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B.C. FED PARLEY MEETS NOV. 2-7

SUMMING UP LABOR’S LESSONS

By OBSERVER
The fall convention of the B.C. Federation of Labor
will provide the opportunity for a public summing up of
the dramatic labor struggles of the preceding year.

In the report of the Executive
Council to the November, 1969
convention, there was the
following projection reflecting
the pressure from below and the
pressures generated by stiff
resistance from the employers:

“It is the feeling of the
executive that the incoming
executive council should,
immediately following this
convention, urge that a
committee be established repre-
senting all major unions involved
in negotiations in 1970 to
formulate strategy and policy
and develop a united front to
achieve their bargaining objec-
tives. The Federation would
work closely with this
committee in meeting the
attack of the employers and Bill

Later, the following res-
olution on Bill 33 (compulsory
arbitration) was adopted:
“Whereas the operation of the
Mediation Commission Act has
shown itself to be opposed to the
best interests of the organized
work force of the province, and
‘Whereas the B.C. Federation
of Labor’s policy of opposing
political intervention into collec-

tive bargaining through this
guise of the Mediation Commis-
sion has the overwhelming
support of the Federation’s
affiliates; Therefore be it

‘Resolved that the B.C.
Federation continue to oppose
compulsory. arbitration and this
Mediation Commission; and be
it further

‘“‘Resolved that until
compulsory arbitration and
other objectionable features are
abolished in the legislation, all
affiliates be requested to refrain
from appearing before the
Commission; and be it further

‘Resolved that any time an
affiliate is instructed to appear
before the Mediation Commis-
sion, the Federation call a
special convention to assist such
local unions, to decide the best
course of action and to mobilize
the B.C. labor movement behind
such actions.”’ °

GUIDELINES

On the subject of the proposed .

wage guidelines, the convention
wavered. It called for action to
‘“‘ensure that future price
increases are exposed to public
examination’’ and condemned
any government action designed
to ‘“‘cool the economy.’’ But
implicit in the acceptance of the
emergency resolution was
rejection of the proposals of the
Prices and Income Commission.

(A few months later, the.
national convention of the Cana-
dian Labor Congress cate-
gorically repudiated the Prices
and Income Commission and
their proposed wage guide
lines).

A key resolution at the 1969
Federation convention placed
that body firmly on record “‘that
the CLC be instructed to act
expeditiously on the application
of the Fishermen’s Union.”’

The preceding four points can
be useful in working out a
checklist for the 1970 convention.

Early this year a co-or-_

dinating committee was estab-
lished to assist in contract
negotiations. It was made up of
representatives from the

‘International Woodworkers of

America, the International
Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite
and Paper Mill Workers, the
United Steel. Workers of
America, the B.C. - Yukon
Building Trades Council and the
B.C. Federation of Labor.

It is too early now (August 31)
to evaluate the success of this
committee. The independent
Pulp and Paper Workers Union
is on strike in a number of mills,
as are the Steelworkers at
Kitimat. The Regional Nego-
tiating Committee of the IWA is
trying to better the provisions of
the Nemetz recommendations
before the membership
referendum, while the inter-
national pulp union has returned
to the bargaining table with full
knowledge that the Minister of
Labor would like to use the
Nemetz report to settle the
disputes with the IWA, the pulp
unions and Steel at Kitimat.

BILL 33 BACKDOWN

In the Building Trades
situation, the provincial govern-
ment backed down in July after
ordering the- construction
workers to return to work under
the compulsory provisions of
Bill 33. Faced with a united labor
movement under: the leader-
ship of the B.C. Federation of
Labor, the government
retreated and a face-saving
formula was worked out. Some
30,000 construction workers
went back to their jobs and the
Deputy-Minister of Labor
mediated with the locked-out
unions separately.

As part of the formula, the
minister agreed not to reinvoke
the compulsory features of Bill
33 without prior consultation.

The carpenters have since
signed for an increase of $1.38 an
~hour over two years. Now, the
situation is again moving to a
crunch, with the Plumbers and
Laborers in the forefront.
Despite certain negative
features, such as divisions within
the Building Trades, the replace-
ment of the elected negotiating
committee in the Plumbers’
Union by an International
Representative and new threats
of-compulsory arbitration,
there are, never-the-less, many
positive features.

For example, the B.C.- Yukon
Building Trades Council is
working more closly with the
officers of the Federation than
it was before the July show-
down. The possibility of a new
confrontation remains and it is
obvious that the Federation
officers are hopeful that if a new
crisis in connection with com-
pulsory arbitration takes place
they will be able to move on the
basis of a united policy in the
Building Trades.

In this connection, there is a
big question mark — that is,
what will be the role of the top
leadership of the international
unions, operating and issuing
instructions from the USA?
Also, how will the membership

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1970—PAGE 12

‘As you can see, the public is pressing for tougher labor legislation. . .

Voice of the Unions

"

react if there’ is
intervention?

Earlier in the year there was
the dramatic struggle of the
Canadian Merchant Service
Guild, highlighted by the mass

solidarity of thousands of wood-

workers, pulpworkers and other °

trade unionists who honored
their picket lines. The employers
retaliated with injunctions and
damage suits. Finally, the union
settled, after incurring fines
totalling $85,000.

Substantial gains were made
in wages and working condi-
tions, but some members
believe that the heavy fines, the
threat of even grater fines and
the jailing of their most popular
leader resulted in a settlement
short of what was possible.

This struggle will go down in
labor history as one of the out-

such

standing examples of selfless
solidarity action.

Despite the infantile and
sometimes divisive criticism of

the ultra-left (who often say the .

same things as the.right wing) it
must be said that the Feder-
ation Executive has gone a long
way in carrying out the policy of
the last convention in respect to
Bill 33.

However, and as demon-
strated in the case of the Oil
Workers’ strike last year, the
Federation has no power to
compel any affiliate not to
appear before the Mediation
Commission. It has no authority
in such matters other than what.
is voluntarily granted by its
affiliates.

The wage movement in B.C.
has brought gains ranging from

eight to ten percent, and more in
some cases. The Nemetz report
on the [WA dispute recom-
mended wage increases aver-
aging eight and one half percent.
By giving their blessing to this
report, the provincial govern-
ment has turned its back on
Trudeau’s guide line policies, at
least in this case. It is signi-

ficant that Mr. Justice Nathan —
Nemetz ignored the guide lines

in his report.

It is on the question of the
admission of the United Fisher-
men and Allied Workers’ Union
that the leadership of the
Federation failed most dismally.
Despite the unanimous resolu-
tion adopted at last year’s Feder-

ation convention in favor of
unconditional admittance of
this union, not one Federation
executive officer spoke in favor
of their admittance at the CLC
convention or indicated in any
way the thinking of wee labor
movement in B.C.

All of these issues will no
doubt be summed up in the
debate at the 1970 Federation
convention, along with projec-
tions for the new problems that
lie ahead. The left, which played
a positive role in the devel-
opment of policy at the 1969
convention, must be prepared to
offer positive and principled
criticism, along with construc-
tive proposals for the coming
year.

Last year’s convention
adopted a number of excellent
positions on peace, although
other positions adopted reflected
the cold war, anti-Soviet orienta-
tion of the right wing. Some signi-
ficant steps in the direction of
peace action have been taken by
the Federation leadership, but
the disruption of ultra-left and
anarchistic elements blocked
the extension of this activity.
With the new, positive devel-
opments in world affairs (Soviet-
German treaty, cease-fire in the
Middle East, ete.) the 1970
convention should bring an
improvement in this vital area of
human concern.

Scrap austerity says CP

Cont'd from pg. 1
anti-inflation program, and
compel it to adopt economic and
social policies consonant with
the real needs of the Canadian
people.

“Similar iniatives could be
taken on a provincial and local
level by provincial Federations
and Labor Councils."

We believe such action would
conform with what is needed and
make its impact felt in and

-outside Parliament.

"We urge you to give this
proposal your earnest consid

eration.”
* KOK

The Communist Party is
conducting a country-wide
campaign for one million new
jobs. Party leader William
Kashtan will be in B:C. between
Sept. 19-23 to speak at a series of
public meetings in support of the
campaign. (See Page 11.)

Tens of thousands of copies ot
a colorful and popular brochure
have been distributed outlining

a three-point program which the
party urges be acted upon. The
three points call for a redistri-
bution of the national income in
favor of people instead of big
business; for new economic
policies which would put
monopoly under control and
strengthen Canadian Inde-

pendence; and expansion of
Canada’s home and foreign
markets.

Specific proposals in the plan
call, among other-things, for the
building of 100,000 publicly-
owned low cost homes and
expansion of hospital, recrea-
tional and educational facilities.

It calls for a genuine war on
poverty to give all Canadians an
equal standard of life through a
guaranteed annual income and a
$2.50 minimum wage, increased
pensions and family allowances
with cost of living clauses.
Lower taxes. on wage earners
through democratic tax reform
is also urged along with a capital
gains tax.

Another important plank in the

Party’s program is the call for
public ownership of all natural
resources and the establishment
of modern processing and manu-
facturing industries — such as a
machine tool-building industry,
a chemical industry, a Canadian
merchant marine, and building
of an east-west all-Canadian
power grid.

Calling on Canada to end its
dependence on the U.S., the
Party’s program urges two-way
trade with all socialist and newly
liberated countries. It calls for
Canada to help feed the hungry
through long term credits to all
countries in need of food, export
of fertilizers, farm machinery
and goods required by countries
struggling to overcome hunger.

As a further step towards

- fighting inflation, the Party says

that Canada should cut its arms
budget by 50 percent, stop the
shipment of arms to the U.S.,
and demand the immediate and
unconditional withdrawal of
U.S. and satellite forces from
Indochina.

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