Labour GST protest could be new beginning By BILL ZANDER The final details were being worked out last weekend for the April 7-9 action against the‘Goods and Services Tax. That mobilization has the potential in my view of uniting more people in action than we have seen for a long time. Essential to its success, in my opinion, is that it be seen, particularly by the trade union movement, as only part of a build- up of action that is aimed at confronting Mulroney and forcing his government to scrap this regressive tax and introduce instead a more progressive tax policy. Although preparation for the April action has been plagued by some confu- sion, an impressive and unprecedented array of forces has come together to sup- port it. An early list of steering committee members includes, as I understand it, representatives from: Canadian Federa- tion of Students, National Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation, Pro-Canada Network, Assembly. of First Nations, National Anti-Poverty Organization, Ecu- menical Coalition on Economic Justice, National Action’ Committee on the Status of Women, Confederation of Canadian Unions,, Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Peace Alliance, Canadian Con- federation of Teachers and the Canadian Environmental Network. It isn’t really that surprising that such a powerful force is uniting around this issue, given that the “grab, snatch and take” tax (as it is called in New Zealand) is about the most graphic example there is of a government pilfering public purses in Labour Forum order to benefit the corporate elite — the same elite whose deferred and unpaid tax bill would more than cover the federal deficit that this tax (in theory) is supposed to address. For example, the GST is estimated to cost a single person earning $25,000 a year about $1,185. A family earning $45,000 will pay $1,974. The bogus deficit issue was again soundly exposed for those that read Dun- can Cameron’s column in the Financial Post Jan. 31. Along with other useful information, he reveals that ‘despite combined profits of $25 billion, fully 118,162 corporations, or about one in three, paid no corporate income tax what- soever. Not a cent.” He notes that there are another 28,318 companies that together paid less than $1 billion in taxes (0.7 billion) on $17.7 billion in tax-payable profits. He concludes: “It’s not government spending that’s too high, it’s the way it’s being financed that’s wrong ... if the corporations paid their share of taxes, we wouldn’t have to listen to business groups tell us, on behalf of those that don’t pay taxes, to cut back on spending for education, health and income support for the needy.” I think that sums it up pretty well. I would add, however, that defeating this tax is not only necessary to relieve working people of an additional tax burden but is also. essential to beating back the entire Tory-corporate agenda. The labour movement, with its consid- erable resources and experience, has a par- ticularly critical role to Play at this time. And in my opinion, we’re slow off the mark. In that connection, I was interested to read in the Feb. 7 Globe and Mail that Dave Werlin is calling for new leadership for thé CLC. He insists that personalities are not the issue. What is important, he says, is whether there is leadership that will move the labour movement from inaction, indecision and compromise to real mobili- zation that will take on the Tories and the multinational corporations who _ have been sacrificing Canadian jobs on the altar of the global market place. “At no time in recent memory has labour’s program enjoyed more potential popular support. Opposition to the Mul- roney agenda is growing as every new government initiative creates groups of angry Canadians,” Werlin says. And he concludes: “With strong leader- ship, the Canadian Labour Congress could mobilize previously unattainable levels of support for labor’s alternative vision for Canada and could effect real change in government.” It seems to me as well that the time is now for the kind of leadership in the CLC that will unite the trade union movement - across the country with broadly-based coalitions to force the Tories to withdraw this tax. There is clearly broad support for the campaign against the GST. The opinion - polls have been overwhelmingly against the tax and it’s time we insisted that this government allow some democracy — so that economic and political decisions benefit all the people, not just the multina- tionals. The GST can be defeated. But it means inspiring some confidence now within the trade union movement that we’re not just - talking about token gestures. April 7-9 should be a massive event. Consideration should also be given now to the next step — to proposals such as setting a day of protest or targeting partic- ular companies for further action. We all should take responsibility to activate our union local or labour council to ensure that, together with the B.C. Fed, we play the role we should in this impor- tant fight. Bill Zander is president of the P1 ‘ovincial Council of Carpenters. Gov't millions short on equity settlement By CYNDIE KAUFMAN-SINCLAIR TORONTO — Thirteen years after the passage of the Canadian Human Rights Act, the government of Canada has once again insulted women trapped in female- dominated groups in the federal public ser- vice. A pay equity settlement, announced Jan. 26 in the House of Commons, is several million dollars short of wage increases determined by a union-employer wage eva- luation study. Treasury Board president Robert de Cotret unveiled the package, which totals $76 million annually for over 70,000 female government employees. It also includes $317 million to provide for five years in retroactive pay. “The [increases] reflect the law of the land and our commitment to applying fairly the principle of equal pay for work of equal value,” de Cotret told the House. But according to PSAC president, Daryl Bean, the government’s action was promp- ted by the union walking out of the pay equity study. “This was necessary because Treasury Board wanted to drag everybody into a study of the study instead of imple- menting solutions to the problems,” he said. Treasury Board had been very unhappy with the original results. Wage gaps of 15 to 20 per cent were evident. The women under study were owed over $1 billion in retroac- tive pay. An additional $200 million annu- ally was needed to provide the necessary ongoing adjustments. The study, embarked upon in 1985, fol- lowed the filing of a complaint with the Human Rights Commission by the union on behalf of several female-dominated — groups in the federal public service. The complaint had been held in abeyance by the commission while the study assessed the “value of work” performed by federal employees in female-dominated groups compared to their male counterparts. 12 e Pacific Tribune, February 12, 1990 DARYL BEAN ... settlement ‘‘doesn’t come close to solving the problem.” The teams performing the comparisons, based upon a formula chosen by the employer, were composed of equal repres- entation by the employer and all the public service unions representing the groups con- cerned. PSAC represented approximately 70,000 of those affected. In each team, a majority had to agree with the assessed point ratings for each job classification. ‘The government's “proposed “settle- -ment” does not include some of the job groups highlighted by the study nor does it cover those groups already receiving adjustments based upon earlier Human Rights Commission decisions, even though the study indicated their allowances were insufficient. Also neglected, both by the study and the proposed settlement, are the female- dominated groups employed by Canada Post Corporation. Under existing legisla- tion, those women are considered to have a separate employer. A complaint on their behalf was filed with the Human Rights Commission in 1981, but so far not even an inquiry has been initiated. PSAC called the “settlement” inadequate to address the wage inequities in the public service. It was also critical that the annual: salary adjustments will not form part of the collective bargaining process and will not be considered when calculating employee benefits. “[The adjustments] will not necessarily be adjusted each year and the employer could unilaterally take them away,” Bean explained. “These increases do not come close to resolving the problems. We will ask the Human Rights Commission to force the government to obey the law.” The announcement was met with mixed feeling by women activists attending PSAC’s Regional Women’s Conference in Toronto last weekend. There was rejoicing that some movement on the issue was finally taking place. On the other hand dele- gates unanimously concluded that de Cotret’s offer did not come close to offering pay equity and was designed to trap low paid, ghettoized women into sacrificing jus- tice for short term monetary gain. B ke i E | 8 i SoNanie! ste See ee ee - Auidrass'3, etait he. el Fh, | Postal Code Keynote speaker Joane Hurens, third vice-president of PSAC, threw out her pre- pared remarks in order to address the latest developments. “T have mixed feelings, I was pissed off at first, by the dirty tricks, but the members will at least see the colour of some money. I realize that it seems like a lot of money, but _ you have to keep in mind that we area lot of people,” 70,000 women included in settlement. she said, referring to the over Her feelings were mirrored by the women in the room and prompted a resolution, unanimously adopted, giving the conferen- ce’s support to the Alliance’s criticism of the employer’s offer. Delegates also supported the union’s plans to mobilize the membership around a plan of action directed to force the employer to implement the results of its own study. Concerns were also expressed that the union’s campaign must link the struggle of the groups included in this settlement, with excluded groups, including the employees at Canada Post. “We are not going to settle for candy when we deserve a whole meal!” Hurens concluded to cheers from delegates. Cyndie Kaufman-Sinclair is a PSAC acti- vist in Toronto. FIPIBUNE Published weekly at 2681 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. V5K 1Z5. Phone 251-1186 Ce i 'amenclosing 1yr. $200) 2yrs. $350) 3yrs. $500 Féralon lyr. $320 ui Bill me later ~DonationS........ ER SR RE RR SR a ;