Mitchell Urges Support
For CLC H-Bomb Policy

_ Ban on further H-bomb test was urged by Regional
Secretary-Treasurer George H. Mitchell in a recent radio
address, as he made a plea for support of the policy
enunciated by the Canadian Labour Congress in this regard.

He stated that such action
would be a first step toward in-
ternational control of atomic
energy, and the outlawing of
nuclear. weapons in war. Full
disarmament might then follow,
he said, and would now be neces-
sary if the world is to know peace.

Horrors of Fall-out

He pointed to the fact that the
bomb tests give a fairly accurate
idea of the horrors of radio-active
fall-out in the event of: nuclear
war. “It is well to consider just
how easily and how rapidly the
catastrophe may overtake us, if
we continue in the present nuclear
arms race” he said.

He pointed to the fact that a
30-megaton bomb would spread
its fall-out over an area of 14,000
miles. Unlike the effects of blast
and heat, which soon pass away,
with only secondary effects re-
maining, the radio-active fall-out
persists long after the bomb cloud
has been discharged into the
stratosphere. Half of the radio-
activity disappears in 32 hours, but
the remaining half is dangerous
to life and takes several weeks to
disappear. It is important to
realize, he added, that because of
the long duration of the fall-out,
the people in the stricken area
would be completely immobilized.

Shelters Impractical

The IWA speaker pictured the
plight of a family seeking refuge
in the proposed shelters. In the
first place, he claimed, the erec-
tion of such shelters in the metro-
politan area would be impractical
for such construction would
disrupt every-day business activity,
and the cost would be prohibitive
for the average family.

For at least two months -a
dangerous degree of radioactivity
. would persist in the area affected.
If a family remains below decks
for several months, they would be
exposed to small additional dosage.
Nevertheless, it is difficult, he said.
to imagine péople living under
such ‘conditions months on end.
But the results of going topside
for any extended period must be
calculated.

The head of the family might
be required to venture out for
food and water. At the end of
half an hour after twenty-four
hours accumulate about 15
roentgens. ;

George Mitchell

The father of a family impris-
oned in the shelter, especially
if he considers that he is beyond
the reproductive period of life,
might decide to run the risk, even

though he could easily get a
dosage ranging up to 200
roentgens. In an emergency, he

would be required to balance this
risk against other risks such as
lack of food, water, and medical
aid.

Community Immobilised

It is pointed out by scientists,
the speaker stated, that after a
nuclear attack, the restoration of
a community could not proceed
until a full evaluation had been
made of the degree of contamin-
ation.

Human beings have no sensory
equipment to warn them of the
presence of a dangerous degree of
radioactivity. Radiation instru-
ments are required such as Geiger
counters. The unseen and un-
sensed nature of nuclear fall-out
makes it a weapon of real terror.

From Page 1

“Conference”

The discussion on the resolu-
tions dealing with the new party
sparked a discussion relating to
the current election campaign.
The delegates unanimously re-
solved to back the campaign now
being waged by the CCF—B.C.
Federation of Labour Joint Pro-
vincial Campaign Committee to
elect a CCF Goyernment. The
Regional Officers were authorized
to use the Union’s media and staff
as far as possible to aid this
campaign.

Unanimity on. the subject of
political action became possible
when delegates who had formerly
supported other political parties
stated that they would support
the policy enunciated by the con-
ference as being in the best
interests of the Union’s member-
ship.

The delegates attending the
convention accepted the responsi-
bility of organizing voluntary
fund-raising projects among IWA
members to help launch the new
party when unveiled at the
founding convention in  mid-
summer, 1961.

The IWA Secretary quoted a
well-known American writer, who
declared “To-morrow morning it
is easy to suppose, that the equip-
ment of a U.S. radar man some-
where in Canada mechanically
fails. Perhaps under extreme
pressure he mistakes a dead
satellite or a stray meteor for an
incoming bailistic missile. In a
few mifiutes the alarm is out. In
about fifteen minutes the Strategic
Air Command, from __ several
dozen bases, zeros in on Soviet
bases. The pre-arranged system of
erders comes into effect. The
danger of miscalculation increases
as the weapons become greater in

power, speed, and range. But
such a blunder may easily be
sufficient to start the attack of
missiles and the Strategic Air
Command. So, the Americans
have massively retaliated.» The

Russians retaliate massively. In a

fevr hours the world becomes a
shambles.”

In such case, queried the
speaker, the efficiency of $300

shelters becomes questionable.

The only real defence is the
preservation of peace, the speaker
urged.

YARDING CREW of the Wyssen Skyline Crane, Canadian Collieries
Limited, Indian River. Left to right, are: Joh. Jeiziner, Raion, V.S.,
Switzerland; Anton Nadig, Pfafers, G.R., Switzerland; Karl Pfenniger
Darf, Mauunsee-Luzerne, Switzerland; Leo Pfenniger Darf, Mauunsee-
Luzerne, Switzerland. The Engineer is not present in the picture as
this machine is yarding on a 4800’ road and the Engineer stays at
the back end throughout the work week rather than climb the side
hill twice a day. One of the Management representatives of this
operation stated that this machine is averaging 35,000 bd. ft. pro-
duction per day which is a very good example of increased productivity .

in the logging industry through the use of new types of logging equip-

ment and new methods of logging.

Volkswagen Canada Accused
Of Union-Busting Tactics

For the second time in less than two years, Volkswagen
Canada Ltd. has turned to union-busting. In the fall of 1958,
the United Automobile Workers of America made its first
attempt to organize a division of the growing Volkswagen

domain in Canada.

The UAW move was made at
the firm’s sales headquarters and
parts depot in Toronto, but it
foundered when Volkswagen fired
key union members.

Signed UAW Cards

This year, a substantial majority
of the 230 workers at the com-
pany’s big service and repair plant
in suburban Scarboro’s Golden
Mile district signed UAW cards.
Under the guidance of Gerry
Richter, UAW international re-
presentative, application for certi-
fication was made April 1.

But hearings béfore Ontario's

labour relations board bogged
down on a series of technical
issues.

Then Volkswagen Canada, a

subsidiary of the German firm,
reverted to the 1958 pattern. Six
employees, all members of the
UAW’s organization committee,
were discharged at the end of
June.

Each received a two-line dis-
missal notice from the paymaster.

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No reason was given for the
firings in the notice. But the
pattern was clear. Threats from
the company foremen then
firings.

Richter said three of the six
discharged workers had been with
Volkswagen almost since the
firm’s entry into Canada seven
years ago. One had received a
gold watch and scroll for out-
standing service last Christmas.

The UAW has formally charged
the company with dismissal for
union activity.

Judge to Investigate

York County Judge F. J. Mc-
Rae has been named commissioner
to investigate the case under
terms pf the province’s Labour
Relations Act. If the commissioner
makes a positive recommendation
supporting the UAW’s case, the
labour minister has the power to
order reinstatement of the men.

Radiation
Protection
Sought

The Committee on Atomic
Energy of the International
Confederation of Free Trade
Unions recommended last April
that the training programme
undertaken by the International
Atomic Energy Agency be ex-
tended to workers exposed to
ionising radiations in the course
of their work and to trade
union officials whose job it is to
ensure their protection.

The ICFTU has now trans-
mitted this recommendation to the
Director-General of the IAEA,
and has asked him to consider in
the meantime, a tentative plan for
a seminar on workers’ protection
against ionising radiations. It en-
closed a draft outline for such a
seminar, as approved by the com-
mittee.

This provides for a_ ten-day
seminar with about 30 participants
from all five continents (the
majority from Hurope) and en-
visages a general introduction into
the nature of ionising radiations
and their various applications;
technical and scientific inform-
ation on their effects; and legal
protection.

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