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Vol. 6. No. 31. Vancouver, B.C., August 1, 1947 akan 26

Five Cents

The Public Utilities Commission, set up by the
Provincial government, to deal with matters such as
Permission to allow domestic price increases on gas
Gnd transportation services provided by the BCElec-
tric Company, has practically made up its mind to
Qrant the company’s main demand for a 17/2 per-
Cent increase in gas rates, before the special hear-
ing on the matter opens in Vancouver on August 7:

The above disclosure was made to the Pacific
Tribune this week by John Stanton, Civic Reform

Committee chairman, who interviewed two promin-
Qt members of the Utilities commission in Victoria last
Week,

The following facts were disclosed as the result of
Stanton’s interview:

® The Utilities commissioners feel that the request
of the BCElectric Company for a 17% percent increase in
888 rates is “reasonable”, because the company might
_ “ve asked for a 38 percent increase, and still remain with-
® the profit range considered “fair” by the commission.
® It is conceded by the commissioners that this re-
{West is only a “preliminary” one by the utility monopoly,
‘© be followed by possible
requests for further increases
in a year.
® It is felt by the com-

sanction of Vancouver City
Council.

® The commission “al-
ways decides” which organ-

sc

Mussioners that the BCElec-
© company will be granted
an increase ( unless public
‘Pinion prevents this), the
aly question left in their
la ds at present, being how
Te an increase to grant.
‘es The commission is “not
terested” in hearing con-
. 2€rs’ individual presenta-

izations it will hear, and any
group refused can make no
appeal, (The request of the
LPP Vancouver Committee
to make representations is
being delayed until the com-
mission can “determine”
whether the LPP is an “in-
terested” group!)
(Continued on page 38)

Ms, unless they get the See BCE GAS ¢

el

Shipyard workers vote strike

Leaders of the CCL Marine Workers and Boiler-
Akers’ union, J.ocal 1, charged Vancouver wooden
shipyard operators with not bargaining in good faith
in current negotiations, and decided to take a strike
Vote of union members at a special meeting in the
Boilermakers’ Hall, Wednesday night this week. The
ballot resulted in 94 percent voting in favor of strike
action, and instructing their negotiating committee to
Call a strike if negotiations fail to secure a satisfac-
settlement.
The union’s demands in the wooden shipyards, in-
Volving 1,200 men, are for a 12% cent hourly wage in-
“tease across-the-board; an improved holiday plan, and
¢ union shop. Shipyard operators rejected the last
wo demands and offered 6 cents an hour to journey-
Men, 4% cents for helpers and 4 cents for laborers.
The overwhelming strike vote of the shipyard
yorker, in taking their own union-supervised ballot,
.MOnstrates the sentiment of most workers in the
Ustry for speedy action by operators on their wage
Contract demands. The meeting unanimously voted to
dc? all overtime work, Bill White, the local’s presi-
pt tld the Tribune Wednesday night.

Election in Korea

Ic protest

Carrying banners and pictures of Joseph Stalin, Koreans parade in Phyongyang
following a recent victorious election. Koreans have welcomed land reforms, equality
for women and a radically-reformed educational system in the Russian-occtpied zone.
The story is vastly different in the U.S.-occupied zone. There, under the rule of Gen-
eral MacArthur, Japanese fascists and reactionaries still hold the reins of office, and
free labor organization is proscribed. In Prague, Czechoslovakia, Korean trade union
delegates of the WFTU reported ‘extreme brutalities’ in the U.S. zone.

Housing conference demands
2000 homes without delay

By JIM BULLER

Realizing that the crucial housing shortage and appalling slum conditions
in the Greater Vancouver area are problems of a wide section of the community,
the Tenants Committee of the Old Vancouver Hotel, representing 500 veterans
and their families, held an emergency conference of 10 organizations repre-
senting community, trade union, welfare and veterans groups fast Satur-

day afternoon, to plan steps for speedy action on the housin
The 20 delegates met in the Medical-

ing needs of the people.
Dental Auditorium, and after a full discus-

sion passed five resolutions, all but one adopted unanimously, designed to put pressure on
civic, provincial, and federal governments to get l!ong-needed housing-construction pro-

jects enacted. The resolutions
state that:

@ Vancouver City Council
be asked “to open negotia-
tions immediately with Ot-
tawa for 2,000 Wartime
housing units, and that the
provincial government be
urgently requested to imple-

ment its pre-election prom-
ise” on housing “by giving
financial support to this pro-
ject.”

®@ City Council and pro-
vincial government be asked
“to set up housing authori-
ties to boldly tackle the

housing problem in the
Greater Vancouver and pro-
vincial areas.”

@ A five-man delegation,
elected at the conference, to
interview Vancouver City
Council within 30 days to

(Continued on page 8)
See HOUSING

BCE PLOTS GAS INCREASE

Utilities body gags publ