10

B.C. LUMBER WORKER

2na_ Issue Sept., 1959

“New Labour Party Certain” — — Jodoin

“The Congress, and I, as

its President, believe that the

need for a new party is greater today than a year and one- half ago”, declared President Claude Jodoin, of the Canadian Labour Congress, when before the 4th Annual Convention of the B.C. Federation of Labour he brushed aside’'the distorted Teports of his earlier remarks before the Winnipeg CLC-

CCF Seminar.

He said’ “I am positive tha’ the overwhelming majority of the unions affiliated with the Congress warmly support, and will continue to warmly support the idea of a new party. Especially now, that a Social Credit government has en- acted Bill 43 in B.C., and the Lib- erals have not disavowed Bills 1 and 2 in Newfoundland.

The Progressive-Conservatives have had the opportunity to dis- allow this Newfoundland legisla- tion, but have not done so. So where do we go from here? The workers of Canada will get noth- ing from the Liberals or the Con- servatiyes.”

“... The people of Canada and in particular the workers of Canada, when they fought in the last two world wars in this twen- tieth century, they did it to main- tain our Democratic way of life. Certainly not for the enactment of legislation of the Nazi, Fascist, Communist type...

. .. It is fantastic to see that free enterprise in Canada dovs not want Goyernment interven- tion for itself but they want anti- labour legislation to be imposed on free trade unionism. Free enterprise should remember that under dictatorships, free trade unionism is first eliminated and free enterprise a close second,

“Organized labour wiil never be Satisfied until legislation such as Bill 43 in British Columbia and Bills 1 and 2 in Newfoundland are rescinded, and we must also re- member that no democracies can exist without free trade

unionism . . -

“, .. TI read in a Vancouver

paper since my arrival in your beautiful city and province, that politics are behind Union Act un- rests of Bill 43. Of course, Bill 43 is not political, not anti-labour and not anti-Democratic.

I also find it extra-ordinacy through the medium. of editorials and other ways of communica- tions, that everybody in Canada, every citizen in Canada, of any

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profession or class of society, can participate in political affairs and public affairs, except the workers. Tt seems that according to certain people, that workers. are not citizens,”

“... To the wishful thinkers who believe that organized labour can be destroyed in Canada, iny only answer to that, Paraphrasing a general at the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne during -the last world war, is that “they are nuts.” Because as far as we are concerned, all we have to do is to show the courage and perse- verence shown by the pioneers of our Labour Movement who were ostracized in the old days but continued their good work for

the establishment of free trade|.

unionism in Canada.

“We are proud of the contribu- tion made by the organized workers of Canada to the Cana- dian economy, and we are proud of the principles and policies which we are defending. But dur- ing this smear campaign, inde- fensive onslaught on the trade Union Movement of our country, if ever the true believers of the Democratic principles have to be united, it is now, and we will remain united’. . .”

Apprenticeship Certificates

Awarded

Interprovincial Apprenticeship Certificates have been awarded to 367 successful apprentices, the department of Labor has announced,

The first in Canadian history, the awards fulfill a long-time dream of provincial and dominion apprenticeship training authorities that nation-wide standards can be established. The certificates will be recognized by all participating Provinces as.a mark of proficiency in the

; trade, Labor minister Michael Starr said, The first certificates were

issued in the motor vehicle trade, the minister said. He expressed the hope that the electrical and plumbing trades will soon enter the’ plan.

Jodoin; B.

receives the gavel Supper Banquet held in the Legion Hall, October 5, in Vancouver. Federation Secretary, Pat O‘Neal; Earl Hallock.

Presented to

him by the Union Label Committee at the Group, left: George Droneck; President

Morris, Chairman) submitted

ists still living.

Quite obviously, it was the in- tention of the committee that the project should be sponsored ex- clusively by the trade unions in order to ensure trade union veri- fication of the facts, and a syn- pathetic labour interpretation of past events.

It was pointed out, in the Of- \ficers’ report, and in the submis- sion of the standing committee as well that British Columbia has a rich background of labour history. Many major strikes and labour struggles have been waged in the province. “Some of the trade unionists who played a part in those struggles are still living, and before they pass on, the story of Labour’s history in B.C. should be recorded” it was said.

Such a history, would in the opinion of the Committee do much in the way of eduction for the trade union movement of British Columbia.”

To ensure trade union direction of the project the convention was

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Federation To Publish Labour History Of B.C.

Start will be made in the compilation of material.for the publication of a history of the B.C. labour movement, it was indicated in the report of the Education Committee, (Joe

to the 1959 convention of the

B.C. Federation of Labour. Immediate action was proposed in order to get the facts first hand from pioneer trade union-

asked to authorize the appoint- ment of an editorial board, em- powered to collect all available data in cooperation with the Federations affiliated unions.

‘The proposal met with a sym- pathetic response from IWA delegates especially, as their Union has played a most colorful part in the labour history of the province.

In a review by the committee of the educational work of the past year, it was revealed that an intensely practical educational program of unprecendented extent has been successfully promoted.

The large labour lobby, which attracted 500 trade unionists dur- ing the last session of the Legisla- ture had been given valuable educational purposes. This was followed up by questionnaires ciculated among the Members of the Legislature and an analysis of their answers.

Another practical. project had been the petition on Unemploy- ment which had brought home to the general public the needless economic waste involved.

An educational program of close cooperation as between the Local Union, the Labour Councils, the Federation, and the Canadian Labour Congress has been worked out. :

As a result a series of Edu- cational Institutes with exceptional programs will be held throughout all the-main centres of the pro- vince during the approaching. winter months. The Vancouver

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Institute will start the series in the month of October.

The usual Staff Seminar will be held in Parksville, commencing January 21st. Dr, Eugene Forsey, Congress Research Director, will head a staff of prominent and competent lectures,

Simultaneously, a one-week winter school for Local Union Officers will be held. The dele- gates were urged to lend every possible encouragement for the fullest possible attendance from Local Unions, and their staffs at Parksville. It was pointed out that experience has shown that the training available yields volu- able dividends to‘local union mem- bership in greater efficiency.

It was hinted in the report that another Seminar on Workmen’s Compensation may be expected. The last one held in June attracted 170 students and proved most helpful to the Local Unions in dealing with compensation prob- lems.

Consideration will be given to a series of regular radio broad- casts to keep Jabour’s point of view before the general public.

ICTFU Backs Summit Meeting

The ICFTU has come out in support of an east-west political summit meeting but it has firmly rejected any suggestion of a similar trade union con- ference.

An editorial in the October issue of Free Labor World, the ICFTU official organ,. expresses the hope that the recent U.S. visit of Premier Khrushchev has led to the easing of international tensions.

Last Lap

“At the same time, we trust that in this last lap of the race to the summit the western states- men will not be tempted to lose sight of the real issues for the sake of picking up bargain price peacemakers’ haloes, however use- ful they may be for domestic electioneering, the editorial said.

Despite the cautious backing given to a political summit meet- ing, the ICFTU drew a line at trade union conferences, Any trade unionist who accepts Iron Curtain hospitality is “acting like

a blackleg in the fight for free- dom.”