re I) SEE ONL Pe INN ot Fy, weet SS | LABOR “unity, auda EDMONTON — With labor’s friends and allies from Solidarity Alberta seated as observers, President Dave Werlin opened the 28th annual Alberta Federation of Labor convention, Feb. 15, calling for labor unity, audacity and solidarity in the face of the most serious and relentless attack on - Working people’s living standards and rights since the 1930s. : __ The seating of the building trades union, independent non-affiliates and community interest groups at the convention was a sig- nificant expression of what Werlin in his speech stressed was “the key lesson” organ- ized labor has learned over the past year. That lesson, he said, “is the need for the trade union movement to break out of its isolation and to become more involved with, more a part of the community in which we operate, the community which we share with those who do not have unions and who do not enjoy the limited protection offered by a collective agreement.” . Welcoming the observers, Werlin that Feb. 16, would be designated “Solidarity Day” at the convention and that spokesper- sons from the various participants in the solidarity coalition set up by the federation last November along the lines of the B.C. Federation of Labor’s Operation Solidar- ity, would be given the opportunity to join the convention debate on the Solidarity Alberta policy statement. That paper contained a program and _ action plan to rally the broadest possible _ Opposition through the province against the g0vernment-big business attack on the peo- ple’s living standards and rights. Solidarity _ Alberta’s program called for all participants to respect each other’s bargaining jurisdic- lions, rally behind any and: all groups attacked by the government, contribute to “the funding of ‘the’ coalition, and- make Solidarity Alberta the top priority at all local and regional meetings of the partici- pating organizations. In addition, the policy paper called on all phillip ellen rankin bond paul mcomurray Barristers & Solicitors 157 Alexander Street 2nd floor Vancouver, B.C. V6A 1B8 682-3621 labor councils to set up regional Solidarity Alberta committees which will have elected representation on the executive body of Solidarity Alberta. The convention was also asked to endorse the coalition’s six-point action pro- gram which includes: a widespread educa- tion program on how the peoples’ rights are being undermined vy the government; a program of rallies, petitions and other forms of mass action; an immediate cam- paign to save medicare and eliminate user fees; a series of socio-economic conferences throughout the province to discuss the crisis and the alternatives for achieving jobs, decent wages, restored public services, fair and equitable taxation, and free and fair collective bargaining; a speakers’ bureau; and other action-oriented activities as initiated by Solidarity Alberta. In his speech, Werlin hammered the Tory provincial government of Premier Peter Lougheed for launching ‘“‘a direct raid on the pockets and purses of trade unionists and all working people by legislating away long standing, hard won rights, social standards and human rights.” He outlined the long list of anti-union and anti-people laws including: Bill 11, in _ 1982 smashing the nurses’ strike; Bill 44, the next year, stripping all health care and hos- pital workers of the right to strike; Bill 41 which deprived all provincial employees of the same right; to Bill 100, making it possi- ble for unionized contractors to set up dummy or spin-off companies using non- union labor in order to undermine and smash the building trades unions. However, the AFL president thanked the Lougheed government for bringing labor together under this barrage of anti-union legislation and anti-people policies “Thanks AUTOPLAN EXPIRING? Renew at your home, place of Work or our Office. Contact: DAVE MORTON Bus: 734-7124 Res: 433-4568 Also homeowners, tenants, marine and all types of business insurance. RANKIN we. COMPANY Barristers & Solicitors 4th Floor, 195 Alexander St. Vancouver, B.C. V6A IN8 682-2781 Offers a broad range of legal services including: Personal Injury & Insurance claims Real Estate & Conveyancing Divorce & Family Law Labour Law : Criminal Law Estates & Wills ~ Werlin issues call at AFL: city, solidarity’ AFL PRESIDENT DAVE WERLIN. . addressing B.C. Fed convention in December. to Bill 4 and Bill 100 and all the other attacks on the trade unions and working people in Alberta by the Lougheed government, the AFL and the building trades unions are beginning to pull together”, Werlin said. The government’s recent decision not to implement Bill 110 was “a victory for labor unity in Alberta,” he said, adding: “The. truth of the matter is that the big construc- tion companies and other members of the corporate elite saw that the government’s attacks on labor had resulted in something they dread more than anything else — a trend toward labor unity.” The “War on 44” campaign, inspired by Operation Solidarity and the Solidarity Coalition in B.C., was broadened into Solidarity Alberta, Werlin said, because the federation felt that it was only a matter of time until the government expanded its attack beyond the public sector to include private sector unions, the teachers and all working people in the province. It was in this spirit of unity that Werlin appealed to both the building trades unions, which have been out of the AFL and the Canadian Labor Congress for the past cou- ple of years, and other independent non- affiliated unions to work with the federation. He called on the building trades to work with the AFL, “‘in defence of our common rights, in pursuit of our common goals, and in opposition to our mutual enemies in the board rooms of the monopolies and their henchmen in government.” In a significant initiative for a labor fed- eration leader, Werlin went on to propose that, “when the time is ripe, I am prepared to enter into some appropriate form of structural unity which will allow the build- ing trades locals to enter the house of labor and once again become part of the Alberta Federation of Labor.” He went on to urge independent unions “to also work with the AFL in common cause. ..to seriously consider how best to join the house of labor.” | Classified Advertising COMING EVENTS FEB. 22-25 — Primo Nana, a new collabora- tion from SFU faculty. members Marc Diamond and Penelope Stella. A dark comedy about revo- lution in the mythical CentralAmerican country of Micro Unana. Curtain 8 p.m. SFU Theatre. Free perf. Feb. 24, 12:30 p.m. Call 291-3514 or 291-3513 for info. FEB. 26 — Centre for Socialist Education forum: “1984: Is anybody listening?” with Harry Rankin and Don Stewart. 7:30 p.m., 2747 E. Hastings. MAR. 2 — Disarmament Benefit Dance with The Crustaceans (from Seattle) and Jon Doe. 8 p.m. UBC Graduate Student Centre. Adm. $5, $4 students, unempl. Spons. by UBC Students for .Peace & Mutual Disarmament and CAMROC. MAR. 3 — Hard times dinner and dance. Ukrainian Cultural Centre, 805 E. Pender. Genuine home cooked hard times dinner, 7 p.m. Dancing to good music, 8:30 p.m. For tickets, information, 253-3032. Adm. $6, stu- dents, unempl. seniors, $5. : MAR. 4—APR. 11 — 1984 Basics classes, an introductory series of classes on Marxist theory and practice. Every. Sunday evening (exc. Mar. 11) For registration info. phone Miguel 254-9836 MAR. 10 — DANCE PARTY! Benefit for the Unemployed Action Centre with Communique and special guests. Ukrainian Hall, 805 E. Pender St. 8 p.m. $4, $2 unempl. MAR. 11 — Keep this date open for Interna- tional Women’s Day dinner. Congress of Cana- dian Women. MAR. 18 — International Festival for Peace, 600 Campbell Ave. 2 p.m. An exciting program featuring participants from the Federation of Russian-Canadians, Assoc. of United Ukrain- ian Canadians, Yugoslav, Chilean and Portu- guese organizations, Union of Young Douk- hobors and soloists. All proceeds to the peace movement. Adm. $3. For info. call. 253-3032. FOR RENT SELF-CONTAINED basement suite, non- smokers, Suitable for couple or 2 adults, reason- able, East Van. 253-9574 COMMERCIAL GRAMMA PUBLICATIONS. Complete print- ing services. Brochures, menus, leaflets, etc. A union shop. 1595 W. 3rd Ave., Van. Hours: Mon-Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat. 12 noon to 5 p.m. 733-6822. ROOF REPAIRS — New roofs. Reasonable. Phone 277-3352. ELECTRICAL, plumbing, appliance repairs. Don Berg. 255-7287. BILL’S HEATING, gasfitting, plumbing. Instal- lation, repairs. 274-0761. WRITER-RESEARCHER Social, labor, muni- cipal issues. Phone Ron Sostad. 688-2873, 922-6980. LEGAL SERVICES RANKIN, McMURRAY, BOND. Barristers and Solicitors. 2nd Floor, 157 Alexander Street. 682-3621. , DIRECTORY COMMUNIST PARTY OF CANADA offices located at 102, 2747 E. Hastings St. Vancouver. Phone 254-9836. Office hours 9:30-12 noon; - 1-5 p.m. Mon. to Fri. For information on political issues or assistance in political activity. HALLS FOR RENT RUSSIAN PEOPLE’S HOME — Available for rentals. For reservations phone 254-3430. WEBSTERS CORNERS HALL — Available for banquets, meetings, etc. For rates: Ozzie, 325-4171 or 462-7783. ~~ UKRAINIAN CANADIAN CULTURAL CENTRE — 805 East Pender St. Vancouver. Available for banquets, weddings, meetings. Phone 254-3436. Classified advertising rates $1 per line per week. Deadline for insertions, Wednesday of week prior to publication. BANQUET in honor of eminent literary scholars from the Ukrainian SSR Friday, February 24, 1984 Russian Peoples Home, 600 Campbell Ave., Vancouver For reservations before Feb. 23, phone 294-4163, 420-5866. 255-6488 Auspices: Canada-USSR Association 7 p.m. PACIFIC TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 22, 1984 e 11