Unity resolution
important advance

The resolution on unity. of the
trade union movement of Que-
bec, passed in the closing hours
of the Quebec Federation of
Labor convention, was one of the
most significant advances made.
It brings closer real unity of
the QFL with the Confederation
of National Trade Unions, which
would solve much of the inter-
labor struggle. It is only to the
bosses advantage to have two
trade union centres fighting each
other.

The resolution reads:

“Whereas the workers and the
entire population are realizing
more and more the disastrous
consequences of no-holds-barred
rivalry; and demanding from
their leaders at the level of the
two central bodies, that a solu-
tion be found in the shortest
possible time;

“Therefore be it resolved ‘that
the Federation seek out every
occasion to take a common posi-
tion on questions which concern
the workers and the population
of Quebec as a whole, and this,
not only with the CNTU but also
with other public bodies, but
specifically also with the CNTU.

“Be it further resolved that
the QFL publiciy and energeti-
cally propose the formation of
a joint committee “at the sum-
mit” of ten persons, five from
the QFL and five from the CNTU
whose role will be to study
seriously the means to achieve
in Quebec, as soon as possible,
united trade union action in all
fields. This unity in action could

be realized in one or other of
the two folowing fashions:

“1. By the means of a ‘Super

.QFL’ which would group repre-

sentatives of the unions affilia-
ted to the QFL and the unions
affiliated to the CNTU to work
out common policies for the two
central bodies; or

“2. At least, through a formula

of ordered peaceful coexistence,

the details and the rules to be
worked out by the joint commit-
tee and accepted by the Gene-
ral Council of the QFL and by
the equivalent body of the
CNTU.”

Another significant step was
taken by the QFL convention
by inviting Igor Krugliy, Soviet
trade union representative at
the USSR pavilion at Expo 67
to speak to the delegates. His
friendly greetings were well re-
ceived and president Louis La-
berge, in replying, expressed the
desire of the QFL leadership’ to
meet their Soviet brothers again,
soon, and more frequently. One
delegate who protested listening
to the Vietnamese and Soviet
representatives was loudly boo-
ed.

There was a second case of
booing when a lone delegate
asked that the Parti Communiste
du Québec be excluded from the
conference that the QFL is in-
structed to convene to lay the
ground work for a mass left
party of labor. The amendment
was not even moved, as the
delegate lost heart and sat down.

organizing joint actions.

\SOHYO, the central trade union organization of Japan,
has repeated last year's appeal to the international trade
union organizations and all trade unions of the world

asking them to organize joint solidarity actions against the

war in Vietnam on October 21. — .

On October 21, 1966 the Japanese workers struck in _
protest against the Vietnamese war and also demanded ©
the restitution of Okinawa Island, ocupied by the United |
States since the end of the Second World War. Last year’s
strike involving 5,200,000 workers, was the most successful
one in the whole history of the Japanese trade union move-
ment. It met with the greatest sympathies of workers
throughout the world and more than 40 trade unions of
many countries responded to the appeal launched by
SOHYO to the workers and trade unions of the world, by —

WHATCHA GETl
60

Last issue of Herald

\.. Without sad ness, but with pr

One of the leading journals
of the labor movement in Cana-
da has gone out of business, but
not with sadness and regret. As
the editorial of the final edition
of the Mine Mill Herald says,
“. . . without sadness, but with
pride we move forward into
the new era where 54,000 work-
ers in this industry have been
united under a single Union
banner.” .

The first edition of the Herald,
November 1955, said, ‘“‘The Her-
ald is dedicated to advance the
aims and objects as set forth by
the Rossland Convention; to
unite the membership in every
_-part of Canada into the most
progressive and effective Union

in Canada; to advance the inter-
ests of the workers in our indus-
try; to improve conditions of life
and work; to unite our workers
with every forward looking
Canadian and to forge the
strongest bonds of brotherhood
and fraternity with the people
of Canada and the whole world
for a world at peace and well-
being.”

These words were recalled in
the last issue, ‘“‘because we be-
lieve that what has been done
in the following 127 issues car-
ried out these aims and we fur-
ther believe that in the new
steps that are now being taken
the same aims will be served
even better than in the past.”

r
Executive  officef

column: ae
“This, the last isn f
Mine-Mill Herald 97 ine ™

lize new changes) i
dian labor moverne jab
whole new period ©
is in the offing. It por
a return to the /@

1946, a unity that ©
ed by the cold w4
big busines . se
made _ possible ;

realization of many i
unionists that witht e rom |
employers will 17" pjec i
years achieve thet! :
destroying all labo Pace |
be called left, right

alf dewhurst

‘WHO GAINS FROM WITC

HUNTS

RECENT meeting of the
Toronto-based Local 938 of
the Teamsters Union took up
the oft-discredited charge that
the Communist Party carries on
underhand activities in the or-
ganizations of the working class.
Categorically denying _ this
charge Bruce Magnuson, Ontario
leader of the Communist Party,
in an unpublished letter to the
Globe and Mail states that “Any
communist activity carried on
anywhere in this country is open
and above board.”

Mr. Magnuson should know
what he is talking about for he
is no newcomer to the labor
movement. For many years he
headed-up the AF of L Lumber
and Sawmill Workers Union in
Ontario. He was secretary of the
Port Arthur Trades and Labor
Council during the years 1937-
1945. In 1945, the founding com-
mittee of the Ontario Provincial
Federation of Labor, TLC elec-
ted. him. as_ that , organization’s
first secretary. In the following

year, at its first constitutional
convention Magnuson was elec-
ted first vice-president of the
OFL, TLC, a post he held to
1951. :

Magnuson’s record of service
to the trade union movement is
in itself a testimonial that ‘“com-
munist activity carried on any-
where in this country is open
and above board.” How else
would he have won election to
such important union posts?
And to have held those posts for
the length of time that he did?

The “open and above board”
way is typical of the way com-
munists work in scores of unions
across our country. This is so
because communists and the
Communist Party have no other
interests over and above those
of the working class.

Consistent with this concept
the Communist Party is dedicat-
ed to the aim of a socialist Can-
ada. For this reason communists
work ,ta, spread socialist ideas
amongst working people: The

party’s activities are based on
the principle that the leading
force’ which can ensure the
achievement of this fundament-
ally democratic aim is the work-
ing class. In full accord with
this principle position the party
has always, since its birth in
1921, clearly defined and public-
ly advocated its proposals.

Today, the party advocates
that trade unionists press for
a restructuring of the trade
union movement to meet in a
better way the needs of the
workers in this age of huge
monopoly combinations; for or-
ganization of the unorganized;
for unity and cooperation in the
trade union movement based on
the fact of the French Canadian
nation; for Canadian trade union
autonomy within the context of
international solidarity and na-
tional independence.

Today, communists believe
also that labor should declare
its own charter of rights and
unite in pursuit of such declared

aims. The party has published
its'proposals for such a charter.

These proposals include the
right of gainful employment and
guarantee of an adequate and
progressively rising annual in-
come; the unfettered right to
peaceful assembly, and to strike
and picket to protect jobs of
striking workers; the right to
consult and negotiate collective-
ly with management on all mat-
ters arising out of technological
changes before such changes are
introduced; the right to strike
during the life of a collective
agreement on all matters not
covered by the agreement; the
right to take all measures ne-
cessary to protect safety and
health of workers on the job;
the right to share with manage-
ment in the planning of produc-
tion; the right to share fully in
the benefits derived from tech-
nological changes; the right to
leisure, higher education and re-
training at adequate pay; the
right to a secure and comfort-

able retirement. a

Undoubtedly suc of
are in the inter
unionists. Who oe
they are put into
such demands 2” ire
similar characte! rene
most unity of ¢
the cooperation Os
ple. Red-baiting cal
munist

ner from such ¢
bosses — the DIE iors,
ployers and finat 6
whom are in thé

The recent

clauses in the at
It is to be hope
eration cone

in Alberta, P=" :
wisely follow suite