a0 FRONT 3 BY WILLIAM KASHTAN | For those trade unionists who may be enamored with the idea of profit-sharing, the address given to the Canadian Club recently by E. L. Cushman, a vice president of American Motors Corporation, should be quite an eye-opener. Mr. Cushman was all aglow about the profit-sharing plan his company signed with the United Auto Workers union and one can understard why. Said Mr. Cushman: “Since the opted and stock participation plan was introduced product: ivity at AMC’s big plant in Kenosha, Wis- consin, increased from 82 percent to 95 per- cent. Because of the plan, the union agreed to some changes in work standards, includ- ing elimination of a five-minute wash-up period which saves the firm $1,500,000 an- nually. If AMC does not make enough money to meet its obligations under the con- tract to various employee benefits, there will be a charge against the wage BORLONS ment factor. “Essentially the same increases and improvements are provided for in the Big Three settlements. But there is an important difference. In the Big Three agreements virtually all of the cost increases are fixed costs. In the American Motors agreement, the annual improvement factor wage in- crease and the cost-of-living payments are virtually the only fixed costs. All the others are variable costs which will be determined by the extent of the company’s profits.” It’s a sweet settlement—so good for the company that E. K. Brownridge, president of AMC in Canada, intends to push for it in next June’s negotiations with the UAW here. Ontario Liberal Leader John Wintermeyer likes it also and has calied co. ‘sbor and management to enter into a profit- sharing agreement. According to him “this would help put our industry into a better competitive position. In return for helping to open new markets, labor would share the profits.” % oo * “Profit-sharing” is but one of the many techniques mon- opoly uses to divert the workers away from their struggle to maintain and improve their standards. It would be dis- astrous-for the working class and the trade union move- ment were this to become the substitute for the kind of wage and hours policy needed today. From this standpoint it would be useful were Donald Secord, secretary-treasurer of the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway, Transport and General Workers Union (CBRT), to explain what he had in mind when he addressed railway workers in London, Ontario, recently. Said Mr. Secord: ‘“‘We have always approached the prob- lems of collective bargaining in the good old free enterprise way of hard bargaining and figurative club- -waving—fighting for all we could get on each occasion without regard for the economic position of either the employer or the country as a whole. “i beiieve that as we become more mature in our outlook and begin to realize that the actions of one section of our economy has an effect on other sections, we will begin to adopt a more intelligent approach to satisfying the natural desire for a higher standard of living.” “The :2.. is that there is just so much in the pot, and some day we will ccntrol the avaricious, whether it be an employer or a union, to the degree necessary to ensure a reasonably fair share for everyone.” The Montreal Star was highly pleased with Mr. Secord’s speech and devcted a lengthy editorial to it. Which is quite understandable, because after one sifts through the verbiage what stands out is that Mr. Secord places the railway worker and the railwa) company on the same level and finallv lands in the lap of the companies. That is why the Montreal Star could conclude its editorial with the remark that “it will be interesting to see whether negotiations begin to adopt a more intelligent approach.” Mr. Wintermeyer and Mr. Secord develop their position from the standvoint that “labor and management are not natural enemies.’ On that basis it is very easy to slide into a policy of class collaboration and give up the defense of the ~ vital interests of the working class. * * * One can expect that in this period the workers will be inundated with all sorts of proposals directed at resolving the growing contradictions of capitalism at their expense and for the profits of monopoly. That is why it is important for the trade union movement to expose them and strengthen the workers’ understanding of the source of: monopoly profit based upon the exploitation of the working class, at the same time as it strengthens its unity in the struggle for increased purchasing power and reduced hours of work in this year’s negotiations. The coming CLC convention ought to advance a wages and hours policy to correspond with the needs of the workers and sharply condemn those policies that lead the working class down _the garden path of class collaboration. Sobell unjustly jailed Russell LONDON — Bertrand Rus- ment. after meeting Mrs. sell has declared his belief Helen Sobell, wife of the that Morton Sobell, jailed in scientist who was sentenced the U.S., was unjustly im- in 1951 at the height of the prisoned. He made this state- McCarthy witch-hunt. . April. = 1962--PACIFIG TRIBUNE—Page 2_ * POLICY FOR CANAD If the United Kingdom ac- cepts the political commit- ments of European Common Market membership, not only would present Common- wealth preferences disappear but Britain would no longer have the authority in the fut- ure to negotiate any special trading relations with other Commonwealth countries. Let us use canned salmon as an illustration. Last year, our total exports of salmon amounted to $10,927,356. Of this, over $6 million or 56.8 percent, went to the United Kingdom, and an additional 11 percent went to the six Common Market countries. At present, our salmon en- ters the United Kingdom duty free. The proposed Common Market tarriff is 20 percent. ALTERNATIVES As a result of Britain’s de- cision the view being pressed on us from a variety of dif- ferent sources is that Canada . has only the following three alternative policies for the future: ‘ 1. Entry into the ECM; This article is a summary of the special resolution ad- opted by the recent conven- tion of the United Fishermen and -Allied Workers Union dealing with Canada and world trade. We publish it here because the PT believes it projects a policy which Canadian labor should sup- port. 2. Formation of a free trade area with the US (North American Common Market); 3. Formation of a free trade association among the NATO countries (sometimes called a North Atlantic Com- mon Market). x If Canada could become a nomic Community — since Canada is not a European country no invitation has ever been extended — it would be accepting a similar.status in relation to the Community as it held to Great Britain before independent Common: wealth status was achieved. In such case, any future con- stitutional amendment would a | OR cost $8.27 PRICING OURSELVES OUT OF WORLD MARKETS? The above figures prepared by the research dept. of the United Electrical Workers Union in Toronto shows that direct labor cost for a $300 washing machine is only $8.27. ‘DEAD AT 40’ HEAR Wm. Kashtan NATIONAL ORGANIZER COMMUNIST PARTY OF CANADA speak on New Jobs Through New Markets versus EVER GROWING MASS UNEMPLOYMENT FISHERMANS HALL Sunday, April 14, 8 p.m. 138 EAST CORDOVA ST. City Ctter—C.P.C. Rm. 406 E. Hastings, MU 4-1151 -secondary manufacti uy member of the European Eco-- _ systematically develo be subject to dec Brussels and not a or even by Canadia at London. To abandon aut regulate all ECM imp the present stage of nomic development | mean no practical Pp? of extending the pri mé dustries which Cané@ quires for further g employment oppor and population. Canadian exports materials are easy tain without joining because the ECM. USA, imposes high manufactured impot” low or no tariffs on raw materials. NO CUSTOMS UNIO! The formation of 2 © union or free trade @ the United States co lead to the same &© results and a speedy * tion or political unidy the USA. It is unseemly for dian politicians to Britain’s negotiation no adequate steps wel” in good time to encot different development” is shameful hypocrisy sons who failed to ™— the British proposal ! tawa for free trade WY ada to now _ prop? trade with the whole the TS: as a solutio problems. WHAT TO DO ® The Canadian ment should: be pré offer special concess to increase our tral Britain on a_ balane to enable her to res) sures which make compelled to enter e The UFAWU ha supported independe er than integration dian trade policies essential condition continued national and prosperity. ® Our trade egg not be in only on€ We should balance a and avoid huge defi the USA which we ©_ to offset by surplus all other nations ®The UFAWU has advocated the utmost agement of Comm trade and a policy ing for trade opport all countries of the companied by a W to trade on any bas” ® More rapid ec? development for C4 quires in particular "4 industries in which. deficient (machine © tool making and manufacturing) shot encouraged. Export for such productio? more readily found America, the socialis tries, newly-indepe? formerly colonial — © We therefore * oppose trade poli¢ would involve or i! donment or limitati®! political . soverei8®™ UFAWU wishes 10 - as truly a year of © of Canadian Com and not the annivé! venture that faile@: