LABOUR The state steps up attack on labour The latest issue of Canadian Labour, the monthly journal of the Canadian Labour Congress, displays a rivetting pho- tograph on its front cover of riot police, standing guard on the steps of the Parlia- ment buildings, equipped with batons, shields, and other assorted mob destruc- tion paraphernalia. Who are they defending Parliament from? From trade unionists. The increased attack by the state on Canadian labour goes well beyond the co- ordinated and crude riot police assault on normally law-abiding trade unionists. Laws have been changed in virtually every province in Canada to favour employers. B.C. heads the pack with cor- porate state-type Bills 19 and 20. The fed- éral Tory government has already legislated more workers back to work than any fed- “eral government in history. Alberta is fighting the feds for second spot in the union-bashing parade. Getty’s Tories in Alberta have set the stage for the latest outrage against labour with its infamous Bill 44, passed some years ago, to deny nurses the right to strike. But the nurses have struck, and “‘all the king’ s horses and all the king’s men ” were unable to get the nurses back to : work short of an agreement. Canadian labour is just now witnessing Labour in action George Hewison state. Nobody ever really believed that the courts were neutral in labour disputes, even though the odd decision would go in favour of workers, to balance the appear- ance of things, and foster the illusions about the state’s neutrality. Today the courts are being used as col- lection agencies to bankrupt the nurses of Alberta. Workers are being crippled financially as punishment and as an example to others who would tread the same path. The jailing of a group of “pro-- fessional’’ women would not sit well in the public perception. But bleeding them financially is not nearly as messy, and appears to be just as effective as public floggings and the stocks on eos Street. No martyrs. Another ingredient to the faniciaay state attacks on labour is provided by the mass media. Compare the hysterical head- lines by some of our mass circulation and deaths “‘caused” by the nurses strike, with the last hysterical headline about a corpo- ration being held in criminal contempt for causing the death of a worker by violating health and safety in the work place. To be fair, some of the mass media, particularly in Alberta, while not exoner- ating the nurses, have levelled considera- ble blame for the nurses strike on Getty and the Conservatives. They represent a section of big business which believes that the “iron heel” of the Tories is producing exactly the opposite from desired results — nurses are becoming more militant and are beirig driven closer to a united trade union movement. Yes, the state is finally coming out of the closet in terms of labour relations. It’s hardly an act of slickness on the part of the Tories to attempt to threaten, as they have, postal arbitrators, or any kind _labour fisted approach is akin to dismantling the Rand Formula, that historic compromise between labour and capital arrived at Ford in 1946 and since applied throughout Canada, in which unions got a modicum of security, in return for giving up the unfettered right to strike. ~ It’s not known for sure whether the exposure of several CSIS agents in the ranks of labour was a genuine “coming out” or the results of in-house wrangling within the state apparatus. For sure, there has been an increase in state spying, dis- ruption and provocation aimed at the labour movement. The increased attack by the state on 3 is tied to the overall neo- | conservative strategy. It is therefore, part and parcel of the drive for maximizing | profit. The unions stand between the powerful corporations and concessions, speed-up, and work place health and safety. The — unions are in the forefront of the fight for women’s and minority rights. They are moving to the front of the fight for Can- ada, and against the deregulation and pri- vatization which are part and parcel of the neo-conservative agenda. It is therefore no surprise that the stateis | being used more and more to attempt to | drive back the trade unions. It’s also no surprise that Canadian labour is looking ~ yet another level in the reserves of the of “‘neutral” labour arbitrators. This ham- Union keeps up pressure against VGH layoff Backed by a 2,200-signature petition ‘ opposing the layoff of 117 Vancouver Gen- eral Hospital workers, members of the Hospital Employees Union and representa- tives of other trade unions brought their protest to the hospitals doorstep Tuesday. Some 150 workers and union heads, including B.C. Federation of Labour presi- dent Ken Georgetti and Vancouver Labour Council secretary Frank Kennedy, staged an information picket outside the VGH in response to management plans to continue _ with the layoffs. HEU unit chair Mike Barker said the layoffs are part of a British Columbia trend as hospitals prepare to eliminate orderlies and licenced practical nurses (LPNs) — part of the province’s- “team care” system — and replace them with staff con- sisting solely of registered nurses (RNs). Tuesday’s demonstration followed an occupation Feb. 8 of the office of VGH’ president Jim Flett, and a meeting the fol- lowing Thursday at which Flett was pres- ented with the petition and a documented contention that the layoffs will cost the hos- pital an additional $1 million a year. Several dozen hospital workers occupied Flett’s office, not leaving until a promise of Vancouver General Hospital ended 1987 the Feb. 11 meeting was secured. with an estimated $800,000 deficit, the HEU But following that meeting the VGH says. administration, while saying they would Barker said the hospital is now claiming study a written brief once it has been pre- _ financial shortfalls are not the reason for the pared by the union, said they would pro- _ layoffs and that it is instead adopting a ceed with the planned layoffs. system, originated in the United States, (—oonnenenncnonnnnnnneenneee TRIBUNE “consciousness-raising” dailies about at the state through a new set of spectacles, gst ““We’re quite concerned that this is just phase one of the process,” Barker said dur- ing Tuesday’s demonstration. He said similar layoffs are set for Prince George regional hospital and Lions Gate hospital in North Vancouver. The hospital plans to replace the laid off LPNs, orderlies and clerks with registered nurses — which is ironic considering that there is a province-wide shortage of RNs, said Barker. “In fact, layoffs in hospitals are certainly the cause of shortages like that,” he said. Registered’ nurses, which Barker said earn about 30 per cent more than LPNs, will not replace the laid off workers on a one-to- one basis. There will be less of them, but the wage bill will be greater, Barker, an LPN, said. The declining funding by the Social Credit government of the province’s health system has been blamed for the hospital layoffs in the past. A union fact sheet states that provincial funding was 1.6 per cent less in 1987 than for the 1982-83 fiscal year, and that the province would have to add $168 million to that figure to bring health services up to the standard of the early Eighties, eae a mae FIGHTING » «BACK Unionists set up an information picket outside Vancouver General Hospital Feb. 1 6 to protest layoffs. Gerow said he has still received no definitive reply to telegrams requesting meetings with Premier Bill Vander Zalm or Health Minis- ter Peter Dueck over the layoffs. r called “primary nursing.” The plan advocates that all hospital staffs in the U.S. consist of RNs by the year 2000, and similar proposals are underway for - : Canada, he said. “This action shows a shocking disregard ? Sasa sei ratte ee B ae thing ae ie sae if ae pi for oe already facing Sie ublis! at ast Hastings Sree S go, so will the services they provide, is a ous attempt to make dedicated - Vancouver, B.C. V5K 125. Phone 251-1186 - Baker seid. health care workers pay the price of re. > - om un Po oS tee ER Re Se ee ee ee er ‘ “With the loss of those workers, the basic government underfunding,” he charged. > PR ene ee bes rE Ke RA tes g bedside services are bound to slip,” he Unions represented on _ the picket 4 ; Postal Code sie ; g charged. included the B.C. Nurses Union, which "eta aeey Pees So Pee sek a ag Gis i nee wee oe f NDP health critic Lois Boone charged _ represents RNs, the United Fishermen and $ lam enclosing 1 yr. $16() 2yrs.$280) 6 mo. $100 _ §j _ last week that the replacement of orderlies Allied Workers Union, Local 40 of the ; Introductory offer, 3mo. $30 Foreign 1 yr. $251 Bill me later 0 g and LPNs is simply “using the well- Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union publicized nursing shortage to justify bed and the Marineworkers and Boilermakers — closures.” _- Union. Patients also were present on the HEU secretary-business manager Jack line. READ THE PAPER THAT FIGHTS FOR LABOUR as i lal ctl 12 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 17, 1988