Wrong reasoning on union autonomy The November issue of B.C. TEAMSTER does G@'8érvice to labor by pub lishing a special supplement showing the extensive nature Of the takeover of Canadian industry by U.S. companies. Unfortunately, however, it draws some false conclusions for the trade union movement which can only harm the fight for union autonomy. In this article a prominent B.C. labor leader analyses the stand taken by the team- ster’s paper. By JACK PHILLIPS The debate on national auton- omy for Canadian laboris warm- ing up. The B.C. Teamster of November 1963, published by Teamsters Joint Council 36, is a major thrust against advocates of autonomy. According to this journal; ‘‘Much has been said in many quarters about the need for Canadian Trade Unions to handle Canadian trade union af- fairs. What always intrigues us is noting the type of character who peddles this line.’’ The ‘'characters’’ cribed as follows: leaders . . are des- **Business . minor politicians major politicians support- ed by big business . . Paper columnists . .. radio and television commentators .. . politically ambitious labor lead- ers more often than not in the Canadian Labor Conegress.”’ This argument means _ that those who support Canadian aut- onomy are reactionary and those who oppose it are progressive. In short, George Meany of. the AFL-CIO who opposes Canadian "I'M A FOREMAN WwHo ADMITS IT WHEN 1M WRONG’. BUT IM NEVER WRONG | autonomy is a progressive and Harry Bridges of the Inter- national Longshoremen and Warehousemen’s Union, whose union has given national auton- omy to its Canadian member- Ship, is a reactionary. Gtrange- ly enough Meanyisa bitter enemy of the International Teamster leadership and Bridges is an ally!) The B.C,Teamster is normally: a four-page tabloid, but this issue Was expanded to eight pages, by the inclusion of a four page Supplement based on facts and figures from the Financial Post. The supplement lists 240 take- Overs of Canadian companies and Corporations by foreign capital Since 1950, mostly by U.S. mon-. Opolies. In addition to the sup- plement and an editorial, there is a front page article by the editor, E. M, Lawson, under the following headline: ‘*Control by Canadians a Myth.” * * * The point of the thrust is in- dicated by the opening paragraph of the front page article, ‘‘The Case for International Unionism Sains strength every time aCan- adian company is sold to foreign interests, and every time for- €ign capital investment in Canad- ian industry and resources de- Velopment is increased.’’ If the Writer had pleaded for more: international solidarity, he would have made a case more consist- ent with the evidence. Lawson Proves a case for autonomy but Concludes in favor of the complete absorption of our trade union Movement by that of the U.S.A. - news-. The preamble to the supple- ment brands those who advocate autonomy as insincere, as desir- ing to destroy ‘‘the militant labor movement now existing.”’ The B.C. Teamster accepts the economic domination of our country by the U.S. monopolies, the same monopolies that tried to move heaven and earth to de- stroy their union in the U.S.A. It argues that things will get worse before they get better— that the best thing therefore for Canadian workers is to belong to American unions, Implicit in this reasoning is that we are all going to be Americans anyway so why not belong to American unions? The editor fails to give rec- ognition to the rising opposition to U.S. economic control, to de- mand for the repatriation of our industries and resources, and for the reversal of policies which have retarded the development of our resources and our pro- cessing and manufacturing ind- ustries. Labor must come to the front of the stage in this great national drama, because only the labor movement can decide the issues clearly and decisively. es a ok To be able to play this role, labor must be free to elect its owr officers in Canada, free to bargain and strike, free to af- filiate to the political party of its choice, free to decide Canad- ian jurisdictional problems in Canada and free of restrictive and undemocratic rules basedon U.S. law. For example, if three large transportation unions in Canada decide to merge, no international officers should be permitted to interfere. A decision by Canad- ian workers to strike, to affil- iate to a political party or to publicly oppose a foreign policy position of the U.S. government should not be subject to inter- national veto. Canadian autonomy would not mean the isolation of Canadian workers from their U.S. broth- ers. On the contrary, it would open up new- and greater pos- sibilities for international class action against common enemies and for common objectives. The AFL-CIO leadership hail- ed the liberation of Algeria from French Imperialism. If they are sincere, they will do everything possible to assist the Canadian workers in their fight for the nation, because the main thrust of that struggle is against the most bitter enemies of labor in the U.S.A., monop- oly capital. SSO IO NES SSC AS I SK NEF A ES SEASON'S GREETINGS ¥ and Best Wishes H pEACEFUL NEW YEAR Tom & Ann Boylan § &Family jf $5 SL Ni Hel AR RT NE SEE SR SBE B35 SER SEO NE BIE SECTS BOL IE OE NESE ESL NE BEST WISHES FORA i if HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON ¥ from i Bobby & Agnes } Jackson & Family; BSE BESIM SEN ERO NEN NE eo Se NIK SY directed — Burnaby civic voting results highlight municipal elections Voting in municipalities all over B.C. took place last Thurs- day, December 5. Elections in Vancouver and Victoria were held six days later, on Wednesday, December 11. As the PT goes to Press on Wednesday, results from the two major centres will be carried next week. Of particular inportance to PT readers were the campaigns in Burnaby, North Vancouver, Port Alberni and Kamloops where labor representatives were con- testing seats on councils and school boards. In Burnaby an alliance between the Burnaby Labor Committee and the Burnaby Citizens As- sociation virtually swept all available seats at the expense of the Burnaby Non- Partisan As- sociation. Elected were: Reeve—Alan Emmott; Councillors — W, A. Blair, J. H. Edwards, James Dailly and Russell Hicks; School Trustees—J. W. Daly and Mrs. Dorothy McKee-Wilson (the lone NPA candidate to win election), A particularly encouraging sign in the Burnaby results was the strong showing made by ind- SSS ETS BIO Be SSO Netty Seat SL SEL Greetings from# HUNIVERSALE i BILLIARDS ¢ 100 Block E. Hastings & Vancouver 4, B.C. E mc mc sic rx se nk omc wont om MESO RSM SOL Ny WTS SE SI SEL SL SO SS 534 TRANSFER & § FURNITURE STORE Holiday Greetings i ¥ to all our Friends i i 5 ‘SSRIS ISR (Phone Nick) 1424 Commercial Drive ¥ AL 3-0727 ¥ ASA Ae Staak I Mita pent Seca Seta Bs WER Sak ak ML Ne Bes SL Sa Ne 8 i Holidays Greetings to i all our friends from 5 de ERATION OF! RUSSIAN- § CANADIANS : § i : i 600 Campbell Ave. i i Vancouver 4, B.C. ¥ YOR SK OR ISR RIOR IR OK ¥ ependent labor candidate William Turner. Working with a limited budget, Turner was able to win the impressive total of 2,393 votes, Turner had campaigned on the need to shift the tax burden from homeowners onto big business. *“‘The best way to do this,’’ he stated, ‘fis to defeat the NPA.’’ “) WILLIAM TURNER, Burnaby inde- pendent candidate and weil- known Communist, polled 2,393 votes. His campaign around civic issues and appeal for unity with BCA to oust the NPA was anim- portant factor in last week’s Burrlaby result. SEL SE BN Sir Seon Bes Sea Be Bi se Ys PATRONIZE ST. JAMES BARBERS 660 East Hastings Specializing in Hair Cutting i Sh SOL SC ICE SK ESOS SI EI HS $206 SI OL PSN BU NA OL SOE NECN % Greetingsto PT ¥ readers from Regent Tailors ¥ Ltd. ¥ 325 W. Hastings St. : 4 RIK Ph. MU 1-8456 4441 E. Hastings St. Ph. CY 8-2030 © Sa A SO BI ES se i SOL NRE OE SOL ak FL ER SSO BR BOL NL EOE OL Season’s —— To the labor movement from TRADE UNION RESEARCH Phone MU 1-5831 | Solidarity Forever! : His large vote indicates the cor- rectness of his policies and speaks well for the future. In the city of North Vancouver, labor - backed candidates Russ McKibbon and Frank Marcino garnered 586 and 391 votes res- pectively. Both failed to win elec- tion to the city council. The council voting in the Dist- rict of North Vancouver saw Barry Clark, who had NDP back- ing, top the polls. Labor-backed ~ council candidates John Puff and Nick Podovinnikoff won 693 and 585 votes. Peter Faminow, prominent NDP member, won al-yearterm to council and Frank Jennings received 1,370 votes but failed to win election to the school board. In Port Alberni, independent labor candidate George McKnight got strong backing at the polls. Another 153 votes would have elected McKnight, who received a total of 293 votes to place sixth in a field of nine. Mrs. C, E. McInnes, who was -contesting a council seat in Kam- loops with the backing of the Kamloops and District Labor Council, had 535 balloss cast in her favor. ESOL sak ses bes Beak sees es §Christmas and New Year’ ¥ Greetings for peace and the socialist Canada to come. § ¥ JOHN, ANNIE and WALLY KLIM Poconos ECONOMY i STORE 141 EAST HASTINGS ST. R MU 1-7014 4 Men's Furnishings Boots and Shoes a BT SB AI MES NESE RE ES I SEE SES Mets Meal AST BEN SB SE SORE SBS SSN BS SS BAL NESE NESE eA SI SS aa Noa SSO SBI NOL RL ROL AL OL NIT SEO OL SO RS SESE SBI IE SOE EOE SO SS. S20 ASO ite Keer Seen btn Rag ot Saar Nate fos BOOKS MAKE THOUGHTFUL GIFTS Broad Selection in Many Categories FREE! VALUABLE BOOK BONUS WITH EVERY $5 AND OVER PURCHASE TILL DEC. 24, 1963 341 W. PENDER ST. VAN., B.C. JUST OFF VICTORY SQUARE /PEo! CO-OP I BOOK STORE nae ae December 13, 1963—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Pag MUtual 5-5836 bd SIRI OT RFE IRIE SMG TR VSR PTA VES FESR FR OR OER YOGR OTR, YOGR SOR, YO, VO OR KI FR IT OER POR OF OTR IOSR FOR OTR VOTH YOR VEER YORK, ICTR FORK VOR NOGR YOR PR IFA Holiday Greetings to the PT and all readers from A.U.U.C. Hall available at able rates for weddings, banquets, etc. For further information: z = Cc s Q 3 ell. \