Sudbury Steel union in troubl

N unsavory brew seems to to be bubbling in Local 6500 of the United Steel-

workers at the giant Interna- tional Nickel operation in Sud- bury, Ont.

The story, in capsule, is told in a series of headlines in the Sudbury Star:

“Change in leadership of Lo- cal 6500 may result from mem- bers’ charges’—May 21, 1965.

“Status of officers ‘not ques- tioned’ ””—May 22. @

“Union charges laid against Steel’s McNabb”—May 25.

“McNabb replies to charges by union pair’—May 26.

The first story in the May 21 Star suggested that an “upset” in the presidency of Local 6500 was an “imminent possibility.”

It explained: “First evidence of dissatisfaction of some mem- bers of the union, accompanied by charges of ‘dishonesty’ and ‘misappropriation of funds’ level- led against Local 6500 president Don McNabb, were successfully turned! aside by McNabb at a Wednesday night membership meeting.

“The 320 members of the lo- cal present endorsed McNabb’s position and gave him a vote of confidence.”

On Thursday morning, how- ever, “another group of about 170 union members, at a second membership meeting held at the union hall on Cedar St., didn’t agree with the decision taken the previous night. They moved ‘non-confidence’ in McNabb and the motion carried,” — unani- mously, some union members later reported.

McNabb told the Star that “if it is the wish of the mem- bership that I step down I'll be glad to do so, but only if there is just cause.”

He added that “alleged mis-

‘Red-baiting’

CRUDE red-baiting leaflet

issued over the signature : of the Sudbury local of the Steelworkers Union de- clares: “We don’t like Commu- nists and we kick them out.”

If this is true, it is certainly

a shortsighted policy. A‘ union ~

which excludes ‘members of the Communist Party from its ranks is the weaker for it.-And those union leaders who advocate ex- cluding Communists from unions are playing the game of the monopolists.

The monopolists who control the big industries are the main enemy of the workers. They are a tough lot. They dominate all employers as well as all gov- ernments in the land. To wrest concessions from the monopol- ists, all employers, and the gov- ernments, the workers need to be firmly united in their unions.

Workers belong to all politi- cal parties. It is the job of the unions to organize workers, re- gardless of political affiliation, in order to advance those in- terests which all werkers have

appropriation of funds was cleared up by both an interna- tional and local audit to satisfy our members.”

But the Star went on to sug-

gest that “a responsible -member -

of the Sudbury District Labor Council, who refused to let him- self be identified, confirmed the fact McNabb’s resignation is being sought.”

Union members who attended the meetings which discussed the no-confidence motion told the Star that other union officials being “looked at” are vice-presi- dent Tony Soden and financial secretary Ray Poirier.

On May 22, the Star reported that “a denial that there is dis- satisfaction with the work of Ray Poirier and Tony Soden as officers of Local 6500, United Steelworkers of America, was issued today by Terry Mancini, area supervisor for the union ‘in Northern Ontario.”

Mancini said that 284 mem- bers had registered at the Wed- nesday night meeting, and 98 at the Thursday morning meet- ing. Since this should be con- sidered a single meeting, a majority had “voted against -a recommendation that the presi- dent of the local union, Don

McNabb, be requested to re-~

sign.”

The Star report on May 25 said that two union members— William Stewart and William Sinclair — had laid formal char- ges against McNabb under the terms of the union’s constitu- tion.

The five points of the charges

were placed in the hands of the .

local’s recording secretary, the international representative and McNabb himself. :

McNabb was accused of:

e “Accepting mileage within the city limits .

ee

@ “Deliberately interfering with a union official by striking. financial secretary Ray Poirier... .

@ “Misappropriation of money as per audit report adopted at membership meetings May 19 and:20 3353

@ “Using the name of the or- ganization for soliciting funds as per Air Canada credit card without membership authoriza- tion=::.;

e@ “Deliberately interfering with the organization’s legal ob- ligations by causing the organi- zation to be .sued needlessly.”

Stewart said a membership meeting had been requested to consider these charges.

Next day, the Star reported McNabb’s claim that the char- ges of Stewart and Sinclair had

‘already’ been disposed of by

previous membership - action.

Suggesting that Stewart, a member of the Steelworkers, had signed a Mine Mill application, McNabb hinted he was being “coached” from people “outside of Local 6500,” and added: “When the meeting that has ‘been requested is called, I am sure the membership of our union will take the proper ac- tion to dispose of these scurri- lous attacks and attempts to destroy.” ‘

Steelworkers Local 6500 was installed at INCO in 1962 after a Street raid against the Mine Mill and Smelter Workers Union. The Steelworkers won a close election by a disputed 15 votes. A Mine Mill appeal based on ir- regularities in the vote was turned down by the Ontario Labor Relations Board.

Last month, Mine Mill pre- sented an application to the la- bor board for certification at Inco. The union says a majority of INCO employees have signed its membership cards.

no favor to unions

in common — i.e., higher wag- es, better working conditions, improved social security, peace and democracy.

The Communist Party has always held the .view that it is the responsibility of a workers’ party to assist in the establish- ment of unions. Communist workers are among the first to join unions and to consistently fight for trade union organiza- tion, principles and standards.

The Communist Party believes the Canadian working class will replace the monopolists as the most powerful factor in govern-

ment. On this basis the party.

was formed as a voluntary as-

sociation of like-minded Can- adians whose ranks are open to all workers and other sections

of the people exploited by mon- |

opoly who are prepared to work for the establishment of a working-class government and

‘a socialist Canada.

The Communist Party upholds the right of the majority of the people to direct the destinies of

our country. That is why Com- munists pledge, when they join the party, to combat every ef- fort, whether it comes from abroad or within the country, to injure the right of labor and the péople, or to impose upon Can- ada the arbitrary will of any

“THEY GOT PRIORITY:THEY GOT A COMMUNIST MENACE

on

$17-a-week increase for one union in B.C.

RGANIZED workers in Brit- ish Columbia industrial plants and service trades

alike have won substantial wage increases in recent months.

This is disclosed in an examina-

tion of 25 agreements.

The median wage increase gained in these settlements was 12 cents an hour in the first

year and another 12 cents in — .the second, with one union re-

cording a $17 a week boost in

‘the first year and $10 in the

second year of its contract (Wholesale Retail Delivery Driv-

group, party, clique or conspir- acy.

The Communist Party con- tests federal, provincial and civic elections and engages in the vital struggles of the people for their: immediate needs. It sees the struggles for basic re- form measures as a continuous process which will eventually culminate in the election of an anti-monopoly people’s govern- ment which will undertake measures to curb the power of the monopolies, eliminate them from our social structure, and introduce legislation and enact laws that, in their totality, would transfer Canada from the realm of capitalist exploitation to the, abundance of a planned social order and the justness of socialism. :

To exclude members of this ., q b publicly-recognized party from | Pe@up OY

a union is not only undemocra- tic, but it flies in the face of common sense.

It makes absolutely no sense for any union to pick and choose its members on the bes:s

June 11, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUN

‘low of six cents an hour

‘able to certify a union

ers and Helpers in itS 4 agreement with Madisom —— ducts). i t

Wage increases writte? ; the agreements ranged ff"

first year for workers 4 son’s Launderers and Dry * ers to 25 cents an hour } first year of the agreeme™ ~ workers at Dare foods.

Substantial as some. of wage increases in Britis umbia have been, they a ly keeping pace with the st ly rising cost of living. q

of political affiliation. Toda , is the Communists. Tom? it could well be NDPers. it could be the workers «ij Liberal, Conservative OF ~ 6 Credit leanings whose P™ i when in power, have © ; laws which hamstring union ganization and collective ~~ aining. = Carried to its logical © sion union discrimination a worker because of affiliation would mean and choose those votes

ft 2

oP acca

win a strike vote. It mean picking and ‘cho dividuals to man a pic “icS) on the basis of their pour | Unfortunately some coi under the impact of antt (9) munism, which has its $0" ji monopoly circles and 38 if some righ? it trade union leaders, hays serted anti-Communist "cy in their constitutions ne! clauses run counter to ee, terests of the unions cone and their members. They * be removed. é

E _ pag?