“WE'VE TESTED IT EVERYWHERE. iT POSITIVELY BEATS THE PILL FOR BIRTH CONTROL.“

BCFL hits labor laws,
urges war on poverty

Cont'd. from Pg. 1

‘“‘Until recent years, the
question of preserving our
environment was raised by only
a handful of individuals who
were dismissed as fanatics or
cranks. Now, when we are in
danger of being too late, many of
us have awakened to the grave
danger threatening the future of
our planet,”’ states the brief in
its preliminaries to the problems
of pollution.

POLLUTION

The BCFL criticizes ‘‘short-
sighted . . . exploiters of
resources’? who attack every
individual and group speaking
out against environmental
destruction. The trade union
movement has been one of the
first segments of the com-
munity to take a stand.

No government on the
continent have really come to
grips with pollution problems,
the brief charges. It sharply
criticizes the activities of the
Pollution Control Board set up in
B.C.

“The performance of the
Board in the last year has
completely destroyed public
confidence inits sincerity.” _—

Critical of the way in which to
date the Board has conducted
hearings into pollution problems,
the trade union submission
states, ‘In connection with the
hearings concerning the applica-
tion by Utah Mining Company
for permits to dump mine wastes
into Rupert Inlet, the Board
appeared primarily concerned
with avoiding public scrutiny ina
way which would minimize any
public fuss.

The brief recommends:

erhat a Lower Mainland
Quality Management area be
established for the purpose of
dealing with Fraser River
pollution.

Log salvaging proceeds should
not be returned to the forest
industry, resulting in a
substantial reduction in the
amount of logging waste fouling
coastal waters.

Clean up snags in reservoirs
such as Stave Lake, Bear Creek,
etc.

Reverse present policy which
allows mining permits in
undeveloped park areas.

“In conclusion, our general
concern is that environmental
preservation must be given

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1971—PAGE 12

priority over industrial exploita-
tion and that the provincial
government must retain and
exercise responsibility for
pollution control. This cannot be
left to municipalities nor to the
goodwill of private industry

FIGHT POVERTY

‘Who are the disadvantaged?
They include the unemployed
and underemployed, the urban
wage earner, the farm worker
and often the small farmer.
Among their number are the
majority of our old people, many
of our young people, most of our
mentally or physically disabled
‘ recent immigrants
suffering exploitation and
Native Indians exploited in a
land which was forcibly taken
from them. . . veterans of wars
and aimless young people who
have rejected a society which
tolerates war and exploitation.”’

In these words which outline
the numbers in B.C. who are
casualties of ‘‘the good life’, the
BCFL brief introduces a
program which could in some
measure alleviate the situation.

“The many citizens in B.C.
who are employed at sub-
standard wages .
stantially assisted by two simple
measures: A dramatic increase
in the minimum wage and
expansion of its coverage to
include all occupations whether
industrial, commercial, domes-
tic or agricultural. Legislation
. . . to encourage and facilitate
trade union organization would
ensure that decent basic
standards were improved to the
level enjoyed by most of the
community...”

Second, the brief urges
programs of economic expansion
and development.

Mcdern knowledge and
techniques can provide the
capabilities for rehabilitation
for those citizens who are
mentally, physically or socially
disabled. There must be greatly
increased services in this field.
.Pensioners-retired citizens and
war veterans, must receive
supplementary allowance from
the provincial government
which should immediately
prevail upon the federal govern-
ment to provide adequate
income for such retired citizens.
Make available public, low-cost
housing for senior citizens, and
community social and recrea-
tional facilities.

emia. Se

. . could be sub-

LABOR SCENE:

Bus union presses demane
for independent mediator

Striking ATU bus drivers were
meeting with Labor Minister

Peterson Wednesday to propose.

the appointment of a third party
mediator in the present dispute.

This action came after the
ATU rejected by 80 percent vote
the two-year settlement
proposed by the B.C. Mediation
Commission.

Union business agent Frank
Collins said immediately after
the vote they would ask Peterson
to appoint an independent
mediator.

Mediation proposals fell far
short of the demands of the ATU
and although the Mediation Com-
mission claimed their recom-
mendation was a 14.5 wage boost
over 2 years, the ATU leader
said when all the recom-
mendations were taken into con-
sideration, the actual boost was
down to 11.5 percent over 2 years
— far below other settlements
achieved by other unions during
the past year.

Labor Minister Peterson
clearly indicated his govern-
ment’s bias towards unions when
he said, ‘‘if they are planning to

JACK PHILLIPS, of CUPE, is a new
face on the executive of the
Vancouver and District Labor
Council which held its election
Tuesday. Phillips is chairman of
the Public Relations Committee.

JOBS NOW

Cont'd from pg. 1
five point emergency program to
help alleviate the situation:

1. Parliament pass legislation
guaranteeing a job and a liveli-
hood as a right to every citizen;

2. Legislation be enacted
declaring a moratorium on
further lay-offs in the private
and public sectors of the
economy until a Government
policy of full employment is
brought about; ;

3. Unemployment insurance
benefits to be immediately
increased to 80 percent of a
person’s earnings for the entire
period of unemployment and
the elimination of the waiting
period;

4. A special fund be
established to provide young
people unable to find work and
not covered by unemployment
insurance with an adequate
income;

5. Immediate changes in the
three year eligibility status for
job training to enable young
people to receive training for
jobs opportunities.”

use the recommendations of the
Mediation Commission for
greater gains they can’t expect
assistance from the government
to accomplish that objective.”

This past week saw further
attempts on the part of Premier
Bennett to whip up a campaign
against the transit workers when
he openly appealed to the public
and to municipal councils to put
pressure on the government to
stop the strike.

Mayor Campbell, as usual,
was happy to get into the act,
trying to justify a possible move
by the government in acting
under compulsory sections of
Bill 33.

The ATU has consistently
asked for some weeks to have an
independent mediator assigned
to the dispute. They offered, too,
to put busses into operation
during the peak rush hour
periods. Hydro refused.

***

Vancouver Labor Council
delegates elected their 1971
officers at the regular meeting
of council on Tuesday night, with
last year’s executive returned
to office with one new addition,
Jack Phillips of CUPE.

IWA’s Syd Thompson
continues as president; Paddy
Neale, secretary-treasurer, Jim
Malange, Operating Engineers,
lst vice-president; Cliff
Rundgren, Electrical Workers,
2nd vice-president; M. Stephens,
Meat Cutters Union, 3rd vice
president. =

Along with Phillips, who will
head the Public Relations com-
mittee, were Opal Skillings,
Office Employees, as Creden-
tials chairman; Frank Kennedy,
Longshoremen’s Union, Metro-
politan Advisory committee; J.
Lawrence, Food Workers,
Grievance committee; B.
Denton, Retail Clerks, Legis-
lation committee, and W.
Stewart, Marine Workers, to the
Organization committee.

* eK

Frank Kennedy, chairman of
the Metropolitan Advisory com-
mittee, made a brief report on
how the city had voted in
December’s civic election. He
said all wealthier sections of
town had higher voting turnouts
than the less affluent, and said it
revealed the necessity of getting
working people out to vote.

He said organized labor must
condemn the fact that Alderman
Harry Rankin who had received
the top vote in the city, has been
denied the chairmanship of a
committee in city affairs.

Back at the gentle art of
diplomacy.

“The low vote received
NPA aldermen have taught t
nothing. They are still clutchi
the reins of power and will
things as they please.” i

Report of unions to the V.
revealed that a strike ag
Columbia Stores in White Ro
Surrey and Delta is in progre
Involved are the Retail Cle?
Union.

Delegates were urged to st
up the boycott of Cunninghal
Stores, whose subsidiary C-4
Hoskens Wholesale has beé
adamant against coming to”
settlement with womeé
employees who have been 9
strike for eight months.

ATU delegate Grego
expressed the appreciation
striking bus workers to ¥
brothers in the VLC and Ba
Federation of Labor for te
support during the past wee
He said the morale of
strikers remained high. q

Potters Union local Black sé
Crane representatives had @
with union officers but lit
progress had been made to
in the settlement of their st
The Crane officials are tryi
split our ranks, he said, but é
unsuccessful. :

Jeff Powers of the Mat
Workers reported on a sell
ment with ICL Engineering,
which employees receive®
raise of 13.7 percent the fil
year, and better than 10 per
in the second year, with 0%
improvements in the contrac

A motion was pas»
supporting the Poor Peop!
March which will take pla
Vancouver as part of a na
wide Day of Protest on-Janu!
25. Byer:

Steelworkers delegate Jo
Krasnickov made an eloq¥
plea for union leaders *
members to fight for a shol
work week. He condemned 4
the narrow attitude of S®
older people towards the yl

* KK

Minister of Fisheries
Davis is under fire from ©
United Fishermen and Alli
Workers because of his refus@
attend a general meetin
fishermen at John Oliver
School on January 23 W
fishermen will deal with Dav
salmon vessel license limita®
scheme.

An invitation was extend
the Minister to attend, spea’
answer questions.

The minister excused %
refusal on the grounds that
license scheme is still U™
discussion with the indus
The UFAWU spokesmen s@,
fact it is still under discu
strengthens the opinion he si
attend. They asked the minis!
to reconsider his decision.

President of the union ‘Hot
Stevens told the press ©
year, after promising to 4
such meetings he reneged.
he claims, he is proceeding
a scheme to benefit fishe™,
he should be glad to meet
people whose livelihood 15
stake.”’ a

(In the January 8 issue ?
Tribune, an incorrect fig¥
$3.23% an hour wage for
janitors employed by B.C.
was given. The ccrrect fi
$3.00 an hour.)

1