seni ene WT UND WE SUPPORT CLC. cnt oe wack Hill to demand repeal of Bill C-73. ce was the aaest demonstration in the capital’ s history as some 30,000 trade unionists massed on Parlisnient —Richard Morgan photo Guidelines fortl trucking strike About 4,500 members of Local 31 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters representing provincial cartagedrivers and warehousemen have struck the 97-member companies of the Transport Labor Relations to back up their demands for wage parity with national freight line drivers. The union is seeking a raise of $1.40 per hour in a one-year agreement, while the TLR has offered substantially less over two years. The TLR has taken the position that they are prepared to meet the Trudeau wage guidelines but not anything in excess of that, a position which the truckers have rejected. Union spokesman Doug McLeod CLC urges unity against controls cont'd from pg. 1 complement the Ottawa demon- stration. The Common Front trade union federations announced that more than 10,000 had filled buses. in Montreal and the surrounding area_ to take the trip to Ottawa. Inside the Parliament Buildings, a delegation consisting of Congress representatives and_ several hundred affiliated unionists met with prime minister Trudeau and the federal cabinet and although the meeting was restrained as both sides exchanged views, the ‘Congress left-no doubt that it would “never submit to wage and price controls.”’ In his introductory remarks, CLC president Joe Morris told the cabinet: ‘‘Whatever your in- tentions may have been, it is in- creasingly difficult» for trade unionists to think of your ‘Attack on Inflation’ as anything other than -an attack on their real incomes, their basic bargaining and political rights, and the social programs for which they have fought over the years.’ Morris emphasized particularly the serious problem of unem- ployment which, he stated, the government has largely ignored and, in fact,. aggravated by its wage control program. “High unemployment with hundreds of thousands jobless in this country is the chief reason for the huge bill for unemployment benefits, but the government has chosen to tamper with the Unemployment Insurance Act to silence the critics of the system.”’ He added that the federal government’s actions had created an environment in which other governments could make serious cutbacks in social programs in the name of ‘“‘fiscal responsibility.” The ‘points were elaborated considerably in the Congress’ hardhitting brief presented earlier. to the federal cabinet and outlining the CLC’s opposition to the economic policies of the Liberal government. In leading off the attack on the controls program, the Congress cited remarks made two years ago by the prime minister when he rejected incomes controls because “they risk hurting the small and the poor more than they do the big and the rich.”’ By completely reversing its stand, the federal government has “admitted its allegiance to-the big and rich,” said the Congress. That bias was emphasized throughout as the brief noted that, as workers’ contracts were being ‘banking ... reviewed and subsequently rolled back, corporate price increases were allowed free movement — upward. The case of Loblaw’s in Toronto which closed in October and reopened soon after as Ziggy’s with higher price tags on its goods, was cited as a case in point. Although examined by’ the Anti-Inflation Board, no action was taken against the company. “The message is clear,” the brief declared. ‘“‘Your govern- ment’s policies have determined that the Loblaw’s of this nation will get theirs but the workers will not, regardless of what name is on the banner under which they walk. “To date there has been no positive action to curtail land speculators or to establish land Oil and gas prices continue to increase and it is the stated policy of your government that they shall continue on their merry climb. We are also waiting for a guarantee that tax con- cessions to corporations will be used for investment purposes to create jobs rather than be paid out in higher dividends. Those Canadians who have little or no bargaining power continue to remain defenceless because the Congress’ proposal for a negative income tax or tax credit scheme has been rejected. On the question of full employment policies, your government also stands con- demned for its decision to fight inflation at the expense of higher unemployment. ‘Organized labor cannot endorse this ill-conceived attack on in- flation which imposes strict con- trols on wages and salaries while leaving corporations free to collect unlimited benefits from produc- tivity; which does nothing to im- prove the economic position of those without the economic power to protect themselves; which does nothing: to solve the fundamental problems in the key sectors of energy, housing and food; which ignores the problem of unem- ployment and the need for rein- vestment of profits in new jobs and socially needed production.”’ Reiterating its own 10-point program as a “positive move’”’ toward solving Canada’s economic problems, the Congress brief concluded: “‘The government has demonstrated by its actions over the past six months that it cares nothing for working men and women or their organizations. By persisting, your government has placed itself on a collision course with the labor movement of this country. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MARCH 26, 1976—Page 12 “We do not welcome this, but we do not intend to back down either.” The brief and the comments of Morris found little more than a predictable response from prime minister Trudeau although both he and the members of his cabinet were clearly impressed with the size of the demonstration which paraded outside. Arguing that the Congress had “overstated its case,’’ he an- nounced to. the- meeting: ~The government is not going to get out of this program now, particularly when it looks as if it is going to work. I can understand the_op- position, but surely you are realistic enough to knowe are not going to Parliament tomorrow to end the legislation. We are going to stick with it. ; In voicing an “‘understanding”’ of the opposition, however, Trudeau marked a divergence from his previous position when he “couldn’t see’’ why workers were opposed to the program. The opposition of Canadian trade unionists has also been a source of considerable consternation to the federal government. It had hoped that the CLC would follow the lead of the TUC in Britain and the AFL- CIO in the U.S. which went along with wage controls with the result that wages were considerably depressed while inflation con- tinued virtually unchecked. The Congress has also moved to sever its relations with the federal government as a result of the program and withdrawn from various boards on which it is repre- sented. On Tuesday, the first of those withdrawals came as repre- sentatives were taken off both the Canada Labor.Relations Council and the Economic Council of Canada. Addressing the thousands of workers at Monday’s demon- stration, CLC president Joe Morris also eR tac med the Congress’ intention to press the campaign to force repeal of Bill C-73. “Never before has the trade union movement been so united,” he told the rally. ‘‘Never before has organized labor come together in such a display of strength and solidarity. Never before has this country been shown the might of workers as it has in the past few months. “Tt want to assure all of you that the labor movement in this country willnever be used to serve the ends of government. Workers’ organizations are there to serve the workers; they are there to give voice to the concerns of needs of workers; and they are there to protect their democratic rights and freedoms. “There is no union in this country which has not felt the’ authorized power of the state in its negotiations with the employer. Every time we sit down at the negotiating table the ‘employer tells us that the government will not let him negotiate in good faith. Every employer from one end of ~ this country to the other knows that if he gets in trouble,.the state is there to help him out. He knows that the AIB, which is nothing more than an instrument of the state, will knock the workers into line for him. “The anti-inflation program of the Trudeau government is not an economic program. It will do nothing to cure inflation or create the jobs which’ Canada and Canadians need. It can only be understood in terms of politics for that is what it is. It is the politics of discontent; the politics of a government that is uncaring of the » interests and desires of working men and women.. . ~ “The message I wish to leave with all of you is this. There is nothing in this world with the power to destroy the trade union mney eBen when it is united.” Vancouver protest rally scheduled for March 28 - Organized labor’ Ss continued opp ysition to the federal government’s “wage freezing legislation will be reiterated at a city Sunday, March 28, at John Oliver High School. The meeting, organized by the Vancouver and Dis Council, will hear reports. of Monday’ s demonstration on. Parliament Hillin Ottawa which demanded that Bill C-73 be repealed. Members of _the executive councils of both the Vancouver Labor Council and the BL. Federation of Labor will outline labor’s program, to-continue the fight against the federal legislation. > Last Monday’ s demonstration in Ottawa was the largest praise : gathering ‘in the history of the capital city, and since then, the ‘Canadian Labor Congress has made clear its intention to step up its” “opposition to any form of wage controls, Sean the. ee ae protest: meetings ‘such as the. Vancouver rally. contract dispute. The meeting ‘in progress as the Tribune we! per cent from the negotiated 1 at membership meetings ‘are forced to pack their _ top of the need rate. said that the drivers were soli behind the union’s parity demal and that the TLR’s refusal !? change their offer du negotiations left the union | alternative other than to strik Provincial labor minister Al Williams summoned both and TLR representatives t meeting in Victoria, indicating ¥ the Socred government might! i prepared to become involved in! $ press, but Williams had ea said that a labor dispute in transport industry ‘“‘would have very major impact on economy.”’ | hate, eR While the Teamsters have bé negotiating under the .threat @ restrictions of the federal wéi guidelines, two other B.C. § tlements have been rolled bac the Anti-Inflation Board. Wo at the B.C. Sugar Refinery, Wi have been on the picket line si June, 1975 went back:to their J? this week after the AIB cut 16%) cent from their settlement with company. The return to wé however, still depends on acceptance of the revised contra The sugar -workers, membe the. Retail, Wholesale Department Store Union Local! had negotiated a 26.5 per increase after the nine-mol strike, but when the contract ¥ submitted to the AIB ~ ratification, the federal boai ruled that the settlement must! within the federal guidelines off per cent for the first year. TH board left» the increase for second year of the two-year pac} the negotiated eight per cent. The AIB also moved against? three unions involved in last yeam dispute with Lower Mainlé supermarkets, ruling that @ second year of the two-year @ tract would be rolled back to } per cent. The AIB left the first year o' contract untouched at a 16.59 cent increase. - Spokesmen for the three uni0 the Meatcutters, Bakery Worke and Retail Clerks, said thea decision on whether or not to rat the new agreement would be mé weekend, but declined to say W h their recommendations to 4 membership would be. * * * The United Fishermen # Allied Workers Union has rea@! agreement on a new contract cover this year’s herring fishe!™| Under the terms of the agreem@t gillnetters will receive $263 per and seiners $132. UFAWU Frat River organizer, Bill Procopa told the Tribune that even th the settlement was a substa increase over the 1975 rates of ‘and $102 per ton for gillnetters seiners, respectively, it bro the fishermen to “‘slightly ab the 1974 rates’’ due to the se cuts in herring prices” last: “ye He said the gillnetters receive only $14 more per toll herring than in 1974, and the § fishermen only one dollar mores, ton. Other items in the agreeM) call for an increase of 75 cents} D8 ton which the fish companies “| ; pay into the union welfare Pp The increase will bring © A welfare payments to two doll per ton. As well, the compa have agreed to pay gillnetters 4 herring an additional $60 per tol)