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- Higher wages top

LABOR COMMENT
_ 1974 will be a big year for collec-
_ tive bargaining in British Colum-
bia: a testing period for the trade
unions and the New Democratic
Party government.

More than 400 collective
agreements will expire in the
course of the year, involving some
185,000 workers; out of a total of
285.000 covered by collective
agreements. The total work force
in the province is 1,000,000 and the
Outcome of this year’s bargaining
will have: repercussions in every
Segment of the economy.

In addition to the contracts
Which will expire in 1974 a number
of contracts which expired at the
end of 1973 will be renegotiated.
For example, 5,000 Greater Van-
Couver civic employees are now in
hegotiations for new collective
agreements. These negotiations
have broken down because the
municipalities have proposed that
_ side workers should revert to a

37-hour week, in place of the 35-
hour week they have enjoyed for
Many years,
eit the municipal councils persist
in this demand after the appoint-
ment of a mediator, it is likely
there will be another strike of civic
employees in this area. It is signifi-
Cant that the spokesman for the
municipalities at -the bargaining
table is a member of the Industrial

Relations Committee of the

Employers’ Council of B.C., the
voice of big business in the
Provincey

Collective bargaining in three
Sectors of the economy — construc-
tion, lumber, and longshoring —
Could lead to crisis situations if the
€mployers adopt a hard-line, un-
realistic approach. An alliance
between the unions involved in
these industries, tied in with the
B.C. Federation of Labor, would
greatly strengthen the position of

¢ trade union movement in this
Critical, inflationary period.

The following extracts from the
Calendar of expiring agreements,
1974. published by the provincial

€partment of Labor, will give the
reader an idea of the importance of
his year’s bargaining:

February 28: Contract expires
between B.C. Roadbuilders
Association and Construction and

€neral Laborers Union. (1,000
workers.)

February 28: Contract expire

etween the employer listed above
and Operating Engineers Local 115
and Teamsters Local 213, (5,300
Workers),

March 31: Contract expires
een B.C. Hydro and Office and

€chnical Employees Local 1378.
(2,329 workers).

March 31: Contracts expire
tween Construction Labor
Relations Association and 19 con-
struction unions. (18,210 workers).

March 31: Contracts between the _

B.C. Government and ferry
workers represented by B.C.
Government Employees Union ex-
pire. (2,800 workers).

March 31: Contract expires
between independent plumbing
contractors and Local 170,
Plumbers. (500 workers).

April 30: Contracts between B.C.
Hotels Association and six unions
expire. (5,031 workers).

April 30: Contracts expire
between Construction Labor
Relations Association and 12 con-
struction unions. (25,650 workers).

June 14: Contract expires
between Forest Industrial
Relations and I.W.A. (coastal
region). (28,000 workers). Similar-
ly, contracts held by Carpenters
and Operating Engineers expire on
same date. (1,260 workers). Shortly
after this, the I.W.A. interior and
northern agreements will expire.
(8,525 workers).

June 30: Contracts expire
between Cominco (mines and Trail
smelter) and United Steelworkers.
(3,600 workers).

October 14: Contracts expire
between B.C. shipyards and 12 un-
ions. (1,180 workers).

October 31: Contracts expire
between Pacific Press (Vancouver
Sun and Province) and five unions.
(1,170 workers).

In addition to the 3.000
Longshoremen who come under
federal jurisdiction, 7,300
telephone workers under the same
jurisdiction will be renegotiating
their agreement.

Earlier, we referred to the
possibility of a crisis arising out of
negotiations in construction,
lumber or longshoring. A crisis
situation could also arise out of the
role of the B.C. government as an
employer, in its negotiations with
ferry workers, B.C. Hydro
employees or the B.C. government
employees on a_ province-wide
basis. There will be heavy pressure
from big business for a
“deflationary approach” to wage
increases, that is, to make the
workers pay for inflation for which
they are not responsible.

The overall situation obviously
calls for the greatest degree of
coordination in the setting of
targets and the elaboration of tac-
tics. The B.C. Federation has a
special role to play in that connec-
tion.

This year’s negotiations must be
seen against the prevailing
economic background. From
November 1972 through to
November 1973, the cost of living
went up by 9.3 percent, according
to government statistics. Thus, a
9.3 wage increase for 1974 would
leave a worker standing still, and
the next round of rising prices
would see him fall behind again.

There are many diverse opinions
as to whether 1974 will be as good
to big business as 1973. Evaluations

FOR ALL YOUR TRAVEL NEEDS.

Contact:

GLOBE TOURS

2679 E. Hastings St., Vancouver 6, B.C.

253-1221

254-2313

‘prio

gL

aoe

as

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Unity of the trade union movement behind the campaign of the B.C. Federation of Labor enabled workersat

nine Shoppers Drug Mart stores to win theirsevenmonthstru
will be needed in 1974 in the face of employer offensives a

shows trade unionists from several unions picketting Shoppers last July.

from the provincial government
tend to lean in the direction of
another good year for the. big cor-
porations who dominate the
economy. And, all commentators
agree that prices for essential con-
sumer goods will continue to rise.

Working people did not create in-
flation, any more than they are
responsible for the energy crisis
and the Middle East War. They do
not control the economy, govern-
ment or the country’s foreign
policy.

This year, the number one target
in negotiations must be a substan-
tial increase in purchasing power.
That means more wages, a cost-of-
living allowance and special con-
sideration to the problems of lower
paid workers. In the main, women
in the work force are predominant-
ly found in the lower categories.
The shorter work week with no loss
in take-home pay and adequate
protection against technological
change must also come in for
serious consideration.

Up to now, the NDP government
has had one stock answer to all
criticism of the new labor code.
‘We are better friends of organized
labor than the Socreds were. Just
you wait and see how we ad-
minister the new labor code.”

This year will put that projection
to the test. The unity, determina-
tion and correct tactics of the trade
union movement will offer the best
guarantee against the government
moving to the right and using the
labor code as a club against the
workers. When the 1974 convention
of the B.C. Federation of Labor is
held in November there will be a
new assessment of the NDP
government and its labor code.

Concurrently with its drive to
improve living standards and work-

WILLIAM ARLAND

William Arland of New West-
minster passed away Wednesday
night after a long illness. A
memorial service will be held Sun-
day, Jan. 13 at 1 p.m. at 10127-141
St. Surrey.

The PT extends sincere con-
dolences to his wife Jo .and
members of the family.

ing conditions through collective
bargaining, the labor movement
must move through independent
political action to advance policies
that will curb the monopolies and
stabilize prices. In so doing, it will
win wide support from sections of

the public not connected with.

organized labor. Failure to mount
such a campaign will make it easier
for big business to develop hostility

ggleforafirst contractin 1973. The same unity
gainst legitimate wage demands. Photo above

- - Sean Griffin photo

against the legitimate demands of
organized workers.

There is a new turbulence
among the people, flowing largely
from the economic situation. The
trade union movement in B.C. has
a great opportunity to give this
mood a sense of purpose and-direc-
tion. If it fails, the union
membership will suffer the conse-
quences.

NAME ree ee a
ADDRESS: 2 eae :
ENCLOSED:
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Monday, January 14th, 8 p.m.,

YCL Educational Seminar,
“Canadian Labor History
Current Issues’, with guest lec-
turer Emil Bjarnason, in the
lounge of the Fishermen’s Hall, 138
E. Cordova St., Van.

Jan. 26 — You are invited to
HEAR and SEE (SLIDES)
JOHN BEECHING’S
REPORT on THE WORLD
PEACE CONGRESS, recently
held in Moscow. To be held
Buena Vista Hall, White Rock
— January 26th at 8 PM.
Questions, answers and
refreshments.

26 — Saturday, January 26th
CABARET. Doors open 8 PM
— Dance 9 PM to 1 AM. Best
orchestra in Vancouver.

Jan.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1974—PAGE 11