Trades and Labor Council unseat: UFAWU delegates: bars debat Following the arbitrary suspension of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union by © Trades and Labor Congress executive, officers of the Vancouver and District Trades and Labor Coun (TLC-AFL) ruled at this week’s regular meeting that UFAWU delegates ‘“‘can not be seated aS de Council vice-president Georg¢é Johnson of the Meatcutters’ Union, handed down the cratic Congress executive ruling ,with meatcleaver finess; addressing himself to the UFAWU iy Mo er ull ) ‘ sa a Z ) ay ‘Yes’ votes sought in peace crusade, says Mickleburgh “Do you think Sir Winston Churchill’s proposal for a meeting of the leading powers to ease world tensions is worthy of support?” Bruce Mickleburgh, public relations director, Canadian Peace Con- gress, asked a public meeting at the Pender Auditorium last Monday night. ballot to all your friends and, workmates and get them to vote YES. “Hundreds of thousands of YES votes will be a most practi- eal way in which Canadians can respond to that marvelous appeal of the World “Council of Peace for the negotiation of all disputes, for an end to the cold war. “Once people replied to ap- peals of the World Council with their signatures. Today they are replying all over the world with deeds. This referendum is such mense suppor®to Churchill’s pro- a deed which will bring. im- posal. Such support from Can- ada—remember you and I haven’t had a chance to vote on it before — may well tip the scales to bring about the meeting for which Churchill has called and for which the Commonwealth conference went on record. “We are helped to realize the importance of every ballot when Continued PEACE war. Now we intend to stop the cold war,” he said. In the same spirit of enthusi- asm, a wounded veteran of the second world war pledged that he personally would collect more than ‘1,000 votes in the referen-’ dum and said he made this pledge on the graves of two close friends who had died in the last war. | “If you do, then circulate the National Peace Referendum we realize that the opponents of negotiation, those who want to turn back the clock and undo the effects of the Korea truce, are burning midnight oil in their ef- forts to prevent Churchill’s pro- posal from ever being realized.” Applying the words of the Ap- peal of the World Council to Canada, Mickleburgh noted that, “A great hope has been born everywhere in Canada too. Our countrymen, including those who still mistrust the peace move- ment, today know that negotia- tions are possible.” Continued CCL Mine-Mill Canadian director Nels Thibault’s report to the Hamilton conference stressed that new conditions and new oppor- tunities were arising demanding a re-examination by all unionists of former policies.’ Labor’s de- mand for security in a world at peace through negotiations was forcing this change, he pointed . out. Symptomatic of a growing grass-roots demand for unity, the Ford local resolution coincided with unity trends evident at ses- sions of the Ottawa TLC Conven- tion which adopted resolutions urging organic unity of the cen- tral bodies of the trade unions and a no-raiding policy. HOME OF UNION MADE MEN'S WEAR and FRIENDY SERVICE WHAT — HE TRIED Te SELL YOU A SUIT THAT DIDN'T FIT? = (h2¥ BOY, ANO CET 45 EAST HASTINGS VANCOUVER 4, B.C gates,” who had received the regular at, tendance card to be _ present, chairman Johnson declared: ‘“You are not delegates, you can either sit in the visitors’ section or leave the meeting.” “Your order,” answered UFAWU delegate George North, “deprives me of the right to speak or challenge the ruling of the chair.” Later in the council session the letter of the congress executive * on the suspension order was read to the delegates, and received in stony silence. Delegate Cunningham of the Seafarers’ International Union, let the cat out of the bag when he reported, that his union was going te ‘‘take over this Commie union.” (The SIU has already issued a charter to the “B.C. Gill- netters’ Association,” a dissident group with a company-union set- up, and through it is planning new raids upon the UFAWU.) (It is also reliably reported that council vice-president Tom Alsbury, following defeat in ‘his efforts to break up a long-estab- lished civic union, suspended in like manner from the TLC nearly three years ago, has now secured a “union card” from the SIU as a preliminary to further union- wrecking activities in a new field.) Protesting and arbitrary its undemocratic suspension from ‘the TLC, the UFAWU addressed an “Open Letter” to the trades council delegate body. The UFAWU letter is signed by six of its council delegates and states in part: : “The record of our union, which is a matter of public know- ledge, shows that every conven- tion has strongly maintained these fundamental principles of trade unionism; first, that the member- ship of every trade union has the right, without interference or in- timidation, to elect its own of- ficers; second, that raiding of un- ion membership is harmful to the interests of legitimate trade un- ionism and just playing the bosses’ game. “The fundamentals of honest trade unionism are now being - challenged, “The action of the executive council of the Congress is linked with the announcement by the SIU to grant a charter to the so- called B.C. Gillnetters’ Associa- tion and to attempt to raid the organization which our union has established to protect and im- prove our working conditions in the fishing industry. .. . “We ask you to protest the conspiracy that has been hatched to seek to raid and destroy the UFAWU. We ask all local un- ions to protest the suspension of the UFAWU from the Congress -as contrary to the interests of organized labor.” A resolution condemning the violation of the eight-hour day and the prevalence of overtime work was submitted by Painters’ Local 138 to the council session and unanimously endorsed. John Bruce, international representa- tive of the Plumbers and Steam- fitters, warmly supported the painters’ resolution and in his re- marks to the council condemned the encroachment of Yankee domination in Canada, which had become a major factor in break- ing down Canadian trade union standards. A letter from TLC secretary Gordon Cushing ‘‘advised’” the council to unseat three locals of the Operating Engineers for non- payment of per capita, raising the question in the minds of many delegates, just how much the ‘‘unity” resolutions of the re- cent TLC convention meant. As one delegate stated to the Pacific Tribune, following the UFAWU suspension and the “order” on the operating engineers, “If this keeps up, just what will remain?” The report of delegate R. K. Gervin on the Wicks’ labor con- ference, which both the AFL eouncil and Vancouver Labor Council (CCL) had boycotted on the grounds that they couldn’t “sit in with Mine-Mill,” indicat- Threat of Bill 93 _ demands fight now Newspaper reports from Ottawa declare that Bill 93, t amending the Criminal Code, will be reintroduced as a first © of business when parliament is called in November. Introduced in the dying hours of the last parliament, 4 p opposition to some of its anti-labor provisions succeeded in i { debate and the bill. was held over. The League for Democratic Rights led the campaign against Bill 93 and thousands of letters, postcards and letters from the trade union movement descended on Ottawa. ‘ Last week, Thomas C. Roberts, LDR executive secretary, issued a hew warning that the fight against Bill 93 had not yet been won, even though some altera- tions had been effected in com- mittee. This year the LDR is calling upon parliament to en- dorse a Declaration of Rights and set up a committee to prepare a constitutional Bill of Rights. During the recent federal elec- tion campaign, the LDR quizzed federal candidates on their views on the Declaration of Rights. Last week Roberts released to the press some of the results.. He quoted a letter from Stanley H. Knowles (CCF, Winnipeg North Centre) as declaring: “You will know from my own stand in the House of Commons and from the stand of my party that my answer to both of your questions is in the affirmative. | strongly favor the adoption of a Bill of Rights for Canada, and 1 believe a special committee to draft such a bill should be ap- pointed by the parliament to be called after the election of Aug- ust 10.” : About 700 candidates received the LDR questionaire, which ask- ed two questions: 1. Do you favor the adoption by the Twenty-Sec- ond Parliament of Canadad of a Declaration of Rights for Cana- dians; 2. Do you favor the appoint- ment of a Special Committee of Parliament to draft a Bill of Rights for Canada, to be incor- porated into our constitution as soon as possible? All the CCF and LPP candi- dates who replied agreed, in the’ main, with the LDR proposals. Only one Social Credit candidate undem delegates, ed that such an excuse was only intended to cover up the ™ reason, viz, the inability of 2 top brass to reconcile its aM ences with the CCL leaders! and the fear, as implied by ¥ vin, that Labor Minister wie might be able to utilize ™™ “difference’ for not making ™ ed changes in the ICA Act. Delegate John Hines of Painters Suggested that the © ferences” feared by Gervil ee be ironed out in conferen? tween the two bodies, 1 % ‘that unitedly, labor could Pre its legislative demands 1 : minister for a streamlined IC4 other needed labor legislation he act st ord owertt! : we replied and that was to ackno" ledge receipt of the lets i Replies received from t of? didates of the Liberal party not for the most part cautiously committal — with one & 1 call Frank T. Fairey, the Libe?@ i ed didate in Victoria, B.C» 9 op at length from a statement “4 posing a Bill of Rights, PY yo few months back by. sail Stuart S. Garson which part: “The essence Of 4 © ij Rights is a distrust ° ment.:3....7 — onperts: “Tt seems to me,” said HON the “that Mr. Garson should tlie last person to talk abo ment protecting our wo for it was he more hae 4 single member of parle No. was responsible for Bi ' which would seriously Aa abso” some of our liberties @ lutely eliminated others. indi “There is nothing 1 “Lin that the new bill a me duced will be purged © those words, phrases; and sections which, 1” so seriously threatene mocratic rights. It ¥ pressure from the movement persuacs of Commons eae to propose amen sections but these ame were not and need iy ed by parliament oF I in the new Dill. best way for parlia e can f th to immed pare a co Rights. fore any further 4 to revise the and the revision ° be ant document the principles Declaration of as in Bill 93, SURE SUITE 515 STANTON, MUNRO & DEAN Barristers - Solicitors FORD BUILDING (Corner Main & Hastings Sts.) Notaries os 198 yp, wast t eget TOE tt it tt | MARINE 5746 imi ie PACIFIC TRIBUNE — SEPTEMBER 4, 1953 —