For militant res

It is fortunate not only for the labor move- ment and the Canadian Labor Congress itself that the CLC convention comes at this critical moment. At this stage of the crisis in Canada’s capitalist system, it is well for the working people and a much broader spectrum of Canadians that labor’s decisions can have a drastic influence on the economy, on legisla- tion, on internal and foreign policies which bear on our lives each and every day.

This paper greets the convention and wishes it productive work at a time when spokesmen of the bosses are screaming for wage “restraint”. It is a time when auto work- ers and others joining with them are declar- ing: No concessions! It is a time when Cana- da’s national labor-baiter, the Globe and Mail is hysterical over labor actions by workers; and the whole reactionary crowd is out to get the public service workers.

Workers up against these attacks look to this convention for a resounding response. They look for militant programs to protect wages, jobs and unions; to compel national- ization of key sectors as a base for jobs and Canadian independence; to gain a voice for workers in policy-making and planning both at work places and in the running of govern- ment; to bring conclusive federal action for disarmament and world peace.

Itis not workers who have made a shambles of the economy with closures, layoffs, in- flation, interest gouging and sweeping cut-

Tory class rule

It's as if the Ontario Tories had decided to act out in grotesque exaggeration everything the Communist Party has been charging them with for the past 35 years.

Class struggle? The Tories proclaim it with deeds in their May 13 budget. The 7% sales tax cynically applied to school supplies, toilet paper, car repairs; that is a monopoly government's pursuit of the class struggle: deprive the working class!

Up with the cost of ordinary meals and small-car license plates; down with the tax on high-class meals and gas guzzlers! Up with health insurance premiums the workers pay!

This gang of Tories is obviously drunk from too many years of rulin g for the mono- polies. It’s time they were cleaned out — their class dictatorship ended. That’s a goal worthy of the unity of all the forces of labor, democ- racy and progress in Ontario.

Flashbacks

EQUAL PAY FIGHT

Equal pay for women, improved vacations and more statutory holidays to meet the threat of automation in Canada’s food industry will be at the core of contract demands next week by the United Packinghouse Workers of America.

This decision was made by 135 delegates represent- ing 22,000 workers meeting in convention.

Other demands will include equal wage rates in .

various plants of each company across the country, demands for the union shop and union label on all products and an end to the incentive system with incorporation of the present incentive bonus into the hourly rate.

The basic rate in Toronto js $1.95 for men and $1.40 for women. Union officials point out there is no man-woman wage differential in the U.S. but U.S. companies here have a difference of up to 20 cents per hour.

May 27, 1957 PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MAY 28, 1982—Page 4

Tribune,

EDITORIAL

ponse by CLC

backs in social services — it’s the capitalist system that has done that. Talk of belt- tightening and wage sacrifices isn’t going to delude workers into believing they are guilty. But the system keeps right on burdening them with the costs of recession.

A lot of eyes will be on Winnipeg, watching for a powerful counter-punch by the two-mil- lion-strong Labor Congress. The times call for a militant response.

Deeds for peace

Prime Minister Trudeau now has an excel- lent opportunity to match his words with deeds, and to respond in real terms to the outpouring of sentiment in Canada for nu- clear disarmament.

Speaking to students at Notre Dame Uni- versity in South Bend, Ind., May 16, the PM raised an alarm about the dangerous nuclear confrontation in the world and, in effect urged the USA to play a responsible part in disarmament talks.

But Trudeau has spoken movingly of dis- armament and peace before, in Helsinki in 1975, and at the U.N. Disarmament Session

in 1978. On the heels of the latter event, he: committed Canada to an increase in military -

expenditures dictated by NATO.

Today, he could look at the numerous Soviet proposals for getting disarmament started, instead of feeding the myth that, “The Soviets threaten us militarily . . .”, albeit he added, “not culturally, not politically and certainly not economically.” He urged

Washington to talk-abaut disarmament, not -

facets of Soviet life they don’t like; and his suggestion of a pledge not to be first to start a war even supports a Soviet argument.

He could look at Brezhnev’s call for a nu-

clear arms freeze, made in a speech to the -

Soviet Young Communist League, May 18.

Trudeau upset some U.S. hawks by worry- ing over “statements in the USA about the survivability of nuclear war and first-strike scenarios.” Yet, only two months ago _he told Saskatchewan students that NATO should show the Soviet Union it can match them “gun for gun”.

After Trudeau’s U.S. speech, former U.S..

secretary of state Cyrus Vance, on the same platform, said: “You hit the nail right on the head.” What is needed, it is evident, is deeds to match the words.

Declare Canada a nuclear weapons-free zone! Refuse the Pentagon the right to test

DRUMHEAD JUSTICE

HALIFAX — The Minister of Immigration will hear the appeals of the whole group of workers who have been held here on: deportation orders after being secretly arrested two weeks ago.

Habeas Corpus hearings were concluded May 23 with judgement being reserved. Evidence before the board charges the workers with being members of the Communist Party and of “alleged subsidiary organizations” and with personally advocating force and violence.

RCMP Sgt. John Leopold, star witness in the recent trial of eight Communist leaders and other police officers who testified against the Halifax defendents were the only people outside of the accused them- selves who heard the evidence at the inquiry. ae

Since their arrest they have been held incommu- nicado and without ‘legal defence: Only strong protests can save them.

May 28, 1932

_ where they do. They would be laughable if they were

~~ xe-.-.tasks to.rally.Canadian workers to.the banner of the The Worker,

“Help!”

the nuclear-capable Cruise missile in Canada! Get out of NATO, or Canada will never draw an independent breath in the world-wide ef forts toward disarmament!

The prime minister may very well make a good speech at the U.N. Second Special Ses- sion on Disarmament, opening June 7. But as Reagan and Haig seek excuses for more nu- clear over-kill, it is deeds we need from Canada’s Government, not just popular speeches.

Cee Awaey

©

Rah oe : tS Profiteer of the week 6s

<7 5p) Corporations are still stashing it away, recession or not. Slater Steel Industries of Hamilton had an after-tax profit — of $12,621,000 for the year ended April 3/82. A year earlier the figure was $7,021,000, so obviously, things are looking —

up. Maybe not for the 1.5 million unemployed, but the belt has to be tightened somewhere. .

Editor — SEAN GRIFFIN : Assistant Editor — DAN KEETON Business and Circulation Manager — PAT O'CONNOR

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INTERNATIONAL UNITY

For several months now, certain capitalist papers like the Financial Post have carried stories of “communists financed by Moscow. fomenting unemployment”.

Such reports are not surprising, coming from \

not intended to provoke and stir up an active public campaign of repression. One of the things they speak of is the Workers’ Party membership in the Third International. :

The Third International is a world-wide organiza- tion embracing millions of workers. It embodies the aspiration for emancipation from wage slavery. It is an honor and a testimonial of fitness in the class struggle when a political party can affiliate with the Third International. © ede:

_ The WPC definitely and publicly makes it one of its

The Worker,

Third International. June 1, 1922

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