Labour

CUPE convention targets ‘Tor

By MARC YOUNG

_ Members of the Canadian Union of Pub-
lic Employees,representing some 365,000
workers across the country, opened their
14th biennial convention in Vancouver Oct.
16 amidst demands that the country’s larg-
est union take up more vigorously the cam-
paign against the Tory government’s
ne0-conservative policies.

Key elections, including a tight race for
the vitally important post of secretary-
treasurer, were also expected to figure
prominently during the week-long conven-
tion, held at the Vancouver Trade and Con-
vention Centre. Incumbent secretary-treas-
urer Jean-Claude Laniel, who has served in
the post since his election at the 1985 con-
vention, had earlier announced his decision

“hot to seek another term.

_ A crucial question facing the delegates
involved a request from the national execu-
tive for an increase in per capita dues from
member locals from .61 per cent of average
monthly wages to .67 over the next two
years. In his report, Laniel stressed the need
for an increase if CUPE is to address debt
troubles, maintain its strike fund, and be in
a position to carry out essential activities in
the 1990s.

In a vote Tuesday, the dues proposal fell
short of the two-thirds majority required for
approval, although a new proposal was
expected to be brought back to delegates
later in the week.

Many activists sought at the beginning of
the convention to emphasize the impor-
tance of linking the financial requests of the
leadership to the political campaigns the
union has to press if it is to combat the
effects and complementary policies of the
free trade deal.

Before the half-way point of the meeting,
delegates endorsed an action program that
promises to lay the groundwork for large-
scale mobilization against the Goods and
Services Tax, unemployment insurance
cuts, de-regulation and privatization.

Some 1,500 delegates were greeted by
policy documents, resolutions, and an open-
ing speech from president Jeff Rose. All
discussed at length the need for CUPE to be
deeply involved in the fightback, alongside
and inside popular coalitions.

The union’s economic policy paper, “The
Tory Economic Agenda: Building the Res-
istance,” carried a clearly militant tone and
message.

“It is more important than ever,” the
document declared, “that CUPE and the
test of the labour movement maintain a
strong fight against the government's right-
wing policies ... We must present Canadi-
ans with an alternative economic and social
vision which reaffirms the role of the public
sector and challenges the unacceptable
dominance of market forces in our society.

“We are by no means alone in our desire
to oppose the Tory vision in favour of a
fairer, more just Canada. In recent years... .
we in CUPE were part of an unprecedented
popular movement against free trade and
other negative policies — a movement
which involved women’s, labour, peace,
native, church, environment, international
development, and many other groups.

“The experience of working closely with
these other groups to create coalitions such
as the Pro-Canada Network and the Work-
ing Committee on Social Solidarity has
shown that the potential exists to build truly
widespread, grassroots opposition to the
neo-conservative agenda.”

While there was considerable support
from the floor for the position, many dele-
gates were concerned that they were going
to be stuck with another “good talk, no
action” program.

Rob Fairly, president of the Ontario

Hydro workers Local | in Toronto, urged
delegates to draw the correct lessons from
the pre-election, free-trade fight.

CUPE’s campaign then was “nine-tenths
analysis, and one-tenth strategy and tac-

tics,” according to Fairly. There is a mount-
ing need, he noted, to discover new ways of
mobilizing at the grass roots.

Some delegates were also disturbed by
Rose’s apparent acceptance of the GST asa
fait accompli. In his address, the president
called for fighting the tax at the bargaining
table. From the floor came calls to defeat
the legislation before it comes into affect.

Edmonton delegate and former Alberta
Federation of Labour president Dave Wer-
lin told the meeting that a “plan of action”
was absolutely essential. With one, there
was a chance “for CUPE to prove its leader-
ship as Canada’s largest union,” and get the
Canadian Labour Congress — which he
said had been “‘too silent too long” — to
step up its action response to the Tories.

The debate led to a further resolution
being adopted calling for a CUPE strategy
“with teeth,” which would put paid staff
into coalition work, organize demonstra-
tions and build to a national day of protest.

The convention also heard a impassioned
address from former United Nations
ambassador and Ontario New Democratic
Party leader Stephen Lewis who sharply
denounced Conservative government pol-
icy.

Lewis pointed to Tory attacks on UI,
social services, and slammed Mulroney’s
desire to “harmonize” all things North
American.

He also remarked upon the resurrection
of the “two solitudes” in Canada and called
for tolerance between English and French-
speaking Canadians. He emphasized that
workers, because of their own exploitation
and oppression, are in a special position to
appreciate the sufferings of peoples.

TRIBUNE PHOTO — SEAN GRIFFIN

y agenda’

JEFF ROSE ... urged to extend fight against GST beyond bargaining table.

CAW affirms stand on Team Concept

Second of two parts

There was an air of excitement at Port
Elgin; the Canadian Auto Workers
(CAW) new education centre was full to
capacity. Some Canadian council dele-
gates even had to be billeted in nearby
towns and villages.

Observers and activists who had taken
time off work drove up just for the one-
day debate on the “Team Concept”. The
special meeting of the CAW council lived
up to its advance billing.

The day was divided into four parts. It
began with introductory remarks by
CAW president Robert White who
explained the historical background of the
issue and the events leading up to the
debate.

Next came an overhead slide show by
Dave Robertson that described, in a clear
and concise way, what the auto companies
are after with their introduction of Japa-
nese production management.

Part of the presentation centered on
“The Toyota Production System” and
explained the difference between “Taylor-
ism” and “Fordism” and those concepts’
relationship to the goal of “Toyotism,”
which might be summarized as_ the
attempt to have “profit increase under a
slow growth economy.”

To illustrate the importance of these
new programs Robertson cited Yasuhiro
Monden, the so-called father of the Toy-
ota production system:

“It would probably not be overstating
our case to say that this is another revolu-
tionary production management system.
It follows the Taylor System (scientific
management) and the Ford System (mass
assembly line) ... More than likely,
another, gigantic advance in production
methods will not appear for some time to
come.” :

Then came a panel presentation dealing
with three different experiences of team

concept. First, there was a report on the
CAMI plant in Cambridge, Ontario.
Later, came the problems at GM, Ste.
Therese, Quebec. The last presentation
was on the CAW’s dealings at Northern
Telecom.

The highlight of the day was the policy
discussion “CA W Statement on the Reor-
ganization of Work” that saw 35 contribu-
tions from the floor.

Most of the speakers shared their expe-
rience from different workplaces, and dis-
cussed the problems in the big plants and

‘LABOUR
IN ACTION

in the small auto parts industry. All sup-
ported the policy statement, with some
taking the view that it was overdue.

A look at the policy statement reveals
the most comprehensive position any
North American union has taken to date
on shop-floor reorganization.

The paper exposes the industry’s goal.
“The initiative for the recent changesis...
coming from an aggressive and deter-
mined management with its own agenda.
Management is proposing a variety of
programs under different names.

“But whatever the current title, the sel-
ling point is both the stick and the carrot:
the threat of competitiveness and_ the
promise of a new partnership between
workers and management, a partnership

allegedly leading to greater worker con-
trol, greater security, and more enjoyable
work.”

The policy also puts the new business
buzz word “competitiveness” into the
right perspective by noting that it is a rela-
tive concept: “no matter how well we do,
others can do it more cheaply. Accepting
competitiveness puts us on a treadmill, a
rat race we can’t win. It means trying to
undermine fellow workers in other Cana-
dian facilities and workers from other
countries.”

The section on the CAW response
points out: “The fight against the man-
agement agenda in the workplace does not
exist apart from the larger fight against the
business agenda in our society. As we
mobilize against regressive taxation, the
weakening of UI, or plant closure legisla-
tion, we are reminding our members that
the team they are on is not the same team
as their employer.”

To prepare the membership and leader-
ship the CAW document responds by
establishing educationals in Port Elgin
and at the local level across the country.

Their content will include a discussion
on competitiveness and an analysis of the
team concept programs, what they are
about, and why they are dangerous to
workers. The leadership agrees to monitor
the. TNC’s programs, share the informa-
tion as well as develop new materials for
further responses.

Attached to the end of the CA W state-
ment are the union’s general guidelines on
the team concept question.

The 11 points happily end all past
ambivalence on the part of the leadership.
and reaffirm the CAW’s place in the fore-
front of class struggle unionism in Can-
ada.

As White said at the end of the meeting
“we couldn’t have done this if we were still
part of the United Auto Workers.”

Pacific Tribune, October 23, 1989 7