Hamilton Communists ask solution to housing crisis HAMILTON — In a brief re- cently presented to the Board of Control here, the Hamilton Civic Committee of the Communist Party of Canada said that a cri- sis in housing was a number one priority problem facing the Ha- milton community and its peo- ples. Pointing to the social prob- lems arising out of inadequate housing the brief said, “the in- security of life, the breakup of families, the crime and misery that is part and parcel of bad housing cannot be recognized by simply quoting housing fig- ures, and by pointing out that quotas set by Federal govern- ment and Provincial govern- _ ments for new housing starts in 1974 were down by this or that percentage.” Tying three basic ills in soci- ety together the brief noted, “Unemployment, lack of jobs and the high costs of homes are inseparable. It is estimated that the construction of one housing unit requires one man year of labor on a job site. And also, each new housing ‘unit provides approximately one and a _ half man years of labor for mate- rials and furnishings. The ques- tion of unemployment in con- struction, in furniture and wood industries and in the electrical appliance industry are all relat- On May 7, 1975, the Executive Council of the Canadian Labor Congress held a special meeting in Toronto, together with rank- ing officers of its affiliated orga- nizations. Out of this meeting came a nine-point economic pro- gram along with a demand that the government of Canada “dras- tically restructure the social and economic priorities of this coun- . try.” In a letter sent to all affili- ated and chartered organizations of the CLC, on May 12, Presi- dent Joe Morris pointed out that these proposals of the Congress “form the basis for a nation-wide campaign to force the authors of our present economic plight to adopt a positive program for its solution.” : It may be useful here to re-- capitulate the nine points ad- vanced in the CLC program. They are as follows: 1. A major step to improve the supply of housing, which has seriously deteriorated and which has caused an erosion of real in- comes through higher housing costs. 2. Regulation of rents to curb gouging of tenants. 3. An active program to curb land speculation. : 4, Regulation of oil and gas prices which have contributed to the fueling of inflation. 5. A negative income tax, or some form of tax credits, to pro- tect those who have little or no bargaining power and who fall into lower income brackets. 6. Full employment policies to abolish the high rate of jobless in this country. 7. Positive evidence that pro- fessicnal fees will be controlled. 8. An increase in old age pen- sions. BY BRUCE MAGNUSON ed to starts.” The brief was sharply critical of the federal and provincial governments for falling far short of the projected new housing starts and urged the Board of Control to do all in its power to pressure the senior govern- ments for more housing. Pointing to the Communist Party program the brief said, “Our Party says that the-only real answer to the housing -pro- blem is to make housing a public utility. ; “There is a need to put the interests of the majority of our people who need good housing, and who need the jobs related to the building of homes ahead of the interests of the money lend- ers, the land sharks and the building profiteers. “There is another area where we feel a change in policy by our city is needed. There is no justification under present con- ditions with interest rates, mort- gage rates and land at their present levels to offer people money based on assessment value plus 10 to 15% for so-call- ed good-will. No one can replace cutbacks in housing ‘a home for that renumeration. The only fair way is to move people into accommodation of ‘equal value at no cost to them- selves. “In conclusion there are se- veral areas in which we feel you could exert your influence to help implement a real change in the direction of making hous- ing a public utility. e Rent control in rental ac- commodation with rent geared to income. : -@ Fight to bring interest rates on housing down to a 5% ceil- ing. e Establishment of a muni- cipal land bank with loans from Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation to assist the city in this. : ® Council should set up a non profit housing corporation and build houses on publicly owned land for low income families. CIVILIAN WORKERS STRIKE NAVY HALIFAX — Rotating strikes by civilian workers at the naval dockyard here began last week on the heels of a vote which was 88% in favor of strike action. The 1,800 workers have ac- cepted a conciliation report which says the area of settle- ment should be the same as con- tracts settled recently for the general labor and trades group, ships crews and heat and power werkers. - Those contracts amounted to between 28 and 30% of west coast rates over two years. | ABOR SCENE Labor's campaign for social and economic reform 9. A definite guarantee that any tax concessions made to cor- porations will be used for invest- ment purposes to create jobs and not end up in payment of higher dividends.” *® * * One of the weaknesses of last years CLC Convention, held in May, 1974 in Vancouver, was that its economic policy state- ment failed to advance an eco- nomic program and a plan to campaign for such a program. This was a serious weakness which has now to some extent been corrected on the basis of experience. The nine-point pro- gram now advanced by the CLC is to be welcomed as 4 positive forward step, along with the idea of a nation-wide campaign for its implementation. A country- wide campaign for its implemen- tation is of crucial importance and must be tackled in the most serious and. effective manner. * * * ; The central issue in the sharp- ening of the class conflict in this country (between those who earn their living by working and those who invest capital to ex- ploit labor) has to do with the distribution of the national in- come. : As the CLC shows in its state- ment, wages and salaries ac- counted for 73% of national in- come in 1971. But by the third quarter of 1974 this share had fallen to 69%, showing conclu- sively that it is not the wage and salary earners that bear any responsibility for inflation, since their share of national income has gone down. ; The big corporations have been the beneficiaries of labors’ losses, and the culprits in the PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JUNE 13, 1975—Page 4 inflation picture. The great and growing strug- gles of working people to beat back the attack on living stan- dards by inflation and unemploy- ment cannot be won by economic struggle..exclusively. It must be augmented by political mass campaigning. Such a campaign around the CLC’s nine-point program has still to be developed in the direc- tion of resolutions to govern- ments, by newspaper and other mass media advertising, as well .as by delegations, demonstra- tion and similar-methods Develop Mass Support Much valuable time has al- ready passed since the middle. of May during which a campaign of popularization of labor’s de- mand could have taken shape and helped to develop mass sup- port for stated objectives. The Communist Party of Can- ada, while advancing a more basic and far-reaching program of its own in the social, economic and political arena, nevertheless calls upon its members and sup- porters, and the public at large to spare no effort in developing and supporting the CLC pro- ° gram. _ If the whole working class and democratic movement in Canada get into action to advance a common cause such as this, the anti-labor policies of both mo- nopoly and governments can be reversed, and policies to meet the needs of the majority of the people of this country can be won. ’ The time has come to act de- . cisively for job and income se- curity for the people who work and produce all the wealth in this country. CLC SAYS PLUMPTRE IGNORES STUDIES OTTAWA—The Canadian La- bor Congress has taken issue with statements by Beryl Plump- tre, chairman of the Food Prices Review Board, that wage de- mands by labor have . forced - food-cost increases. = Julien Major, a former mem- ber of the board and a vice-presi- dent of the congress, said in a. news release that Mrs. Plump- tre’s comment ignores a study prepared by the board. : BOYCOTT LAUNCHED AGAINST STRUCK PAPERS KAMLOOPS, B.C. — Trade unionists in British Columbia have been asked to refuse to handle or purchase copies of four Thomson newspapers where strikes have: halted publication. “Trade unionists are also urged to boycott any advertisers dealing with the newspapers,” _ said a statement from Len Guy, secretary of the B.C. Federation of: Labor-< = The federation’s stand in the dispute between Thomson B.C. Newspapers Ltd. and the Print- ing Pressmen’s Union and the Vancouver Typographical Union was announced as the Sentinel published its second newspaper since March 17. UNITED AIRCRAFT TALKS BREAK OFF MONTREAL — Tentative con- tract talks broke off last week between Pratt and Whitney of Canada Ltd., formerly United Aircraft, and union representa-~ tives of 796 striking workers at the company’s nearby Longueuil _plant. “The company is laughing openly at both the workers and. et \ ne : MN BY SUDBURY, Ont. — Miners from Local 598 of the Mine, the government of Quebec,” Rotert Dean, the United Auto Workers negotiator said. “All the government .can do now is to pass a special law forcing a settlement of the dis- pute,” Mr. Dean said. The vio- lence plagued strike is in its 17th. month. . N.B. FEDERATION AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT MONCTON, N.B. — The New Brunswick Federation of Labor endorsed. the Canadian Labor Congress position in this city where two policemen were mur dered six months ago. | A large majority of 31 voting delegates supported a resolution calling for abolition of capita punishment and added a ridef calling for imprisonment of mut: derers for the remainder of theif natural life without parole. ASBESTOS COUNTS __ ‘TOO HIGH TO MEASURE MONTREAL—Asbestos miners working in a northern Quebec mine were exposed to asbestos dust levels “too high to be mea- sured” by government inspec tors, the Confederation _of Na- ticnal Trade Unions said last week, The concentration of asbestos dust was as high as 726.7 fibres per cubic centimeter — about 145 times the safety limit of five fibres per cubic centimetre pro" ‘posed by the Quebec government — at Asbestos’ Corp. Asbestos Hill mine, 850 miles north of Montreal. Photocopies of a government report made public by the com federation showed that in at least one area of the mine, a conveyor gallery, there was “too muC dust to be measured” by scien tific instruments. Mili and Smelter Workers picketed the Ministry of Natural Resources te protest government inaction to correct the dangerous conditions the Falconbridge smelter. .