N accordance with federal legislation;
® the launching of a high priority
Campaign to effectively combat urban
tural poverty, and the immediate
 Téctification of the shameful economic
rOnditions under which Indian and Es-
Mo people are forced to live;
© a just taxation policy based on the
Principle of ability to pay which the
~arter Commission proposes, also the
mediate introduction of a capital
Bains tax, and a 50 percent cut in the
efense budget;
C ® establishment of the long delayed
nada Development .Corporation by
he federal government, to systematic-
‘lly plan and institute the progressive
) Xpansion of industry, taking fully into
“count the undeveloped areas of the
®ountry and the social and economic
“Spects of technological change;
© measures to compel the subsidi-
aries of all foreign firms operating in
‘nada to obey all Canadian laws and
| =ectives to business firms; strict gOv-
etnment control (on pain of national-
ation) over all foreign-owned and
“ontrolled firms operating in Canada,
Such control to be over: capitalization,
Withdrawal of earnings from Canada,
Marketing policies, industry  shut-
Wns and plant closures;
© development of foreign trade bas-
rm On mutually satisfactory trade rela-
‘Ons with all countries willing to do
be ines with Canada, such trade to
backed by long-term government
Tedits where necessary.

The worsening economic situation
Coupled with the government’s stated
‘Ntention of encouraging industry ra-
‘Onalization to meet trade competition,
USt cause the trade union movement
_ Té-state with renewed emphasis its
Proposals in respect to the introduc-
‘On of automated machinery and new
oduction techniques. The workers’
TOgram to meet the problems of auto-
ation must center around the imper-
ative need of an all-Canada plan of
€mocratic public control over the in-
eduction of automation.
ti Such a plan should guarantee con-
uous full employment, greatly re-
K oage hours of work and higher living
tandards through longer vacation
€riods and more paid holidays, a
Shorter work week, earlier retirement,
USational opportunities for all youth
US extending the school years for all;
8uarranteed annual wage, and equal
8Y for women.
€mocratic control over automation
Should provide for:
® more and better professional and
"echnical training and retraining of
Orkers at company and government
®Xbense with full pay during the
Period of training;

® adoption of a policy. on’ affiliations’,

e@ adequate severance pay for those
laid off.

Trade union contracts should provide
for:

@ company-wide seniority, new rates
and classifications for new jobs; all
efforts by employers to reclassify jobs
downward should be vigorously oppos-
ed by the unions;

e the right of joint consultation
with management in respect to the in-
stallation of new equipment with ef-
fective safeguards to the jobs and
standards of workers, for a say over
production norms, and guaranteeing
the right to strike at all times as a law-
ful component of the bargaining proce-
dure; :

e inclusion of provisions in long-
term contracts to enable unions to deal
promptly with new production tech-
niques, including the right to strike on
all questions not covered by the
contract.

=\

rx 12 /

Wie, —

In order to make meaningful head-
way on needed reforms of structure
and constitution it would be profitable
for the convention to concentrate its
attention to certain areas where pro-
gress can be made in laying a good
fundation for strengthening the unity
of the trade union movement.

It is fairly obvious that these areas
include:

e structural. reform based on the
recognition of the two_ nation char-
acter of Canada and the labor move-
ment which would provide a mutually
satisfactory basis for cooperation and
eventual merger of the CLC and the
CNTU in one all-Canada trade union
center; ' :

e@ adoption of a policy on affiliation
to the Congress independent of the
AFL-CIO which would open the door
to all unions in Canada to affiliate with
the CLC;

ries

® constitutional reform which would
eliminate those clauses in the constitu-
tion based on the harmful labor-split-
ting and discredited ideology of anti-
communism;

@ encouragement of mutual assist-
ance pacts for the vitally important
task of organizing the unorganized, giv-
ing support for striking workers beset
by the employers, governments, courts
and police;

®@ strengthening of procedures for
the elimination of harmful jurisdiction-
al disputes, and a ban on raiding;

e establishment of machinery for
the development of common strategy
and aims in bargaining, formation of
bargaining alliances on an industry-
wide or trade basis;

All of such inter-union cooperation
will be helpful in preparing the ground
for all-round cooperation between
unions in common or associated trade
and industries and eventual mergers
—a pressing need in this modern in-
dustrial world.

All of the foregoing needs to be but-
tressed by meaningful action programs,
led by the officers and executive coun-

cil of the Congress and involving prov--

incial federations, local councils, af-
filiated unions and union members.
This is imperative in order to win
mass popular support for the imple-
mentation of CLC policy on govern-
ment and economic demands on the
employers.

The struggles for peace, economic
and social reforms, and political aims
need to be carried on in between and
during elections, and inside and out-
side of parliament if the monopoly of-
fensive is to be turned back and the
road kept open for democratic ad-
vance. The winning of more parliamen-
tary seats, looking forward to the day
when labor in cooperation with all
other progressive forces will occupy
the seats of power in Canada, is an
integral part of the struggles of the day
for labor’s program and aims. For
these reasons a general policy of back-
ing Congress demands with action pro-
grams, organized and led by Congress
officers-and involving the largest pos-
sible number of union members is a
must if democratic advance is to be
achieved.

No one should under-estimate the
Significance of the CLC convention in
this period of economic downturn, es-
calation of U.S. imperialist aggression
in Vietnam, and reactionary attacks
against democracy, civil and trade
union rights. The 1968 convention must
be seen as a vitally important compon-
ent of the big struggles how shaping-
up between the organized working

Class ‘and the monopoly, capitalists,’.

FEB!

RUARY 2, 1968-=PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 7