en ome eeu ESET HVA een TEA oe AUT AABN A = 4s A rector P ese WCS lockout ‘a bargaining ploy’ - Workers at Western Canada Steel this week marked the third week of a lockout that the Canadian Association of Industrial, Mechanical and Allied Workers (CAIMAW) has seen as a bid by Cominco Ltd. to “‘soften up collective agreements’’ throughout the Cominco corporate chain. The lockout was imposed on the 250 CAIMAW members only hours after they voted by a convincing 98 percent to reject company demands for a zero first year wage _Imcrease and concessions in vacations and _ welfare benefits. “Cominco told us: ‘Take it or we’ll lock’ you out.” And right after the vote was held they did just that,” CAIMAW represen- tative Cathy Walker told the Tribune. The massive repudiation of concessions followed another vote by members of Local 480 of the United Steelworkers in Trail who ~ voted 96 percent to reject a demand, also from Cominco, to forego a 58 cent cost-of- living adjustment which is to be “rolled in”’ to the hourly wage rate before the contract’ expires Apr. 30. _ Cominco, a subsidiary of the multina- tional Canadian Pacific empire, claimed _ that corporate losses prompted the request for concessions, but the claim was vehemently rejected by the Steelworkers who pointed out that the company paid $37 million in dividends to shareholders in 1982. Inthe case of Western Canada Steel, there is even less justification for the company’s demand since ‘‘Western Canada Steel is making money,’’ Walker said. The pro-' _fitability of WSC, which manufactures steel from scrap, was also enhanced last year with the introduction of new equipment which — enabled management to cut an entire shift and still maintain comparable production As in Trail, Cominco’s strategy was to seek to use the general economic conditions __ ina bid to weaken the unions’ position and to wrest concessions from workers. _ Walker added that ‘“‘the word ‘political’ __was used by the company several times dur- ing bargaining,”’ an indication of Cominco’s _ Contracts at other Cominco operations including Trail, Fording Coal and Pine Point Mines are set to expire over the next Layoffs hit as city jobs cut by 39% North Vancouver city workers ar€ culating a petition to arouse public dignation over the continued city ¢0 practice of laying off members of the¢ side work force while contracting 0 increasing number of municipal se CUPE Local 389 is urging citizens™ attend the Mar. 21 council meetililg © protest the layoff Friday of 15 civi¢t side workers, the latest casualties ina tinuing series of cutbacks which } reduced the work force by 39 percent© the past 18 months. a “It’s part and parcel of the gam union-bashing,’’ said Local 389 pres!@ Harry Greene, ‘‘but we’re going to put a good fight.”’ The last layoffs involved eight Sé tion workers following a decision by council last summer to privatize the 4 bage collection service. Smithrite won contract and subsequently subcontré the job to an outfit called Pacman. Council’s practice of contracting what Greene called ‘‘bits and pieces ~ city works projects has reduced the 0% side work force from 110 members 1981 to 67 when the 15 draw thet ! paycheque Friday. : Prior to the latest layoffs, outside workers were presented with a choice: cept a work sharing agreement would cut by one-half all the wor hours, or face layoffs. Greene told the Tribune that co had another option — a modest tax ™ crease that would have prevented ™ need for layoffs. “Tt would have been insignificé especially in light of the major social pact of putting more people on unemployment rolls,’’ Greene said. The city has said the layoffs are only! last until June, but has provided # WEL ROLL SH TRIBUNE PHOTO — SEAN GRIFFIN With CAIMAW’s huge painted sign behind him, WCS worker Ken Scott pickets out- side plant in Vancouver. pected to take the same hard line stand, although the reception response from: workers at both Western Canada Steel and Trail may force some reconsideration. “‘We’re the first in line, so Cominco wants to make an example of us,’’ Walker said. “But we’re prepared for a long fight.”” ~~ There has been no movement from Com- inco since the lockout was imposed Feb. 27 and Walker noted that CAIMAW did not expect anything before the Trail contract ex- pired April 30. Cominco originally opened bargaining with CAIMAW with a demand for a 10 per- cent wage cut and concessionary demands in 36 areas of the agreement. The last offer before the lockout proposed a zero wage hike in the first year, five percent in the se- cond and concessions in areas of vacations and other benefits. _ Several weeks. In each Cominco is ex- WFTU rep urges ‘global’ Van. jobless rally April 9 The rally by the unemployed commit- tee of the Vancouver and District Labor Council in Oppenheimer Park Apr. 9 could be the first all-candidates forum in the yet-to-be-called provincial election. On the platform along with speakers | from the labor council and the | unemployed action centre will be ‘Tepresentatives of political parties in the | province — Socreds, New Democratic Party, Liberals, Communist Party, Con- _ Servatives and the Western Canada Con- = Lok paieihaibesspameae sera seven point jobs program mapped out by ah f those an te) specifically asked to at- tend is Socred human Races minister Grace McCarthy. The committee’s jobs program calls for an end to social service cutbacks, legislation to curb layoffs and plant closures, public works housing and reforestation programs as well as a halt to the export of capital and a reduction in the work week to 30 hours without loss in pay. The noon rally will coincide with the demonstration in Victoria organized by the Vancouver Island labor councils and the B.C. Coalition of the Unemployed. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MARCH 18, 1983—Page 12 The leader of the 18-million member transport, port and fishery section of the - World Federation of Trade Unions appeal- ed to Canadian trade unionists Tuesday to join in the search for an international labor response to the global economic crisis. Debkumar Ganguli told Vancouver and District Labor Council delegates that ‘‘at a time when the transnational corporations are expanding at an unprecedented rate, those who struggle against the corporations must struggle globally.’’ Ganguli’s brief address to the council was an important symbolic step in the struggle to reunite the world labor movement, which was split during the Cold War years into two federations. Although North American and some European trade union centres support the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), the trade unions of the rest of the world, including the socialist coun- tries, belong to the 200-million member WFTU. Ganguli told the Vancouver unionists that the WFTU, and especially his own sector, are anxious to resume bilateral ties with unionists all over the world. “‘We find that in almost every major pro- blem we face, we have a common approach and we can definitely stand together,’’ he said. The transport sector groups workers from 123 organizations in 53 countries. “The crisis facing workers in the capitalist countries, the crisis of unemployment and inflation, creates the necessity for mutual struggle cooperation not only in this country but globally. ‘*We can never achieve our rights unless _we struggle unitedly.”’ a Ganguli said his organization has found there are no substantive differences of view among trade unionists on the questions of employment, peace and detente, and trade union rights. He appealed to the Canadian union movement to sit down with WFTU affiliates to discuss common problems. “‘I assure you ~ that the trade union movements in Canada can always count on the support of the WFTU in their struggles.” Ganguli is half way through a North American tour that will take him to Mexico after stops in Montreal and Vancouver. Labor council president Frank Kennedy thanked Ganguli for his appeal. ‘‘The attack against workers knows no boundaries,”’ he said, ‘‘and as soon as we have eliminated boundaries among ourselves, we will do that much better.” RIBUNE Published weekly at Suite 101 — 1416 Commercial Drive, Bill me later 1) Donation 6............ READ THE PAPER THAT FIGHTS FOR LABOR VL LP LP DS SP LE LY EF LE LE EF LS PP LS FP. ~ at last year’s levels. guarantees that the workers will ber ed. And there were no guarantees ag¢ further layoffs if the workers ha cepted the work sharing proposal, David Fairey, an economist with Tra Union Research Bureau who will afe™ the union’s case Monday night. © “Obviously this (58 workers laid off 18 months) represents a massive cutba® and the union has said that it has g0 stop,”’ said Fairey. oe Last year city council contracted 0 major piece of street work, and found afterwards that their own workf could have done the job for less, Fairey. And the saving generated by tracting out the garbage service miniscule. According to Fairey, it cost the $351,115 to finance the city’s own bage service, while projected costs for private collection in 1983 are $350,0 “so eight employees lost their jobs $1,100.” Brian Acaster, one of 15 workers t0 laid off Friday, said the contracting of Hi garbage service means households mv» pay a $49 charge in addition to city ta” av al \ Vancouver, B.C. VBL-3X9 Phone 251-1188 2 ) Name -<.; s<..2.. ‘ é : Pe Poa ae Sete Be kj WOGresSS:: so eee Ee ee ae eg ey EE & Postal Code... 6. en ie es ey eats A oe 1am enclosing: 1yr.$140 2yrs. $250) 6mo.$8( Foreign 1 year $15 O :