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Just prior to the weekend
conference of the Canadian
Council of Unions «and the
pending jurisdictional vote in
Trail, Bruce Magnuson, Labor
Secretary of the Communist
Party of Canada visited British
Columbia and took part in a
number of seminars with trade
unionists.

He was later interviewed by
the Pacific Tribune and gave his
comments on the issue of Cana-
dian unions, making reference
immediately to the develop-
ments in Trail.

‘The press plays up the issue
of nationalism. But that is not
the main point. The sentiment
for breakaway is the result of a
deep-going dissatisfaction with
the way union affairs are
conducted, a gap between the
leadership and the rank-and-file
and a desire for the right for
Canadians to conduct their own
affairs.”

Legislative session to reveal
what’s ahead under NDP gov't

By NIGEL MORGAN

B.C.’s 30th Legislature, which
will begin its spring session in
Victoria Thursday, will have a
full roster of pressing problems
requiring attention. Topping
the list will be:

1. Action to bring our natural
resources back under public
control; to halt the foreign rip-
off of natural gas and oil, miner-
als and coal, wood and pulp. and
Columbia River waterpower:
and to bring the people a better
return in job opportunities and
government revenues.

2. The bringing of B.C. Tel and
Westcoast Transmission under
public ownership — two giant
U.S. subsidiaries which have a
monopoly in natural gas and tele-
phone and ruthlessly exploit the
public.

3. A promised publicly owned
auto insurance plan to dras-
tically cut present exhorbitant
and discriminatory rates of the
private profiteers.

4. A radical overhaul of the
tax system and introduction of
the principle of ‘‘ability to pay”
to lift the burden off homes. the
family farm and consumers, by
making profitable industries
pay their rightful share of
financing municipal. health.
welfare and education costs.

5, Democratic — guarantees
such as consumer. protection:
rights for native peoples. tenants
and labor, including replace-
ment of the present manage-
ment-dominated Labor Re-
lations Board: repeal of allrem-

nants of Socred “‘wage guide--

lines,” laws thatdeny unions the
right to make political-donat-
ions in labor disputes as well as
provide a “Charter of Labor
Rights.”

6. Improvements in education
-and its financing. health and
welfare services, urban trans-
portation, environment and job
opportunities and working condi-
tions.

When the Legislature opens
the eyes of the country will be
upon the NDP who will have
been in office five months.
Particular attention will be on
the Throne Speech which will
provide a major signpost as to
the political road the new govern-
ment intends to take.

Highlights expected in the
NDP’s program include: (1) Gov:
ernment auto insurance: (2)
full collective bargaining for
government employees: (3)
establishment of a B.C. Indus-
trial Development Corpora-
tion: (4) removal of the school
tax from homes: (5) a 3% hoist
in the Corporation Tax: (6)
provision for two new depart-
ments — Environment and
Northern Affairs: (7) increas-
ed royalties on wood. gas. coal
and minerals: (8) enactment in
law of restrictions on sale of
farmland for non-agricultural
purposes: (9) updating of
human rights guarantees: (10)
liberalizing of liquor laws: (11)
some undefined ‘achievable
goals” in social welfare: (12)
reform of the rules. and
procedures of the House.

Disappointment and concern
will be felt in the labor move-
ment over Labor Minister King’s
reaction to demands for ending
the emplover-dominated Labor
Relations Board: and by the
reported shifts in Premier
Barrett's priorities revealed in
an“'in-depth ‘lengthy interview
in last Saturday's Vancouver
Province.

Concern will be felt particu-
larly over Barrett's espousal of
wage andprice controls whichis
being advocated by most right
wing and reactionary groups.
and which the labor movement
is strongly on record against.
There will also be concern over
Barrett's admission of a meeting
of leading NDP _ cabinet
members with top business
leaders on Vancouver Island six
weeks ago.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1973—PAGE 12

Such positions seem to work-
ing people to justify the Proy-
ince’s editorial gloating that
*Mr. Barrett is learning fast,”
and that he recognizes ‘‘he is, in
his own terms, a social demo-
crat in power, and “‘that anew
Jerusalem is not just around the
corner.’ These statements,
taken together with growing
monopoly pressure, are cause
for genuine concern.

BOSS STRENG THENED |
Breakaways no guarantee)
4) of independent policies

“While there is no unanimous
assessment of what the vote will:
be in Trail, he said, ‘there can
be no question that the United
Steelworkers leadership fell
short of what was needed.”

But salvation doesn’t lie with
secession nor with raids by other
unions regardless of their
base.”

“What is needed now more
than ever, is greater unity;
rapport of the leadership with
the rank and file, that may even
involve a change in leadership.
Simply changing unions doesn’t
necessarily mean good leader-
ship or good policies.”

The conference of the CCU,
after -Magnuson’s_ interview,
underscored that point. While
supposedly challenging Ameri-
can domination and American
policies, delegates refused to
take a stand on the Vietnam war.
A resolution presented to the
conference died with hrdly any
debate as two major representa-
tives — the Canadian Workers
Union at Trail and the Alumi-
num Smelter and Allied Workers
— adopted a hands-off-politics
stance.

As to the political makeup of
the CCU, Magnuson pointed out
that ‘‘several groups with differ-
ent and opposing interests have
come together on the issue —
members of the Waffle move-
ment, Trotskyites and even
Liberals. He emphasized that
Canadian monopoly was using
division in the labor movement
to consolidate its position and
soliciting support to resolve
antagonisms with American
monopoly, in the auto industry
and elsewhere.

UIC CHANGES OPPOSED

Cont'd from pg. 1

e The Vancouver Joint Council
of the Railway Unions,
representing 2,500 workers, also
wired NDP leader David Lewis
and MPs opposing the changes
in the UIC Act. The railway
workers telegram blamed high:
unemployment and a drain on
the fund on the government and
called on the government to
“implement without delay plans
that will provide full employ-
ment and not legislation that
will unjustly penalize the
working force.”

The only trade union leader in
B.C. to laud the changes in the
Act was Senator Ed Lawson who
called for laws to force unem-
ployed workers totake jobseven
if they last only for one or two
davs. In a statement that is
certain to be strongly con-
demned by other trade union-
ists. Lawson said ““unemploy-
ment insurance should be paid
only when no work is avail-
able.” ;

With his statement. Lawson
has lined up with the Tories and
other right wing elements who
want to emasculate the UIC Act
and turn it into an instrument
which the boss can use against
workers and union conditions.

Under the new amendments
the pressure will be put on
workers to stay on a job no
matter what conditions the boss
imposes for fear that if he quits
or gets tired he will lose
unemplovment insurance ben-

efits no matter how long he has
paid into the fund.

The provision to force workers
to take “‘work available’ is
aimed to force down living
Standards and conditions of
work and will be an added
weapon in the hands of
unscrupulous employers to
undercut standards won by the
unions over many years. _

x The amendments have passed
first reading in the House and
will come up for debate under
second and third reading in the
near future. The strongest
protest is needed now to block
their enactment.

problems _ of t

“Th ;
e ‘not

Canadian and American

opolies do, not concern
labor movement,” he sally
‘even though this is played up
the Canadian union struggle.

“The trade union movemelll
did not create those problem,
and should not allow itself tol
used to solve them.” a

He noted that the ‘‘corporalt
structures of monopoly 4
governments have declat ;
openseason for an all-out war?
organized labor’’— a time ie
the greatest unity of the a®”
union movement is imperative

“Raiding by splinter groups™
fragment the trade union move
ment inthis country on the basis
of some false bourgeois nation@
list slogans is no way to solve te
problem.” |

“It is true that the Stet
workers Union does not have®
structure which premits Ut
fullest participation in determi”

ing overall policies and lead@l~
ship in Canada. There are fat too .
many roadmenand straw bosse
who cannot be called to accoul
for their actions, except by 4
officials.”’ :

“But one of the most encourage
ing signs of change in the dire”
tion of progress within the Siem
workers Union was the stand!”
overall unity adopted at the May
policy convention.”’ ie,

“There is no reason why the
membership of this um=
cannot bring about the kind
changes needed to make #
union one of the most auton
mous and democratic inter
tional unions in Canada, mak
it a force for a united and sové
eign Canadian trade union mo
ment.”

“And the Canadian Lab
Congress has to chart a m@
independent labor course 4
become an effective spokes™
for Canadian labor in ev@
area, But the recent decisions
the Executive Council of !
CLC to readmit the UFAWU4
UE signals a clear victory
policies of union democracy #
equality of rights within t
trade union movement.” ;

Magnuson also stressed my
history of secession from ‘
organized trade union mov
ment in B.C. and pointed out tht
even as far back as World Wat”
breakaway unions were tne
ultimately forced to return t0 ©
main bodies of labor. 4

Need taggers for Feb.

_The Medical Aid for Vietnam Tag Day Committee has ®
Friday, Feb. 23 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. as the time for tagging

Vancouver streets.

Last week the Vancouver city council authorized the tag day!
raise funds for medical aid to Vietnam. The principal organize”
the tag day committee are: Mrs. Theresa Galloway, Father J4 a
R. Roberts, Dr. Alan M. Inglis, Rev. Phillip Hewett, William Stet

23

wm
BSS

(representing the Vancouver and District Labor Council),
James G. Foulks, M.D., and Prof. Thomas L. Perry, M.D. it
The last tag day heldin Vancouver for Vietnam medical aid was |
June, 1967 when $8,415 was raised. The committee expects a 4 ,
larger response this time because the massive bombing and dest
tion and the urgent need for medical aid. t
It has been estimated that at least 500 taggers willbe needed: 1)

city has been divided into zones and captains are being appoint

ted!”

cover the whole city. Volunteer taggers and other forms of help?

urgently needed.

_ For further information or offers of help, please call one of
following phone numbers: 224-3842; 738-3036; 224-0203; 228-9597;

3048,