LABOR SCENE

by Bruce Magnuson

The International Brotherhood
of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill
Workers union has just conclud-
ed its’ international convention
in Montreal. It is not very often
that the 193,000-member union,
with 40,000 of them in Canada,
holds its international gatherings
here.

This particular convention was
held in Canada at a time when
the desire for autonomy for the
Canadian section of the union is
stronger than it has ever been.
This fact was clearly to be seen
in the large number of resolu-
tions on the subject. The propo-
sals or more autonomy included
more or less sweeping proposals
for change.

One of the resolutions, com-
ing from mill workers at Gati-
neau, proposed that the Cana-
dian members form a separate
Canadian union. But the sum
and substance of the majority of
resolutions on this important
topic, proposed roughly the fol-
lowing:

e@ that Canadian members con-
stitute a separate unit, to handle
union affairs in Canada by offi-
cers elected by Canadians;

e that per capita levied on
Canadian members be sent to
and administered by the union’s
Canadian director, rather than to
the international headquarters in
the United States;

e that a supplementary strike
fund be established in Canada;

e that the Canadian director
be authorized to approve Cana-
dian collective bargaining agree-
ments (which now must be ap-
proved by the president-secre-
tary of the international union)

and generally be responsible for
the operations of the union in
Canada;

e that Canadian officers of the
international union be elected by
Canadian delegates to its inter-
national convention. (Presently
their election must take place
at an International Convention
or be ratified by the union as a
whole) ;

e that the number of Canadian
vice-presidents of the interna-
tional be increased, with special
effort to give more representa-
tion to the Atlantic provinces.

There were, to be sure, also
resolutions opposing Canadian
autonomy. Coming from Cana-
dian locals,. such resolutions
were decidedly in the minority,
but they were there. One such
resolution from Grand’ Mére,
Quebec, proposed a commission
of inquiry to study the matter.

The resolution adopted by the
Edmonton convention of the
Canadian Labor Congress in
May, 1970, had a positive influ-
ence on the issue of Canadian
autonomy and proves that the
CLC is not without power to in-
fluence the situation.

Those who oppose autonomy
tend to confuse it with a split as
between Canadian and USS.
workers, something that would
weaken the bargaining power
and fighting strength of their
union. This feeling is mutual
across the border. One _ local
union in Neenah, Wisconsin
(headquarters of Kimberley-
Clarke, the notoriously anti-
union company against which
workers in St. Catharines are
now striking since last July) call-

ed for a merger of all inter-
national unions in the whole pulp
and paper industry. It is the
workers who are faced with the
toughest bosses who learn to
appreciate the value of unity.

Several resolutions before the
convention in Montreal called
for a merger between the Pulp,
Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers
and the United Papermakers and
Paperworkers. A merger of that
kind would be most beneficial
to workers in the industry in
both Canada and the US. It
could be extended to include
other unions to make it one
strong industrial union from the
stump to the finished product in
the pulp and paper industry.
There is no question that merg-
ers of this kind would strengthen
workers’ power to bargain and
to present a united front to anti-
labor bosses.

Workers’ concern for unity is
natural and correct. But it is
wrong to counterpose the need
for unity to Canadian union au-
tonomy, as if such autonomy
can only be secured at the ex-
pense of unity.

International working class
unity can only be built upon a
firm class and democratic foun-
dation which recognizes the right
of the workers of every nation
to determine their own policies.

Moreover, international work-
ing-class unity has to extend to
the workers of all countries —
not just to those of Canada and
the USA.

Finally, international working
class unity and genuine solidar-
ity and brotherhood has to be
based upon an understanding of
the working class as a class for

Fighting

closures in

Quebec

By SAM WALSH

From 8.4% -in June unem-
ployment in Quebec rose in July
to 8.6% in the season when un-
employment should decrease.

Minister of Finance Garneau
forecasts a record 13% unem-
ployed rate for this winter .

As a result of the 10% sur-
charge imposed at the Ameri-
can frontier by President Nixon,
more than $400,000,000 of Que-
bec manufactured goods are en-
dangered this year.

All the optimistic statements

of Quebec Premier Bourassa,
claiming Nixon’s declaration of
economic war will strengthen
U.S. economy and will as an end
result contribute positively to
Quebec’s econdmy, are as big a
hoax as was his promise of
100,000 jobs.
Pattern for Repression

It is against this background
that one must understand the
demand of a member of the
Bourassa cabinet that Quebec
(and all provinces) be given the
right to adopt its own War
Measures Act; that the federal
government seeks to stress the
internal role of the Canadian
army and proposes setting up a
special “anti-subversive” organ-
ization.

The Communist Party of Can-
ada gave good counsel to work-
ers when it proposed that any
plant threatening to lay off its
employees be made a crown cor-
poration (nationalization); and
that where government (federal
or provincial) fails to protect
the workers in question they
take their future into their own
hands through “sit-ins” or

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1971—PAGE 4

“work-ins” (occupying the plant
while continuing production).

The events in Mont-Laurier
highlight the decisive import-
ance of united action by laid off
workers together with the af-
fected population, in order to
force the government’s hand.

Joint Action

Over 1,000 people joined in
the biggest demonstration ever
organized in Mont-Laurier by
the common front (the Confe-
deration of National Trade
Unions and the Catholic Union
of Farmers) to protest the clos-
ing of Sogefor’s two plants in
the area. Mr. Bourassa felt ob-
liged to send a message to the
demonstration stating he would
meet the demonstrators’ repre-
sentatives the next day.

A kind of crown corporation
(provincial), Sogefor is a branch
of the General Finance Society
(established by the Quebec gov-
ernment) holding 50% of the
shares of industries in which it
invests. But in spite of the
well-known 100,000 jobs pro-
mise of Bourassa in September
1970, the GFS_ announced the
shutdown of the two industries,
Dubé and Dupan of Lac-des-Iles
near Mont-Laurier.

The workers then protested
and organized demonstrations.
On February 19 Premier Bou-
rassa advised them the plants
would stay open for as long as
it took Sogefor to find a purch-
aser.

Closed Down

Last June 20 Sogefor closed
its doors, laying off its 150 em-
ployees.

“The Mont-Laurier demon-

stration organized by the com-
mon front of the CNTU-CUF
shows that the submissiveness
of’ these workers 1s more and
more giving way to their deter-
mination to win their cause,”
writes Le Devoir. The common
front has won the support of
the clergy, of the mayors of all
the municipalities involved, and
even of the Chamber of Com-
merce.

Are these workers who have
been laid off going to wait
again until Bourassa orders the
plants reopened, or will they
act in their own interests as the
Glasgow shipyard workers did
in a similar situation by organ-
izing a “work-in”, which is still
functioning? Newfoundland’s
Premier Joey Smallwood is pro-
posing the provincial govern-
ment purchase Bowater’s New-
foundland paper mill to prevent
the shutdown of “number 7 ma-
chine” on Nov. 1, and the direct
loss of 350 jobs with those of
600 to 900 lumber workers plac-
ed in jeopardy. Financial circles
doubt the Bowater Paper Corp.
of London will accept the offer.
What then?

As much.as anywhere, if not
more so, plant closures are the
order in the day in Quebec.

Experience has shown that
Quebec workers, no more than
those in Ontario or elsewhere,
will not fall down on their
knees, weeping with arms fold-
ed. May they stand or sit in
front of their machines in oper-
ation, strong in their own deter-
mination and unity and in the
solidarity of the people in the
defense of their jobs.

(Combat)

itself, an exploited class whose
universal aim is to abolish that
exploitation and build a new so-
ciety based on the rule of labor
in place of the-rule of the big
capitalist monopolies and impe-
rialist domination.
ob * *

The Montreal convention of
the International Brotherhood of
Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill
Workers had 1,200 delegates
from the United States and Can-
ada. It is safe to say that the U.S.
delegates outnumbered the Can-
adians about 5 to 1. The spirit
which prevailed there when the
Canadian proposal, to elect the
Canadian vice-presidents by a
vote of Canadian delegates only,
was voted down by U.S. dele-
gates cannot be described as a
spirit of brotherhood and inter-
national solidarity. This was
simply a matter of an interna-
tional union based in the U.S.
dominating its Canadian mem-
bers in the same way that U.S.
monopolies dominate the Cana-
dian economy. This is not inter-
nationalism. It is paternalism
and subservience.

It is this policy which endan-
gers unity of Canadian workers
at home, and leads to their iso-
lation from workers abroad. In
fact this is what has happened in
the Canadian paper industry,
where, instead of unity we have
disunity.

The reverse side of U.S. dicta-
tion and domination is extreme
nationalism. This means that in-
stead of a class approach to the
problems facing the working
class within the scope of our na-

INTERNMENT
CAMP

a ARBITRARY
+ ARRESTS

x

Premier Brian Faulkner, March 26

“What 4 am concerned about is that
ireland gets a fair crack of the w’

tional interests, we are ice
ed: with national prejudl!
ned to fever pitch am
regard for the class as
main battle betwee? C@P 9
labor. i

The enemies of thé
class, both in Canada © qi
U.S., are the Canadian @ spit fe
ed States monopolies. BY why
ing their power and ©) agidy
other countries they 4 he wort? I
the main enemy 9° al i
everywhere. ; 4

When U.S. capital ae k
abroad to take adval gt]
cheap labor at the expe lk
the U.S. workers, We

pect

nave ,

. 1 a
ourselves: “How forele ay Hy,
foreign competition Ti
talking about?” ne iy

: nve®
The same question "4,

ed in Canada. .. poll fh
Present U.S. economle ae ko
threaten to destroy ae
Canadian workers: e dell
cies are not going to P tio f
by any retreat into io
isolation or exclusl¥
cannot be defeated
such as “Buy Ameri
Canadian.” such slogan
serve to cover UP tio
multi-national corpor
are completely aga ri
ests of the working ©", qt
International unily Pit
more than ever again’ uti )
tional monopoly. Such cate Ba
quires an autonomous ooh
trade union movemen i, Ww
ing on a fraternal eee ts Og
other national conting™ out ©
working class throl ;
world. ;

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