INTIMIDATION HIT

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1957

Protection
of salmon
union issue

Protection of salmon runs
against misuse by hydro elec-
tric power interests will be one
of the key issues discussed by
an estimated .133 delegates at-
tending the 13th annual con-
vention of United Fishermen
and Allied . Workers Union
which opens in the Fishermen's
Hall here this coming Sunday.

Officially the parley begins
Monday. but a preliminary
session Sunday will elect work-
ing committees and begin a re-
view of the officers’ report

Sponsoring of a year-round
weekly radio broadcast and ap-
pointment of a full time publi-
city director will be debated
by delegates.

The convention, will also de-
cide whether or not a delega-
tion should be sent to the So-
viet Union this spring

Investigation of the union
under the Combines Act is ex-
pected to come under heavy
fire. Fishermen strongly resent
the threat to their rights to
bargain, to strike and to pic-
ket which is inherent in the
probe which started last May.

At the moment. the Com-
bines director and his staff in
Ottawa are studying photo-
static copies of 3000 pages of
agreements. minutes and cor-
respondence Demands will be
put forward that the director
use his powers under the Com-
bines Act to drop the investi-
gation.

‘Our contention is the Com-
bines Act was meant to control
the big trusts and monopolies
like those in oil, paper, matches
sugar and manufacturing,” said
UAFWU secretary - treasurer

Homer Stevens “It was never”

intended to be used as a means
of harassing the organizzed
fisherman.”

Speakers at the convention
will include Fisheries Minister
James Sinclair; B.C. Labor
Minister Lyle Wicks;; Robert
M, Maling, president of the
Farmers Union of B.C.; Rod-
erick Haig-Brown conservatio
nist and writer; A. J. Whit-
more, chief supervisor of fish-
eries; Tom Barnett, MP for Co-
mox-Alberni; and J. Corsbie of
Gulf and Fraser Fishermen's
Credit Union

(cs <

* President Ramon Magsay-
say of the Philippines (top)
was one of 26 killed in a plane
crash on Cebu this week. Typi-
cally, the government sought
to turn his death to political
account by hinting at “Com-
munist sabotage.’”’ Magsaysay
is succeeded by Vice President
Carlos P. Garcia (bottom).

Continued:

H-TESTS

sources including bomb explo-
sions, does to human beings.

They are probing three areas.
the immediate effect of radia-
tion. which they find shortens
the life span; Strontium-90
from fall-out and its effect in
causing bone cancer; and the
dangerous hereditary factors.

Dr. H. B. Newcombe of
Chalk River’s biology branch
believes that everything should
be done now to reduce as much
as possible the exposure of the
public to any more radiation,
until such time as all the facts
are known.

By BERT WHYTE

VLC to aid in

organising p

lant

Throwing its strength into the campaign to © organize the unorganized,’ Van-
couver Labor Council decided Tuesday this week to call an early meeting of council

officials and representatives from several inter
ning methods to combat the anti-labor tactics employed by

in Chilliwack.

Action was taken after Unit-
ed Packinghouse officials Jim
Bury and Bill Lynch had de-
scribed in graphic terms con-
ditions prevailing at the Chil-
liwack plant and the anti-
organization actions of Jack
Williams, plant owner.

“Williams pays women work-
ers 70 and 80. cents an hour,
and men $1.10 to $1.25,” said
Bury. “He has intimidated
workers so effectively that we
have had to conduct a door-
to-door campaign in order to
sign up members. Many of
the workers are afraid to talk
to union organizers, and when
we distributed leaflets at the
plant Williams had eight fore-
men watching to spot those
taking leaflets.

“In spite of these tactics,
we managed to sign up a good
proportion of the workers.
Then Williams retaliated by
firing the young chairman of
the plant organizing commit-
tee.

“Williams refused to see us
to discuss the case, but a fore-
man told us, ‘Any man who
goes behind William’s ~ back
to sign up people in a union

*has no right to work in this
plant.’

“Conditions in the plant are
deplorable. One German im-
migrant employee, a young
girl, told us that employers in
East Germany were much bet-
ter to work for than Williams.”

Bill Lynch supplied more de-
tails.

“We signed up a majority
and applied for certification,”
he said. “But Williams has
since intimidated many work-
ers, telling them that unions
mean strikes, that he would
‘protect’ them if they had to
cross picket lines.

“He has convinced some
workers — many are immi-
grants — that unions are a

bad thing. There would be a
curtailment of work if the
plant was unionized, and so
on. He then ordered a com-
pany-sponsored secret ballot,
for or against union, using
plain paper and a ballot box.

“Sure, he has violated the

tions.”

JAMES BURY

law. But we're not interested
in a long case that would

ested unions for the purpose of plan-

Fraser Vale Frozen Products

interested in organizing the
workers in the plant, and we
need the help of the trade
union movement to-do it.”

The council parley will in-
clude representatives from
Packinghouse, Meat Cutters,

Hotel and Restaurant and
other interested unions.

Fraser Vale frozen foods—
berries, peas, vegetables, fish
and chips, Chinese foods—are
sold in all Lower Mainland
stores. UPWA delegates urg-
ed all trade unionists and
their families to apply econ-
omic pressure by refusing to
buy any of the firm’s products.

The drive to organize Fraser
Vale began last March when
a few employees approached
the UPWA and asked help in
organizing the plant, and since
that time the fight has been

wind up with a $25 fine. We’reon.

Outside Civic union
prepares for strike

Members of Vancouver Civic Employees Union, Outside
Workers, are preparing for possible strike action while awaiting
the report of a conciliation board meeting Thursday this week
on their demands for 35 cents hourly wage increase plus other

benefits.

“Thousands of workers in
private industry are winning
substantial pay boosts and our
members are justified in de-
manding similar treatment,”
said a union executive board
statement released by business
agent Don Guise

“Tf the report of the concil-
iation board is acceptable to
both parties, it will be a happy
solution But while we are hop-
ing for the best, we are pre-
paring for the worst

“We hope a strike will be un-
necessary. because it would

greatly inconvenience the gen-
eral public But Vancouver City

Council’s unrealistic bargain-
ing policy has made it neces-
sary for us to make prepara-

A special mobilization con-
ference of union members is >
scheduled for Friday night.

A strike would halt garbage
collection. stop sewer and wa-
ter maintenance and other es-
sential services

PATRONIZE
CEDAR FUEL

& TRANSFER
Phone: 566-R-3
Cedar, B.C.

TED HARRIS

Painters’ and Paperhangers’
Supplies
Sunworthy Wallpaper
Reg. 45c, Now 19c a roll

757 E. Hastings, TA. 1105

MARCH 22, 1957 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE 16