More than 500 trade unionists gathered in a mass picket line outside the Vancouver Hotel Monday as the labor movement demonstrated its opposition to the strikebreaking tactics of the hotel’s management which last week forced the first strike at the hotel in 28 years by its refusal to offer any wage in- crease. Members of virtually every union on the Lower Mainland, including IWA negotiators who had adjourned contract talks to attend, turned out for the demonstration and filled the sidewalks surrounding the downtown hotel. The mass picket had been called the previous day by the B.C. Federation of Labor when 100 trade union leaders from affiliated locals turned out to pledge their support to the 475 striking workers, members of Local 275, the*Railway, Tran- sport and Gerreral Workers. Monday’s actiér was a measure of that support and a clear indication of the massive opposition that Hilton, which manages the hotel for the owners, Canadian National Railways, has sparked by its adamant stance in refusing any wage increase and in continuing to operate some of the hotel services with strikebreakers. Although the strike only began last Thursday, it has already become a major focus of attention because of Hilton’s stand. The B.C. Federation of Labor slapped a “‘hot”’ declaration on the hotel last Friday, denouncing the employer’s tactics as ‘‘completely irresponsible”’ and an attempt by the hotel “to break this union.” See UNION pg. 12 IWA MEMBERS fa SUPPORT GBRT.& GW. ON STRIKE: AGAINST aie aianll¥Fh | STD —Sean Griffin photo., By MAURICE RUSH As the Tribune went to press this Week — with just over one more week to go before the end of the financial drive — we still needed $10,000 to reach our objective of $50,000. That’s cause for some alarm. It means that we must raise around $1,000 a day between now and the windup banquet celebration on June 25. Can we do it? I’m sure we can. ere are many’ signs that hun- dreds of Tribune supporters all Over the province are putting on a Major push to go over the top in their drive quotas and to bring in €very dollar they can to ensure that the drive will be a big success. you are wondering where your Ive committee stands you’ll find the latest results on page 11. _We must make sure that in the me remaining every single press Club in the province not only reaches its objective, but goes Substantially over. We have to Make certain that every person who can contribute is asked to Contribute in the next few days. And those who have already given are urged to dig a little deeper into eir pockets to give some more. _. This year has been an especially ficult one for the drive. It has had to buck the problems of sinking Mcomes for working people and Massive unemployment. Despite these difficulties we have done amazingly well, which is a tribute the thousands of friends and Supporters of the paper in B.C. The increasingly difficult times and growing crisis in our land Make it all the more urgent that € drive succeed. We must ensure that the strong voice of B.C.’s only Weekly working class paper Continues to be heard in the year to come. We're counting on you. Let’s all Pull together in one mighty effort to put the drive over the top and to Sather at the New Westminster Queen’s Park Arenex on Saturday, June 25 to celebrate a great vic- tory. —Sean Griffin photo United Bank Workers secretary Jacquie Ainsworth (left) and SORWUC national secretary Elizabeth Godley outlined organizing plans in a press conference Wednesday following announcement of the long-awaited decision by the Canada Labor Relations Board ruling bank branches to be appropriate bargaining units. In a precedent setting decision, the Canada Labor Relations Board ruled Tuesday that bank workers may be granted union certification on a single branch basis. — The CLRB decision was based on eight applications for certification at branches of the Imperial Bank of Commerce by the United Bank Workers Union (UBW), a com- ponent of the Service, Office and Retail Workers Union of Canada (SORWUC). “As bank employees we no longer have to wonder if we have the legal and practical right to unionize. It is now up to us,’’ UBW secretary Jackie Ainsworth told.a press conference in Vancouver on Wednesday. eee The UBW has made application for 13 other bank branches in addition to the eight branches of the Bank of Commerce. Each of those applications will be heard in July, but the precedent of branch certification has now been set. “This decision affects not only Commerce employees, but other bank workers and even workers in trust companies, insurance companies and other offices,’ Ainsworth said. In the hearings before the CLRB the Bank of Commerce argued un- successfully that the union should be required to sign up a majority of all employees of the bank across Canada. The CLRB rejected the argument citing ‘‘the express intention of Parliament,” as the “encouragement of free collective bargaining.’ “Too large units in unorganized industries,’’ the The provincial government has not yet made a decision on whether to support the resolution protesting the Trident nuclear missile base at Bangor, Wash., introduced by Socred MLA Cyril Shelford, and more public pressure will be needed to ensure that the resolution will be brought before the present session of the Legislature. This was the conclusion of participants in a delegation to Victoria Monday, organized by Pacific Life Community, which included representatives from many organizations. Among groups taking part in the delegation seeking support for the Shelford resolution were the Victoria and New Westminster Labor Councils, Voice of Women, B.C. Inter-Church Committee, Greenpeace Foundation, B.C. Peace Council, United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union, Canadian Coalition for Nuclear CLRB decision noted, ‘‘will abort any possibility of collective bargaining ever commencing.” The decision went on to say that “the single branch location of the Commerce encompasses em- ployees with a community of in- terest and is an appropriate bargaining unit: The counter arguments of the employers are in large measure hypothetical fears that we findshould not prevail over the tangible realities of the union’s position.” The UBW has set a target of organizing a majority of B.C.’s 15,000 bank workers. Organizing committees are being established in Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Vic- toria, Prince George, Kamloops, Kitimat Terrace, Powell River, Se- See BANK WORKERS pg. 11 Responsibility, Pacific Life Community and SPEC. Ina press statement which drew attention to the wide public support for the Shelford resolution, the delegation said after spending the day interviewing MLAs that ‘a large majority, at least 35 of the 55 members, would definitely support the Trident motion when it is in- troduced by the government.” Noting that U.S. plans call for placing 20 of the giant missile- firing subs just 60 miles from Victoria, the press statement said that ‘“‘it is essential that the legislature passes the anti-Trident See TRIDENT, pg. 12 June 16, 1976 hve. oe mall . Pot Amid a new wave of arrests and repression in South Africa, the world this week marks the anniversary of the Soweto uprising and massacre, June 16, 1976. The extended week from June 16 to June 26, African Freedom Day, has been designated a week of solidarity with Southern Africa by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity. It will be marked by a rally in Van- couver, slated for 4:30 p.m. June 16 at the Vancouver courthouse.