UE lobby tells Ottawa freeze energy prices By MIKE PHILLIPS OTTAWA — Leaders of the 20,000-member United Electrical workers (UE) told the federal government June 18, ‘there is not a single -solitary reason why Canadians should be saddled with sharp prices increases in the cost of petroleum products at this The UE’s 15-member National Executive Board, led by presi- dent Dick Barry, presented the Liberal government with a hard- hitting brief demanding an im- mediate freeze on Canadian pet- roleum products with future price increases tied to the cost of pro- duction. Backed by some 10,000 petition cards signed over a week-long period by workers in each UE shop, the brief called for a Cana- dian energy policy which would: e freeze oil and gas prices at _existing levels, with future hikes ties to increased production costs alone; e immediately halt oil and natural gas exports out of Canada as well as all other non-renewable energy resources; e start the building of an east- west all-Canadian energy corridor to ensure adequate energy supplies for every region of the country; e and, expand Petrocan’s role as a first step toward bringing Canada’s energy resources under public ownership and control. UE’s delegation met with rep- resentatives of both opposition parties in the Commons, as well as the government,: represented by. Energy Minister Marc Lalonde’s parliamentary secre- tary. Lalonde couldn't participate because he was involved in oil pricing talks with Alberta’s Energy Minister Merv Leitch. The brief noted how the price of Canadian oil, now set at $14.75 a barrel, costs less than $3 a barrel to produce. ‘‘This spread pro- vides more than sufficient re- venues to sustain the very high level of profits now being ejoyed by the industry, provide all the necessary funds for exploration purposes, and provide ample re- venues for both levels of govern- ment’, the UE told the federal government. At $14.75 a barrel, the UE pointed out, the oil companies re- ceive $6.15. With current produc- tion running at about 1.6 million barrels a day, the multi-national oil companies well rake in some $3.8-billion. Adding to this huge windfall profits from oil wells dis- covered before the prices went out of control, the UE charged the multi-nationals with perpetuating ‘‘a nice skin game, with the con- sumer the victim and the multi- nationals receiving much of the increase from fields that were dis- covered many years ago at cheaper prices that the companies considered at that time economi- cally viable.”’ The UE delegation said there was “precious little that is diffe- rent’’ in both the Tories’ and Lib- erals’ energy pricing policy, as the Liberals are putting forward simi- lar proposals to the ones which caused the Tories’ defeat last December. “Instead of the 18 cents-a- gallon increase in excise tax on gasoline and diesel fuel proposed by its predecessors,’’ the brief charged ‘‘the present government has instead proposed a ‘refinery gate’ tax ... which would be worse because it would jack up the price of all petroleum pro- ducts including home heating oil.”’ The government was also blasted for the fact the existing oil pipeline stops in Montreal. ‘* This union has urged since the 1950s that the pipeline be extended to the Maritimes’, the UE brief said, ‘‘yet this proposal has fallen on deaf ears..." As a result, the federal gov- emment subsidizes the cost of foreign imported oil into eastem Canada to the tune of $3. 1-billion. The UE said that with the present . energy price structure there is enough to provide Ottawa with the necessary subsidy - funds, ‘*providing the oil industry is not allowed to extract even greater super profits and if Alberta is now allowed to continue to skim off 40% of the cost of a barrel of oil for its Heritage Fund.” Canadian oil, which costs less than $3 for $14.75, says a UE brief to the federal government. The union is asking for an immediate freeze on gas prices with future hikes tied to produc- PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JUNE 27, 1980—Page 8 0 ree Ee 4 a barrel to produce, is now selling - UE president Dick Barry said, following the presentation, that the Liberal government was ‘‘ob- viously committed to higher energy prices. ‘*We told them there’s no justi- fication for any energy price in- creases other than for increased production costs’, Barry said. “*And, we stressed that the oil in- dustry shouldn’t be in the hands of private enterprise, but like all resource industries they should be public utilities under public owner- ship and control.”’ The UE president said the delegation was accompanied by a representative from the Canadian Labor Congress substituting for president Dennis McDermott who was unavailable. Barry wel- comed the CLC participation and said the union hopes the entire labor movement will take up the energy issue in similar campaigns. He indicated: that as a start a number of Ontrio labor councils, specifically Toronto, London and Hamilton, have expressed an in- © terest in taking up the petition campaign and pressing Ottawa to stop the energy price hikes. 30th NTU Congress theme ‘Organize with the people’ — By NICOLE FUYET ; QUEBEC — The 50th Con- gress of the Confederation of Na- tional Trade Unions, (CNTU- CSN), May 25-31, took place ina tense atmosphere. In effect, the strike by 450 of the labor central’s staff workers, disrupted the convention to.the point of forcing the postponement of the discussion of the executive report until next fall. Around the theme of *‘a collec- tive force organized with the people’’, the out-going executive presented a report which rep- resented a forward step for the CSN and the working class, plac- ing the labor central even more firmly in the line of march ‘‘against capitalism and for the achievement of a new socialist and democratic society.” - - On the national question, the federal council, (the CSN’s high- est body), had decided to declare itself for the ‘‘yes’’ in the recent referendum without supporting sovereignty association because, ‘‘not taking an independent and autonomous position would have left the responsibility of defining both the significance and tactics of the response to the referendum question in the hands of political parties who don’t defend our interests.”” The executive stressed the need of ‘‘being extremely vigilant in facing the new positions both federal and provincial govern- - ments will put forward from now on.’ The CSN pledged, *‘we will still be on the side defending the | specific interests and fundamental rights of the workers which are the same as those of the Quebec people.”’ In line with this, it is urgent that the federal council follows these declarations and convenes a con- ference of all democratic organi- zations seeking to ensure that the workers’ interests are: defended on the basis of the recognition of the French Canadian nation’s right to self-determination, the equality of the two nations, and of the right of Native peoples to self-government over their ter- ritories, as the foundation of a new constitution. For Unity in Action On the political organization of the workers, the CSN executive reaffirmed its ‘determination to favor the emergence of an inde- pendent organization of the labor movement, capable of ensuring the defence of the workers’ interests.” Another positive aspect of the report is the often repeated call for unity in action of Quebec’s three labor centrals, particularly since the creation of the CSN- Quebec Teachers Central (CEQ) — Quebec Federation of Labor (FTQ) working committees on the protection of purchasing power, access to union organi- zation and to defeat the use’ of injunctions in labor relations. - The CSN looks ahead and recommends establishing condi- tions for truly national negotia- tions, to establish universal work- ing conditions on: the basis of united demonstrations and action with the FTQ and the CEQ. CEQ president Robert Gaulin in his message to the CSN convention told the delegates he was prepared to make recom- mendations along these lines to his union’s convention this month. Regrettably, FTQ presi- dent Louis Laberge who had ac- cepted the CSN invitation to the convention, couldn’t attend. On a less positive note, how- ever, it is regrettable that the CSN, silently passed over one fundamental aspect of the work- ing class struggle — the right to live in peace and détente. These are rights which are constantly at- tacked by cold war advocates whose first victims are always the workers and their democratic organizations. Workers’ Interests In other business, the Metal- — workers’ federation presented 2 — resolution to the congress aiming to revise a previous federal coun- cil position of pulling the two — CSN representatives from thé Quebec government-established ‘Health and Safety Commission. Many delegates pointed out that the CSN ought to be rep resented everywhere the work- S- ers’ interests come into play, ‘ the congress re-installed its tw® delegates. The position of the — mouthpieces for the pseudo-left at the congress that this was a ges" ture of class collaboration waS decisively beaten. A few hours before the com — gress adjourned until next fall’s meeting, the delegates electe¢ — members of the new executive: All but two of the outgoing execu" tive were re-elected by acclama- tion, including president Norbert ; Rodrigue. _ The anti-worker and anti-unio® * strike by the CSN staff unio® — launched May 13, and supporte® _ unconditionally by the pseud0 left, not only disrupted the convention but is depriving CS ‘members and affiliates of the central body’s services. In eff the CSN staff union refuses 1 provide essential services to U¥ — workers who are caught up in the — daily struggle with the boss. This use of the strike is nothing mor than a grab for power and an ef ql fort to destabilize a militant union organization. There’s no ing in the disputed points betweet * -the union and its staff which cal © < be resolved through good faith bargaining. This 50th, incomplete, CSN a congress was, nevertheless, step forward.