WILLIAM KASHTAN COMMENTS ON MERGER CONVENTION By WILLIAM KASHTAN Now that the Canadian Congress of Labor convention | is over, what did it accomplish? The coming merger with the Trades and Labor Congress was, of course, the main order of business. Delegates were aware this was the last CCL convention to be held and tried to make the maximum impact on the policies which would be carried forward in the merger. The growing wage and strike movement. found in debate. Delegates’ gave full support to the De Havilland strikers and the auto workers in the General Motors chain who are setting an important pattern for the entire labor movement by their deter- mined and united struggle. They 7 understood the need for streng- |- thening solidarity. This was shown -in the keen desire to tackle more effectively the prob- lems of overtime and speedup including the struggle for reduc- ed hours of work. : The debate on building of a national strike fund has illus- trated that the CCL leaders lag- ged behind the delegates. A re- solution for the fund introduced by a local from New Brunswick brought the issue to the fore. President Aaron Mosher argu- ed against it because he said’ it would take away the indepen- dence of locals and unions who would, in order to get the bene- fit of the strike fund, have to get endorsation of their strikes. A Ford auto worker got up to re- mind him that every UAW local; had to get such permission from! their international office before they could strike. The debate mirrored the dif- ficulties of the smaller unions which have no great strike fund to rely on as do unions like auto and steel. It was closed when secretary-treasurer Donald Mac- Donald assured delegates that this matter was receiving the close ‘attention of the TLC and its reflection” CCL ood would ibe dealt with in _the course of the merger. The convention adopted an important policy statement on automation. It warned of the effects of automation and out- lined some of the main meas- ures needed to cope with it. It remained for left-wing spokesmen, however, to point out the need for the entire trade union movement advanc- ing the fight for the 30 or 32-hour work week, which automation makes absolutely necessary. They also posed the question —shall these machines remain in the hands of monopoly for purposes of amassing maximum profits at the expense of the peo- ple, or shall the labor movement and its allies make these mach- ines work in the interests of society? Automation will un- doubtedly accelerate the trend towards political action as it will force the workers to seek the answer in social ownership and socialism. On the legislative front the convention faced a dilemma earlier conventions had refused to resolve. It called for a National Health program, improvement in old age pensions, family allowances. It urged the government to re- duce taxes. The resolutions committee, ‘however, rejected the position put forward by left-wing spokes- men. This declared that to car- ry through a comprehensive so- cial security system, advance a housing program, and _ reduce taxes requires a reduction in the arms program. Policy advanced Thus while the convention moved forward somewhat to- wards a policy of peace, it shied away from spelling it out for Canada. It failed to insist that a peace economy replace the war economy which has been char- acteristic of the post-war years. Yet the convention unanimous- ly supported an All-Canadian gas pipeline and other nation- building projects. — Similarly it unanimously en- dorsed a resolution by one of} the textile locals after consider- able debate on the subject which | essentially called for a greater measure of protection for the textile industry. The conven- tion took note of the heroic struggle conducted by the textile workers against the wage cut- ting policies of employers which, by and large, they have been able to defeat. Delegates did move forward over last year’s position with respect to foreign policy. While USE OUR XMAS LAY-AWAY PLAN A deposit will hold articles. Special discount to all Tribune readers. Bring this ad with you. CASTLE JEWELERS 752 Granville St. the statement was full of con- tradictions, it nevertheless mov- ed towards a policy of peace- ful coexistence. Last year’s convention attacked the con- cept of peaceful coexistence. - This year’s. resolution was forced to recognize it. i The CCL. foreign policy state- ment differs on important as- pects from the position of AFL President George Meany who eontinues to. go up and down | the U.S. attacking peaceful nego- ; tiations and urging a return to) ithe cold war. : Some CCL spokesmen hed Larry Sefton of the Steelwork- ers were actually to the right of External Affairs Minister Pear- son. Thus while the govern- OPEN DAY AND NIGHT Hastings Steam Baths Expert Masseurs in Attendance | TA. 0644 «=766 E. Hastings St. Vancouver, B.C. | ment appears to have worked | out agreements on cultural, trade | and other exchanges, this con- vention as a result of the red- ing for exchange delegations be- ‘tween the trade union movement of Canada and the Soviet Union. on world labor organizations— jurging united action’ between the ICFTU and WFTU. {force the organized labor move- ment to take another look at these questions. After all it took took just three days for Sefton, as chairman of the resolutions committee, to change his tune. From sneering at those who laud- ed the “Geneva spirit’ he final- ly had to tell delegates he was also in favor of the Geneva con- ference and hoped for its suc- cess. merger, a resolution endorsing CCL convention was the agree- ment expressed with the merger which was unanimously endors- ed. .The close to 40 resolutions which locals forwarded did not baiting attacks of Sefton and | others, defeated a resolution call- | Also defeated was a resolution’ With an eye to the coming; Most important feature of the’ What did CCL parley accomplish? the CCF as the “political arm of labor” was pushed through the convention without debate.