By WILLIAM STEWART Ontario Leader, Communist Party The Ontario NDP emerged from its October 3-4-5 leadership convention with a new leader, Stephen Lewis, a shift in its pol- icy on nationalization of natural resources and more trade union participation than ever before. From a. long term point of view the most significant aspect of the convention was the at- tendance of 830 union delegates representing workers from most of the major factories, mines and enterprises in Ontario. This was a 25 percent increase in- trade-union representation which could help speed up the break- _away of Ontario workers from the majority grip of the two old-: line parties. x At the samé time however the convention records show that aside from the decisive influence the trade union delegates played in the leadership contest, their other major role lay in defeating the Waffle Manifesto. It went down to a 744-628 secret ballot defeat after a substantial block of trade union votes were lined up behind the right wing in an intensive night of lobbying. Stephen Lewis wooed _ the. trade union vote ‘to ensure: his election as party Leader, Since there is a potential of 1500 trade union delegates to the Ontario NDP conventions representing 215,000 trade un: ionists, (and this is less than half of the organized work force in the province,) compared to a to- tal constituency delegate poten- tial of about 1100 (and these in- clude many trade-unionists) it is clear that if the present trend continued trade unions would become the decisive force in the NDP determining policy and orientation. This is in complete dishar- mony with the right wing leader- ship of the NDP who regard la- bor as an asset from the point of view of finances and deliver- ing up some votes, but a liability when it comes. to appearing be- fore the electorate as all things to all peopie. 2 The ambivalence of the leader- - ship of the NDP, and the conven- tion as a whole, on the question of the labor movement was indi- . cated in the disgraceful way it “did not” deal with the 50 labor resolutions before it. These reso- lutions were placed fifth and last in the group of priorities for re- solutions before the convention, and despite the fact that they constituted the largest single group of resolutions in the book, none of them saw the light of day. . : It must also be noted that not a single resolution of those that did come before the convention made any reference to, or con- demnation of the United States’ war of aggression against the people of Southeast Asia. Lewis was the beneficiary of those forces who sought to move away from the conservatism ex- pressed by MacDonald and echo- ed by Pitman. In a confused, far less than clear manner, the movement lined up behind Ste- phen Lewis was an articulation by the majority of those in the NDP, constituency organizations © and trade unions, of their feel- ings that the party needs to shift more to the left. It was in fact an expression of the growing struggles which. are erupting throughout the province in res- ponse to the crisis of monopoly capitalism. The pre-convention debate _ made it quite clear that there were no major policy differences between Lewis and Pitman. However when one notes how close the vote was on the Waf- fle Manifesto, even after a brutal night of lobbying, it becomes clear why neither Lewis nor Pit- man, nor any of their main sup- porters were prepared to lay their cards on the table and iso- late themselves from the sup- porters of the Waffle position in the leadership election. Taking advantage of this situ- ation the delegates pushed through a policy of nationaliza- tion of the basic resources of Ontario, At the same. time how- ever the leadership succeeded in passing another resolution which appears to at least open the door to challenge the nationalization resolution. There will undoubt-- edly be a big struggle in the NDP as to how these two resolu- tions are to be interpreted. This ‘was made evident the day after the convention when Lewis told the press in answer to a question as to how he viewed the conven- tion decision regarding nationali- - zation “well, it’s a difficult one.” The Robarts government and the Tory Telegram have made it quite clear that they intend to make the issue of “big union domination” and “socialization vs. free-enterprise” the center- piece of their attack on the NDP in the expected 1971 elections. Knowing the split in the party they hope to compel the leader- ship to back away from the trade union movement and _ nationali- zation so that they appear as a “me too” alternative to either the Tories or the Liberals. This would of course turn off work-_ ing class voters and do harm to the labor movement in the prov- ince. There is enough experience in the life of the NDP and the CCF before it to indicate that such an about face could be taken by the party in the wistful chase for votes. There is nothing in the history of Stephen Lewis to sug- gest that he offers any assurance that such a course will not be adopted. The only assurance that the good position adopted by the convention on Canadian inde- pendence and nationalization of atural resources become the centerpiece of the NDP pre- election and election program lies in the actions between now and then by the labor move- ment itself all the way down the line. Mass extra parliamentary ac- tion around the resources sell- out, against Bill 167 and for.a labor bill of rights, for a new tax deal for workers and farmers alike, for adequate housing, wo- men’s rights, etc., is what is. re- quired now to set in motion and keep in motion the forces neces- sary to defeat Robarts: at the- next election. Voices at the NDP convention were sharply critical of the over- emphasis of the NDP on parlia- mentary work to the exclusion of mass action betwen elections. The trade union movement and the NDP leadership must pay heed to this criticism. : The NDP convention must be regarded as an important and significant event in the forward moving process of independent labor political action against monopoly in this province. How- ever as a social reformist party which seeks reforms without challenging the capitalist system as such, it cannot and does not base itself on a class approach, anchored on the most conscious- ly revolutionary force in society, the working class. soe +. It falls to the Communist Par- ty to infuse a class and socialist consciousness into the growing radicalization. processes at work in the trade union and democra- tic movements of Ontario and this role is made even more ur- gent by the outcome of the NDP Convention. Without such a compass to steer their course by, the work- ers in this province will not be able to unite, close their ranks and step out into the public arena with policies around which they can win the overwhelming majority of Canadians for social change leading towards a social- ist Canada. The call of the Ontario Com- munist Party, issued two weeks ago, for mass unity in action of the Ontario working class to- gether with the farmers anu democratic forces, is the way forward to defeat the Tories and elect an anti-monopoly govern- ment which will crimp the power of monopoly and bring about an improvement in the economic ‘and social life of all working and farming people. Fish strike not over help is still needed MULGRAVE — Although a contract has been worked out in the negotiations in which the Canso Strait trawlers have taken part, the seven month strike re- mains unsettled at our press time. The fish companies (Booth- Lever Brothers and Acadia- Grimsby) refuse to resolve basic issues arising out of the strike which are: 1. Recognition and a contract for the inshore fishermen. 2. Re-opening of the Mulgrave plant by Acadia Fisheries. 3. Return. to Petit de Grat of the three Booth Fisheries trawl- ers now fishing from Newfound- land. 4. Dropping of civil court actions hanging over fishermen, their union and the officers of that union — the United Fisher- PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1970—PAGE 10. oe ia JOAW-ONEL 8 PIIOTIO VACA —-SWUSIAT DIPIDAS men and Allied Workers Union. : 5. Assurance that blacklist will not be used against fisher- men for minor offenses. In local union meetings at the © three ports involved, the fisher- men have voted not to sail until a contract has been signed and these issues settled. It is possible that no fisher- men will sail for another month. It will fake at least a week to prepare any boat to go out, and another 10 days before any pay will be received. During this time, the fisher- _ men will need funds to continue their fight for basic rights against these two huge foreign owned monopolies. Donations should be sent to United Fisher- men and Allied Workers Union, Box 298, Mulgrave, N.S. PaTet iy! BUMS 251 1 ile a TRADE UNIONISTS: The Ed Ci of the Canadi “North A inf Ameri military i in’ the Vi in the lost half of the 1960's.” Lobour Congress adopted a policy statement which said: can be attributed largely to 2 important factors: (a) the massive bull U war, and; (b) government policies in Canada and the i Canadians are paying for Ameri ggression in Vi. Act against the war! Act for jobs and stable dent Nixon — STOP THE WAR! GET OUT OF IND: CANADIAN NATIONAL ‘send this message subject to the terms on back rices! S! CHINA! TELECOMMUNICATIONS CANADIEN NATIONAL © CANADIEN PAGIFIQUE with high prices, high toxes, and growing one the worldwide OUTNOW petition: TT” CANADIAN PACIEIS dépeche & expédier aux conditions énoncées au verso to : ae Lai NIXON a Ste Lu ae OUTNOW a wna WASHINGTON, D.C. 27 ae sic = : STOP -+~ ‘4 — ee 4 NAME ADDRESS ae ae a — | es} It s q a Trade Union Outnow Committee, c/o Queen Street United Church, 765 Queen St. West, Toronto 3, ont Senses World VARNA — The 2nd World Trade’ Union Conference on the Problems of Young Workers was held in this Bulgarian city with representatives from 54 organ- izations from every continent and eight international organiza- tions, as well as from 11 trade union internationals participat-— ing. : Pierre Gensous, General Sec- retary of the WFTU, presented a Declaration by the WFTU Secretariat on events in the Mid- dle East and Vietnam. The De- claration appeals to all the trade unions and workers to organize and give material aid imme- diately. The WFTU greets and sup- youth forum held — ports the new initiatives také? by the Provisional Revolutior ary Government of South bb nam and calls on all the 14 unions’ to adopt the APP* | which had been addressed i : them last July by the Wom) Trade Union Conference rf Solidarity with Indochina he™} in. Versailles. a | Three documents were ad0op” ed: a Charter on Young W0l* | ers’ Demands; an Appeal i Young Wokers of the World; and the Activity and StrengtheniNé of the Trade Unions. : Letters were sent to the UN: UNESCO, ILO and FAO de the problems of young worker’ in relation te the functions ° these institutions. GM strikers stay firm other unions offer aid As the strike against General Motors by -over 350,000 auto workers in Canada and the U.S. entered its sixth week; Gordon Lambert, chairman of the Can- adian UAW-GM negotiating committee, told the Canadian Tribune that the spirit of the strikers “is pretty terrific all over.” “Proof of this fighting spirit ‘is that in St. Catharines and Oshawa, for example, overflow meetings have unanimously vot- ed confidence in their negotiat- ing committee,” he said. The strikers have been’ regu- larly and fully advised by their representatives negotiating about how things stand. ‘“‘There’s actually very little negotiation at the master table on the main issues—and the members know this, Their morale is at a very high level, and this makes it a lot easier for us at the negotiat- ing table when we know the rank and file are determined to win this strike.” Of the main issues of wages, pensions, SUB—in all the econo- mic areas of negotiations—Lam- bert declared, ‘There’s been ‘ty, production standards. ’ Smelters Local 598 in Sudbury support for our strike.” little or no progress in past weeks.” This is also true of thé | non-economic negotiations * | the master table, such as t , right to strike during the life ° the agreement, health and safe Lambert reported progress 1 local negotiations on workil conditions as they pertain ¢ each plant. He estimated tha! “maybe 40% of local negotia tions have been settled.” i He stressed that the GM strike issues are “one whole ball of -wax — all of them are it volved. We have no _ intentio# of running local questions al! negotiations off the end of the | table in order to resolve a mas” ter agreement.” Asked about Canadian labo! solidarity with the GM strikers Lambert said, “We’ve receivé a telegram from Mine, Mill an granting us a $50,000 interest free loan and access to theif membership ‘for plant gate col | lections. This is an example 9 the intensifying Canadian labo! (M.D) | od ee