- Protests,
: terputitwas the heavy emphasis on long
Vassing ocational programs and can-

Continued from page 1

least four districts — Nanaimo,

Qualicum, Fernie and Windermere —
layoff notices have already been issued.

Those layoffs were dictated by
budget cuts imposed earlier by the

_ government — but most of them could
be prevented if the savings generated by
_ thestrike were put back into the budget.

_The convention resolution was in
ect response to the announcement
made only the day before by Education
Minister Jack Heinrich that the strike

___ Savings could only be retained in the

education system by those boards which
compelled their teachers to make up the
three days that were lost.

That condition was in direct violation
of the truce agreement which brought

down Solidarity picket lines Nov. 13.

Significantly, in a move that could
Only be viewed as a provocative
Challenge to Operation Solidarity and
the B.C. Fed, the government chose the
Middle of the convention to announce
Its decision on the issue of the three
days,

Worse, it also indicated that the
teachers who crossed picket lines would

given “‘special treatment’? — hence
the Federation’s reference to ‘“‘rewar-

scabs.’?

“There is absolsutely no doubt that

einrich is screwing up the

agreement,’”? IWA president Jack

Munro, who finalized the truce agree-
Ment at the Kelowna meeting with Ben-

___ Rett, told the convention.

B.C. Teachers Federation president
Larry Kuehn, who took part in the
Negotiations with government represen-
tative Norman Spector at which the
terms of the truce agreement were
Originally hammered out, reiterated
that the agreement ‘“‘has clearly been
breached.” As a result, he warned, “‘the
Conditions for confrontation have been

= Set up.”

Kuehn was one of several fraternal

“delegates from Operation Solidarity

Social issues ‘still unresolved’

_ Continued from page 1
Union issues or community issues.
are our issues — all of us in the

Coalition,

“When we spoke out together, the
80Vernment was compelled to act on the
union issues,”’ she said. ‘‘Now we
ove to the next phase of the

She urged the labor movement to
Continue to mobilize its members for
“mmunity actions such as the human
hghts day demonstration Dec. 10 and to
ie to participate in the Solidarity

on,
nirtiterating the Declaration of Peo-
S Rights adopted by the mass rally
- 15, she told delegates: ‘‘Together
continue to resist.””
issues left unresolved by the truce
it — those parts of the agree-

_ Ment on which the government is now

— had earlier sparked a
exathy debate on the convention floor
legates discussed a proposed action

a a submitted to delegates along
_’,! 4 report on Operation Solidarity.

aN 12-point program called for con-
tion’ SUPPort of the Solidarity Coali-
» a three-year commitment, backed

Seek
P with an one dollar per member per

Assessment, to Operation Solidari-
rand Pledged the support of affiliates
Teprisee eel or organization facing

for participation in the political

x and the absence of any im-

f

MIKE KRAMER .. .-
‘there will be job ac-
tion.’

GEORGE

gauntlet.

unions who joined federation affiliates
at the microphones to denounce the
government for reneging on the agree-
ment and to declare their support for the
federation’s call for action.

“The issue before us is
straightforward,’’ said Canadian
Paperworkers’ Union vice-president
Art Gruntman. ‘‘The government has
broken an agreement and no trade
unionists can stand for that.

“Tt is not only our credibility which is
on the line — our existence is also on the
line.

““We have the solid support of the
people in this room and, I’m convinced,
the support of our membership.”

Steelworkers representative Monty
Alton told delegates they “‘cannot let
this dirty double cross go through.

“We must take action when the
federation calls for it —and so beit,”’ he
said.

“We will not stand idly by while the
government moves against teachers,”’
said B.C. and Yukon Building Trades

Council president Roy Gautier. ‘The -

Building Trades fully support the BCTIF
and Operation Solidarity.”
Both Gautier and CUPE B.C. Union
president Owen Dykstra emphasized
that the government’s reneging threw:
into doubt its sincerity on other issues as
well, particularly the advisory commit-

ediate action program to continue the
eon against the legislation that
prompted the criticisms.
References in the report to “‘a conti-
nuing battle that must be fought at the
ballot box” also prompted fears that the
campaign was being submerged until
the next election. ory
“Are we going to wal!
fight this government which betrayed its
own agreements?”’ asked Hospital
Employees Union delegate Jack
Gerow. i
“J say that isn’t good enough.
Adding that “Bennett can be trusted
about as far as I can throw a carload of
Northeast coal,” he told delegates that
the federation ‘‘should be prepared to
take the same kind of action that we
took in defence of the telephone
workers two years ago.” :
_ CUPE delegate Jim Quail, the chair-
man of the Tenants Rights Coalition,
reminded the convention that the fight
over Bills 2 and 3 “‘wasn’t won by con-:
sultation — it was won In the streets.
“But Bills 5, 24and 27 are still on the

Another CUPE delegate, Diane Jol-
ly, noted that even the issue of Bill 3 ex-
emptions remains up 1n the air. Both
employer and union must jointly apply
for exemptions and there is no

tee that public employers will ap-
ply — including the Greater Vancouver
Regional District which has yet to

HEWISON LARRY KUEHN
. government has
thrown down the_ strong response.’

BRITISH COLUMBIA
-Socreds have set conditions

for confrontation, says Kuehn

‘there must be a

tee on the Labor Code and the Bill 3 ex-
emptions.

“Tf we must take on the government,
then yes, we will take on the government
of British Columbia,’’ Norman

- Richards, president of the B.C. Govern-

ment Employees Union, told the con-
vention.

Hospital Employees Union
secretary-business manager Jack
Gerow charged that the Socreds had
committed an ‘‘act of treachery’”’ but
noted that Bennett “‘hasn’t reckoned
with the power of the trade union move-
ment.

“There truly is no power greater if we
act together,’’ he said.

“Tt is clear that the government has
laid down the gauntlet,”’ said UFAWU
secretary George Hewison, “‘and we are
declaring here that we are picking it up.

“We need to empower the of-
ficers now to prosecute the war. And if
that means reprisals against other
unions, then so be it; if it means the
question of government, then so be it,”
he declared. ;

Longshoremen’s president Don Gar-
cia also reminded delegates that the
government had double-crossed and
was ‘‘a government without honor.

“And a government without honor
should not be government at all,’”’ he
said.

negotiate a new contract with 10,000
municipal employees.

“We still haven’t dealt with Bill 3,”
she said. ‘‘And if we’re forced to go on
strike on that issue, we need to know
that we’ll have the full support of the
Solidarity movement.

“We have to come out of here
fighting and say no, we’re not satisfied
— you're going to have to repeal that
legislation,’’ she declared to a roar of
applause.

Carpenters secretary Lorne Robson
also warned of problems with the con-
sultation process set up to discuss
amendments to the Labor Code.

“How can we sit down with two
employers representatives and one
representative from the Socred govern-
ment to discuss changes?’’ he asked.

Instead, he said, ‘‘we need a program
to fight the legislation and to make it
clear that we’re not prepared to accept
any concessions on the Code.”’

The program was finally referred
back to committee by a two to one ma-
jority with instructions to beef up the
Ps The amended version, adopted
unanimously by delegates Thursday,
was not substantially changed although
it did commit the federation to support
the Dec. 10 demonstration on human
rights and added the founding program
of Operation Solidarity. But just before
it came to the floor, delegates
unanimously endorsed the emergency
resolution outlining support for

- the wedge for B.C. Place’s schemes of a high-density,

_ warned in an interview, adding that the corporation’s vi-

‘Don't vote yet,
on B.C. Place,’
COPE ald. urge

Plans for the development of a tiny enclave between the
Burrard and Granville bridges could prove the thin edge of

commercially oriented mini-city next to Vancouver’s
downtown — and crucial decisions on those plans could be
made this month.

The provincial crown corporation, which has been at
odds with the city council for almost two years over
development of B.C. Place holdings on the north shore of
False Creek, hopes to bring its profit making megaproject
visions to fruition soon in the small space it controls bet-
ween the two bridges, known as the Granville Slopes.

The corporation wants to erect three 30-story towers on
the four acres it controls in the south east corner, a plan op-
posed by city staff and council. But citizens and their
organizations pushing for low-cost, non market housing
and park and recreation space can tender their oppostion
at the public information meeting Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m. at the
Robson Square media centre.

Aldermen from the Committee of Progressive Electors
supported the information meeting at a special council
meeting Thursday, but opposed taking the issue to the
public hearing process. A hearing, a quasi-judicial affair at
which the aldermen and the mayor, following submissions
from interested groups, make a final decision on the issue,
is set for the following Thursday (Dec. 15) at the same time
and place.

‘‘’m not prepared to vote on this issue, and I don’t
think the people of Vancouver are, either,’’ said COPE
alderman Libby Davies, who called the plans for a public
hearing ‘‘a sham.”’

B.C. Place officials have tendered five different plans
for development of its western extremity to city council,
seeking changes to the zoning bylaw for the area. The last
submission arrived Nov. 21, giving city staff just seven
days to prepare material for council’s consideration last
Thursday.

COPE’s Bruce Yorke charged the corporation with
“‘fast-tracking”’ its proposal to railroad council into
holding public hearings. He noted that even aldermen, city
staff and others close to the issue are unclear about B.C. |
Place’s plans, much less the general public.

One thing is clear — despite several negotiating sessions
over the past several months, there continues to be “‘a wide
divergence between the city and B.C. Place concepts for
the development of the area,’’ said Yorke.

Staff have underscored that divergence in their report,
noting that the density of development B.C: Place pro-
poses for the area is measured as 5.5 ‘FSR’? — Floor
Space Ratio — with buildings up to 300 feet in height,
while city planners recommend a ceiling of 4.0 FSR and
buildings no higher than 150 feet.

Staff also have aknowledged that the crown corpora-
tion’s application for a bylaw amendment for the area runs
counter to the usual practice: “It will be noted that the
‘ideal’ sequence of moving from broader area policies
through sub-area policies to specific development plans is
being reversed here. Council will be asked to consider the
bylaw for the B.C. Place portion of Granville
Slopes...prior to confirmation of the plan for Granville
Slopes as a whole, which in turn will be considered prior to
determing the policies for either the Downtown South or
B.C. Place planning areas.”

“There is the potential, at least, that this rezoning could
prejudice the entire development of B.C. Place,”” Davies

sion for the southeast enclave constitutes ‘‘a ritzy, trendy,
night-life oriented development.”’

She also noted the B.C. Place plan for the area contains
only 10 per cent housing for seniors, when council has been
asking for 40 per cent.

“COPE is for rezonings that favor people, that provide
adequate housing for families, including low-rent housing,
and decent community facilities,’’ said Davies.

The COPE aldermen tried in council to win support for
a motion calling for a series of public information
meetings to take place prior to a public hearing, but the
move was defeated in a 5-4 vote.

Yorke said the COPE councillors support a ‘‘political
meeting’”’ between the B.C. Place board of directors and
council — which city staff have urged — but stress this
should happen before any decisions are reached on rezon-
ing for B.C. Place development. The corporation’s board
and council have never met, although B.C. Place has ex-
isted for almost two years.

COPE aldermen also point out that if council receives
the idea from Vancouverites at this Thursday’s informa-
tion meeting that a public hearing is premature, the process
can be postponed.

‘Those who are concerned about B.C. Place’s plans for [
the area, and for the whole development, have the oppor- |
tunity to make their point at that meeting,” said Yorke, |
‘The hearing date isn’t chiseled in stone.”

_ .. «. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—DECEMBER 7, 1983—Page 3