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{LABOR FRONT |

BY WILLIAM KASHTAN

Before it was Bill 43. Now Bill 42 has made its appearance
in British Columbia in the form of proposed amendments to
the Labor Act which the Social Credit gevernment has placed
before the provincial legislature for adoption.

Two of these amendments are particularly dangerous to
organized labor, limiting as they do the political and economic
rights of the workers and their trade unions.

These amendments to the Labor Act are the direct offsprings
9f the Canadian Manufacturers. Association (CMA) which has

“been campaigning up’ and down the country. for additional
<urbs on the rights of the trade union movement. More recently
the CMA decided to undertake a nationwide campaign against
the checkoff because it was, to use its words, going:to be used
to finance the New Party. It has now drawn first blood. in B.C.
through the amendments proposed by the Social Credit govern-
ment.
x * So %

What is the essence of these amendments?

One of these amendments declares that."’no trade union and
?mO person acting on behalf of .a trade union shall directly or
indirectly contribute to or expend on behalf of-a political party
» « . monies deducted from an employee’s wages.” This ban
“would apply to candidates as well as to parties and any union
‘disregarding the regulation would loose all check-off rights.
“The amendment also prohibits union financing of candidates

at the municipal level as well as at the provincial level.

The CMA and the Social Credit government must have given
considerable thought to this proposed amendment. It is clearly
‘worded so as not to appear directed against the check-off as
such; on the other hand it is aimed at splitting the workers
and the trade unions by saying in effect: “All right, boys, we
‘won't touch the check-off if you agree not to finance the New
Party or any candidates of your choosing. But if you do, you
lose the check-off. Have your choice then—the check-off or
the New Party.”

By placing the question this way the Social Credit govern-
ment hopes to create splits among the workers and within the
‘trade union movement.

ee

* * %

No less dangerous is the proposed amendment which states
fhat “‘where employees are on strike or locked out, if an offer
of settlement is’ made by or on behalf of the employers, or by
or one behalf of the employees, the minister may direct that
the offer be submitted to a vote of the employers or employees
affected. and may make such arrangements as he deems

;Proper or the taking and counting of the vote.”

This is another offspring of the Canadian Manufacturers
. Association. Here they chose to be more democratic -than in
the first amendment.

The first amendment was not directed against employer
‘contributions and financing of the old-line parties of mon-
-opoly but only at the right of trade unions to embark on pol-
witical activity. This amendment is “fair” to both sides, em-
yployers and. employees alike.

In fact, however, it is aimed at the trade unions, its pur-
} pose being to undermine the solidarity of the union in a period
sof strike. It is a wonderful gimmick for monopoly. It could
afford to keep the workers out on strike for a month, if nec-
‘essary, and then, dangling a few cents before them, hope to
aget a cheap settlement.

If the first amendment was directed at imposing political
Shackles on the trade union movement, this amendment is
aimed at imposing economic shackles on it:

in both amendments monopoly and its government are
striving .to divide the workers and thus give themselves the
freedom they want to step up their exploitation of the work-
ing class.

* * *

If these amendment carry monopoly will have an effec-
‘tive weapon at its disposal to undermine 1961 bargaining in
which almost all sections of the trade unions in B.C. are in-

~wolved. And if it is carried, it will be pressed for in all other
Yprovinces. There should be no illusions on that score.

From this standpoint. it is not only important that the
BC trade union movement undertake a united €ampaign to
“defeat these amendments; it is equally urgent that the entire
“Canadian trade union movement give its all-out support in
‘this fight.

: This latest attack on trade union rights emphasizes anew
“how important it is to strengthen the unity of all sections of

the trade union movement. On that basis it can defeat mon-|

vepoly and its governments and advance its economic and
ypolitical aims. Without it .it will continue to suffer defeats.

B.C. by peace organizations.
Headed by 38. Nobel Prize
winners the petition is endors- |

ures whose names appear on:
the back. These include Bert
rand Russell and Lord Boyd-*
Orr from Britain; Harold Ur-
ey, John Enders and Thomas
Waller from the’ U.S.;. and. P:
A. Cherenov, I..M. Frank, I.
E. Tamm and N: M. Semenoy
from the Soviet Union.

Léading Canadian figures
on the petition include among
many others, Dr: Brock Chis-
holm. Rabbi, Abraham. Fein-
berg, Dr. H. L. Keenleyside,
Walter Koerner, Rev. J. H.
MacDonald, Archbishop of
Edmonton, Elmer Roper, may-
or of Edmonton.

The petition declares that
“universal disarmament has
now become the essential bas-
is for life and liberty for all
people,” and urges that the
present nuclear powers do not
transfer nuclear weapons to
other nations or groups such
as NATO or the Warsaw Pact
group, that all nations. not
now possessing these weap-
ons voluntarity refrain from
obtaining or developing them

ed by 720 leading world fig- |: :

and that the UN and all na-

Pauling peace petition
being circulated

The latest petition by Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling is now being cireulall

LINUS. PAULING
... in new intiative for peace

tions increase their efforts to
achieve total and universal
disarmament with a system
of international control and
inspection.

Pauling, initiator- of the.
petition, has appealed _ to
peace organizations in all
countries for a mass campaign
for the collection of signatur-
es to the petition. -

S
in S i

| These:

‘| April 15: It will be pres

The B.C. ~ Peace Council,
meeting in Vancouver Tues-

day night decided to
bute 1,500 petitions
which has space for ‘10:
can be secured
the council whose office’
119 W. Pender St. Phone?!
ber is MU 5-9958.

* Deadline for the petitil

to the Unitéd Nations si
after that date. BE
The B.C. Peace Co
Tuesday night decided 10
its annual conference for
day, March 26 in the. Pe
Auditorium from 1 to #
Among the subjects to b¢g
cussed there will be PP
als for a peace trek to OM
in May. E
The meeting Tuesday }
decided on a B.C. pelle
addressed to Prime Mil)
Diefenbaker which will §
that nuclear weapons bé_
out of Canada and that)
adian forces be not equ?
with such weapons.
The petition states —
“Canada must intensify - it
forts towards  disarm@””
and not thwart these éf!
by accepting nuclear ™
ons.”’

Confederation Scheme Hatched By Colonialists

The Congo’s stooge leaders
gathered in Madagascar’ last
week issued a communique in
which they declared their in-
tention to form a ”Confedera-
tion of Congolese States’ with
Mr. Kasavubu as president.

This scheme which was
thought up by the Belgians in
collaboration with the U.S.
is designed to break up the
unity of the Congo, agreed to

New plot to split up Congo

before» independence, and
thus make it easier for the
colonialists to continue ex-
ploiting the country.

The confederation will, it
is reported, consist of about
eight seperate states, and the
signatories at Madagascar, led
by Kasavubu and Tshombe,
hope in this way to get rid of
the-legal Congo parliament el-
ected by the people,

HAMMARSKJOLD: “Pardon

Sand or Erdei in Ludas Maty, “Budapest

| gram ‘to President Novo"

me, but did you lose this?”

But as all eight stoos@®
Madagascar control less
half. the country the
munique is still far role

ality.
The successor to Pr

|Lumumba’s Central 2)
ment, the government 2% |
Stanleyville under ct 3

Gizenga, has taken n0- f
in the Madagascar conte

Premier Gizenga in a i

Czechoslovakia~ said~th® |)
dagascar conference w@ jl
tentionally called by the)
emies of the people.” 3

He said there could
guarantee of normal fe
the Congo until the legit
government resumed 2°
activity throughout the om

try. ¢!
“The legitimate 8° 9
ment, said Gizenga, “#

hostile to a solution Wye
could put an end to al 2
threatens our national ©
pendence. However,.such ")
lution must be based 94
protection of the true ne
of the Republic of the
and on strengthening ? its

-ereignty,

‘March 17, 1961—PACIFIC TRIBUNE Pal