a - dts * \ ie ACROSS THE NATION Autonomy sentiment grows ' The question of Canadian auto- nomy for trade unions linked with their counterparts in the U.S. is one of growing importance for the trade union movement. Even big business circles are coming to realize that the matter of autono- my is looming ever larger in the Canadian labor movement. : In a recent article in the Fi- _Nancial Post, Frank Oxley said that a spokesman for the 80,000 member Canadian Union of Pub- lic Employees (CUPE) told the Post his organization is strongly in favor of such a move, (The resolution on autonomy at the founding convention of CUPE was carried some time agointhe PT), And President Jean Marchand NDP reaffirms A closed meeting of the New Democratic Party Ontario pro- vincial council has reaffirmed that party’s ties with the trade union movement. _ The council’s official state- ment affirming these links was issued in reply to a letter quest- ioning them from Val Scott, an NDP candidate in Toronto in the Past two federal elections. ‘The image of our link withthe trade unions has done us a good deal of harm,’’ wrote Scott. ‘‘It is unfair, but Ithink nevertheless true, that Hal Banks and the SIU have not only badly tarnished the trade union image, but our party’s image also.’’ The Scott views were stated in a 10-page letter addressed to NDP National Leader T. C. Doug- of the Confederation of National Trade Unions, formerly the Ca- tholic Syndicates (not affiliated to the CLC) told the Post: “J am definitely happy about this trend toward autonomy...I would have thought that the Hal Banks affair would have taught all Canadian union members a les- son. ‘“‘The CNTU favors working in harmony with unions in other countries. We are strongly in favor of cooperation, but we are adamantly against integration, “which is what exists in many parts of the Canadian trade union move- ment. Cooperation, while pre- serving autonomy, works in Eur- ope and it will work here.’’ labor ties las and distributed to all NDP federal and Ontario candidates in the 1963 elections and to all mem- bers of the party’s provincial committee. They received wide coverage in: the daily press and other capital- ist news media. In reply, the Ontario NDP statement said: ‘¢We wish to make it clear that our provincial council welcomes the close association that we have with the farmer, trade unions and Quebec and will do everything possible to strengthen these as- sociations as basic requirements for a strong political party ofthe democratic left.’’ It termed the opinions in the Scott letter those of one person and not representative of the views of the provincial council. So-called ‘medicare’ rapped Sharp condemnation of two pro- vincial medicare plans - one in Operation in Alberta and the other Proposed in Ontario - has come recently from NDP leader in On- tario, Donald C. MacDonald. The Ontario plan, he suggested, was an intolerable copy ofthe Al- berta plan, and added: ‘The Alberta plan is obviously a failure. Since only a third of those families entitled to the Manning government’s subsidy on Premiums have enrolled in the Plan, it is furthermore patently Unsuccessful.’’ ; The Alberta method only miti- gates the more flagrant injustices of insurance companies’ refusal ~ to reinsure subscribers when they reach oldage or submit many claims, he said. The Manning government pro- vides only a 50-percent subsidy of the $162 annual premium for families earning less than$2,600 a year. *«‘These people can’t even pay half the premium and they must instead run the risk of becoming ill without any insurance,’’ said MacDonald. Albertafamilies who earn between $2,600 and $3,000 annually are given only a 25 per- cent premium subsidy, leaving ‘them a $120 annual bill. Vote age may be extended Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson has stated publicly that he is in favor of extending the Review China External Affairs Minister Paul Martin has suggested that the West must reconsider its Policy of isolating the People’s Republic of China. Speaking at a seminar on Canadian-American relations, at the University of Windsor, he said China cannot be ignor- ed if progress is to be madé in eliminating the cold war.’ "It is illogical to think in terms of an international de- tente between East and West while neglecting the great and €rowing role China is bound to play,’ he stated. voting age in federal elections to 18. Pearson is reported to have stated that if these young adults are old enough to master the in-_ tricacies of education and work in a-complex age, if they are old enough to take up armsand serve in’ defence of their country, then they certainly should be con- sidered old enough to vote. However, the mere public an- nouncement that he is in favor of © such a move does not necessarily mean that it’s as good as done, as witness the delays on pensions, time lost before old age pensions were finally raised, etc. This newspaper and all other progressive forces inthe country have maintained for a long time that such a such a step was de- sirable and necessary. We will welcome it - when it is introduc- ed in Parliament. ber 3. Sub Drive winding up— This paper’s annual drive for extending its circulation is almost over. The coming weekend will see the final concentra- tion for collecting all monies owing on paper sales, picking up all outstanding renewals and recruiting new readers. Only a few days left... and yet, much can still be done. If every person reading these lines resolves to devote a couple of hours over the weekend to this very worthwhile cause, the results will be most gratifying. Last week’s convention of the Communist Party in Van- couver resolved to win 60 new readers and pick up every re- newal by the time the drive closes. If our friends in the province do the same, we can’t fail. Clubs are reminded that, to be included in the final drive figures, all subs should be in the office by Tuesday noon, Decem- CONTROLLED BY BIG BUSINESS Stewart exposes nature, makeup of city council With Vancouver’s civic elec- tions slightly more than just two weeks away, the campaign of in- dependent candidate William Stewart is meeting with growing: favor and response from beleagu- ered taxpayers. Stewart, a veteran of World War II, a trade unionist of long standing and former Circulation Manager of the PT, has issued a colorful leaflet in thousands of copies which is being distribut- ed all over the city. The leaflet exposes the present makeup of city council, listing . each and every member of coun- cil along with his occupation. The list reads as follows: Mayor William Rathie — Bus- iness Promoter and Accountant. Thomas Campbell — Real Es- tate; A. L. Bell-Irving — Real Estate; Philip Lipp— Real Estate; Marianne Linnel— Real Estate; Earle Adams (Bill Collector)— Real Estate; W. Orson Banfield (Retired) — Real Estate; Frank Frederickson — Life Insurance; Hugh Bird (Retired)— Fire Chief; Ernest Broome — Engineer; B. A. Emery (Retired) — Druggist. As if this composition were not yet loaded up enough with representatives of business, Stewart points out that current ‘tNon-Partisan Association’ no- minees include: Henry Block — Real Estate, Edward Sweeney — Industrialist, and Halford Wilson — Contrac- tor. ‘¢The NPA is rivetted to the big business, made-in-USA pol- icy of trade restrictions whichis holding back our country and our city,’’ the leaflet charges. “Poor PeMBRoke,, HE HAS AN AFFLICTED CONSCIENCE ” PTrrvrreerrre ieee The AUUC presents an EXTRAVAGANAZA OF UKRAINIAN SONGS, DANCES; & ORCHESTRAL SELECTIONS : Queen Elizabeth Playhouse: Sunday, December 8, 8 p.m.: Commentary in English Tickets at door, People's Co-op Book Store or Ukrainian Hall Adults — $1.50 Students — $1.00s e eeoeeeeesocesescoeeesseeesee we PO HSSCHSE SHS OHH SOOSEOOTSOOOOOCS ecoeoeoeeee ‘union members accepted a com- **Small wonder the homeowner gets the dirty end of the stick while fortunes are being rolled up in real estate and Big Busi- ness is escaping its fair shareof taxes,’”’ Stewart also informs the PT that a recently launched post card campaign on the question of tran- sit is meeting with wide public acceptance. The post card calls upon city council to ‘‘take what- ever steps are necessary”? to compel the provincial govern- ment to grant gas and electrical distribution rights to Vancouver. By taking over these rights, the profits from their operation could be used to subsidize asys- tem of rapid, cheap and efficient public transit — as is done in many other North American cit- ies, he stated. Stirring up even more interest as an alternative to the NPA are candidates of the Central Council of Ratepayers — Alice McKen- zie and Harry Rankin. Rankin in particular is conceded a strong chance of election, having polled almost 32,000 votes in his bid for an aldermanic seat in last year’s election. The ratepayers have set upa headquarters at 379 W. Broad- way (just half a block west of the Labor Temple) and are con- ducting a strong campaign to win the votes of small homeowners and tenants. Telephone number of the com- mittee rooms is 879-4414. LABOR ROUNDUP: Mine Mill response to Japan tragedy The Canadian Mine Mill union has sent the following telegram to S. Kogan, President, Japan Coal Miners’ Union, after the recent mining tragedies in that country which saw many miners killed: ‘Canadian miners join you in mourning terrible loss of life in underground disaster at Ohmuta and request you express our heartfelt sympathy to bereaved families. £1963 is one of worst disaster years ever, pointing to need for workers everywhere to come to- gether to enact and enforce maxi- mum safety measures and enlist public support in fight to place lives ahead of profits.’’ * The latest Mine Mill bulletin reports that striking miners at Remac are still solid—in their 80th week of strike. Response to an appeal for winter clothing for the striking miners and their families has been highly success- ful, and the Ladies Auxiliaries wish to thank all who have don- ated so generously, Meanwhile, a united member- ship has beaten back an attempted Steel raid at Jordan River (on Vancouver Island). A province wide agreement is nearing completion between the newly formed Shaft & Develop- ment Workers (Local 1037) and Fry & Associates, Western Ltd. Diamond Drillers (Local 1005) are nearing the completion of a province wide master agreement with 11 diamond drill companies. This represents a big step for- ward, * An 11 month, nine day strike of workers at the Coca Cola Co. Ltd. plant in Hamilton ended when pany offer for a 10-cent pay in- crease. The executive of Brewery Workers Local 202 made no re- commendation for or against and a bare majority of workers ac- cepted the company offer, The first union contract in- cluded recognition of seniority and improvements in vacations, * A strike by 160 workers at the Toronto plant of Crouse-Hinds Ltd., recently organized by the United Electrical Workers Union (UE) is asking for a first con- tract, with wage increases to- talling 25 cents an hour, Another UE plant, A. C. Wick- man Ltd. at Etobicoke, has suc- cessfully concluded a strike, Gains won in the strike, which started Sept. 25, include: wage increases totally 19 cents an hour, improvements in vacations and settlement pay. * According to recently publish- ed figures, five years ago there were some 350,000 on the pay- roll of General Motors, At the end of last year that figure had been cut by three percent to 338,- 000. From 1957 to 1962 GM’s total assets per employee rose from $18,090 to $24,199, or by 34 percent. And its sales per em- ployee rose 33 percent, In the same period Ford cut its work force by four percent and boosted sales per employ- ee by 40 percent.