NEEDED TO TACKLE BIG PROBLEMS Labor parley calls for unity Jest Saturday against the war in Vietnam. DR. JAMES STEELE is shown addressing the Sunday ference. V ver Labor Council secretary Paddy Neale, left. chaired the parley. Celebrations will mark two big anniversaries Communist Party celebrations to mark Canada’s Centennial and the Fiftieth Anniversary of the first socialist revolution will be held in a number of B.C. Centres. Taking the form of lectures, banquets and entertainment, the rallies will point up the significance of these two major events for Canadians. The first celebration is being held in Vancouver’s Hastings Auditorium, 828 E. Hastings St., Sunday, October 29th at 8 p.m. Feature speaker will be Lionel Edwards, whose theme will be the role of the working class in the hundred years of Canada’s development and the significance of the October Revolution. There will also be a concert-program and refreshments will be served. =e PT editor Tom McEwen will speak at an anniversary banquet being held Sunday, November 5th at 2:30 p.m. in the Dreamland Hall in New Westminster. The celebration is being held under the joint, auspices of the Ukrainian organization and the Delta Regional Committee of the Communist Party. Local Ukrainian folk artists will perform. s+ Nigel Morgan, provincial leader of the Communist Party, and Tom McEwen, will speak at a banquet in Vernon’s IOOF Hall, Saturday, November 18th, starting at 6:30 p.m. The celebration is sponsored by the Okanagan-Kamloops Regional Committee of the Communist Party. CELEBRATION 50 YEARS U.S.S.R. 100 YEARS CANADA Sunday—Oct. 29th - 8 p.m. HASTINGS-AUDITORIUM 828 Hastings East Hear; LIONEL EDWARDS Concert, Birthday Cake, Coffee Admission free. October 27, 1967—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 12, By TOM McEWEN Declaring its complete op- position to Premier W. A. C. Bennett’s proposed compuls- ory guidelines for a wage freeze, the B.C. Federation of Labor Tuesday called upon trade unions throughout the province to oppose ‘'‘this at- tack upon the democratic pro- cess of collective bargoining.’’ The 12th Annual Convention of the British Columbia Federation of Labor opened its sessions Monday at the Bayshore Inn, Vancouver with some 508 delegates from affiliated unions and Central Labour Councils. In his opening address BCFL President E.T. Staley reported a substantial growth in membership, now totalling 134,000 from 310 affiliates, a six-percent increase over 1966. Highlights in President Staley’s keynote address centred upon the crisis in housing from which many B.C. urban centres suffer acutely, the sharp rise in housing costs and prices generally, which virtually wiped out all wage gains made since the 1966 BCFL convention. In his address Staley also emphasized the need for greater organization and unity. Even with the BCFL rise in membership “we should not be complacent’’ said President Staley because ‘‘over half the employees in this province remain unorganized’’. Touching on the subject of trade union unity the BCFL president said: ‘“‘We can be encouraged by the growth of unity in the provincial labor movement. There are still a number (of unions) that remain outside the House of Labor. We would welcome them into our organization ...”’. In this context the address ‘welcomes the merger of the Mine, Mill-and Smelter Workers with the United Steel Workers. Now we can present a united front to the mine owners of this province.” Many of the highlights in the president’s opening address are further elaborated in the extensive BCFL Executive Council report. When this report hits the convention floor for discussion and approval it is expected there will be some sharp debate on two major items; the BCFL Executive handling of the IWA case and its suspension of four IWA local unions for their alleged insults CLC vice-president Joe Morris. The other deals with the BCFL Executive reluctance to dissociate itself from the E.P. O’Neal ‘“‘bugging” case, where that individual, then a member of the BCFL Executive Council, and organizer for the International Pulp and Sulphite Union, in collaboration with the RCMP, ‘‘bugged’’ the convention of the rival Canadian Pulp and Paper Workers Union. These two prime issues, listed in the Executive Council Report as “Internal Matters’’ are presented in full by the report, and are expected to spark some lively debate. Especially so since the Canadian Labor Congress committee set up to investigate the IWA-Joe Morris dispute, “Recommended . . in the interests of labor unity, the B.C. Federation lift the suspensions . ..’’. The Executive Council report also deals extensively with the wide range of BCFL activities in its campaign against injunctions. This stepped-up campaign includes big advertisements in all major ‘newspapers in B.C., the:use of a number of large billboards, busboard advertising on B.C. Hydro. buses, radio and TV programs, broad conferences and meetings, all beamed on the central theme — “Stamp Out anjune dons * OR * Sharp criticism of the government’s handling of changes in the Workmen’s Compensation Act was voiced Sunday at a conference sponsored by the BCFL. This conference preceded the Federation;s official opening of the convention. The main report charged the government with improper action in calling in officials of the Workmen’s Compensation Board and allowing them to pass judgment on the recommendations of Mr. Justice C.W. Tysoe who conducted a commission of enquiry on the workings of the WCB. This resulted in many of the Commissioner’s recommendations being ignored. Changes suggested for the proposed WCB Act included: a change in the definition of an accident, extension of coverage, elimination of the waiting period, strengthening of the provisions for coverage in cases of industrial disease, and the establishment of an independent Board of Review to hear appeals from decisions of the WCB Commissioners. High among the resolutions which have already come before the BCFL delegate body are those dealing with housing, natural resources, pollution and labor political action. The interest and discussion has been extensive, often sharp, and in the majority of cases, unanimous condemnation of B.C.’s Socred government. On housing the BCFL convention has demanded:- . The establishment of national and regional housing boards with the power to set ceilings on interest, rates, rents, and purchase prices of all types of housing and to assure that the regulations and standards of the National Housing Act-are enforced. . The establishment of a Rent Control Board at all levels of government. . The promotion at all levels of government of (1) Subsidized housing; (2) low interest rates; (3) ° low cost housing development; (4) long term land lease. . Provincial legislation requiring landlords to: Give reason for evicting tenants; post rental rates for all- suites; give three-months’ notice of rental increases; provide adequate maintenance and repairs to premises; set up an appeal board where tenants can take thel! complaints re exorbitant rents 9 unfair practices; set penalties ae infractions by landlords. *** The Columbia River gives" the U.S., Canada’s water resourte and pollution held high priority Tuesday’s BCFL convention agen f all supplementing in large meas the BCFL Committee Repo! Natural Resources. ie ‘ov! ie plic Resolutions on conservation, unanimously 4P by the convention call for: @ pu hearing to be launche® | Parliament to ascertain the | regarding the costs to Canaté ‘thal Columbia Development: immediate steps be taken Fi B.C. taxpayers and power us ‘ets the enormous financial ee involved in subsidizing U> “i and flood control benefits: a if the Government of Canada re-negotiation of the control fea of the Columbia River treaty: In the event the U.S. relat Canada should ignore ive commands and operates We flow in a way that will met Canadian benefits, inclu installations of generators : Arrow. ; othe On the issue of the export Hes Canadian water resources 10% jer : ee ojecte a as is now being pro) esolutio™ Parson’s Plan, a further ™ ares unanimously approved bac B.C: “that this 12th Annual ef Federation of Labor goes of f as being opposed to the expor ta water resources until “pave assured ourselves that we iu looked after the present ans “ needs of our own country - In an address to the conve Tuesday, Howard Paish, a pile Secretary of B.C. wil ave # Federation, the speaker ees penetrating outline of the 7 of a! disregard of our conserva” ate natural resources, and thé ig tH? disaster which must follOW jes pollution and destruction ° resources are continued. «ace? Resolutions adopted 0” the ae -pollution put forware fo! demands: The BCFL ! ee {hi Federal control to res” ies fot problem, with severe ait consisting of n members and- 0) aqme representatives of labor, " jeu fisheries, municipalities ‘ tio” v and the B.C. Wildlife Fede paar act as a Pollution ©? pss free of government pF essl fl It also asked for enor legislation governing 4 ; nd nl pollution in both urban aki areas; legislation the 005 mandatory to install init practical exhaust gas yenicl® available on all new mol Vital gas probe underway in B.%, ; Ge! A hearing by the National Energy Board, which opened in ce nadia : Th in Vancouver this week, can have far-reaching effects on 4 issio” shi! issue at the hearing is whether the U.S. Federal Pow allowed to dictate the terms on which Canadian natura . yam The issye exploded in Parliament Wednesday when Alvi gor tH? ial? er Com | gas is SO" charged that the FPC is ‘‘claiming the right to set gas prices 1 the " Canada and, I suppose, Mexico as well. They want t regulatory system of prices in North America. subsidize U.S. prices.” Nigel Morgan, B.C. Communist leader, who is atte xp0 submit-a brief later in the week opposing the granting ofthe oo o contt? | ort Canada is be Be ang: aril i nding the Mi yice™”