VLC DECISION

Labor plans to

organize jobles:

1 1 S

——— —— y ee a gp ae \ ,~ U i\

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1958

Continued from page 1

FESTIVAL

the patience and understand- ing that made it possible. Well-balanced as the pro- gram was between “Our Heri- tage” — the music, songs and dances of the Ukraine itselfi— and “Our Land’’—the adapta- tion of that cultural heritage by Ukrainain immigrants to

Canada, now including third and fourth generation Cana- dians — it was the second

half of the program: that held the greatest interest for the majority of the audience.

Outstanding among the num- bers in this part of the pro- gram were The Ukrainian Suite, specialy written for the festival by Karl Kobylansky, who demonstrated a consider- able talent in his direction of orchestra and choir; the Log- gers’ Dance, adapted from a native Ukrainian dance by Beatrice Bezubiak, of which the audience showed its ap- preciation by thunderous ap- plause; and the Extra Gang Song, written by John Weir and set to music by Eugene Dolny and Mitchell J. Sago, who also wrote the continuity competently narrated by Wil- liam Philipovich.

Perhaps more than other number, this song and its accompanying tableau cap- tured “the epic of labor” of the first generation of Ukrain- lan immigrants with its words:

any

A Family Day Annual

LABOR PICNIC

From New York:

EARL ROBINSON Folk Singer, Balladeer

® Champion wrestlers Family sports National dishes Food galore Games, ponies, merry-go-round

AUG. 10 — 12 Noon

Confederation Park North Burnaby

and

“Someone laid those rail-

road tracks

To B.C. from Halifax.

Lord Strathcona drove one

spike,

All the rest were done by

Mike.”

The outstanding numbers of the first part of the program was undoubtedly those pre- sented by the Bandurist Chorus of Winnipeg, under the com- petent direction of Myron Shatulsky, whose fine tech- nique and sensitive interpre- tation demonstrated how well they. have earned their na- tional reputation.

Soloists in a program whose

whole emphasis was _ placed upon collective effort were Marie Prociw of Toronto, a

very charming girl who de lighted the audience with her acrobatic dancing; Harry Hos- howsky, who showed what can be done with a mandolin in the hands of a master; Stevie Bob, whom it can be said only that her splendid voice should be heard more often; and John Bokla of Tor- onto, of whose fine lyric tenor voice too, audience would gladly have heard more.

The finale, We’re For Peace, in its simple introduction — a man, a woman and a child outlined in lights — and its climatic parade of banners, was a fitting conclusion to a program whose entire theme rang, as John Chitrenky noted in his introductory remarks,

~with-the aspirations of Cana-

dian working people of every national origin.

Greetings from the national executive of the Asociation of United Ukrainian Canadians were brought to the festival by Peter Prokop, national sec- retary.

The one omission was the failure to ask the officers of the Ukrainian Festival Com- mittee — Peter Maksylewich, chairman; Hannah _ Polowy, secretary; and John Dubno, treasurer — to take a bow.

but for them perhaps, the suc-

cess of the festival and the obvious appreciation of the audience was reward enough.

‘and youth who

Vancouver Labor Council will call a mass meeting of unemployed in the neat

By BERT WHYTE

j |

future

the first step in a campaign to organize Vancouver's jobless thousands—both trade une fe

and those not members of unions. Council’s executive will meet soon with Canadiaf etd

Congress representatives to “discuss the advisability of organizing the unemployed afl y sit : a

oping a program to meet the “situation,” dele gates decided by unanimous vote Tuesd

this week.

B.C. Federation of Labo will hold a one-day conference on unemployment immedi- ately before the opening of its annual convention here in October, BCFL president Bill Black told the VLC meeting.

‘TJ know that there is a division in the labor move- ment as to whether we should organize the unemployed as such,” said VLC president Lloyd Whalen. “It is no sec- ret that the Canadian Labor Congress has been reluctant to act on the matter. I think the CLC has made a mistake.

“At this time, when the job situation should be at its best, there are 31,495 registered for jobs in Vancouver. And this figure doesn’t include thous- ands of high schoo] graduates have left school.

*“Some of the unemployed are members of trade unions —but what: about the 60. per- cent of the unemployed who belong to no unions? Are we going to take a negative position and leave them to fend for themselves? I say we must not do this. We should meet with the BCFL and CLC leaders and take a position on organizzing the unemployed— all the unemployed.”

Prior to the VLC meeting a score of unemployed union- ists distributed leaflets to delegates entering the Labor Temple, and later they sat in the visitors’ section of the hall, listening with keen in- terest to the discussion on the jobless crisis.

“Supplementary benefits have. been cut. off,” said the leaflet passed out by the un- employed unionists. “We’re in the peak of the summer ‘boom’ and tens of thousands are still without jobs. Many of us face seizures and evic- tions :

“Where can we turn for help, if not to the trade un- ions we helped to build? Are you unconcerned that we are being denied our rights and are being pushed around’ by government and Welfare alike?

“We want help in getting organized; in taking up griev-

ances; in getting government action. We appeal to you to discuss our problem and take steps now to help.”

A recommendation by the VLC’s unemployment commit- tee that a mass meeting of unemployed be organized (time and place to be decided by the executive board) was passed unanimously.

“On June 28 some 6,000 workers were cut off supple- mentary unemployment in- surance benefits, and were all referred to Social Assistance,” said Charles Lemarch IWA Local 217.

The second resolution sub- mitted by the VLC executive pointed out that “there is every reason to believe there will be a serious unemploy-

2

Labor presses probe issue

Vancouver Labor Council will continue to press for a

labor representative on the royal commission investigat- ing the Second Narrows

bridge disaster, delegates at- tending the VLC meeting Tuesday night decided.

Council will also ask B.C. Federation of Labor to de- mand that the government enact legislation to substanti- ally increase pensions to wid- ows and allowances to child- ren of industrial victims.

“Since the inception of Workmen’s Compensation an average of 260 industrial ac- cident deaths a year have oc- curred,” said Bill Black, BCFL president.

“We are not opposed to giving donations to the Famil- ies Fund,” said Paddy O’Neale (IWA). “The real concern of trade unions, however, should be to win an increase in the allotment to widows, which is totally inadequate.”

“Our union members donated to the Families Fund,’ said Bill Stewart (Marine Work- ers). “We should now concen- trate on forcing the govern- to boost pensions,

July 18, 1958 —

aft ment situation this fall winter” and resolved:

@ That council autho its officers to call a ™ 4 of officers of the B.C: “if ation of Labor, the tW? “197 dian Labor Congres® ios! | presidents, and CLC rein director, for the purer d] discussing the advisabily y organizing the unemp’ iy and developing a prost® — meet the situation. a:

port |

@ That council aut visi | its officers to make Pf? f for attendance at the oot meeting of the executiv? pot cil of the CLC, for Me ig pose of making oral repr tte tation regarding this pest if the same is foun essary and expedient.

“It is time we ee shilly - shallying,” Oe Bernie Keeley (Marine 18

ers). “It isn’t enough ' : pious resolutions and 5 on them. This coun gh |

take the lead and pegin © 1 izing the unemploye®

“When you see 2 aeteet of unemployed outside : ye Labor Temple such mes saw tonight, we must no nize the fact that mé

hardships,” (Auto Workers). set up an organization p

employed workers: the unemployed w® conjunction with the ver Labor Council.” ft “One reason we mv de is to prevent a situa é veloping where one gre ys workers would Pe: against another grouP - ¢ unemployed versus jp ployed,” said Joh® — yas (Painters). “We hav€ 1 i ponsibility to our une’, which we must fulfill. panera

Castle Jewelel?, Watchmaker and ew Special Dis-

count to all Tribune Read-

ers. Bring this ad with

yer yan

1BIBU,

you. t 752 Granville Str

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—?>