_ FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1970 THE HOUSING SCANDAL INTEREST MATERIALS ol ON mise 50.7% 20.1% ee ey AED ees WHO PROFITS FROM INFLATED HOUSING PRICES? That’s the question asked in the folder being distributed y the Vancouver Labor Council which was prepared by the Trade Union Research Bureau. The answer is S'ven in the above reproduction from the front page of the folder. It shows that on site labor accounts for only r.0 percent of the cost while interest accounts for 50.7 percent. The above illustration shatters the contruc- 'on bosses’ contention that high wages are responsible for inflation. PROTEST THEME APRIL 17-18: Tribun eS VOL. 31 No. 15 FOREST COMPANIES BLOCK WAGE TALKS The arrogant attitude of B.C.’s boss loggers in refusing to sit down to meaningful negotiations with representatives of 28,000 coastal woodworkers for a new contract threatens the province with widespread ‘industrial unrest for which they will have to bear full responsibility. For over a month now Forest Industrial Relations (FIR), which represents the forest monopolies, has refused to meet with representatives of the IWA and its negotiating team. The excuse given is that the wood- workers representatives include the B.C. Federation of Labor secretary and an official of the International Pulp and Sulphite Union. When talks broke off early in March IWA Regional President Jack Moore told FIR’s: John Billings that the IWA com- mittee was prepared to meet with FIR on 24-hours notice but will not be dictated to by the employers as to who shall repre- sent them in negotiations. On April 1 Moore sent a tele- gram to Minister of Labor Leslie Peterson which said: “Contract negotiations between Coast locals of the IWA and Forest Industrial Relations Limited have broken down ‘Vietnam - peace now!’ Plans are well underway for giant peace actions in B.C. on the April 17-18 weekend to support the U.S. and World wide demand for an end to the war in Vietnam now, Protest marches and dem- Onstration will take place in mee major Canadian centres. he largest of these is expected © be in Ottawa on Saturday, Pril 18. Converging from many ntario points by bus, train, car and every other form of trans- Portation, the demand to halt the War and end Canadian Complicity will be carried right ° 0 the steps of Parliament. i In Vancouver a giant Candle- ent March and Teach-In, spon- red by the Vancouver Mora- -torium Committee, is expected ‘0 attract wide support from all Walks of life. It will take place on Friday, April 17 at 8 p.m. at the Vancouver Courthouse. After a short address by Van- couver Labor Council secretary C.P. Neale, the procession will walk silently with lighted candles via Georgia Street to Queen Elizabeth Playhouse carrying a single banner: “VIETNAM— PEACE NOW!” ‘At the Playhouse, well-informed speakers will lead a wide- ranging discussion on the issues of the Vietnam war. Speakers will include Professors W.A. Willmott, Jan de Vries and Robin Harger, Father James Roberts and a representative of the B.C. Federation of Labor. A statement issued by chairman of the Moratorium Committee, Professor Robin Harger, says in part: “Canada has provided indirect and tacit assistance to the war in Vietnam. Although our con- tribution is relatively small, it lends important moral support to a war which has itself become a monstrous atrocity.” Information about the Candle- light March and Teach-In is available by phoning 224-3975, On Saturday, April 18 a ‘“‘Parade for Peace’’: will assemble at Thornton Park, (CNR Station) at 10:30 a.m. and march to the Courthouse square where a rally will take place at 12:30 p.m. Speakers will include Cy Gonnick of the NDP and local labor speakers. The Vancouver Labor Councill has called on the trade union membership to back the April 17- 18 weekend of peace action. Delegates to the council have strongly urged labor partici- pation around broad slogans which could unite all who want peace in Vietnam and an end to Canada’s involvement. In Trail, B.C. a march and rally will be held by the local Moratorium Committee on Saturday, April 18. Gathering at 10 a.m. at the Cenotaph, the march will proceed to the Safeway parking lot for a rally. Last November’s march in Trail was backed by the Steelworkers Union, Mayor De Vito, NDP youth and many _ prominent citizens. because of FIR’s refusal to nego- tiate in the presence of persons whom the IWA has asked to. be present. “Our position on this matter is that the personnel of the unions’ negotiating committee and its legal. counsel or_ technical advisors, etc., is a matter over which the union has complete and exclusive control, and there- fore that the position taken by FIR is a totally unwarranted intrusion into union affairs. We believe that this conduct con- stitutes refusal to bargain. “We threfore request that your department immediately take such steps as are required to cause FIR to commence direct meaningful negotiations with our union.” URGE JOB ACTION . Meanwhile, indignation among woodworkers is running high over the refusal of the forest companies to enter into serious negotiations around the 32 basic - points in the IWA’s demands, which includes the demand for a $1.00 an hour wage increase in a 1-year contract. Woodworkers canvassed by the PT say that ‘“‘this is the time when rank-and-file members should be taking action on the job _to show the bosses we mean -business.”’ The sentiment for pressure in camps, mills, and plants is rising as workers increasingly feel the pinch of rising prices, rents, taxes, etc., and the need for substantial wage gains this year. One of them told a PT reporter: ‘Appeals at the top’ level for meaningful nego- tiations around our demands won’t get anywhere until the pressure for it comes from below and the boss feels the pinch in his profits. Slowdowns, to cut production will bring the boss. back to the bargaining tables.”’ While negotiations in the forest industry were stalled by the arrogance of the forest monopolies, in the construction See WAGE TALKS, pg. 12