LABOR FRONT|

By WILLIAM KASHTAN

The year 1962 promises to be an active one on the bar-
gaining front. With settlements achieved in basic steel and
in the auto industry (apart from Chrysler’s and agricultural

implements) attention is beginning to turn to what may be
crucial negotiations in railway, the woeds industry in Brit-
ish Columbia, highway and water transportation, construc-
tion and meat packing, to mention but a few.

Last year’s negotiations established no new patterns.
Unions by and large concentrated on wage and fringe bene-
fits and: were able to achieve some modest gains .on ‘these
fronts. A characteristic-feature of most settlements was the
long term contracts signed ranging. from two to three years.
Due to lack of agreement and lack of united approach the
hours.issue was sidetracked and for many unions may not
become a decisive factor in negotiations until 1964 or 1965.

* XE oo

With the economic situation developing in a way more
favorable to the workers, targets aimed for in this year’s
negotiations ought to be much higher than in 1961. The
battle for reduced hours of work with no reduction in take
home pay and for increased purchasing’
power ought to be at the centre of all ne-
gotiations. Unfortunately there is no indi-
cation so far by any union that this. will
be the case although here and there unions
are striving for some measure of job se-
curity.

The battle for reduced hours of work
remains the crucial issue for the trade un-
ion movement and sooner or later it will
have to face up to it.

* ae *

The April convention of the Canadian Labor Congress
is a good place from which to get the wheels moving in this
direction, not only in orders but in deeds. This has to be
emphasized because previous conventions of the CLC have
adopted formal resolutions on this subject but then these
were allowed to gather dust on the shelves of the CLC and
most unions

With automation and technological developments, in-

ereased productivity and chronic unemployment, all signs
point to the absolute necessity of battling through on this!

issue or else being faced with a increasingly difficult situ-|

ation.
* *
But to. win on this_vital front will require a greater
measure of unity, co-ordination and solidarity in trade un-
ion ranks than is yet evident. Monopoly is not going to hand
the 30, 32 or 35-hour work week with no reduction in :take

cd

home pay to the workers without bitter struggle. because}

precisely here is an important source ‘of surplus profit for
them. In these conditions a breakthrough by the trade un-
ion movement will require that while one union leads* off,
all unions give unstinted support to the achievement: “of that
demand.

~ ie ee

Unity, coordination and solidarity in each industry and
on a national scale — these are crucial to labor’s ability to
fight through on the‘hours front as it is decisive to whatever
gains can be achieved in this year’s negotiations in railway,
wood, transport and in all’ other industries.

This holds particularly true for-the Royal York Hotel
strike where the workers have conducted an heroic strug-
gle against the CPR and where enormous pressures are be-
ing exerted to compel the union to cave in and give up its
just struggle.

The decision of the CLC executive council to raise funds
to give Christmas gifts to the strikers was a nice gesture but
that is not the way the strike will be won. What these work-
ers need is real solidarity support, something the council
has so far failed to develop, pro-occupied as it is with raid-
ing other unions. It is time it was made to realize .its duties
and its obligations on this front and in connection with ne-
gotiations.by all unions this year.

‘Annual ALL-SLAV Concert

Featuring,Songs and Dances
of the Slavic Nations

Queen Elizabeth Theatre
“Sunday, Jan. 28, 8.30 p.m.

“Admission by Invitation
AVAILABLE AT: 805 E. Pender St., 600. Campbell

Aes 167 Seeker St. and People’s Co-op Baahise

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

'Yanks prepare aggression,

will be beaten—Ho Chi Minh

By BERT WHYTE
HAN OI— American im-
perialists are preparing for
a war of aggression in south
east Asia. but in.the end they.
will. certainly ‘be - defeated,
President Ho Chi Minh cf the

Democratic Republic of Viet-.

nam said last week.

He made this confident pre-
diction in a written reply to
four questions submitted to
him by the Pacific Trbune
correspondent in Peking, who
recently visited Vietnam.

Here are the questions and
Ho Chi Minh’s answers:

(1) Why is the United States
accelerating its military
buildup in South Vietnam at
this time?

ANSWER: Since the restor-
ation of peace in Indochina
following the Geneva agree-
ments, the American imper-
ialists have sought by every
means to turn South Vietnam
into their colony and military
base, to sabotage the peaceful
reunification of the. Vietna-
mese people, to prepare for
a war of aggression in south
east. Asia.

They have set up in South
Vietnam a dictatorial and fas-
cist rule, actively carrying out
a policy of extremely barbar-
ous suppression and . terror-
ism toward the .people of
South Vietnam.

For .their survival, the peo-
ple of South Vietnam . have
been compelled to rise up in
a- ceaseless’ ‘struggle. against
‘their’ criminal: nets and sche-
mes.
er Herings the . American
imperialists are feverishly in--
tensifying’ direct armed»inter-
vention’in South Vietnam . in
an attempt to. destroy . our
southern compatriot’s patriot-

ic movement, to expand"the
war of aggression in South
Vietnam with a, view to sab-
otaging the Geneva agree-
ments, prolonging the parti-

tion of Vietnam, sabotaging
peace in Indochina and south
east Asia.

‘The American inaperialisi’s
brazen acts of aggression are
creating a dangerous tension
in south east Asia.

(2) Restrictive actions by
the Ngo Dinh Diem regime
aimed at the International
Control Commission — and
primarily its Polish members
— indicate that the Diem
group would favor the re-
moval of the ICC from South
Vietnam. What, in your opin-
ion, is the reason for this? ;

ANSWER: This is very easy
to understand. The task of the
ICC is to supérvise and con-
trol the implementation of
the 1954 Geneva agreements
which are international agree-
ments to ensure peace in In-
dochina; the unity, sovereign-
ty and territorial integrity of
Vietnam. The Ngo Dinh Diem
regime, agent of the Americ-
an imperialists, is committing
serious violations of the pro-
visions of the Geneva. agree-
ments, sabotaging the Vietna-
mese people’s efforts to re-
unify their country by. peace-
ful means. ;

The Ngo Dinh Diem. reg-
ime’s desire to see the ICC
leave South Vietnam «means
that the U.S..Diem want’ .to
completely. tear up the Gen-
eva agreements in order’ to

carry. out. their.scheme of sab-.

otaging peace ..in . Indochina.
and south. east: Asia,;.sabotag-
ing the reunification and the
independence. of . Vietnam.
That is a grave danger that

HAVE NEW CONSTITUTION

The Soviet Union will have a new constitution in 1962
which will reflect the advance of socialist democracy, and
the new stage of development of the Soviet state.

The new constitution will make clear: that the Soviet
state is one which expresses the interests and will of the

whole nation.

It will carry forward the extension of socialist democracy
achieved in recent years and will help the development of
already emerging new forms of direct public participation
and control in government and management.

In the new constitution the rights of local government
bodies will be extended and local Soviets will have the last
word on all issues of local importance.

In line with the new program of the Communist Party
of the Soviet Union, there will be a further extension of

the role of trade unions, and other OTS PUIZRMP RG which will ||

receive the right to submit drafi laws.

The most important issues confronting the country will]

be decided upon by nation-wide referendums.
The new constitution will be accompanied by a new mo-

del statute restating in today’s conditions the aims of the |
country’s 45,000 collective farms. .

the Plain of Jars,

People’ $s armed troops in Lacs are:shown in a recent march}
past celebrating the first anniversary: of the acai pee

all peace and justice-loving
people should be aware of. —

(3) You attended the 22nd
Congress of the CPSU. What, —
in-your opinion, was its most
important . lesson for © the
working- class movement of
the world?. ce

ANSWER: The 22nd Con: :
gress of the CPSU is the Con:
gress for the building of
communism in the Soviet
Union, it is also paving the
way to a happy future for all
mankind.

The building of communism
by the Soviet Union will fur:
ther strengthen the great fam-_
ily of socialist countries, con-
solidate world peace, make
the victory of socialism thr-
oughout the world still more
certain and therefore the
peoples of the world will
struggle with still greater
vigor for a lasting peace, na-_
tional independence,  social-
ism.

To the working class ea
the working people all over
the world, the grandiose pro-
gram of the Communist Party
of the USSR to build com-
munism is a great encourage-
ment which will make them
intensify their struggle. They
clearly see that only socialism
and communism can _ free
them from oppression and ex-
ploitation and bring to them ~
a very radiant future of °
peace, labor, freedom, equal-
ity, friendship and happiness.
For, that reason, the working
class and the working people
all. over the world are grate-
ful to the Soviet ‘Union; have —
faith in the support of the So- ~
viet Union, the vanguard in _
the building of-socialism and
communism.

Writing in English, Ho Chi.
Minh ‘added this sentence in
his characteristic bold script: —
“Please convey my friendly
greetings to the people of
Canada.” :

LEGISLATURE

Weekly Radio
commentary by

NIGEL “MORGAN.

Sponsored: by the

Communist
Party

: 9325 p.m.
Every: Sunday

CKWX:

1130. Kilocycles

“January 26, 1962--PACITIG _TRIBUNE—Page 2

,