—From Victoria Labor Council leaflet SANDRINGHAM STRIKERS. Photo shows a group of the pickets at Sandringham Private Hospital in Victoria. Their fight won strong support at the Vancouver Labor Council Tuesday. We need your hel “4 women workers sdj We need your help! This is the call sent out to the public and particularly to labor sympa- thizers by the 30 women who for seven months have been on strike at Sandringham hospital in Victoria. At Tuesday’s meeting of the Vancouver Labor Council three of these women told of the conditions which led up to the strike by practical nurses and other help in the private hospital ‘which is one of nine nursing homes and four private hospitals owned by a “‘chain’’, National Nursing Homes. Sherril Newberry, one of the women who has been on the picket line for 7 months, told VLC delegates they had been “harrassed beyond belief. All Town that refuses to die Cont'd from pg. 1 ment finds it difficult to front for the American overlords and are very defensive. The Woodfibre Tenants Council also took the whole town by ferry across the Sound to Squamish to ask the town council for help, since Woodfibre is ad- ministratively a part of the muni- cipality of Squamish. But despite the fact that Mayor Brennan promised to intercede with the company, in fact all he has done is to try and persuade the tenants to move to Squamish. More than that, Brennan has earned the bitter scorn of all Woodfibre citizens. He has been quoted as saying, ‘It’s like rats leaving a ship,’ and ‘‘That’s the godamndest slum you'll ever see. If it was over here, we'd either clean it up or shut it down.’’ No doubt Brennan speaks for the real-estate sharks in the Squamish area, who envision a small bonanza if the company is successful in forcing a move out of Woodfibre. The Woodfibre Tenants Coun- cil also held a mass meeting last week at the townsite. : Speakers included M.L.A. Allan Williams, four company officials, Mayor Brennan, and Bruce Yorke of the B.C. Tenants Organization. A four point program of action, introduced by the executive, was endorsed. Its points are as follows: 1. To tight the mass evictions by every legal means. 2. To ask the Provincial Government, through Premier Bennett and Municipal Affairs Minister Campbell, for assis- tance by declaring Woodfibre a designated area under the Municipal Act. 3. To seek a meeting with ITT (Rayonier) at their Vancouver offices, and to picket their head- quarters if no_ satisfactory solution is reached. 4. Outright physical refusal to vacate. : It seems paradoxical that a vigorous progressive fight is being conducted to maintain what in essence has been a company town and a pulp town at that. But such is the all embracing character of Ameri- can domination that it unites all sections of a community against their arbitrary demands. But there is more to the story than appears on the surface. Underneath it all is an offensive being conducted by the U:S. Corporation against the militant actions of the workers. To explain this some background is necessary. t BS Woodfibre is no longer completely isolated from the rest of the world, and hence is no longer the usual company town, even though the company remains the entire owner. Today Woodfibre can be reached by a 20 minute ferry run from Squamish and there are twelve trips every- twenty-four hours. Today half the pulpworkers, mainly the newer employees, live in Squamish and commute daily, while the other half, mainly the older employees, have chosen to remain. The isolation, so typical of company towns in the past, is therfore no longer complete. The Woodfibre townspeople can daily visit Vancouver without too much trouble. But for the Corporation this means that it is no longer necessary for them to maintain the company houses. It becomes a nuisance, .and what is becoming increasingly obvious. a liability. Not that it costs the Corporation any money — after all they do get an average of $70 a month rent. But it is becoming a liability in the sense that the relatively cheap and secure housing provides a strong base for the militant actions of the workers on the job. The corporation does not like ‘‘mort- gage free’ employees. In 1970 the Company was struck three times — first, during the tow-boat strike when the workers faithfully honored the picket lines; second, during the general industry-wide strike conducted by the Pulp & Paper Workers of Canada: and third, an additional 10 day strike in which the principle of manage- ment rights was successfully challenged. In the last instance workers would not go back until the rates for the new power- house operation were agreed to — even before the operation was completely in effect. The matter was finally settled by arbi- tration and the rates established even higher than what the union had demanded. Very significant was the fact that the workers in Woodfibre voted 95% for this strike coming right on the heels of two previous ones, whereas those in Squamish were not so militant mustering a 65% vote only. It is to try and break up the secure home base in Woodfibre that ITT has issued its decree, and it has nothing to do with their alleged desire to end their landlord status. The workers and townspeople want to stay. It is their home. Life long friendships and relationships are involved. Children are particularly insis- tant on staving. Community recreation and social life are other factors. The townspeople of Wood- fibre have decided to reject the decision made in another land which would destroy their com- munity. Tev are determined that Woodfibre will not be destroved. They will win! the women afe asking for is job security, and a minimum wage of $2.00 an hour. At the present time the Aides start at $1.50 and do not receive $2.00 until after. 2 years employment. The women are getting by on $20.00 a week strike pay at the moment. The other two women who were guests at the VLC meeting were Terry Broadworth and Kay Hornsby. Union organizer Jim Beauhien gave a back- ground picture of events and urged strong support for the strikers. He said the union, a CUPE affiliate, had gone through every legal channel in the books. Three other unions in Victoria had signed contracts with the union; only Sandringham, the ‘chain™ hospital, had held out. It was agreed by the VLC dele- gates that their executive members and the B.C. Federa- tion should get together to see what further steps could be taken. In the meantime $100 and a motion to pay all expenses for the trip, plus a hatful of money from the floor, gave the women some encouragement. Made In USA wallboard is being used in the Pacific Centre construction, delegates were informed by the Cement, Lime and Gypsum workers. The VLC will work with the Building Trades Council in this matter. The Council will present briefs to city council on the question of the need to take action on unemployment. VLC delegates endorsed the Candlelight Peace Walk scheduled for April 23 as part of the International Days of Protest against the Vietnam war. Jack Phillips, CUPE WAR PROTEST Cont’d from pg. 1 Democratic Republic of Vietnam. and of rumours of an arms escalation in Southeast Asia through U.S. introduction of atomic warfare in the form of so-called tactical weapons.’ Demanding the Canadian government unequivocally disassociate Canada from the U.S. war in Southeast Asia and join our country’s voice to the world-wide demand that the U.S. get out now, the Communist Party statement calls for a united struggle by Canadians to demand withdrawal of all U.S. armed forces from Indochina by June 30. The Canadian Communist Party has also called on the Cana- dian government to end immed- iately its participation in the U.S.-Canada defense sharing agreement and stop at once the sale of Canadian arms to the U.S. for use in Southeast Asia. national representative the official representative VLC to speak at the ev delegate urged support ! peace demonstrations” weekend. Delegates voted $50 toy legal defence fund for against the Four development at the ef Stanley Park. An apPe made for everybody who® working on the morning © 27 to get out to the cily © meeting where the Fo question will come UP” again. A member of the Workers Union drew at the fact the Sun was ag@ publicity to Venice B North Vancouver which union shop and one 0 Bi workers who try to orga” intimidated. Six blocks! street from the Venice 84 shop which makes bree bit as good, said the bakel representative WOMEN STRIK Dares Cookies employ : on their 7th week on ee line. The women who Wo the Surrey plant also? but $1.50 a hour starting These women are cally. fight to Seattle stores a big customers of the ge owned company and are with some success, S40 the women delegates © union. Delta, Surrey and "4g are still on the picket line an American-€0F company. A.B. sale Hoskens Drug wholtte being operated by “ia said the representallt Retail, Wholesale aM® ¢ ment Store Unior Fi companies are Amel Eastern contro Cunningham Drugs * * According to the Boilermakers Union call Ship and Shop a major ed | will put forward the Marit! Canadian Merchant Mere Committee for 4 up Marine has been Se@t “oy Union, and before lone be distributing a le* 4 will publicize the dem A conference of working on the w wi contemplated bea as its main theme for such a marine. pl this year’s PNE wil je?” this project. Be in invited from unionists. “gVS", As Ship and shop y fight for a merchiate hl not just the fight pt workers but a ee confronts all union * * ALLOUTTO MAY DAY RALLY SPEAKERS: * JEAN PARE. Vice-Pres. U_E. AUSPICES — VANCOUVER LABOR MAY DAY C’TTEE - Montreal * Ald. Harry Rankin Colin Snell — B.C. Federation — Unemployed Co-ordinator SYD THOMPSON, VLC — Folk Songs by TOM HAWKEN FRIDAY — APRIL 30 - 8 P.M./LABOR TEMPLE — 307 W. Broad z PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1971—PAGE 16