EDITORIAL Act to defend Nicaragua The U.S. provocation against Nicaragua is clear for all who want to see. Itis not necessary to repeat the facts of the military encirclement, the hiring of criminal murderers, the sonic booms of spy planes, the naval might encroach- ing on Nicaraguan sovereignty, the involvement of U.S. personnel in organizing the assaults on Nicara- guan territory, the propaganda war to justify a U.S. invasion of Nicaragua. All that is rudely displayed by the Yankee bully, proud of its “conquering” of 110,000 Grenadians, and ready to “conquer” countries a little larger. Not too large, but of the size that a bully figures he can whip. Reagan’s military and subversive forces have something new to think about with Nicaragua. They planned to invade. But the world spotlight and Nica- raguan preparedness crumpled those plans. What to do? Turn on the imperialist propaganda fan full blast. Make Nicaragua the villain, arming to invade a neighboring country. Never mind that there has never been a shred of Nicaraguan policy that sug- gested such a goal. But meanwhile the U.S. build-up for invasion marches on relentlessly. And the fact that Nicaragua has prepared to ward off such an invasion, disturbs U.S. plans. Any country which rejects U.S. invasion, and mobilizes to meet it, is obviously a threat and Battling the Tory assault Comfortably in office, the Tory majority govern- ment in Ottawa is showing its true colors, colors tinted to soft pastels for the sake of the election cam ‘ Now, with the mini-budget presented by Finance Minister Wilson Nov. 8, the assault on working people is taking shape with a vengeance. The Communist Party of Canada, which cam- paigned for election, urging the defeat of the political right, and denying the Tories a majority government, is today mounting a strong campaign against the iniquitous program glimpsed in the mini-budget. Launched with a press conference Nov. 9 and followed by a demonstration on Parliament Hill and lobbying of MPs Nov. 15, the Communist campaign in defence of universality of social programs and jobs, and for job creation, utilizing leaflets and the progressive media, points to new possibilities for the working people. During the Ottawa lobby Communist leader Wil- liam Kashtan proposed a country-wide People’s Coalition to unite in struggle for these vital needs of Canadians. must be invaded and the government overthrown. The truthful part of it is that the preparedness of Nicaragua is a threat to the domination plans of U.S. imperialism. The intent of the U.S. imperialists has not changed. All that has changed is the propaganda umbrella under which it will try, imminently, to des- troy Nicaragua and its elected government. An entirely false and malicious campign of slander emanating from Washington tries to picture Nicara- gua as a threat. The real threat is, and has always been for Central America, U.S. imperialism. The only question in this instance is under what pretext they will take the course they did in Grenada. The world must be on guard and order the Washington aggressors to keep out of Nicaragua. The Canadian government must be pressed to oppose in principle and in diplomatic action, this latest U.S. outrage. The ominous steps, taken by External Affairs Minister Joe Clark in preparing evacuation plans, must not be allowed to become complicity in a U.S. invasion. Demonstrations and letters to MPs urging the Liberal and New Democrat opposition in the Com- mons to take an unyielding stand against any such U.S. aggression, are ways Canadians can back Nica- ragua’s independence. In the face of cutbacks, firings and the Tories’ deliberate increases in the cost of living — and this is only the beginning of the Mulroney years — a vigorous fightback is not only indicated, it is essential for the protection of gains won over a century. The alternative is the slide back into the past. The job crisis could be solved, full production could be achieved, equality of all people in Canada could be realized, industry under an independent - Canadian foreign and domestic policy (and under public ownership and democratic control) could hum with production, if it were not for monopoly’s grip on all aspects of life. It is in this struggle — the people against the monopolies — that the Mulroney Tories heap ever more favor upon the monopolies while they take from the people. It is in this struggle that the Com- munist Party’s consistent policies point the way to defending such sacred trusts as universality of social programs, and such fundamental rights as the right to a job. E CANADIAN UEACTURERS mANOC ATION WANTS To De REGULATE THE wok - PLACE, 20th CENTURY PROFITS, | qth CENTURY DREAMS: Canadian Utilities Ltd., Edmonton, apparently didn’t s under the National Energy Program. The company produces, transmits and distributes natural gas and electricity. It has after-tax profit for nine months ended Sept. 30, of $88,964,000, from $76,111,000 in the same months of 1983. RIBUNE Editor — SEAN GRIFFIN Assistant Editor — DAN KEETON Business & Circulation Manager — PAT O'CONNOR Graphics — ANGELA KENYON Published weekly at 2681 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. VSK 125 Phone (604) 251-1186 Subscription Rate: Canada — $14 one year; $8 six months Foreign — $20 one year; _ Second class mail registration number 1560 The following is excerpted from “Forg- ing a Future,” a report of the convention committee on the Future Directions of the Union, from the 22nd international con- vention of the United Steelworkers of Shorter hours — Germans showed the way Commentary To combat the situation, IGMetall an important lesson in the West German experience. Given widespread joble ness in labor’s ranks, coupled with ram pant abuse of overtime, the time ma’ well have come for another of labo America, held Sept. 24-28, 1984. Let us look briefly at a recent victory by West German metalworkers that is worthy of our consideration. In June of this year, the largest trade union in the free world, Germany’s 1GMetall, won an historic breakthrough in labor’s movement for a shorter work week. Over 400,000 German metal- workers will soon reduce their regular working week from 40 hours to 38, without any loss of pay. IGMetall pledges to continue its drive until the working week is reduced to 35 hours. The Germans’ demand for a shorter week grew out of circumstances strik- ingly similar to our own. Over the past several years, the German (the Federal Republic of Germany — the FRG) economy experienced its worst recession in post-war history. A conservative, anti-worker government had deliber- ately inflicted harsh austerity measures on the economy. At the depths of the Germany recession, unemployment ‘soared to a national level of nearly 16 per cent, a level unprecedented in modern Europe. ; Despite the recession, many German companies provided steady overtime to the few workers lucky enough to hold jobs, at the same time refusing to recall the long-term unemployed. And even as the German economy began to recover from its downturn, labor-saving changes in technology resulted in an increase in profit levels and decrease in employment levels. championed a reduction in the work- week to increase employment and reduce social tensions between the employed and the unemployed. To no one’s surpise, the union’s demand met with fierce resistance from German employers. GIMetall then waged a six- week strike for its objective. Its action cut across various industry lines and paralyzed a substantial sector of the German economy. Unions throughout Europe and North America rallied to the aid of IGMetall through the Interna- tional: Metalworkers Federation. As a result of concerted inter-industry and international effort, I[GMetall at. last shattered the 40-hour mark. The committee believes that there is historic struggles for a reduced work: week. ‘ 5 In the nineteenth century, employers called the 60-hour week sacred. In th 1930s, they defended the 48-hour wee! as an economic necessity. They woul strongly resist a shorter week now Nevertheless, 50 years of continuou improvement in productivity and te nology make a shorter work week ne only appropriate, but overdue. Not the least of the lessons we learn from our West German brothe: and sisters is that labor achieves its gi test gains when it unites solidly behind single, worthy purpose and can enli support across industry lines” national boundaries. 4 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 21, 1984