i a a, aati

AT B.C. FED PARLEY JAN. 27-30: :

Labor should unite for coming wage fight

By LABOR COMMITTEE,
B.C. Communist Party

Every trade unionist in
British Columbia should put
an ‘*X’’ on his calendar
against the following dates:
January 27, 28, 29 and 30.
These are the dates for the
three-way conference and
lobby of the British Columbia
Federation of Labor.

On Saturday, January 27, four days
after the opening of the legislative
session, there will be a conference on
injunctions. On Sunday the 28th,
there will be a conference on the
Workmen’s Compensation Act. On
Monday the 29th, there will be
lobbying of members of the
Legislative Assembly and a wage

policy conference. On Tuesday the
30th, there will be more lobbying if
necessary.

Each local union affiliated to the
Federation will be entitled to a
maximum of two delegates. While
this scale of representation will tend
to restrict the size and effectiveness
of the assembly, the very fact that
such a conference and lobby has been
called is a positive achievement. All
union members should strive for
maximum participation by their
locals.

The decision to hold such an
asssembly is a reflection of the
positive content of the last
convention of the Federation and a
break from the sterile policy that
labor can do nothing about political

; EDITORIAL
End Medicare sabotage

t doesn’t require any special talent to realize that the

political skids are being greased to slide a_ long-
promised - and oft-postponed Medicare into the “sweet by-
and-bye”’.

With federal Liberal hysteria anent the dangers of *‘inflation”’ in
full voice and echoed by every provincial government in one form or
another, the sabotage of Medicare is now almost a complete fait
accompli. Promised for sure'in 1967 to mark Canada’s Centennial, then
postponed until July of 1968, Medicare is now threatened by a Liberal,
Tory and Socred gang-up for indefinite postponement — if not total
abandonment. .

The ‘‘dangers of mounting inflation” are advanced as the over-all
pretext for killing Medicare in 1968, with the old gag of “provincial
rights” under an outmoded constitution — the BNA Act, the handy
vehicle to kill Medicare — as it has killed many other pieces of much-
needed progressive legislation over the years since Confederation.

This is precisely what is happening now with Medicare. In line with
the Pearson government's desire to scrap Medicare — but do not dare
to openly in fear of loss of federal Liberal prestige — and votes,
provincial rights become a handy aid. Exercising those “rights” one
province opposes any idea of Medicare altogether, another says ‘‘not
now, not this year,” while yet another pretends to favor Medicare,
insists that it be maintained entirely by federal financing, but that the
province itself have complete authority in its administration, and so
on. Taken together, a crude and contemptible sabotage of a nation’s
greatest need — and a central government's prime responsibility —
the health and welfare of the nation’s people. .

To win Medicare in 1968, even in an emasculated form, the Canadian
people must awaken to the multiple obstructions now being built up by
Big Business and its political lackies to rid-themselves of a long-

standing ‘‘promise’” of Medicare — now clearly demonstrated, was
never intended to be honored.

In this situation the Canadian people have a dual task, mobilize to cut
short the obvious and deliberate sabotage of their own provincial
Establishments, and demand of the Pearson government no further
reneging on its promises to institute Medicare at the 1968 deadline.

The Nation’s business
n the Liberal party leadership scramble building up,
aes new has been added — the urge in Liberal
ranks to adjourn Parliament so that Liberal MP’s, cabine*
members et al, can attend their leadership convention to
select another refill to lead Canada down the U.S. garden path.

MP’s receive $18,000 per annum, cabinet members $20,000 plus
another $10,000 or thereabouts, for allegedly attending to the “‘nation’s
business", and attending party conventions to select another of the
same to fill Pearson’s shoes is not the nation’s business — although
ultimately it may readily (and most likely will) become the nation’s
responsibility.

Canadians do not favor adjournment of Parliament for such
purposes. It is bad enough to be saddled with the end result, without
footing the bill for a convention to decide it!

Editor—TOM McEWEN -
Published weekly at Ford Bldg., Mezzanine No. 3, 193 E. Hastings St.,
Vancouver 4, B.C. Phone 685-5288.

Associate Editor—MAURICE RUSH

Subscription Rate: Canada, $5.00 one year; $2.75 for six months.
North and South America and Commonwealth countries, $6.00 one year.
All other countries, $7.00 one year. Authorized as second class mail by the

problems beyond working for the
election of New Democratic
candidates.

With approximately half of B.C.’s
union members outside the
Federation, it is to be hoped that non-
affiliates will be allowed to
participate, at least on an observer
basis. Participation by
representatives of the United
Fishermen and Allied Workers
Union would bring the discussion on
injunctions much closer to the
essence of the problem. Similarly, a
discussion on the wage movement
would be more conducive to unity if
key non-affiliates like the Teamsters
and the Pulp and Paper Workers of
Canada were involved. It should also
be noted that many local unions
affiliated to the Canadian Labor
Congress are not affiliated to the
Federation. Their participation
should be encouraged.

* * *

Big business and governments
subservient to it have mounted a
propaganda campaign in favor of
“wage restraints.’’ This campaign
coincides with the imposition of
higher taxes on the working people,
the scuttling of the Carter tax report,
the sharp increase in mortgage rates
for housing and the higher interest
rate for loans in connection with
public works. It must be seen against
the rising cost of living, due~to
monopoly price rigging, and the
effects of the American war. of
aggression in Viet Nam.

Here, in B.C., the Bennett
government is trying to ward off a
serious financial crisis. -It is’ in
difficulty because too much of its
revenue has been channelled into
developing power for the U.S.
monopolies, and because the return
from our alienated resources is too
small. There is a growing realization
in labor circles that British
Columbia needs a new policy in
respect to the extraction and
processing of natural resources.

The provincial government has not
been slow in joining the pack howling
for wage restraints.. Big business
wants to hold wages down and to
introduce ‘‘deflationary measures’?
that will cut down on.social spending
and create a larger pool of
unemployed.

The free enterprise newspapers
have been hammering away on the
theme that wage increases are

Free labor — Socred style

outstripping productivity in Canada.
A recent publication issued by the
Canadian. Department of Labor —
“The Behavior of Canadian Wages

And Salaries ‘In’ Thé Post-War ~° to* civic employees: Take~ five”
Period” — exposes the fallacy of this ~ Meee tat

propaganda. Whereas ‘real hourly
earnings in manufacturing increased
by 53.8 percent between 1949 and 1965
(in terms of 1949 dollars),
productivity increased by a
whopping 86.7 percent.

Many important unions will go into
collective bargaining in 1968. For
example: the International
Woodworkers of America, the two
Pulp unions, Oil and Chemical
Workers, Carpenters, Laborers,
Teamsters, Operating Engineers,

\ Transit Workers, Telephone
* Workers, Smelter Workers at

Cominco and Municipal Employees.
They can expect to meet stiff

~ percent of go on strike. ~~" + *«

resistance this year, as evidenced by
the drawn-out strike of interior

woodworkers and the ultimatum of -

Vancouver’s Mayor. Tom Campbell

The successful strike at Pacific

Press, the settlements of the

~ Butchers and Bakers in the large

chain stores and the settlement of
the 2000 B.C. Hydro Office
Employees all demonstrate that the
4-5 percent wage increase barrier
erected by big business can be
pushed aside by militant action,
unity and correct tactics.

The conference in Victoria can go
a long way towards uniting the labor
movement for the coming wage
battles. It should call for an end to

See LABOR UNITY, pg. 12

‘Lower fares for pensioners’

By ALD. H. RANKIN
Our senior citizens have asked for
reduced rates when using the bus
transit system — a $5 annual pass to
be used only during slack periods and

‘a straight 5¢ fare during rush hours.

The request was made in a brief
presented to the provincial cabinet
last month by fourteen organizations
joined together in the Federated
Legislative Council of the Elder
Citizens’ Associations of B.C.

The request deserves the full
support of all citizens. I hope that
labor and community groups will
hasten to back up our senior citizens.

For many pensioners, unable to
drive or afford a car; buses are the
only means of transportation. They
must use them for visits to the
doctor and dentist, shopping, and

_visits to relatives and friends. Yet

many pensioners have incomes so
low — $105 a month for a husband, .
with another $57.50 for the wife
where the-husband has reached
pensionable age but not the wife, and
this must cover rent. food. clothing.
ete. — that present bus rates present

- SEE TOM McEWEN’S
COLUMN, PAGE 10

This fact has been recognized in
other cities where special reduced
rates are provided for pensioners.
Regina provides passes at $5 a year,
good at all times. In Saskatoon the
cost of a similar unrestricted pass is
$6 and a restricted pass for use
during slack periods costs only 50¢ a
year.

In Edmonton free passes are
issued to all who receive the
following benefits: supplementary
benefits to old-age security pensions
or old-age assistance, widow's
allowance, war veterans, and
disability pensions. In Calgary free
transportation (with restricted
hours) is provided to pensioners who
have passed the provincial
government means test. Special
Fare Passes (at half the price of
adult fares) are issued by the
Welfare Department to persons over
sixty-five and these are restricted to
9:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday to
Saturday, but are good all day

In Vancouver nothing has been
done for pensioners. While the old.
B.C. Electric (noted for its
stinginess) owned the bus transit
system, this was to be expected.
Now, however, when the provincial
government owns and runs B.C.

Hydro, including the bus system,

there is surely no excuse for any
longer delaying this small but
important concession to our senior
citizens.

Our pensioners have earned it by a
lifetime of productive work to build
up our country. What's more,
reduced rates will cost B.C. Hydro
very little, if anything, since the
buses are running in any case, often
half empty.

* KOK

P.S.: I will be issuing a statement in
a few days dealing’ with the tax
assessment notices which Vancouver
homeowners received last week. In
the meantime, if you believe vour
property has been assessed at too
high a figure, be sure to file an
appeal with the Assessment
Commission at City Hall by January

a ee ae aa

Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for payment of postage in cash.
SSUES SSeS t v5 = areal hardship for‘them.-- ee. ‘Sunday and holidays: © orecneer ene 5th: thedéadliné.” **"*""* a :

1 SANUARYT2, 19EBASPACIFIC TRIBUNEPage 2