ir Mat Aly as ] j ] Bennett’s pipeline deal FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1971 See page 2 Tribune Vol. 32, No. 49 15° | Repressive action by the Pakistani authorities against the civil population of East Pakistan has caused a mass Migration of refugees to India totalling about 9 million. Photo shows refugees crossing a river bordering India. Pakistan dictator Yahya Khan has pursued a policy of genocide against the East Pakistani people to Suppress Bangla Desh — the people’s movement for national freedom. EDITORIAL Labor in British Columbia Should be made aware of the fact that the Social Credit govern- ent is attempting to impose a Wage freeze of its own on the brovince’s working people. A few week’s ago the Cabinet announced that teachers’ wages the province would be kept flown to 6.5 percent. Any Ncrease granted by a school board above that figure would Vebiscites said the Minister of ducation, who also said Anything above that would be ‘inflationary.”’ Last week the provincial 80vernment announced that it Would not pay more than 6.5 Percent including fringe benefits to the thousands of hospital workers who are now ‘nvolved in wage talks. The Ospital employees union has Said the 6.5 percent figure is Unacceptable. There is no doubt. Victoria: will Seek to impose the 6:5 percent figure as a ceiling in ‘all wage have to be raised through local : negotiations affecting govern- ment employees and public services in the province. In doing so the Socred government has obviously taken upon itself to set an example to big business to hold the line in 1972 at 6.5 percent. Coming Mya in the new year, before the major unions enter negotiations for new contracts, the right wing Socred govern- ment has obviously decided to do what the Federal government and no other provincial govern- ment has yet tried: That is to impose its ewn arbitrary wage freeze. Undoubtedly there is much joy and satisfaction in the offices of the Employers Council and the big corporations over Victoria’s stand. This week the Vancouver Sun in a leading editorial came out strongly in support of Premier Bennett’s wage freeze. The editorial, headed: ‘‘The real target is wage control,”’ lauds the Premier for his ‘Jeadership” in face of ‘‘default from Ottawa.” Labor can only ignore this Socreds push wage freeze development at its own risk. The Socred government must not be allowed to get away with its anti-union and anti-working class policy which it is pursuing in the interests of the giant corporations, mostly U.S. ’ Unity of labor will be needed more than ever in 1972 if workers are to win the substantial wage increases so badly needed, and which rising living costs and increased productivity make both necessary and possible. Teachers, hospital and other government employees deserve and should get the full support of the labor movement in their fight against Bennett’s wage freeze. Last week the hospital employ- ees union said it was exploring joint action with the B.C. Govern- ment Employees Union, the Reg- istered Nurses Association, and the B.C. Teachers Federation all of whom have been hit by government efforts to freeze or limit 1972 wage increases. Such unity should be welcomed and extended to all unions, who face the-same common danger. STOP THE THIRD CROSSING BEFORE IT GETS STARTED Ald. Rankin calls for action to halt freeways A third crossing of Burrard Inlet would not solve traffic congestion but would impose a costly freeway system on the people of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland to the benefit of greedy real estate promoters This was the charge made by Alderman Harry Rankin this week in response to recent moves by proponents of freeways to push through the new crossing despite widespread public protest. In a statement issued this week calling for public action to stop the third crossing before it gets started, Alderman Rankin said: ‘‘The purpose of a third crossing is not to solve traffic congestion on the Lion’s Gate Bridge or the Second Narrows Bridge. Its real purpose is to impose a freeway system on the people of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland despite wide-. spread public freeways. “Once another crossing is constructed, it won’t just be left there sitting by itself. Freeway connector links will next obviously be built to join up with Burrard and Granville bridges, with the big high density apart- ment project being built by the CPR on the north shore of False Creek, with the new Georgia Viaduct, with the CPR’s Project 200 and with Highway 401. The CPR is building 5000 parking stalls in its Project 200 precisely with this in mind. ‘‘The object of the whole freeway network is to funnel all Vancouver-bound traffic into the downtown area — to Project 200, Block 42-52, the Bayshore Inn, Four Seasons and similar projects.- “The freeway scheme will decide the direction of Van- couver’s development for the next 50 years. We'll become another Los Angeles, congested with traffic, criss-crossed and split up with ugly freeway structures, and our air fouled up with a steady stream of tens of thousands of cars. And all this— at public expense — to serve a handful of greedy promoters! opposition to Vancouver, city, North Vancouver district _and big commercial interests. “Leaving a lane in the centre of the third crossing for rapid transit is just a sop by freeway promoters who have nothing but contempt for the public but who want to quieten down protests against their freeways. If this tunnel is built and the freeway connectors built, we can forget about rapid transit and even the light rapid transit and bus expan- sion recently proposed by the Greater Vancouver Regional District. “The federal government, the provincial government and the four municipal councils in West North Vancouver and Vancouver itself are all committed to freeways. Premier Bennett is willing to spend $41 million for approaches: for the new tunnel crossing, but not a nickel for rapid transit. In ‘fact, the B.C.Hydro bus system, ‘ which he controls, is deliber- ately following a policy of curtailing bus service. ““Once the new tunnel is finished, or more likely, even before, big new areas of the North Shore will be opened up for development by the real estate promoters. Very quickly the tunnel will become as con- gested as the two bridges. We’ll soon be worse off than we are now. That’s what happens with freeways — once you build one you must build another and another and another. There’s no end. They solve nothing. “The only solution is public transit — an immediate‘ expansion of the bus sytem and an immediate start on rapid transit. But we’li never get either as long as freeways are being built. The only way we’ll get public transit is to stop the freeways. The place to stop them is the third crossing and the time : is right now. See THIRD CROSSING, pg. 12