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Labour

More than structure at stake for CLC

By FRANK COX

It depends on whom you talk to among
labour leaders these days but views of the
upcoming Canadian Labour Congress
convention vary widely.

Some see the event as promising about as
much excitement as watching paint dry, a
somewhat cynical perspective born of a
sense that labour has been ground down to
a state of paralysis. Others suggest that this
convention will be an opportunity to raise
important issues but expectations are low as
to the actual out-
come, given the prob-
ability of the same
old order continu-
ing in the leadership
found generally to
be lacking a_pro-
gram of action and
much of any fight-
ing spirit.

Still others sug-

ALLEVATO
tion taking place at
this time in our his-
tory is rich with
potential for posi-

sort of leadership
that our movement
puts forward, in the
resolve to take up
the fight in more
effective ways, and

in our commitment
to offer support and
develop closer links
with our allies in the
community. Thestruc-
ture of the CLC;
issues of leadership;
a program of action;
democratic process
— all are the kind
of questions that
top respective prior-
ity lists of the var-
ious labour leaders I aa,
have talked to. NICHOL

A general consensus does seem to exist
that the trade union movement is in a
period like no other in its history, with
unprecedented assaults from both employ-
ers and their governments as they set out to
re-structure our society to be part of the
global economic “pac-man” game.

Even the most cursory inventory of the
effects of free trade, deregulation, privatiza-
tion, industrial restructuring and the rest of
the Tory and corporate bag of tricks is sob-
ering. Anywhere from 70,000 to 100,000
jobs are estimated to have been sacrificed as
industry consolidates, shifts operations to
the U.S. or Mexico, or just folds in the face
of the competition.

Couple that with UI cuts, reduced health
care funding, the erosion of social services
and the GST and higher interest rates and it
starts to fill in an increasingly familiar pic-
ture. It certainly isn’t a year in which the
labour movement can afford to treat this
CLC convention as just doing usual busi-
ness. Major campaigns are there to be
fought and won — including the camapign
against the GST — ifthe labour movement
has the political resolve to do it.

John Fryer, president of the National
Union of Provincial Government Employ-
ees, and others have attempted to steer the
attention of the convention toward the
question of structure as the top priority
— not to resolve, mind you, but to plan to
resolve — but it seems to have ljttle sup-
port, at least among many labour leaders
here.

John Fitzpatrick secretary of the Van-
couver and District Labour Council put it
this way: “ Not only is structure not a prior-
ity at a time when we should be concentrat-

FITZPATRICK _

ing on dusting off some more traditional
tactics to fight what the companies and
governments are up to, but we also don’t see
much wrong with the structure as it is.
Maybe one direction for improvement
would be to turn more regional resources
over to the labour councils.

“Consolidating more power in the hands
of the provincial federations is not necessar-
ily going to increase rank and file participa-
tion. Put the resources where the action is,”
he said.

Carmela Allevato, secretary-business
manager of the Hospital Employees Union,
Suggested that the structure issue “sounded
a bit like Meech Lake for the labour move-
ment.” She indicated that “plans for action
was what her organization was hoping to
discuss at this convention as a matter of
urgency.”

Others seem to agree that while resources
for education and organization would likely
be better directed locally’and such sugges-
tions should be discussed, this is hardly the
burning issue of the day.

However, more will no doubt come out
during the convention on this question,
reflecting various attempt to strengthen
power bases within the CLC. Stuart Crom-
bie hinted at it in the April issue of Our
Times when he stated: “Its hard to imagine
anyone doing a good job in the president’s
chair as the CLC is structured. A progres-
sive leader who tried to turn the congress’s
policies into effective action could be held
hostage or simply ignored by conservative
and powerful affiliates more concerned
about protecting their fiefdoms.”

Reports that deals were made in
exchange for slate support that would
strengthen the hand of the international
industrial unions lends support to this view
and suggests much needs to be done to
strengthen democratic process that likely
has little to do with what some argue to be
the essence of the structural issue. In any
event, it would likely serve the trade union
movement well, despite the obstacles, to
give progressive leadership a try that would
be prepared to lead the fight ahead.

There seems to be broad consensus
around the need to go into this convention
with a clear program setting out the priori-
ties for the labour movement and an action
plan to put them into effect. A preliminary
CLC draft policy paper is reported to have
been circulated to executive council mem-
bers for comment called “* A New Decade:
Our Future.” This lengthy tract is said to
include many good points, but is a bit of a
something-for-everyone, cover-all-the-bases
sort of document. Lacking, apparently, is
clear focus and sharp analysis giving a sense
of the broader politics linking the multitude
of issues facing the labour movement and
the Canadian people. There is a tendency I
am told to consider the ills of the system a

GS

question of inefficient management of the
economy rather than deliberate restructur-
ing for the benefit of a few.

“For all the excellent policies on the
books at the CLC we come up short too
often on effective action,” said Jack Nichol,
president of the United Fishermen and
Allied Workers Union. “There has not been
the kind of mobilization that present condi-
tions call for.” As chairperson of the free
trade committee of the B.C. Fed he sug-
gested that monitoring the effects of the free
trade agreement “is important, but doing
something about it is critical. The Congress
should be giving more leadership to mobil-
ize on these issues.

“The fight against the free trade agree-
ment, the GST, UI cuts, rising interest rates,
will completely dominate union activity
particularly as employers take advantage of
the situation to demand massive conces-
sions. It’s time we had more rallies and
other actions such as we had against UI cuts
and wage controls,” he said.

In talking with various delegates that will
be heading for Montreal May 14 a number
of key issues emerge.

@ The fight for fair taxes ranks high with
a consistent demand that April 7 and 9 be
seen as only a start toward defeating this
legislation and putting forward progressive
tax policies. Action could include a day of
protest as part of an escalating strategy.

@ The demand for the abrogation of the
free trade agreement and exposing of the
connection between ther FTA and the dis-
mantling of social programs and the loss of
thousands of jobs. Unity with coalitions and
community groups is also vital.

@ A call for an end to privatization and
the restoration of all public services.

@ The:demand for democratic control
Over economic policy.

@ The campaign for environmental sus-
tainability and conversion from polluting
and dangerous or arms-related industry to
socially useful production .

@ The fight for full employment.

@ Developing greater international solid-
arity ties at a time of capital globalization
for common struggle. An independent
international relations policy for the labour
movement.

e A stronger more united labour centre
capable of, and willing to take on the neo-
conservative agenda.

@ The building of stronger coalitions
such as the Pro-Canada Network that
would unite labour and our allies.

@ The campaign for economic justice for
women.

No doubt many other issues will be iden-

tified, and some form of policy document

adopted together with an action program .
One concern, however, that is often spoken
of and is the cause of some degree of cyni-
cism is the question of whether there will be

in fact the leadership that will do the job
that the times require.

Some time ago a letter was circulated
over the signature of a number of promi-
nent trade unionists calling for someone to
come forward that could genuinely enjoy
the confidence of the trade union move-
ment to lead the CLC in the period ahead.
Some names were mentioned. None has so
far decided to challenge the slate that was
agreed to at the CLC executive council
meeting.

Still, there is a movement afoot in some
quarters I understand, to initiate a draft-
Dave Werlin campaign. Without a doubt,
Dave Werlin’s experience as the president of
the Alberta Federation of Labour and on
the executive council of the CLC, as well as
his wide reputation as a skilled labour leader
makes him potentially a strong contender
for the top CLC post. But Dave has not, to
my knowledge, put his name forward
either.

The question of leadership flows into an
issue that is possibly a very volatile one at
this convention — the question of internal
democracy. Again from the pen of Stuart
Crombie: “We don’t need another pain-
staking and elaborately arranged deal, fol-
lowed by a coronation. We need to explore
and demarcate, to properly assess different
policy options and candidates, and after the
fullest possible discussion, really choose and
vote.”

In my opinion the depth of feeling on this
issue is significant. Some I have talked to
think, given the slate system now in place,
and the fact that a good many capable mil-
itant trade unionists are up to their prover-
bial asses in alligators without having to
worry about CLC politics, that this has the
making of a pretty routine convention. |
would tend to side with those that believe
that this convention could well follow the
pattern of the various federation conven-
tions that have definitely belonged to the
rank and file fresh from the battle ground. If
that is the case, anything could happen.

GREETINGS
ON MAY DAY

United Fishermen
and Allied Workers
Union, Local 15
Nanaimo

NOINN S.N3INaS\

May Day Greetings

from our membership & staff

_ Canadian Area
International Longshoremen’s &

Warehousemen’s Union
020 - 1880 Triumph St., Vancouver, B.C. V5L 1K3

Pacific Tribune, April 30, 1990 « 9