LABOUR ‘Autonomy now,’ say Carpenters By SEAN GRIFFIN Citing an unfair dues burden and an “arrogant disregard for Canadian mem- bers”, the B.C. Provincial Council of Car- penters last week called on the union’s U.S. head office to move on B.C. unionists’ repeated demand for Canadian autonomy. In a blunt letter to Carpenters interna- tional president Patrick Campbell, provin- cial council president Bill Zander and secretary Colin Snell pointed to two resolu- tions on autonomy passed by delegates-at the B.C. Carpenters convention in Nanaimo last year. The letter urged Campbell to give consideration to the demand and to “begin to understand that Canadians have the same inalienable right to national sover- eignty as do our brothers and sisters in the United States.” “The resolutions reflect years of frustra- tion at the failure of leadership of the Broth- erhood (of Carpenters and Joiners) to address the issue of equality and sovereignty for the Canadian members of our union,” the letter stated. “They call for immediate steps to bring our Brotherhood into line with the min- imum standards of Canadian autonomy set by the Canadian Labour Congress, and instruct the provincial council to conduct a referen- dum vote through- out the British Col- umbia so that our members can indi- cate their wishes on the demand for full Canadian autonomy within the Brother- hood.” The letter, a copy of which was ob- tained by the Trib- une, was sent to ZANDER Campbell Jan. 15 with copies to B.C. local unions. It was apparently the provincial council’s response to a letter from Campbell Dec. 28 in which the international president announced uni- laterally that he was calling hearings to investigate the affairs of the Vancouver, New Westminster and Fraser “Valley Dis- trict Council of the Carpenters and threa- tened to impose a trusteeship on the district council. Contacted by the Tribune, Provincial Council president Bill Zander declined to discuss the letter. John Carrothers, an international representative in Vancouver to conduct the hearings, was unavailable for comment. ‘ Jeff Roger, president of the union’s dis- trict council was in B.C. Supreme Court Friday seeking an injunction to block the international’s hearing, set for Jan. 26, or alternatively, to. rule that any allegations must be disclosed and district council members allowed independent counsel. SNELL RIGHT TO FAIR HEARING WON The Vancouver, New Westminster and Fraser Valley District Council of the Carpenters Monday won the right to be represented by independent counsel and to obtain details of all allegations against them before hearings ordered by the union’s Washington office can be held. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Lance Finch ruled Jan. 25 that the hearing, set for Jan. 26, and expected to be used by the international as justification for imposing a trusteeship on the district council, should be adjourned until certain conditions are met. They include the disclosure of all allegations against the district council and adequate time for the council, together with its legal counsel, to prepare defence. Although the union’s constitution does not provide for it, the district council must have the right to be represented by legal counsel when in the hearing, Justice Finch ruled. “In my view, what is about to be undertaken is a hearing by a quasi-judicial body and (that) requires compliance with the rules of natural justice,” he stated. A AR ET I A a PT CDE RTE RNR NT RN TNE TED. ERE De SME SOE oS In his application filed with the court Jan. 18, Roger stated that he was “surprised at the allegations” laid out in Campbell’s Dec. 28 letter to the district council. Campbell claimed that the district council was not conducting its affairs according to the con- stitution, that it had serious financial prob- lems and was failing to provide services-for the membership. In a subsequent letter, also filed with the court, Roger pressed Campbell for details on the allegations but received only a terse telegram in reply. In that telegram, Campbell acknowl- edged that there ‘‘are no charges” but declared that the hearing would proceed although district council members would not be allowed independent counsel. At stake in the dispute with the interna- tional is the leadership of the district council and the four delegates that it normally elects to the B.C. Provincial Council and the pro- vincial negotiating committee. Roger noted that as a result of a trustee- ship, “the composition of the B.C. Provin- cial Council and the provincial negotiating committee could change and this could result in irrevocable decisions being made with respect to collective bargaining and organizing drives.” The locals in the district council are the largest in the province and will likely play an important role in upcom- ing talks on Building Trades agreements which expire at the end of April. The latest incident has dramatized the contentious relationship between the inter- national office and various Canadian locals that has existed over a number of years — prompted by the international’s longstanding policy of dictating from its Washington office. While many other international unions have acceded to the demand for autonomy and even the crea- tion of independent Canadian sections, Canadian Building Trades members still must deal with Canadian vice-presidents appointed by the international and must seek charters for district and provincial councils directly from Washington. In 1980, the Carpenters was one of 16 ¢ eee eee on Oe te ee 2 0 @ em © 0 0 & 0 2 oe 8 0 8 6 oe Oe 8 ee ee Se a ee ee Postal Code | am enclosing 1 yr. si6O 2 yrs. $280) 6mo.$100 Introductory offer, 3mo. $310 Foreign 1 yr. $250 Bill me later 0 Introductory subscription offer _ Three months for only $3 Published weekly at 2681 East Hastings Street Nancouver, B.C. V5K 1Z5. Phone 251-1186 0 e5o ea, 0” 6 4; © ES eyy @ o-t)-0 ¢ 0 ae @ 2 7G" ea 8 ee ee ae et Pe a ee oe ee oe ee THAT FIGHTS FOR LABOUR _12 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JANUARY 27, 1988 — international Building Trades unions which withheld per capita payments from the Canadian Labour Congress, effectively yanking Canadian members out of the labour central without consultation. Since that time, the B.C. Provincial Council has spearheaded the lengthy cam- paign to bring the union back into the CLC. Three years ago, the council was successful in re-affiliating B.C. and Yukon locals on its own but members have had to pay per capita directly to the CLC as well continu- ing to include an equivalent per capita in dues payments to the U.S. The result has been a double dues burden which is has become increasingly difficult to carry at a time of high construction unem- ployment and attacks on union member- ship from the non-union sector. In addition, the international has often interfered directly in local union affairs over the years, including a trusteeship imposed on the Vancouver Local 452 more than 30 years ago. According to the Carpenters’ his- tory, Building British Columbia, the trus- teeship was imposed because the local had voted to spend $5 to order from the B.C. Peace Council 100 copies of a speech oppos- ing the re-arming of West Germany by CCF MLA Colin Cameron. The current anti-labour attack in B.C. makes the international’s interference and its refusal to allow Canadians to determine their own direction particularly frustrating, Zander and Snell stated in their letter. “Instead of seeing assistance and leader- ship from the brotherhood on these mat- ters, we see arrogance and disregard,” they stated. ““We see our dues to head office ever increasing while our financial situation deteriorates and the service we receive for those dues remains minimal. “Instead of a helping hand in the a spirit of unity and solidarity, we see efforts to force mergers of local unions and the Van- couver, New Westminster and Fraser Val- ley District Council being threatened with international supervision and possible trus- teeship. And we see the general presidents signing agreements covering our work in this province without consultation, con- trary to the wishes of the elected building trades officers and in violation of provincial labour law.” Zander noted that as president of the Canadian Conference of Carpenters, he had appealed to Campbell to ”bring us back into the house of labour — the Cana- dian Labour Congress. “The continuing withholding of per cap- ita tax by the head office in Washington from the CLC highlights the need for Can- adian autonomy and illustrates how unjust and intolerable the «current situation remains,” the letter stated. It urged the international president “‘in the interests of our union and its members in British Columbia” to give the autonomy resolutions and the concern expressed by them “your full consideration.” | CUPW’s Stickers to stay EME ae The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is continuing with its public campaign against privatization — including its enve- lope sticker campaign — despite a discipli- nary regime imposed by Canada Post that the union charges amounts to censorship and intimidation. Tom Durning, secretary-treasurer of the Vancouver local of CUPW, said Tuesday that the local has already sent several hundred of the union’s “Stamp Out Privati- ~ | zation” and “Stop Contracting-out” stickers to local unions and labour councils and more would be going out in coming weeks. Unions and other groups have been putting —__ the stickers on their mailtosupportCUPW in its fight against contracting-out of their jobs. It was Canada Post’s vehement reaction __ to the stickers — designed to look like spe- — cial delivery and first class mail stick- ers — that highlighted the corporation’s — intensive efforts to suppress any criticism by CUPW and its members of Canada Post’s privatization plan. A December 29 directive from Paul Mar- — ! tin, head of sales and service for Canada franchising and Post, instructed management.to order the interception of any mail with the stickers on it. “Mail that originates from a union local 4 office is to be stamped as undeliverable mail and is to be returned to sender .. .”” Other mail is to have the sticker ‘“‘covered with ... any other appropriate label” and returned for processing, the memo stated. “It’s clear from the employer’s action that it doesn’t like the message on the label,” said CUPW national vice-president Darrell Tingley. “Its action amounts to censorship. It is punishing the union for using labels on envelopes that oppose the misguided poli- cies of the Mulroney government.” Tingley emphasized that the issue raised an important political point. “The union feels it has the right to express its concerns. By intercepting our mail, Canada Post is “preventing the union’s freedom of expres- sion.” CUPW has launched an unfair labour __ practices charge with the Canada Labour Relations Board, challenging Canada Post’s — right to intercept mail which expresses sup- port for the union’s campaign. Under current regulations, the post office can declare undeliverable any mail which _ has anything on it other than the name and address of sender and addressee. But as Deborah Bourque, national co-ordinator for CUPW”’s anti-privatization campaign, points out, the policy is being applied in a By discriminatory way. “What about Easter Seals, Reader’s Dig- _ est, publisher’s clearing houses and others?” she asked. “This is an obvious attempt to gag the union, an attempt to stop us from criticizing their privatization policy.” The latest action by Canada Post follows the Tory government’s back-to-work legis- lation, prohibiting the union from striking under pain of being fined and barred from union office for five years. It also comes ‘amidst a barrage of disciplinary actions against postal workers for opposing pub-— licly the privatization policy. “The just coming down heavy on every- thing,” said Durning. : “Canada Post is saying we don’t have the right to speak out,” Vancouver local presi- dent Marion Pollack told delegates to the Vancouver and District Labour Council — last week. “Well, we intend to speak out — to make sure that the public knows = what is being done to postal service in this country.”