members Rally backs CUPW Continued from page 1 represented or sent telegrams of support were: International Longshoremen and Warehouse- men’s Union; Letter Carriers; Brotherhood of Carpenters; United Fishermen and Allied Workers; Telecommunications Workers Union; and the Canadian Associa- tion of Industrial, Mechanical and Allied Workers. B.C. Fed president Jim Kinnaird pledged the Federation’s full back- ing for the postal workers, spiking any ideas that CUP W does not have all labor’s support as negotiations for a new contract are slated to re- Open next month. “You may have heard talk of division within organized labor,”’ Kinnaird said, ‘‘but there is no divi- sion on the issue of support for postal workers. **We are unanimous in calling for a dropping of all charges against CUPW, for the freeing of Jean- Claude Parrot and for free collec- tive bargaining,’’ he declared. ~Letter Carriers representative Emile Lehingrat pointed to the ap- peal by Parrot and the impending post office negotiations and warned that if Parrot’s appeal were denied “it would be difficult to conduct negotiations from a jail cell. “There can be no free collective bargaining that way,”’ he said. “‘No union should be compelled to bargain with a loaded gun across the table.”’ He called on the government to ““free Parrot and restore the right of free collective bargaining to postal workers.” seerecnters president Bill Zander U.S. PROTEST Continued from page 1 conglomerate. Many of the demonstrators were senior citizens on fixed incomes, who may be forc- ed to either ‘“‘eat or heat’’ this winter due to soaring prices. - “This is just the beginning of what must be a sustained campaign against the oil monopolies,”’ said Kevin Lynch, a coordinator of the demonstration that brought 2,000 New Yorkers to the Astor Place in Manhattan. Among the 600 demonstrators who came to a candlelight vigil at ’ the State Capitol in Hartford, Con- necticut, were five busloads of United Auto Workers members and of the International Association of Machinists. ~ In Rhode Island, working men and women with their children set up a picket line outside the offices of the Rhode Island Petroleum In- .- stitute, a mouthpiece for the big oil corporation, while -in Detroit, several hundred trade unionists and community activists demonstrated in front of Mobil and Amoco com- pany headquarters. . In the nation’s capital, more than 700 marchers went to the head- quarters of the American Petroleum Institute. Six different activities were held in a variety of cities in New Jersey, including a mock legislative session with four “resolutions”? passed condemning the profiteering of Big Oil in Tren- also pointed to the government’s action against Parrot, contrasting it with the government inaction over the RCMP disclosures. “While Parrot is jailed, ‘the ~ RCMP is let off the hook for their illegal activities,’’ he said. ‘*And at the same time,’’ he add- ed, ‘‘the profits of the multi- national corporations have never been higher, but workers face employer pressure to cut their wages and the unemployed face cut- backs in unemployment insurance.” He told the meeting, ‘‘I don’t see how trade unionists cannot support the postal workers — and fight bck © against the attack against working people. **And the Canadian Labor Con- gress, as the highest labor body in the country, has to lead that fightback,” he declared. CUPW SECRETARY LEROY HILTZ... \ “let October 19 be the day we reaffirm our solidarity.” — Sean Griffin p Interest rate hike cuts earnings, spurs recession, Carpenters told Emil Bjarnason, of the Trade Union Research Bureau, was a fea- tured speaker at the 37th Annual Convention of the B.C. Provincial Council of Carpenters held in Van- couver, Oct. 18-21. He used the oc- casion to make some pointed com- ments on the state of the Canadian economy. For example, in respect to the recent boost in the prime in- terest rate, he demonstrated very simply how the Canadian economy is affected by U.S. government policy: “‘The United States is now in the second quarter of a recession which is expected to last for at least a year. ‘‘However, most analysts are agreed that in view of the drastic in- crease in interest rates adopted in the attempt to stem inflation, the recession is bound to become more severe and prolonged. “The Canadian government has been forced to follow the same kind of monetary policy as the U.S. be- cause our commitments for interest and dividend payments to U.S. capital cannot be met without heavy capital inflows which necessitate a higher interest rate here than in the U.S. ‘‘The steep rise in interest rates is certain to lead to recession condi- tions here as in the U.S.”’ To illustrate his point in terms of | what it means for construction workers, Bjarnason explained what the new interest rate means to a family buying a home with a $50,000 mortgage to be repaid over 25 years. At eight per cent interest, {he monthly payment would be $376.71. At 10 per cent, it would be $439.24 and at 13.5 per cent, $553.76. - Bjarnason went on to say “‘the difference in cost to the worker (i.e., the difference in take-home pay needed for the mortgage pay- ments) between eight per cent and 13% per cent is equivalent to $1.02 _an hour, 40 hours a week. The in- crease in mortgage rates in the last ee a ef ba 6 cee oh eos weer eens ee ~ 1 year $100 2 years $18 O ‘6 months #6 0 Olid O New Foreign 1 year $12 0 ~ Donation $..... 18 months comes to 66 cents an hour.”’ Bjarnason also blasted the Clark government’s economic policies, on the following grounds: @ It has indicated that it favors permitting doctors the privilege of extra billing on medicare accounts. e@ Both the Clark government and the Trudeau government before it have indicated their intention to ~cut down on unemployment insur- ance benefits. LABOR COMMENT ~ BY JACK PHILLIPS Then, he went on to contrast this harsh treatment of working people with the generous treatment of the big corporations: @ The new income tax rules im- pose a much smaller tax on divi- dends than on wages and salaries. @ The new depreciation and de- pletion rules give the oil and mining companies a huge tax bonanza. @ The Clark government is deter- mined to get rid of PetroCan, which has been spectacularly successful in making money for the government and in developing new energy re- sources. The end result of such a policy can only be to increase our bondage to the international oil monopolies. He emphasized the vital import- ance of the PetroCan issue: “This year, however, largely as a result of PetroCan activities, there have been significant new discover- ies of oil and gas resources. It is conceivable that in the next three r four years, these discoveries, if they prove up, will provide a way out of the balance of payments debacle and put Canada on the road to pro- sperity. However, this opportunity could be lost if the Clark govern- ment is permitted to turn it all back to the monopolies.”’ The officers report to the conven- tion singled out as the key issue the need to fight back against the at- tacks on organized labor: “The familiar problems of anti- labor legislation, such as Bill 46 (the Essential Services Disputes Act), unemployment, human _ rights, Workers’ Compensation, organiz- ing, right-to-work, political ac- tion and inter-craft and inter-in- dustry jurisdictional differences, have kept all of us busy.” Referring to differences over pol- icy within the Carpenters’ Union and differences over jurisdiction be- tween the: Carpenters’ Union and other unions, the report called for a positive and constructive approach: . .those differences, no matter how large or small; should be dealt with in a‘principled and construct- ive manner. We should attempt to accentuate the positive in all our re- lationships with others. . . It is far too easy for all of us to fall into the habit of becoming carping critics and bad-mouthing. What is said is not to be misinterpreted as sitting back and being hail-fellows-well- met when firm or principles posi- tions must be taken.”’ The report dealt at some length with the continuing fight for Cana- dian autonomy. The concluding paragraph of that section should be noted and acted upon by the of- ficers of the Carpenters’ Interna- tional union: “It is our opinion that the posi- tion of the International on Cana- dian autonomy and on the CLC minimum standards will only con- tinue to cause the kind of dissatis- faction. and breaking away which has occurred in Quebec and which could lead to further splits. Our feeling is that the general officers ~ need to recognize reality as it exists in Quebec and what is developing in English-speaking Canada.”’ The report of the vice-presidents from the different areas covered by the union indicate, despite some variations in the pattern, that the construction locals have experienc- ed heavy unemployment for lengthy periods, and that some locals con- tinue to do so. Among the resolutions adopted by the convention were those calling for the following action: @ The setting up of a public in- quiry commission to ‘‘investigate the corrupt, unethical and immoral practices’’ of the Socreds in sending phoney letters to the press. -@ Public ownership of all land for urban development and an im- mediate large-scale, publicly funded housing campaign. @ Full assistance to the Cana- dian Union of Postal Workers and their defence of Jean-Claude Par- rot. ; ; @ Opposition to the sale of any crown corporation by the federal government, the expansion of PetroCan under public ownership and the establishment of a Cana- dian development corporation to i rea jobs for Canadians through development of secondary in- ee e A full public inquiry into the nuclear industry in Canada with a view to determining safety and ac- tual need of nuclear energy. The resolution further_called for full ~ sentiments expressed by our son, provincial secretary, elected by a big majority. public participation in the ing and a moratorium on nuclear velopment and uranium mif “until we are satisfied | as t safety of such projects.’ A resolution Sse that officers of the provincial council censured because they carried 01 decision of the 1978 convention send a representative delegatio the Soviet Union where they guests of the Building and © struction Material Workers U: was soundly defeated. A press release issued by the gation following its return from Soviet: Union, was endorsed by convention. That statement among other things: ‘“‘What has been most mo during our visit has been consistent appeal by our host trust, mutual respect, friend and peace between all peoples. “Our delegation agrees with | brothers and sisters, and Ti pledged to take this message ba Canada. We welcome the opP tunity to meet, develop coo tion, and exchange ideas, in ‘ open and friendly way. We * looking forward to our Soviet leagues’ visit to Canada in 19 On the constitutional crisis, convention called upon the fe@® government to recognize the mate and real’ grievances of Fre? Canada, which, it said, will ré the working out of a Canadian © stitution on the basis of equali the two nations and the prov of constitutional rights, up t © including the right of either t0 © solve the pact. In addition to Bjarnason, speakers at the convention wer Kinnaird, president of the Federation of Labor; aldeé Harry Rankin who spoke on transit; Dr. Jim Foulks who ! on his recent visit to Vietnam Stevenson, from the headqué of the World Peace Congr oft) Helsinki; John Trudell and-Jo Graham of the American * if Movement; and Stu Leggatt, member of the provincial jegisiat from New Westminster. aes z Bill Zander, provincial presi ee was returned by acclamation three-year term, and Lorne— y' ’ was own nich ' ponent, Hank Horn, is k# have opposed sending the tion to the Soviet Union, wh headed by Bill Zander. members of the provinci “ils are elected by the area coun All in all, and according '© ® vig able reports, it was a hard- and pyestes site convention.