Ls Vol. 16 No. 30 << 1 FRIDAY, JULY 26, 1957 Authorised as second class mail by VANCOUVER, B.C. | Oc the Post Office Department, Ottawa ees A 32-year-old Freedomite Widow whose nine-year-old aaughter is held in the prov- Ncial government’s special “School” at New Denver hung €rself from a beam in_ her home at Krestova on Wednes- day this week. A letter from her daughter ied was found near the body of Mrs, Mary Gienger. It read: ommy, I am lonesome for ae — come and visit me. I Ove you. Goodbye.” : Six-member delegation of ©ns of Freedom Doukobors Visited Victoria this’ week to Doukhobor mother suicides at Krestova press the government for re- lease of some 100 children held at New Denver under the School Act. Detention of the children is now being disputed in the courts, but the case has been adjourned to September. “We ask: their immediate re- lease pending the court’s de- cision, especially in view of the fact that attending of school is not requested during official summer holidays,” said a petition addressed to the government. THE COLUMBIA | An appeal for wide popular pressure to get the Diefenbaker government to take immediate action on Columbia hydro development, was made this week by the Labor- Progressive party in B.C. Following up a recent letter Capital costs by means of fed- to the new Prime Minister at Ot awa, which called for ac- tion to ‘follow through on the offer of the previous federal government to cooperate with provincial authorities in launching and financing a pub- licly-owned Canadian develop- ment”, Nigel Morgan, LPP provincial leader, said “it is time the new government took the people of this province into their confidence, and told us what they intend to do about maintaining Canadian control over the Columbia’s vital wa- terpower and speeding up Can- adian development. “Tt is a year ago last May 23 since the federal govern- ment announced discussions would be opened with the U.S. government over com- pensation to Canada for down stream benefits, yet nothing has been settled yet. “Early action is essential if Canada is to retain its inter- ests, because every month U.S. interests are pushing ahead construction of additional dams on their side which gives them the advantage of what is called ‘primary use.’. “B.C. was also reminded by the Gordon Commission that it is rapidly moving towards a’ domestic power crisis, so there is no time to lose in Zet- ting the proposed $250 mil- lion construction project at Mica Creek under way.” “The St. Laurent govern- ment was on sound ground when it proposed public de- velopment of this massive pro- ject, and offered to help cut become the. biggest public works project ever undertak- en in Canada. Delegations to erally-guaranteed government bonds. Obviously it could be done that way cheaper and the interests of this province and of Canada would be best served under such a plan of operation,” Morgan continued. “The people of B:C. have a lot at stake in retention of Canadian control, in federal aid towards a publicly-owned development, and in a quick start on the dam which would MPs before they leave for the fall session; resolutions and telegrams to Prime Minister Diefenbaker and B.C. mem- bers of the new cabinet, are needed. If the unions, farm and community organizations, together with the CCF and LPP, take up the demand the government can be compelled to act.” See E24} SOOSSSSSSSSS SSS SS SOSSSOL IP PPS SS SS SSS SS OO SSS SOS Settle this strike! The Pacific Tribune believes that the strike of Vaneouver’s civic electricians should be settled with no further delay. In our opinion, the work stoppage was caused by the refusal of the Non-Partisan city council to face up to realities and deal fairly with the electricians. The 41 strikers are Sednnted to settle for a figure that would bring their pay to within reasonable distance of what they would earn in private industry. To make this possible they have offered to sign a two-year agreement. But city council oblivious to the chaos it has created, wants a one-year agree- ment, with all electricians to be fired next January 1 and the work put out on contract. Such a proposal by council is both irresponsible and reck- less. The Pacific Tribune calls upon every reader in Vancou- ver, as an individual and through his organization, to register a sharp protest at city hall. One man has*“died already as a result of a traffic accident caused by faulty street lighting. How many more have to die before city council will. face up to its responsibilities to the people? This strike must be settled by offering the strikers a fair and reasonable wage, and the threat of dismissal must be with- drawn. - $9 SSS 9S SOS SSO SO SOE PIS IPP OSS SPSS OPO SSSP PSO SSOOS oS Sa ELECTRICIANS’ STRIKE IN EIGHTH WEEK Traffic dangers mount as city stalls on settlement By JACK -PHILLIPS As the strike of Vancouver's Civie electricians entered its fight week, traffic lights at 24 Mtersections had broken down. : Was also reported that an- Other §6 intersections had faulty signals. The number of Urned out street lights was €stimated to be in the thous- ands. Despite the use of four-way Stop signs, traffic police and 8uxiliary police at danger Points, the danger to drivers and pedestrians is mounting. One pedestrian, Leong Lum, 8, was struck by a car and killed in the 200 block Powell Street on July 1%. Improper street lighting is said to have éontributed to his death. The dispute with Vancou- ver’s city council broke wide open two months ago when the electricians, members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 213, rejected the majorty report of a conciliation board which recommended a wage increase of 9.2 percent. The city’ rate for electricians in 1956 was $2.39 an hour. When the 9.2 percerit was re- jected, council offered 10 per- cent, which would _ have brought the rate up to $2.63 an hour. According to the wiremen in the building trades will have a rate of $2.99 by October 1 this year. The iine- men’s rate in the trade is gen- erally $2.49 an hour, with $2.42 at the B.C. Electric. With linemen now going for boosts ranging from 20 to 40 percent, there is every pos- sibility that the linemen will catch up to the wiremen be- fore long, .This explains why IBEW, ; the electrical workers employ- ed by the city have rejected the 10 percent offer. For years, civic electricians have been approximately 10 cents an hour below the going rates in private industry. If city council would agree to a binding differential, the strike would be settled. In short, the wages of civic electricians would be pegged to within so many cents of the going rates. It is foolish for council to speak of putting the work out on contract. If they do so, they will have to pay the going rates, plus the contractor’s profit. There is a strong demand at city hall to agree to the union’s demand for a one-year agree- ment. and then to fire all elec- tricians next January 1 and put the work on contract. The union has countered with a proposal of a twe-year agree- ment. with a guarantee of no dismissals. Support of the other 4,000 employees of the city for the strikers has deterred city coun- cil from trying to find scab electricians. |