“The Canadian labor move-
ment is on the brink of a major

split...” (2) At least, this is
how Wilfred List, Toronto Globe
and Mail labor reporter, sees the
situation following the decision
by the Canadian Labor Congress
to accept into direct affiliation
three provincial civil service
associations over the objection
of the Canadian Union of Public
Employees with jurisdiction in
the public service field.

“The next move is up to
CUPE’s national executive
board,” Mr. List continues. He
concludes this from authoriza-
tion given by CUPE’s 1971 con-
vention to withhold per capita
tax from the CLC if it granted
affiliation to civil service asso-
ciations in the way it has now
done.

Crippling Blow

Needless to state, a CUPE
withdrawal from the CLC would
be a crippling blow to trade
union unity. It would open the
door to private employers and
governments to get still tougher
with their workers. Those who
believe that splits and secession
is the road to paradise would
glory in the chaos that would
ensue. Those who want to make
second class citizens of public
service workers by taking away

nF their right to strike would be
a quick to take advantage of such
a situation. Labor Minister John

Munro’s recent statements would

indicate that the government

may be more than pleased to

actively assist such a develop-

» Ment.

The interests of the trade
union movement and the work-
ing class of Canada demands
that such a calamity must be
averted.

ok * e

There can be no room for equi-
vocation on the point that estab-
lished jurisdictions of affiliated
unions within the CLC must be
respected.

Necessary changes in struc-
ture and organizational policy
must be based on voluntary and
democratic principles. But there
has to be a limit to the veto
power that any single union can
impose to keep unions and work-
ers outside the congress from

BY BRUCE MAGNUSON

LABOR SCENE These are times when

labor must be united

being brought into the house of
labor.

The constitutional provision
for a two-thirds majority to
override any single veto is to
assure congress.the needed pow-
er to carry out its duties to all
affiliated unions, as well as to
the working class.

One of the main responsibili-
ties of congress is to assist the
struggle for autonomy for Cana-
dian workers, and moving in the
direction of a fully independent,
sovereign and united trade union
movement in this country.

Respect for these guidelines
will assure Canadian workers the
organizational strength, unity
and solidarity needed to protect
and advance their interests and
needs.

The questions raised by CUPE
have gained recognition in the
policy now embarked upon by
the CLC to: organize non-union
workers, and to reaffiliate and
bring back into the house of
labor all workers who are will-
ing and eligible to join. CUPE’s

-claims are legitimate and ac-

knowledged as such in the deci-
sion to create a national organi-
zation of provincial civil service
associations within two years.

CUPE’s president, Stanley Lit-
tle is quoted as saying: “The
international unions have decid-
ed they run the CLC.” But the
CLC decision on policy of orga-
nization is more clearly a move
toward more than less autonomy.

Similarly with the aim to or-
ganize a country-wide federation
of provincial civil service asso-
ciations. In what way can one
truthfully claim that this will
weaken the Canadian content
and autonomy of the CLC?

CUPE’s argument that civil
service associations are not
unions, that they support com-
pulsory arbitration in place of
strikes, and that once they are
in the congress there will be no
pressure on them to change, is
not a convincing argument. It is
difficult to believe that govern-
ment emp/oyees will learn more
about. trade union principles out-
side the trade union movement.
Right now the question is to
bring them into the mainstream
of organized labor.

It would seem that a drive to
organize these workers is long
overdue. In B.C., government
employees have their own union
affiliated for some time directly
to the CLC. In New Brunswick,
CUPE has established itself. Now
that others are knocking on the
door of the CLC, why not com-
plete the work of bringing pro-
vincial civil servants into the
house of labor and deal with
form and structure once this is
done?

Most obvious is the fact that
CUPE will not help to solve
any real or imaginary problem
in this regard by withdrawing
from the CLC. Where would it
go? Even more to the point, the
only ones to benefit would be
the vested big business interests
and their Liberal and Tory poli-
ticians who want organized
workers divided and fighting
each other. Surely these are
questions that ought to be de-
bated by the CUPE membership.
It is of the greatest importance
that it’s forthcoming convention
in Montreal next November
make the contribution that a
great organization like CUPE is
capable of, in the direction of an
independent, sovereign and unit-
ed Canadian trade union move-
ment.

Must Be United

To the extent that any prob-
lem exists between CUPE and
the CLC it will not be solved
from the top without the in-
volvement of the membership.

These are times when labor
must be united, not divided. It
is well that the officers of both
the CLC and CUPE fully realize
this fact. In the final stage it is
the membership which will set-
tle accounts and make the judg-
ments on its leaders, based on
how well they have fought for
its interests and needs. It is
essential that those elected to
power to make decisions and to
lead, be constantly reminded of
this.

The anti-labor policies of the
corporate and state structure of
monopoly capital cannot be de-
feated by a fragmented trade
union movement. Only 4ll-inclu-
sive unity can cope with this
enemy of the workers.

Isolated feudalism’ at Asarco

For 10 of the last 30 months
hard-rock miners in Buchans,
Newfoundland have been forced
on strike against one of Can-
ada’s most arrogant corpora-
tions — Asarco.

In the August issue of Steel
Labor, Steelworkers National
Director William Mahoney de-
scribed the corporation’s activ-
ities as “isolated feudalism” in
Buchans.

The striking workers live in
run-down company housing that
is barely habitable in the win-
ter. The wages, when the work-
ers were not into a_ forced
strike situation were low, even
by Newfoundland _ standards.
Conditions are so bad in the
town that even the Progressive
Conservative government in the

4 province had to initiate an in-
dustrial commission to look into
the causes of the strike.

Report Ignored

The commission produced the
Dyer Report of its findings and
recommended the immediate
implementation of its recom-

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, SERTEMBER 21, 1973—PAGE 8
ea es

mendations. But Asacro, true to
its multi-national image, has
ignored the report and its re-
commendations and has remain-
ed oblivious to any suggestions
that could lead to an end of the
strike.

Asacro evidently feels that it
is on solid ground in refusing
even the most. elementary de-
mands of the workers and even
of the government. The Americ-
an-owned company has mines in
other parts of the world and it
appears content to try to starve
the workers back to work and
claims that the strike is not
affecting its overall production
of minerals.

Multi-national Octopus

Like a giant octupus, Asarco
tentacles are far reaching. Asar-
co claims 100% control over 19
mining operations — eight in
the U.S., three in Canada, two
in Peru, one each in New Zea-
land, Bolivia, England and Aus-
tralia and, not at all surprising-

The striking workers, despite
the heavy-handedness of the
company in Buchans, have re-
ceived considerable support in
their struggle,and their mili-
tancy remains high.

-Don Head, President of the
striking local in Buchans has
said “there is no reason why our
people should be put through
further hardship because of
Asarco’s arrogant defiance of
the Government of Newfound-
land, the union and the em-
ployees.

“The Government should now
act and I am sure that every
Newfoundlander would support
them, as well as the people of
Canada generally. Asarco is try-
ing to push us all around and
it’s time they learned that Cana-
dian workers will not stand for
that.”

During February, overseas
clearances and shipments of

ly, one in Chile. One of its Canadian grain to the United
companies is listed without States, totalled 42.6 million
naming the country. bushels.

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~  RE

CP call for unity

Action against price hikes

TORONTO — In a bold move
aiming for decisive action
against runaway prices of ne-
cessities, the national leader of
the Communist Party of Canada,
William Kashtan, has called
upon a number of organizations
angered by price rises, to take
united action.

Proposing “an all- Canada
crusade . . . to roll back prices
and curb monopoly profits,” the
Communist leader said that his
Party “believes such united ac-
tion is long overdue, both in the
economic and political arena.”

The unity letter went to the
Canadian Congress of Labor,
Confederation of National Trade
Unions (CNTU), National Farm-
ers Union, New Democratic
Party, Congress of Canadian
Women, Women Against Soar-
ing Prices, and La Ligue des
Femmes du Québec.

The letter cited the ‘“deterior-
ating situation confronting
working people in town and
country arising from galloping
inflation,” and the fact that “the
inflationary price spiral has dug
deeply into working people’s
living standards, and further ag-
gravated the growing difficulties
of th poor, the pensioners and
others on fixed income.”

Tory Freeze

Charging that government eco-
nomic and financial policy is not
directed to cope with these prob-
lems, but rather to make the
rich richer and the poor poorer,
the Communist letter warned
that these outrages “would-be
codified in law if the Conserva-
tive Party’s wage freeze policy
were instituted.

“Inflation has become the
means through which state mo-
nopoly capitalism redistributes
the national income in favor of
the corporations and the weal-
thy at the expense of the living
standards of the working peo-
ple,” the Communist’ leader
pointed out.

In this letter, he accused both
Liberals and Tories of refusing
“to come to grips with rising
unemployment, economic insta-
bility and uncertainty.

Instruments of Monopoly

“They cannot and will not act
on behalf-of the public because
they are the instruments of mo-
nopoly policies in Canada. This

PROFITS UP

Asarco’s total assets for
1972 are close to the billion
dollar mark . . . $989,991,000.
As compared to 1965 this is an
increase of 94.5%) when the
total’ asset figure stood at
$505,777,000.

Profits for 1972 were $360,-
706,000 as compared to $240,-
672,163 in 1965.

aypoyit! wtp thrgas «

aged poerrigT Vartpel at

is to be seen in the so-calle

anti-inflation program of
Government which is merely #
exercise in shadow boxing. 74
ing over the Tory program, —
Government has “frozen” price
of bread and milk at the highes.
price, tapped the oil corporation’
on the wrist, but refused t0 ©
what must be done if the WO!
ing people are to be protecté
roll back prices and curb m?
poly profits. i
“This soft approach to mor,
poly contrasts sharply wit ‘
harsh position of Liberals ae
Tories regarding the just ©),
mands of the railway worke™
says the CPC letter. ty
“It took the Senate eX).
one hour to enact the st
breaking legislation which C7,
pelled railway workers rat!
back to work at sub-stam "re
wages,” it reminds. “Comes
this to the time it takes Pa,

pest i
ment to enact legislation t0 8, |

a.square deal to pensione®, an
poor, the working farmers
working people generally.

rdue
Long Ove ne net
e face
the government’s uphold”.
capitalist profit and exploit
the letter stated: of
“The Communist Paty ac’
Canada believes such unite the
tion is long overdue, bot ID ve
economic and political ate0 (74.
propose that an all-Canac@

a
sade be undertaken to ve pro"

prices and curb monOPO’ ng

fits. We believe that the onsvl
dian Labor Congress if Cr i
tation with the National »
ers Union, the New Dem Cott
Party, women’s groups, the a
munist Party and all O'} jing
tions interested In. c
prices down, should init!
a campaign which coul

the form of a mass

mass lobbying of Pat

terest.
Workers to Benefit tio
Pointing out that such #40
“will give a new
Canada, away from
control, to the control nty
ada’s destiny and sovers™ Kast”
the Canadian people, Mvort
tan’s letter urged “op0s
consideration” of this Po”
for united action. - anit
“While each of our Ore ip
tions,” he concluded, “SY cris
its own way to react tO poli
of capitalist economi¢
there is no question
united action could mu
effort a hundred-, yes: mh
sand-fold. The workiné ¢ i
will be the beneficiaries
an effort.”

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