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' The federal government’s task force on unemployment in- surance is out, finally.

_ Accompanying its release - it took the flourishing of a leaked copy to the press by NDP leader Ed Broadbent to force it into public view - is a second task force Teport on labor market developments in Canada.

Employment and immigration Minister Lloyd Axworthy’s sum- Mary of the two reports in a glossy Pamphlet ‘‘Are we ready to change?’”’ not only confirms Tumors of substantial ‘cutbacks in UI, but gives a diabolical ra- tionale for those cutbacks. | _ “The (new UI) structure has

also been based on the assump- tion that, in areas of chronically high unemployment, there is a need, not for higher and higher levels of income transfers (UI benefits), but for improved and more innovative measures to pro- Mote stable and long-term forms of employment.”

In other words, the money sav- ed by UI cutbacks, an estimated $220 million, will be refunnelled Into the governments various job creation schemes.

United Fisherman and Allied Workers’ Union welfare director. Bert Ogden put it this way in an interview with the Tribune Tues- \day. ‘‘How many people will be

FRASER VALLEY PICNIC |

Aug. 23 . Webster’s Corners Hall, Maple Ridge

Celebrate 60 years of the Communist Party

Ausp.: South, Eas L Fraser Reg. cities’

( Federal task force report — _ proposes more cuts in Ul

cut off UI to provide more jobs? ‘In addition, what will be the

ratio of newly created jobs to the —

people that are being cut off?

“It’s bloody well immoral to expect the victims of unemploy- ment to subsidize the govern- ment’s employment projects.”

According to Ogden, the theme that runs throughout the entire UI task force report is, ‘how to save money.” ‘‘And if you are successful at saving money in a UI plan, that means it’s coming off the backs of the unemployed. It means that those who are eligible to collect now, won’t be eligible after the changes go through.”

The biggest cutback comes in the form of toughened up eligibility requirements, which will especially hit seasonal workers. Those applying for UI benefits will need 15 to 20 weeks based on the regional rate of unemployment compared to the present requirement of 10 to 14 weeks for a minimum attach- ment.

In B.C., which is considered a high employment area, claimants will need 20 insurable weeks before they qualify for benefits.

“To justify the change, the report notes that in order to simplify or streamline the special entrance requirements for new entrants, re-entrants and

™ repeaters, ‘‘a single entrance re-

quirement applicable to all claimants had to be devised.

“This should result in a signifi- cant simplification and be more equitable,” the report states.

Another change will be the elimination of the current three phases of UI collecting: the initial benefit phase (one week benefit for each insured week up to a maximum of 25 weeks)’ labor force attachment phase (one week benefit for every two weeks of at- tachment over 25 to a maximum of 13 weeks); and regional phase (two weeks benefits for every $5) percent over the regional rate of unemployment for a maximum of 32 weeks.) :

Again, in the interests of

BERT OGDEN ... UI pro-

posals “immoral”

‘‘simplification,’’ the recom- mended change to one benefit collecting phase instead of three includes the lopping off of an average 10 weeks from the pre- sent benefit period with its various extensions.

The UI task force, in what Ogden labelled ‘‘a vindictive move and a bloody crime,” has also recommended that the three weeks UI benefits paid to workers upon retirement be eliminated.

And for those who voluntarily quit their jobs, and who are presently penalized for doing so by being disqualified from collec- ting benefits for up to six weeks, that disqualification period will be doubled to.a maximum of 12 weeks. . oe

“Tt will have the effect of chaining of workers to their posts,’’ Ogden declared.

‘Tt’s obvious that the govern- ment can Create all the jobs they want without touching a penny of the UI fund,’’ he concluded.

“‘They could begin by taking the well over 5 billion spent on arms this year and embark on a conversion program to peace- time uses. Then they could use the endless reams of job creation pro- posals submitted by the labor movement, including a massive housing construction program, an upgraded coastguard, and so on, and then wouldn’t it stand to reason there would be far =

claimants?”

Your invited to a special

in honor of | the delegation

sister city of

Vancouver

$10 by reservation only 254-7678; 879-1905; 420-5866

Tribune

banquet, reception

from Vancouver’s

Odessa

Including the mayor and representatives of Odessa who will be guests of the city of

or from Co-Op Books, Pacific

Ivk

Sunday, Aug. 23 Cocktails 5:30 p.m. Dinner 6:30 p.m.

CFU wants

Heinrich’s resignation

The Canadian Farmworkers Union this week angrily demanded the resignation of Socred labor minister Jack Heinrich after the minister publicly declared that the Socreds would not bring farm- workers under minimum wage legislation.

Heinrich stated on CJOR radio Tuesday that if the weather was poor and crops bad, and a picker only picked three pounds in an hour, that person should only be paid according to quantity, ie. on piece rate. ;

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AUG. 8 — The Great Chilean Trio Puelche IN CONCERT, 6 p.m. at Tupper Secondary School, 419 E. 24th Ave., Van. :

AUG.:9 — SOLIDARITY CAFE — 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. crab and salmon dinner; after 7 p.m. entertainment and refreshments. At 7879 115 St., North Delta. For directions phone 585-9935 or 596-6022. Sponsored

““We aren’t going to change the™ by YCL.

law,”’ he added.

“The minister of labour doesn’t know what he is talking about,”’ said angry C.F.U. leader Raj Chouhan. ‘‘Until he comes out and works in the hot sun for $1.50 an hour, he shouldn’t be making these kinds of statements. How is anybody supposed to live on $1.50 an hour in this day and age. Mr. Heinrich should know that this is 1981, not 1891.” .

- The union charged the minister with ensuring starvation wages for the very workers who are putting food onto the province’s tables. “Such callous indifference to workers on the part of a minister of labour requires an immediate resignation,’’ said Chouhan. He

-added that the union plans to

follow through on its complaint to the Human: Rights Commission concerning the racist implications of the ministry’s exclusion of farm- workers from basic minimum wage

Chouhan said that ‘‘the vast ma- jority of farmworkers in the Fraser Valley have been making far below the minimum wage. In fact, the average wage for strawberry and raspberry pickers has been around $1.50 per hour.

‘‘We know of hundreds of cases where farmworkers made as little as $1.00 per hour,”’ said Chouhan. ‘“‘In a recent survey near Aldergrove, the union found some farmworkers earning only $4.50 for a day’s work as a direct result of Heinrich’s minimum wage exclu- sion for berry pickers.”

LABOR PICNIC

Aug. 23 - 12-6 p.m.

(Trout Lake) _

@ Real Estate and Conveyancing @ Divorce and Family Law

John Henry Park

Swimming — races — tug-o-war - volleyball tournament - games - entertainment - food -crib. Speaker: Jack Phillips.

In case of rain: Ukrainian Hall

Tis see See eee ee ee ee

RANKIN, ROBERTSON & DONALD

Barristers & Solicitors

3rd Floor, 195 Alexander St. Vancouver, B.C. V6A 1N8

682-2781

Offers a broad range of legal services including:

@ Personal Injury and Insurance Claims

@ Labour Law @ Criminal Law @ Estates and Wills

AUG. 16 — COPE Garden Party, 2

p.m. at Rankin’s, 3570 Hull St. Van...

Dinner, refreshments, : .entertain- ment. $5. Bring your own lawnchairs. In case of rain, it will be at the Russian Hall, 600 Campbell Ave., All welcome.

AUG. 23 — Annual YCL Volleyball Tournament will be held in conjunc- tion with the Summer Labor Picnic. Those who want to set up teams or be on a team, should contact Donalda at 254-9836.

AUG. 23 — SUMMER LABOR PICNIC — 12 Noon — John Hen- dry Park (Trout Lake). An event for the whole family. Children’s games, international food table, entertain- ment, annual YCL invitational vol- leyball tournament. Speaker: Jack Phillips. Keep this day open for a fine afternoon. If raining, picnic will move inside the Trout Lake Com- munity Centre. For more informa- tion contact Betty Griffin, 988-2501,

Donalda Greenwell 254-9836 —

(days).

AUG. 30 — YCL Salmon Bar-B-Q at Legebokoff’s, 3310 Cardinal Dr., Burnaby. Contests, swimming, food, prizes, refreshments.

COMMERCIAL

CONDOR’S PAINTING & build- ing maintenance. Free estimate. Phone 433-1145. A progressive firm owned and operated by Chilean Canadians. Reasonable rates.

ELECTRICAL, plumbing, appli- ance repairs. Don Berg. 255-7287.

ROOF REPAIRS — Reasonable. New roofs and alum. gutters, 277-1364 or 277-3362.

GRAMMA PUBLICATIONS. Complete printing services. Brochures, menus, leaflets, etc. Special rates for the progressive movement. A union shop. 1595 W. 3rd Ave., Van. 733-6822.

LEGAL SERVICES

RANKIN, STONE, McMURRAY & BOND, Barristers and Solici- tors. 500 Ford Building, 193 East Hastings St., Vancouver 682-7471.

HALLS FOR RENT

RUSSIAN PEOPLE’S HOME — Available for rentals. For reserva- tions phone 254-3430.

WEBSTERS CORNERS HALL — etc. For rates: Ozzie, 325-4171 or 685-5836.

UKRAINIAN CANADIAN CUL-

TURAL CENTRE — 805 East

Pender St., Vancouver. Available

for banquets, weddings, meetings. . 254-346.

Ph

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—AUG. 7, 1981—Page 7

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