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FRIDAY, J NE 14, 1968:

VOL. 29, NO. 24

Tribune

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PROTECT LABORS RIGHTS

Communists urge new Federal legislation

“Canada needs new labor legislation which would guarantee workers the right to
organize and strike, which would stop the use of injunctions in labor disputes, and eliminate
compulsory arbitration.” These proposals came this week from the four Communist
candidates in B.C. who are contesting the June 25 federal election.

WILLIAM KASHTAN, national Communist leader, (left), is shown discussing
election campaign with provincial leader Nigel Morgan (centre) and Bob
McLaren, New Westminster Communist candidate. See report of Kashtan’s

Vancouver speech below.

The Communist candidates told
the PT that the issue of labor’s rights
is particularly important in B.C.
because of the indiscriminate use of
anti-union injunctions under which
many unionists have been sent to
jail, and by Bill 33, which is the first
act in North America to impose
compulsory arbitration on labor.

“There is a great danger,” they
said, “that if federal statutes are not
adopted to counter the reactionary
trend by provincial governments to
destroy labor’s democratic rights,
that these rights will be jeopardized
all across Canada to the benefit of
the big business establishment.”

The four Communist candidates in
B.C. expressed grave concern over
labor’s rights since each of them has

Peoples needs must come
before monopoly profits’

William Kashtan, national
leader of the Communist
Party, told an election rally
in Vancouver Monday night
that Canada needs a new set
of priorities which would put
People’s needs before
Monopoly profits.

- Outlining the Communist program
in the federal elections, Kashtan
Called for new economic policies
which will see a planned, economic
development of Canada to ensure full
employment and growth. He said
both eld line parties advocate
Policies to purposely create
Unemployment.

Pointing to the Watkins Report and
the evidence of overwhelming U.S-
Control of the Canadian economy,
Kashtan said that for Canadians to

be able to implement new economic
Policies they must regain control of

- their economy. To do that, it will be

_ Necessary to nationalize American
* Monopolies in Canada.

The national Communist leader
called for a re-distribution of the
national wealth through democratic
tax . reform. Urging the
implementation of the main
proposals of the Carter Commission
Report, Kashtan charged that the big
corporations are getting off free
while the people are forced to carry
a heavier tax load. He called for a
capital gains tax and a basic
exemption on income taxes of $2,500
for a single person and $5,000 for
married.

Kashtan said that the revenues
Ottawa could receive from a capital
gains tax plus a cut in the arms
program could raise $1 billion to
deal with the critical housing
shortage and needed social program.

However. he said, ‘‘both parties have _

moved away from the so-called
‘welfare state’ to the ‘means test’
state.”’ He recalled Prime Minister
Trudeau’s statement that there will
be ‘‘no more of that free stuff.”

Turning to the question of foreign
policy Kashtan said what we need
is not a ‘“‘reassessment’”’ — “‘what
we need is a new one.’’ Pointing
out that Trudeau talks of recogniz-
ing China and Taiwan, Kashtan

said ‘he wants one Canada and.
‘two Chinas.” While paying — lip
service to wanting a halt in the

bombing, ‘‘Trudeau sells arms and
planes to the U.S. to carry out the
bombing.”’ Canada is profiteering
at the expense of the people of Viet-
nam. Quoting External. Affairs

- Minister Sharpe that the Liberals

do not intend to change the aims
and goals of present foreign-policy,
but ‘‘the style,” Kashtan said:
“Canada cannot pursue a harmful
foreign policy abroad and avoid
harmful affects at home.”

On the question of national unity,
Kashtan charged the old line parties
are playing ducks and drakes with
the aspirations of the French
Canadian people. Nor can the NDP
approach of forgetting there is a

See KASHTAN, pg. 8

close ties with labor’s struggles for a
decent life. Mark Mosher, Comox-
Alberni, has been a lifelong trade
unionist, playing an active role in
building the TWA, and is now an
executive member of the
Longshoremen’s Union.

Charles Caron, Vancouver East,
an iron worker and plasterer by
trade, was secretary of the Marine
Workers and Boilermakers Union
during the war. Robin Smith,
Vancouver South, who was born in
the mining town of Britannia Beach,
is the daughter of a union organizer;
and Robert McLaren, New
Westminster, is a printer by trade.

The rights of labor promises to
become an increasingly important
issue in the closing weeks of the
election campaign, especially in B.C.

Last week the federal Liberals
announced that if re-elected they will
‘‘put before Parliament new
legislation aimed at securing
industrial peace and fairness to all
concerned in matters of industrial

TIM BUCK, national ‘chairman of the
Communist -Party, enters the election
fight in B.C. next week with two
election rallies. He’ will speak with
Comox-Alberni candidate Mark
Mosher in the Longshoremen’s Hall in
Port Alberni, Sunday, June 23 at 8
p.m. On Monday, June 24 he will
address a meeting with Bob McLaren
in the Nordic Hall, 7820 Sixth St., in
Burnaby:

relations under federal juris-
diction.”’

An editorial in last Wednesday’s
edition of the Vancouver Sun (June
5), a Liberal paper. strongly
supporting Trudeau, indicates that
the phrase, ‘‘fairness to all
concerned,’’ is being interpreted
much the same way as W.A.C.
Bennett’s ‘‘in the public interest”
under which Bill 33 was introduced.

The Sun editorial, using such
phrases as ‘‘the public being held to
ransom’”’ by unions, hints broadly
that the uproar that greeted Bill 33
“‘may be mild by. comparison’”’ with
the uproar expected when the new
federal Liberal labor code is brought
down in Ottawa. It hints broadly that
the new legislation will contain
compulsory arbitration provisions
and-machinery.

***

These were the comments made
by the Communist candidates to the
PT on the subject of labor
legislation:

MARK MOSHER, Comox-Alberni:
‘‘As a trade unionist whose industry,
longshoring, comes mainly under
federal jurisdiction, it is my opinion
that Ottawa must show the way in
establishing democratic labor
practises which will protect. the
rights of Canadian working men and

. women. The Communist Party urges

that Canada adopt a Bill of Rights in
a new constitution which would
guarantee the right to organize and

strike as a fundamental democratic

principle.’

CHARLES CARON, Vancouver
East; “Technological changes in
Canada and their effect on working
people make it essential that our
present federal labor laws be
amended to give workers the right to
a voice in all company decisions on
technological changes, work loads.
closing or moving of plants. and in
investment policy.

“It is only right and fair that labor
should be given an increased role in
fields which determine their lives
and welfare. Management rights
which would turn workers into serfs
can no longer be tolerated. Labor too

See LABOR RIGHTS, pg. 8

SRE