Convention adopts progressive policies

SFL moves against inflation

REGINA — The annual con-
vention of the Saskatchewan
Federation of Labor mainly
dealt with the fightback against
inflation and the development of
Saskatchewan’s_ resources to
provide jobs and a better life for
Saskatchewan’s working people.

A resolution put before the
Convention called for the con-
vening of the Saskatchewan
Minimum Wage Board to con-
duct hearings to raise the mini-
mum wage to $2.50 an hour.
Ron Ruth, rynning as an inde-
pendent labor candidate in Re-
gina’s civic elections, moved an
amendment, Claiming that the
resolution would put off action
for a year. He stated that the
SFL should immediately call for
a minimum wage of $2.50 per
hour and for the minimum wage
board to be convened to hold
hearings aimed at raising it to
$3.00 an hour. This carried. He
also called for restrictions on
the government handing out
permits to extend the working-
day beyond 8 hours.

The Convention also  con-
demned the “violent, brutal rape
of people’s rights in Chile” and
called “for an immediate U.N.
investigation” to determine the
extent of American and foreign
corporations and other _right-
wing elements’ involvement. The

Convention called upon _ the
“Trudeau government. to with-
draw recognition of this military
band and use every means pos-
sible through UN: to mobilize
world opinion and action so that
a democratic government is re-
established in Chile.”

The Convention called for
actions “so as to eliminate dis-
crimination. (and to) establish
economic justice and begin to
end. occupational segregation for
women workers.”

A representative of the Con-
sumers’ Association of Canada
came before the convention to
speak on inflation: His position
was that the power of the big
corporations and the power of
the unions —. which he declared
to be equal — be broken. He
said that high prices were being
caused by the inefficiency of the
workers, which meant that the
big corporations were not mak-
ing enough profits. He said that
the CAC advocates the purchas-
ing of cheaper foods; and that
the CAC opposes the boycott
system.

Ron Ruth, known widely as a
Communist, took the floor and
said, “We don’t need represen-
tatives to come into this con-
vention and tell us corporations
are not making excessive pro-
fits. We don’t need people to

come into trade union conven-
tions to tell-us workers that we
are inefficient. We don’t need
anybody to tell us that we are
too powerful; we are not power-
ful enough. We don’t need any-
one to come into the trade union
movement to tell us how to cook
cabbages 21 different ways. We
don’t need anyone to tell us to
accept low incomes. This repre-
sentatives of the CAC is here to
apologize for the big corpora-
tions, not-to represent the inter-
ests of our workers.”

The Communist Party handed
out the pamphlet, For an Inde-
pendent, Sovereign and United
Trade Union Movement, the-rail-
road insert in the Canadian
Tribune prepared by the Central
Executive Committee and a spe-
cial ‘leaflet calling for support
for Luis Corvalan, general sec-
retary of the Communist Party
of Chile.

The debate at the convention
on the CCU (Canadian Council
of Unions) revealed no support
whatsoever for. the CCU. In fact,
a number of speakers stated
their support of what they term-
ed “truly international” unions.
It was pointed out that the CCU
was not organizing the unorgan-
ized, but seeking to capitalize

on problems. A call was voiced

at the convention to bring more

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workers into unions, such as
part time women employees,
working for Simpsons, The Bay
and Eatons:

The composition of the elect-
ed officers of the convention re-
mained unchanged. Ron Ruth
ran for the position of Executive,
Secretary and received 55 out of
238 votes. The failure to change
the composition of the execu-
tive body does indicate that
while the convention adopted
progressive .policies, this was
not reflected in the elections of
its officers which would have
ensured a year-round continuing
struggle and the mobilization of

the trade union membership 10 ~
win its positions. ?

The names of all the trade
unionists running in the civic
elections were read out, with
the exception of the name 0
Ron Ruth. He corrected the
error.

The convention declared its
support to the B.C. trade union
movement in its present strug”
gle against the proposed legisla-
tion to which it objects. Mf.
Ross Hale was re-elected presi
dent of the SFL. He called upo?
the Saskatchewan trade unio?
movement to fight back and

‘=

Peoples unity —the Chilean

This article, which appeared
in the British Communist Morn-
ing Star on Oct. 15, is by Volo-
dia Teitelboim, Chilean Senator
and member of the Political
Bureau and Central Committee
of the Chilean Communist Party,
who was in Europe at the time
of the fascist coup.

as a *

Chile’s tragic experience and
the junta’s brutal coup in over-
throwing the Popular Unity gov-
ernment has given rise to many
questions by democrats and pro-
pressives all over the world.

Among the questions being
asked is whether the Chilean
way maintains its validity.

We believe that its essential
validity remains. We continue
to think that only the union of
the national majority against
the junta, and this potential feel-
ing already exists, can end this
dark and mournful period which

Boi

has no parallel in our history.

Of course we have to take ac-
count of the weaknesses and
energetically correct mistakes
that have been made.

Basic Changes

We need to learn all that was
positive and negative in the
three years of Popular : Unity
government, which carried out
basic changes in the country’s
structure, suppressed imperialist
domination, the domination of
the big landed interests and of
the financial and industrial oli-
garchy in the country’s econo-
my.

In our opinion, the concep-
tion of a pluralist revolution in
the heart of the people, which
brings together Marxist, Chris-
tian and rationalist forces who
are for social change and revol-
ution, maintains its full validity.

At a time of reverses, people
preaching despondency and apa-

Workers rounded up by Chilean soldiers.

thy appear like mushrooms.

Lenin dealt with them in the

period after the 1905-Revolution

which was not, as -Plekhanov
claimed, the end of the .Revolu-
tion, but as Lenin: said, the be-
ginning.

Mass Struggle

In Chile, a new stage is begin-
ning of revolutionary and patri-
otic struggles, of national resist-
ance against fascist dictator-
ship. We ‘are certain that this
will release the forces of the
majority and that the initiative
and energy of the masses will
develop in various forms, jn
various fields and on various
fronts.

We have been opposed to a
coup and to civil war. We do
not want violence for the sake
of violence. But faced with ag-
gressive fascism, faced with the
junta thirsting for human blood,
the people must defend them-
selves in a united mass struggle
which will develop and which
will be waged by all the means
that history advises.

Despite all the tragic disap-
pointments of the last three
years, it is now necessary to
clarify the strategy with regard
to the middle strata, extending
the patriotic, democratic, anti-
fascist front, in a flexible com-
bination of methods of struggle.

The days since the coup have
shown the growing isolation of
the junta inside Chile and
abroad.

Collective Will

Our position is not against
every soldier, against every of-
ficer, but against fascism, whet-
er in uniform or in civilian
clothes.

It is necessary to remember
President Allende’s final words
before he fell in battle, that the.
people’s right must be _trans-
formed into the people’s might.

Book bonfires light up the streets of Santiago.

struggle for its aims. =

This implies, not only organiz-
ing the majority, but also elim-
inating internal differences, a
single policy, a strategy and
tactic which co-ordinates the
collective will of revolutionary
forces of different origins.

The death of Allende, the
temporary defeat of the people
does not annul the validity of
our program which corresponds
to the most vital needs of the
Chilean people.

Chile today looks like at ih
try occupied by nazism)
reactionary - military
September 11 has all
acteristics of Hitlerite

The number of thse
now runs into tens of fe
and each day the list ant
tions lengthens. The M* i
on, and each night the =,
search street by streets ots ;
down doors, burning 4
leaving behind them ™

PACH IC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1973—PAGE 6