In - the
background, the big construction
bosses are laughing all the way to
the bank, because it is in their best
interest to have the unions divided.

Three international unions have
recently withdrawn from the
Building Trades Council, namely,
the Plumbers, Boilermakers and
Glaziers (part of the Painters’
Union). The official reason was the
danger that joint negotiations
would make it easier for the Labor
Relations Board, acting under
Section 57 of the Labor Code, to
force the seventeen construction
unions into a council of unions for

the purpose of collective
bargaining. Such a council would
be the sole and exclusive

bargaining agency and could be
expanded to include other unions
connected with construction.

What is overlooked is that the
trade union movement has come
out unanimously against the
compulsory establishment of
councils of unions in opposition to
the wishes of the membership. The
more division and the more
disunity in the Building Trades, the
more favorable the climate for the
establishment of a council in op-
position to the desires of the
membership. The wisest course
would be to unite on a voluntary
basis to balance the strength of the
C.L.R.A.

A prominent union spokesman
put it this way: “If we are con-

NOTICE CHANGES IN PT?

Notice anything different about
this issue of the Pacific Tribune?_
For one thing its got color. From
now on we will appear in color
every week throughout the year.
For another, you will notice that
the page is slightly larger and a
little wider, which gives us more
space.

All these changes — along with

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, APRIL ab 1974__PAGE 12

our intention
photographs and _ illustrations —
have been made possible by
moving to a new print shop. It’s all
part of the effort of the PT to bring
our readers a better and more
attractive paper.

You can help by ensuring that
the present financial drive for

$24,000 by June ist is over-
subscribed.

to use more —

tinually divided, and if we are
unable to resolve our problems
within the house of labor, and if we
get involved in a series of strikes
and lockouts. under unfavorable
conditions, it"will be easier for the
Labor Relations Board to invoke
Section 57 against the Building
Trades.”’

There are two courses open to
the construction unions. One. is for
each union to go its own way and
end up working against the other
unions. The other is to unite in a
common front to win the best
possible deal for all unions.

The=C 1s ReAe representing the
vast majority of the key con-
tractors, would like to be in a
position to play one union off
against the other. The C.L.R.A. is a
creature of the Employers’ Council
of B.C. (the voice of big business)
and is not unmindful of the larger
picture. By whipsawing one union
against the other, it hopes to save
money on this year’s settlements.
In addition, it is acutely aware of
the fact that if the construction
unions are united, the entire trade
union movement will be stronger.

A sober appraisal of the current
Situation discloses the following
facts:

oThe majority of the organized
construction workers are in unions
committed to joint negotiations.

o More unions are involved in
joint negotiations now than during
the lockout in 1972.

o There is strong support in
every construction union for a
substantial. wage increase, a
reduced work week, a cost-of-
living allowance and other con-
tract improvements:

o The instinctive urge of the
overwhelming majority of the rank
and file is for unity. Given a
positive lead and the opportunity to
see the overall picture objectively,
the membership will respond to the
inspiration that comes from unity
of purpose and action.

The unions in joint negotiations
have made little progress so far.
The have been bargaining on trade
issues, as distinct from joint issues
affecting all locals. It appears that
a number of unions will soon be
taking strike votes.

R.C.MP., refused to 98

1 We

With the Internation
workers of America S00!
the critical stage ®
negotiations, every effort®
made to co-ordinate the bal
objectives and tacm
Building Trades and Ut
Together, these unions ha
100,000 members in q
settlements will hav@ |
reaching effect on the over
scene. a

In 1972, the six unions
negotiations, despite "bf
raids on union office’

compulsory arbitration
niscretited Mediation
mission, and went on to Ney
better settlement thal © qj
from the Commissiom i
defiance contributed
defeat of the soe
scrapping of the Co
ie punt spokestt
Building Trades have be nail
in refusing to direct thei! : ot
against the anti-unily od?
within the unions. Ins ji {
have concentrated on ne ra
the workers and called
against the big construc 4
and big business. —__ aise
The situation we havé F {¢
in this article reflects the? j
organizational structure wy
Building Trades. Th wy
seventeen internation@® gi) |
struction unions, Se
headquarters in the ¥ 3!
have traditionally bee? is 0
with jurisdictional squé™ |
cursed with reaction@
leadership. |
The ainnats goal should i !
national union of cons 4 i E
workers in Canada, oa fh
propriate trade divisi® ‘s
immediate goals, beariN - ot
the uneven development — id
f
’

ssi

f

0
struction locals and ff
across the country, shou ree
widest possible @8) 1
autonomy for the- men of iy
every construction pull
Canada and a Canadiab jl
Trades Department cha) ge
the Canadian Labor uid pat
Such a department sh? : ef
exclusive authority ope
Canadian jurisdictional P

B.C. disarmament

parley April 20

World Disarmament Week will be marked in Vancouver

widely representative conference at the Unitarian Church,

Oak, on Saturday, April 20 from 1:30 to5 p.m.
This was announced by the sponsoring committee Mon

% | Wh
th? } Woy
3

: >=

ind
day He

; ion 1
press release which pointed out that as a result of discuss of :

United Nations non-government organization special com™

ei

disarmament, World Disarmament Week has been plat” |

April 22-28.

in dist

The Vancouver conference will discuss Canada’s vole isa

mament. Specific topics will be the United Nations 4 ation fot
mament; prospects for weapons and arms control; educ

+ jon;
disarmament; and the impact of the arms race on inflat! 1

ployment, the environment and the general standard of living. e 1
Prominent citizens who have already indicated their |
contribute to the discussion at the parley include Mrs: 9
Sanford, Comox MLA; Prof.
Education, U.B.C.; Gerald Savory, President of
_ Association in B.C. and Gary Gallon of SPEC. i i Bu
A partial list of sponsors of World Disarmament Wee Maret
includes the United Nations Association; Prof. Leonard... pl
Society for Pollution & Environmental Control (SPE 4. Bo y
Environmental Council; Vancouver.& District Labor Counc? q jy

de,

deat 2

cK

Leonard Marsh;... Faclllyn %,
a|%

8

Ca

~

Peace Council; Dr. Scott Wallace, MLA; Karen Sanford gil
Rosemary Brown, MLA; Colin Gabelmann, MLA; |

Society of Friends; Peter Davies; Burnaby alderman Bue rou } :
former Trail mayor F.E. de Vito; Federated Anti-Poverty natio™ i,
Simon Fraser University Student Council; Women’s Inter i}
League for Peace and Freedom; Rev. A. Phillip Hewett.
Last Tuesday the Vancouver Labor Council endors h pate
mament Week and the conference. Calls for the April 20t eS ot BS
have gone out to hundreds of organizations and a large

expected.

isa
Di} 1

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