ECOLOGY: Can we survive? . . + See pg. 3

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FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1972

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Aneel teachers shown applauding the call for unity to oust the Socred government at the B.C. Teachers
_ ©°8vVention in Vancouver this week.

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with ENS UNION LOBBY. More than 150 members of the United Fishermen and Allied
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workmen’s compensation. See story on page 1,

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demand collective bargain

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ing rights and

—Fisherman photo

VOL. 33, No. 14

CTRADES NON

Tribune

AREER 50 Cc
[COUNCIL >

OUST SOCREDS
WRGE TEACHERS

A ringing call for unity to oust the reactionary
Socred government came this week from the province’s
23,000 teachers gathered at the annual convention of the
B.C. Teachers Federation in Vancouver.

The keynote was struck by
Federation president Adam
Robertson in his report to the
650 delegates who came from
every corner of the province.

“Through political action the
Minister (Brothers) has
threatened the future of our
organization. Through political
action he has deprived us of the
right of free collective bargain-
ing. Through political action he
has imposed financial restric-
tions on school boards that will
further erode the quality of
education available to the chil-
dren of British Columbia.
Through political action he has
posed threats to our security as
teachers in British Columbia. °

‘“‘We must fight fire with fire—
political action with political

action. We must leave the

seeming security of our class-

rooms to enter the political

arena. Our futures have been,
are being, and will continue to
be determined by political
actions — political. actions in
which we have not been
involved.”

Robertson’s straight forward
declaration received over-
whelming support from the
teachers as he proceeded to
outline a program for political
action. He called for the forma-
tion in each constituency of a
‘Citizens’ Committee For
Democracy and Education.”

“‘We invite all citizens and
organizations who oppose the
denial of collective bargaining
rights to teachers and others, or
who oppose the threat to educa-
tional quality brought about by
financial restrictions on local
school boards,. or who are con-
cerned about the growing threat

to democracy created by actions
of the provincial government,
to join the committee.”

Purpose of the committees,
Robertson pointed out, would be
to ensure that every voter in
each constituency was made
aware of the issues and to unite
where considered desireable
around a candidate on the basis
of his stand on the issues.

' Delegates enthusiastically
voted in support of the proposals-
and by 495-84 decided on a levy of
one day’s pay for a political
fighting fund which will total
$1.25 million. Delegates also
voted 428-122 in favor of a strike
vote to be conducted by the
executive.

The growing anti-Socred move-
ment in B.C. also got strong
support from the delegates to
the Vancouver and District
Labor Council Tuesday night
when they voted $5,000 for a
political education fund. (See
story on page 12)

There is a rising demand from”

the grass roots for united action
to drive the Socred government
from office in the next election.

The convention is due to wind
up Wednesday following dis-
cussion of teachers affiliation
with organized labor and
election of officers. A task force
is studying affiliation of the
BCTF to the B.C. Federation of
Labor, which is due to report in
May. While a decision may not
be made this week, it is
expected, with unity feeling
running high, that teachers will
continue to support close liaison
with the BCFL and other organi-
zations.

Civic unions demand

return to bargaining

—See pgs. 2, 12