FRANK WALL Education Director, Regional Council No. 1, IWA The adoption of a policy statement with respect to Paid Educational Leave by the dele- gates at the 1976 CLC Constitu- tional Convention gave a new vision to many trade unionists in Canada. The past year, 1977 has seen much discussion by Union leaders, educators, the public-, employers, government of- ficials and rank and file mem- bers of unions regarding P.E.L. The response by many unions to members’ needs for a life-long education has seen in some instances the inclusion of clauses in collective agree- ments dealing with Paid Educational Leave. As has been our experience over the many years of collec- tive bargaining what we obtain for our members by that process, quite often becomes the forerunner of legislation applying to all Canadians asa whole. UNION CONTRACTS | At the present time many contracts of unions like the UAW, IUE, USWA, CUPE and BCGEU contain clauses of varying kinds dealing with paid educational leave of one variety or another. The em- phasis that is placed on PEL is in the area of Labour Educa- tion. While at the same time it should be flexible enough to take into account the varying needs of workers in differing situations or localities. In June 1974 at the General Conference of the International Labour Organization in Geneva that body adopted a Convention No, 140 and Recommendation No. 148 con- cerning Paid Educational Leave. This is a Tripartite Body with representatives from Governments, Labour and Employer and is one of the oldest agencies of the United Nations. The Convention was adopted by votes of 295 for and 43 against and the Recom- mendation received votes of 342 for and 6 against. While these Conventions at the I.L.0. are the subject of much research and debated very extensively it is rather significant to note that by January, 1977 the Convention on P.E.L. had been adopted by Sweden, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Federal Republic of Germany and France. IMPROVED PROGRAMMES The Honourable John Munro, Liberal M.P., Minister of Labour has made many state- ments about improved Labour Education programs and worker education programs even as far back as his address to the Throne Speech in Oc- tober, 1976. One of the points in that address deals with P.E.L. He was announcing a 14-point program for improved labour relations and it was the fifth point that dealt with P.E.L. There has been many other occasions where he has brought this area of concern to the attention of different groups in order to seek support for its encouragement for acceptance and adoption. One of the problems that we find ourselves in in Canada in trying to ratify a convention of the I.L.0. with subject matters dealing with the likes of Indus- - trial or’ Labour Relations is that it falls quite often under the jurisdiction of the various Provinces. So in order to get agreement for its implementa- tion or to try to ratify anything one has to get the support of the provincial governments. If it is something falling under Federal jurisdiction solely it can reduce the amount of opposition quite substantially. As was to be expected Mr. Munro has been attacked from many quarters on his sym- pathetic ear to the idea of P.E.LL. SUSTAIN P.E.L. DEMAND — If it is to receive the attention and consideration it really de- a we ~~ ate continue mg i trying to have P.E.L. etnies within _ our agreements. Letting our _ governments know that we - support the concept of P.E.L. That it is important, in that it helps meet the needs and ents of workers in a changing society. The government will only to the concept of L. if there is a continued sustained demand for it. Paid educational leave for workers n be an investment in Many people in the workplace today never had the oppor- tunity to get an education that would fit them for the chal- lenges of today’s society. Sabbaticals for university professors and other members of the teaching fraternity is quite common and often quite readily accepted. If people in those areas of endeavour find it necessary to update their knowledge and sills surely it is equally as important for the working person who sees his or her job change or being elimin- ated or for some other personal reasons then he or she should be provided with some P.E.L. in order to improve his or her THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER JANUARY, 1978 MILLIONAIRES NOT WANTED With many countries raising barriers against immigration — Ontario health minister Timbrell even wants to keep Quebec doctors from invading Ontario — it’s nice to hear of _at least one country that used sensible guidelines. In New Zealand, a would-be Belgian immigrant was turned down recently because he listed his occupation as ‘“‘millionaire.”’ ‘“¢ ‘Millionaire’ is not on the current list of occupations needed in New Zealand,”’ said an immigration spokesman. CANADA'S PEACE REPUTATION HAS SLIPPED BADLY IN WORLD By STUART LEGGATT, M.P. Before recessing for the Christmas break, Members of Parliament held their first full debate on Canadian foreign policy since 1960. It came at a good time, for despite the government’s laud- able but tardy decision to get tough with the racist regime in South Africa, Canada’s reputa- tion as an aggressive advocate of peace in the world commun- ity has slipped badly. As recently as a decade ago, our country’s external rela- tions basked in the glow of a Prime Minister who had _be- come the sole Canadian to re- ceive the coveted Nobel Peace Prize. We were the world’s honest broker. The emerging nations of the Third World saw us as one ‘‘Western’’ nation who could be counted upon to mix a little morality with our self-in- terest. We played our role well. Be- hind the scenes in the United Nations and the Common- wealth. On the world stage in the Suez, the Congo and Cyprus. In the early 1970s, however, Canada began to take more = : | WOMEN’S MOVEMENT __“NOT ALIVE AND WELL” = o “a | By JUDY WASYLYCIA-LEIS N.D.P. Federal Women’s Organizer The women’s movement in Canada is not alive and well and reaching the grass roots. Barely 10 years old, it may be on the verge of becoming extinct. Gains made yesterday are being wiped out today and the women’s movement is not showing the kind of leadership and unity of purpose necessary to counteract increasing reac- tionary attitudes towards women. | Women’s wages are lower now relative to men’s than they were when the movement started. Day care is being cut back. Emergency women’s centres are being starved out of existence. And women are increasingly being viewed as secondary earners. Ordinary women are being politicized, not by the women’s movement, but by a coalition of the right wing which is coal- esced around the question of the family, patriarchal authority, and the sacredness of the home. Women are being attracted to it, despite the fact that it promises nothing but protection for a small group of privileged women. Lack of progress is as much a result of right-wing forces as of a women’s movement that has become middleclass, divi- sive, and politically passive. If the womens movement is to be a force for social change, it must seek new direction in three fundamental areas. 1. The middle-class nature of the movement has alienated ordinary women who are pri- marily concerned about attain- ing a decent standard of living and who do not readily identify a eB BT I TIO ET I EE OE REET with the struggles over abor- tion, equal access to credit, property rights in marriage, and wages for housework. By not spending more time seek- ing union protection for women workers, helping single parent mothers out of the welfare trap, and pressuring govern- ments to adequately define and enforce the minimum wage, the movement has left behind the majority of low-income working women. 2. The women’s movement has appeared to be inflexible and has focused more on the divisions than the bonds that exist between women. As Lois Gould writes, ‘‘We used to come together from different places — and we came not to judge, destroy, appease, or lie to each other, but to find the connective tissues without ever disowning our differences.” 3. The women’s movement has been removed from the political process and has been unable to organize concerted pressure on our governments. We need Kate Millet’s words as a reminder: ‘Just feminism without any political engage- ment, any political clout, any socialist emphasis, becomes just an exercise. It doesn’t challenge any institutions. We have our fate in our hands. All we have to do is seize it.” Responsibility for rejuvenating and changing the direction of women’s move- ment rests heavily on the shoulders of NDP women. Our commitment to socialism and to political action can be the needed catalyst for change within the women’s movement. Such leadership will be ac- cepted only atter we have shown solidarity and unity of purpose within our own party. LIGHTER SIDE A woman’s definition of retirement: “Twice as much husband on half as much income.” ‘and more of a satellite position in world affairs. We slavishly accepted the view of the world situation as put forth by the U.S. State Department, whether or not it was damag- ing to the cause of peace. While we must inevitably share some of the concerns of : our American neighbours, no- one any longer expects the kind of initiative Canada exhibited by refusing in the 1960s to sup- port the U.S. boycott of Cuba. Abandoning a distinctive voice in international affairs not only hurts our reputation abroad, but is damaging to the United States. : It would serve everyone’s in- terests if Canada once again adopted the active role of an objective neighbour willing to offer BOTH support for posi- tive American policy and con- structive criticism for actions which undermine the search for world justice and peace. The people of British Colum- bia, faced with the acceptance by our government of an American Trident nuclear sub-_ . marine base sixty miles south of Victoria, have the right to wonder how the support by Ca- nada of this escalation in the arms race reconciles itself with our “moral” position on nuclear disarmament. Of course it doesn’t, which is why we need to consider some new unilateral actions for peace. Canada now ranks sixth in weapons sales around the world. We have sold an aver- age of $355 million worth a year, with many arms going to such repressive dictatorships as Brazil, Iran and Chile. We should go to the U. N. Disarmament Conference and announce that we are unila- terally suspending arms sales for one year and are inviting other nations to join us. This tactic has been proved successful. In the early 1970s former U.S. President Nixon unilaterally halted American bacteriological warfare. The Soviet Union followed suit, and a treaty banning such weapons resulted. The world spent $240 billion on arms in 1973. Four billion dollars could feed the hungry of the world. All illiteracy could be wiped out by the turn of the Cantey with si. 5 billion. A worldudael medical scheme would cost another four billion. This and much, much more could be done with only a ten per cent reduction in world arms sales. Although too large a topic for this limited space, we should examine our policy of export- ing nuclear reactors and tech- nology abroad. Canada can regain its repu- tation in international affairs. If the world is to be made safe for humanity, we surely must.