Labour By COLLEEN FULLER Delegates to the 34th annual convention of the B.C. Federation of Labour, meeting in Vancouver this week, will be taking part in debates regarding the role labour has — or has not—played in supporting and encourag- ing the growth of coalitions in communities around the province. These debates should help set the agenda for the coming year when the demand for meaningful participation in the fightback against corporate power will become more urgent. In 1832, George Sand, in her powerful novel Valentine, captured the mood in France among the educated peasantry, who were then confronting the Big Lie (that edu- cation opened all doors, especially the ones leading out). Barred by both class society and sexism from realizing his dreams, the novel’s hero utterly rejects the pressure to become an upstanding citizen “in this rotten civilization ... to sacrifice my desires, my inclinations, my caprice to its need, that I may be its dupe or its victim, and that the coins I might have tossed to the beggar shall fall into the millionaire’s strong-box.” Among the politically conscious opposi- tion to the corporate agenda, such strong and moving sentiments are compelling an ever-increasing number of people to, in effect, strike a bargain: we will put aside and overcome our differences because the sys- tem is rotten and we won’t be dupes or victims, we will fight for the common good and need. The popular expression of this sentiment is found in the many coalitions which have been established by people in cities, towns and rural areas around the province and the country. The wisdom of unity is an old wisdom and the post-war generation has grown up Labour’s role in coalitions ‘urgent | Labour Forum amidst the numerous examples of what allied, united action has accomplished in this century alone: trade unions, the stem- ming of the Nazi tide, women’s suffrage, civil rights — everything. It is hardly sur- prising, therefore, that coalitions, which reflect the power of unity, should be the chosen form of action across the political spectrum — that is, among. those who seriously want to bring about or influence change. The reluctance of many in the leadership of the-trade union movement to commit themselves, unequivocally, to thé struggle surrounding them is arguably the most urgent question facing rank and file members. The failure of many unions and of the movement as a whole to participate fully in coalitions, to provide resources, support and encouragement for rank and file members who do so, is hot the result of overlooking the obvious truth — that unity is strength. The problem is that the leadership, reflecting an inability to comprehend exactly what is taking place in Canada, does not believe that the power of grassroots coalitions is necessary. It is not called for and it is not desirable. It is also an increasingly serious problem that the leadership does not believe in labour’s own agenda and has little or no confidence in the ability of working people to implement an alternative program. The labour movement, however, is divided within itself. While many leaders This year give gifts that last. Bookstore Telephone: 253-6442 Mastercard Vis@ 12 e Pacific Tribune, November 20, 1989 People’s Co- 1391 Commercial Dr., Van., B.C. V5L 3X5 ee JAPAN: THE BLIGHTED BLOSSOM. By Roy Thomas. $25.95. Hardcover. EAST OF MAIN. Poems from East Van- couver. $12.95. Paper. FANTASY GOVERNMENT. By Stan Persky. $14.95. Paper. declare that they will not stand with lesbi- ans, communists or tree huggers to oppose the corporate agenda, a growing number of their members will and do. While they tackle “big problems” such as labour pro- ductivity, side by side with representatives of the corporate community, many trade union leaders. will not commit resources to fight the corporate agenda which is threat- ening their members. There is wide recognition within the trade union movement that coalitions can wield enormous political power — if there is effective participation from organized labour. There is also recognition that with- out such participation, coalitions, though they may proliferate, will remain weak, short of resources and unable to challenge successfully the dangerous moves presently afoot across the country. If the labour movement will not stand with the community, then it will obviously stand by itself. That is the flip side of the equation. Many of those in the present lead- ership believe that whatever problems con- front organized labour can be easily worked out in the traditional bargaining-table way. Unfortunately, that method is not big on the corporate agenda. What is big on the corporate agenda is the maquiladora in Mexico and the right to work states south of the border, cheap labour in Taiwan and the suppression of trade union rights in Guatemala — or British Columbia. The power of the ballot box, the pro- posed alternative to the uncontrollable power of the coalition, is not sufficient to counter the threat to democratic, trade union and civil rights, the threat to our social programs and standard of living, the threat to our environment and the future of the human species. As an answer to the nt the Days corporate agenda, the ballot box is, in short, inadequate on its own and is certainly inadequate as the sum total of labour’s response. From the point of view of many rank and file unionists and certainly of those fighting cutbacks in social programs, the stakes are very high indeed. We presently have the tools to wield political power in Canada. In 10 years, that may not be the case. Instead of putting the brakes on popular coalitions, labour should be joining the fightback and putting the brakes on the corporate agenda. Time, energy and resources must be put at the disposal of the common good. Such are the founding prin- ciples of the trade union movement. Today, working people, young and old, are confronting the Big Lie: free trade will create jobs, the Meech Lake Accord will unite Canada, cutbacks to unemployment insurance will end unemployment, the GST will be fair, wage cuts will bring job security, de-regulation will bring prices down, privat- ization will end inefficiency, preparations for war will guarantee peace. : The trade union movement, which belongs to the working class, must do more ' than write programs they don’t believe in and register people to vote. Labour must be seen to stand, without ambiguity, in opposi- tion to the Big Lie and in solidarity with those who are fighting for alternatives. It must devote its organizational strength and resources to fight the corporate agenda and bring a strong working class perspective to the struggle. As the old saying goes, if it stands alone, it hangs alone. Colleen Fuller is a member of the Coalition | Against “Free” Trade and is editor of On The | Level. UNION JACK. 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