CONFEDERATION OF NATIONAL TRADE UNIONS When will there be unity between these two important labor bodies? QUEBEC FEDERATION OF LABOR The ferment in Quebec reaches into the QFL | ‘By DAVE DENT: MONTREAL “A National Political Con- science — an Internaional Class Conscience.” These were the slogans on the walls at the five- day convention of the Quebec Federation of Labor (QFL), which began here on Dec. 8. Among issues which claimed special attention from the dele- gates assembled in the Montreal Sheridan Hotel were unity with the Confederation of National Trade Unions, political involve- ment—both federal and provin- cial—changes in the constitution and the election of a secretary- general. In his opening speech QFL President Louis Laberge of pos- tal strike fame touched on both political action and relations with the CNTU. He said it was to the QFL’s shame that the re- sults obtained by the NDP in the recent election “not exceed- ed our hopes but the efforts which we consecrated to the election campaign.” He called for unity of action of the labor movement if, in the future, it was going to play a role in provincial politics. The convention itself later endorsed the NDP. Recognizing the pre- sent weakness of the Quebec Left- it also admitted the need for a political party of the work- ing class on the provincial scene. On the question of relations with the CNTU Laberge, at the convention, showed a strong de- sire for unity. Recently there had been considerable raiding between the two, usually with the QFL as victim. Laberge spoke of a hypotheti- cal body which would group not only the QFL and CNTU but also the Catholic Farmers Union. Among the motions adopted on this subject was one which spe- cified that it would be the QFL which would deal with the CNTU. In the past the CNTU has always considered itself the equivalent. of the Canadian Labor Congress. For the first time, the presi- dent of the CNTU, Marcel Pepin, sent a telegram of greetings to the convention. : ‘As well as accepting the exist- ence of two nations in Canada the convention made consider- able changes in its constitution, making it quite different from other labor federations in its re- lation with the CLC. The QFL has already begun to accept membership from workers who have organized themselves without demanding that they become affiliated to some international union. Stein- berg’s Employees Association is one example. Generally, the changes allow the QFL much more freedom of action on the national level. It was commented that after the CNTU had added social to na- tional conscience the QFL was now adding national to social conscience, providing a real base for unity. The altered constitution pro- vides for the election of a paid secretary - general. This provi- sion injected one of the more ‘significant struggles into the convention. Two candidates ran for the post, Gerard Rancourt, presi- dent of the Montreal Labor Council, and Left-wing vice-pre- sident of the QFL, Fernand Daoust. In spite of a specific ' statement by Laberge that he preferred Rancourt, the latter won by only 350 votes to 321. Later Daoust won the post of vice-president by 318 votes to 313. One of his supporters pointed out how evenly divided the convention was. He said this showed that Daoust now represents a real current of feel- ing in the QFL. The delegates This photo of marching longshoremen last summer typifies the mili- tancy of labor in Quebec. December 24, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 7 knew exactly what they were voting for. They did it in spite of Laberge and continued to do so even after Daoust had been defeated once. The same delegate said that what was still lacking was or- ganization on the Left. A Steelworker resolution from the Montreal area, calling for the recognition of China in the United Nations, was adopted. Another resolution from Steel- Workers Local 6314, asking for the WHNhdrawal of foreign troops front -Vietnam, was re- worded to exclude a section which claimed that Russian, Chinese and North Vietnamese troops had trampled the soil of Vietnam, and was then adopted. Steelworkers Local 5792 pre- sented a resolution condemning the burning of the University of Montreal publication Quartier Latin by polytechnical students. The resolution called the burn- ing a “retrograde step, (which) takes us back to the very begin- nings and sources of nazism.” The Montreal Labor Council brought forward a_ resolution asking for state control of the new Quebec steel complex, Sid- bec. The Canadian Union of Pub- lic Employees called for re- straint on TV commercials and urged the state of Quebec to establish a new TV network free of commercials on which the “QLF, CNTU and CFU (Ca- tholic Farmers Union) would be able to have their say.” The convention followed the Ontario Federation of Labor’s lead in upping its minimum wage demand from $1.25 to $1.75. Perhaps one of the most strik- ing moments in the whole con- vention was when Woodwork- ers’ leader, Jean Marie Bédard, ended his speech with: “Work- ers of Quebec unite! Workers of all countries unite!” and the convention replied enthusiastic- ally.