LABOR A week of decision for the B.C. Fed This is the week of decision in the fight- back against Bills 19 and 20. Backed by a 70 per cent mandate, members of the B.C. Teachers Federation are poised to walk out of classrooms April 28 for a one day strike followed by ongoing job action in the form of withdrawal from all non classroom duties. The BCTF has been the only major organization to tell its members, and the public, that political strikes will be necessary to fight the Socred legislation. But how far the teachers can escalate their action plan will be determined to a great degree by the decisions of the B.C. Federation of Labor executive council which meets this Thurs- day to map out the next stage of the federa- tion’s campaign against Bill 19. The straightforward question before the B.C. Fed will be whether the protest against Bill 19 should be escalated quickly prior to the passage of the legislation with industrial action and an unprecedented political cam- paign in defence of democracy. Fred Wilson Industrial action, of course, is the respon- sibility of the trade union movement. But the political campaign urgently needed calls out for a broad coalition of labor and all other groups alarmed over the ultra-night pr n of the Socreds. The Vander Zalm government is more than anti-labor. It is racist and anti-democratic with strong authoritarian tendencies. The violation of democratic principles is a much underdeve- loped theme of the critique of Bill 19 and Bill 20. Information for union members about how Bill 19 will affect unions is only part of the message that must go out. All of the democratic organizations in the pro- vince must be informed and mobilized to take a stand for democratic nights. Itis unlikely that any industrial action by the trade union movement could be pre- pared in time to join the teachers. But one date that offers itself is May 1. May | has more than tradition behind it-as a day of protest. On that Friday, the Alberta Federa- tion of Labor expects between 10,000 and 20,000 in Edmonton to demonstrate for fair labor legislation. One critical lesson from 1983 is that a stepped up, co-ordinated public relations campaign and expressions of solidarity from the community will also become mat- ters of urgency when the teachers take action and the media hysteria campaign is unleashed. The federation executive should be heart- ened by the excellent turnouts to its round of information rallies, which in almost every case exceeded expectations. And at every meeting, federation officers witnessed the militancy and frustration of the member- ship which cheered every call to action. That frustration wasn’t helped by the program of action taken to the rallies by Ken Georgetti. It added up to withdrawal from the Pacific Institute of Industrial Policy and some joint labor-government boards, anda vote of the membership on support for their unions and a boycott of the legislation. The idea of boycotting the new Industrial Rela- tions Commission was watered down to a proposal for a partial boycott of the Dis- putes Resolution Division. As it stands, this is a strategy for survival tied to Mike Harcourt’s 1,000-day cam- paign to change the government. It is based on the assessment that a long term struggle against Bill 19 including many pitched bat- tles by individual unions against the government and employers is ahead, and that the strongest ground to fight is not on the legislation itself but on its implementa- tion. There is no doubt that if Bills 19 and 20 do become law, a long term struggle against the implementation of the legislation will ensue. That may lead to the downfall of Vander Zalm as it did to W.A.C. Bennett after four years of defiant struggle against the Mediation Commission and injunc- tions. But given the perspective of the casualties of that prolonged warfare and the potential of widening the scope of the fightback now, the strong ground is an all out fight now to save democracy. The perspective suggested by Bill 19 is much different and much more threatening than at any time in the post war period. Labor has faced compulsory arbitration before, but Bill 19 is also “right to work” legislation, legalized union busting, and an attempt to destroy the effectiveness of the picket line. The aim of this legislation goes beyond the enforcement of “industrial peace” or the curbing of trade union power. _ The Socreds are putting in place a legislative B2 €%) ‘cde of MAruinicTs Be “4 BB. sdesiias PLUMBERS LOCAL 170 MEMBERS AT APRIL 13 RALLY ... Building Trades - prime target of Bill 19. These are some of the reasons why an” escalating program of political and ecO- nomic action now will not “do damage” to British Columbia, but will be welcomed by_ hundreds of thousands as the defence of democracy. : Governments have been forced to change bad legislation before, and even determined — zealots like the Vander Zalm government can be forced by mass action to change course. Third reading of Bill 19 and Bill 20 will be a critical point in the struggle. But even if that point is passed, action now will | prepare the base for continuing defiance against the authoritarian regime of Bill | Vander Zalm’s Social Credit. = framework not for trade unionism, but for de-unionization. The present assault also takes place in conditions of economic crisis with trade union membership already in_ serious decline. The Building Trades, for example, were at their peak of influence in the early 1970s and led the fight against the Media- tion Commission. Bill 19 was designed with the clear intention of making the Trades a fatal casualty of the industrial warfare that will come with the new legislation. But the Building Trades are hardly the only sector of the labor movement that may be sacri- ficed in a four year war. 88% BCGEU vote spurns bill April 16 after BCGEU members in unit throughout the province had cast their ba lots. The ballot, the same as that going tO” the 250.000 affiliated members of the B.C Federation of Labor and the B.C. an Yukon Building Trades Council, aske unionists to vote yes or no to the question “Do you support our union’s opposition to” Bill 19 including a boycott of the legisl tion?” Voting was expected to be completed b the end of this month. Members of the B.C. Government Employees Union have voted by an over- whelming 88 per cent to back their union’s opposition to Bill 19. “This vote of support shows that our members find this legislation completely unacceptable,” said BCGEU president John Shields. ““What we are seeing is unprecedented heavy-handed state inter- vention in a democratic society.” The union released the results of the vote In the meantime, however, we still _ have to demonstrate the world’s heartfelt desire for the total abolition of nuclear ~ Vancouver residents are planning to _ take to the streets to mark the 1987 nent has been our beat lalk for Peace. Around B.C., a record — number of peace walks are also in the ‘orks, as the realization that we can achieve disarmament by doing _ something for peace —instead of just talking about it — takes root. In all those events, one way or another, the Tribune will be there. Trib staff will actually be at the — Vancouver walk, of course. But several . 2 ; But it costs — not only in hours of : unpaid, volunteer labor, but in actual action more than $5,200 to date. It’s through their efforts that we'll make it. Just as it’s through the efforts of millions of the world’s citizens that disarmament will be achieved. Please help with a donation to the Tribune’s 1987 financial drive. in the midst of the peace struggle. As usual, we’re counting on our readers to help us in that aim by giving _far more than the annual subscription rate. So far they've responded, turning in Published weekly at 2681 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. V5K 1Z5. Phone 251-1186 cdc ee ee a Se ee RG gt 06 Ripenke Rha o> ate, 6 8 le. Saale Weta e 009% Da ie ea Be gto A I EN iro ete 9 6 6 ob ee eee 8 ee Ob ee ee Postal Code lam enclosing 1 yr.$160] 2yrs. $280) 6mo. $100 Introductory offer, 3 mo. $3 Foreign 1 yr. $25 Bill me later O READ THE PAPER THAT FIGHTS FOR LABOR ee pe. 0 © © 8 ee we 6% 6.0 fh Sy SE ag OF of 6 A RSE AO , C= Sipe er ke ee hs ie Etna aati ae 12 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, APRIL 22, 1987