tops the agenda for labor By WILLIAM KASHTAN EALING WITH the problem of raiding by the Confed- eration of National Trade Unions against affiliates of the Canadian Labor Congress in Quebec, Claude Jodoin, presi- dent of the CLC, recently de- clared that “what Canada needs is a unified trade union move- ment.” I don’t know whether Jodoin referred only to relations be- tween {%e CNTU and CLC, which have recently become ag- gravated, or whether he had in mind a fully united trade union movement in Canada _ which would include all bona _ fide unions. Nor is it clear from what he said what the principles were upon which a “unified trade union movement” could be achieved. He did, however, make the point that “regardless of origin or religion, all must cooperate.” The need for a unified trade union movement is self-evident. Objectively, the workers are being impelled toward unity and are being forced to close their ranks in face of growing at- tacks by monopoly on their rights and living standards. One has only to look back to “the dark days of the cold war, when the workers were sold a bill of goods that “Communism was the enemy” and to compare the situation today to see how Canada and the working class need a unified trade union movement. But it won't come by ignoring the complexity of the problem and the necessity of establishing unity on sound principles. much water has passed under the bridge. Every worker feels in his bones and on his back the whiplash of exploitation, of . speed up, the growing use of in- _ junctions to limit his ability to strike successfully. From these and other develop- ments he draws the conclusion that monopoly is the enemy to unite against, that unity and solidarity are a source of strength, that division and dis- unity only help monopoly to push back the working class. e But what adds additional sig- nificance to the need for a uni- fied trade union movement ‘is the scientific revolution, the ad- vance of automation with the entirely new problems _ this places before the working class. Much has already been said on this score and much more will undoubtedly be said. Some things, however, are already clear. For example, can the trade union movement solve the prob- lems of automation solely by collective bargaining? Is it not becoming clear that to defend the rights of the working class in the age of automation will require deep- going structural changes in the capitalist system itself? Is it not becoming increasing- ly clear that the trade union movement cannot deal only with “bread-and-butter”’ ques- tions and that it has to advance programs that will influence the direction of national economic policy in a way which will en- sure that not monopoly, but the people will be the beneficiaries of these great technological changes? In its own interests, in the in- terests of the working people and of society as a whole the trade union movement is im- pelled to fight for the extension of democracy, and as part of that to press to have a say on all questions pertaining to the well-being of the working peo- ple of our country. A divided trade union move- ment cannot accomplish these aims. A unified trade union movement is therefore an ob- jective necessity for the work- ing class to move forward in this day and age. Unfortunately, the desire for unity and the ability to achieve it may not necessarily be the same thing. Over the years, pro- gressive trade unionists have been striving for unity. The ‘“Goldwaters” of the Canadian trade union movement have -systematically prevented ‘the achievement of unity: These “Goldwaters” are still with us, still looking back ‘instead of ahead, still fighting old battles instead of focusing on what needs to be done today. The “Goldwaters” include those who say: “Yes, we are for unity,” but who really want to — gobble you up, or they demand that you accept their ideologi- cal and political outlook. The attempt to achieve unity on this basis leads nowhere ex- cept to further divisions and a weakening of the trade union movement. The trade unions are not a political party. When the movement discriminates be- cause of origin, religion, politi- cal viewpoint or ideological out- look it ceases to be a bona fide trade union. It ceases to act as a defender of its class. It builds up stresses and strains which sooner or later react against it. Jodoin correctly emphasized that “regardless of origin ligion all must cooperate he left out of account the d& tion of political viewpoin int ideological outlook. And are among the principles which to build a trade Wl movement and to which sult other must be added—that | fully sovereign and fully omous movement. There are two sides. to. question—the “Canadian”. and _ that pertaining t Canada. There is not much] in calling for a “unified 1 union _ movement” witho taking the “Quebec fact” account and drawing cB sions from it regarding | union structure. Canada and the working pe A need a unified trade union me ment. But it won’t come bY self. It won’t come by a for it. Nor will it come P WY ibe noring the complexity of f problem and the necessity establishing unity on sound P ciples. Nor will it come we workers fight for it as they never fought before. Now that CLC Presid doin has advanced this Soe nol to the public stage it shoul in W | be left suspended in apt Hei needs to be given flesh and ia s by all sections of the’ | union movement. t JO" ea jot Merchant fleet would aid our trade is a Canadian-built and ope” CCORDING to Lloyd’s re- gister of world shipping, as at July 1, 1963 there were 39,571 ships in the world (taking into account shipping with a net tonnage of a hundred or more), total- ling 145,863,463 tons. In the past year (writes A. Gruenais, general secretary of the French National .Con- federation of Maritime Unions) the number of ships has increased by a 833, 650 tons. The world oil fleet (on the Canada, one of the great tiading morons of the world, has no merchant marine of her own. same date) consisted of 4,984 vessels, totalling 47,121,017 tons. Oil tankers account for a third of the total fleet. On this page is a table showing the world fleet. di- vided according to country. One important change in this table is that the Soviet fleet has gone up from 11th to eighth place. The USSR, hav- ing doubled its fleet since 1956, is now among the lead- ing maritime powers. The world merchant fleet is growing rapidly. It was 67.5 million tons in 1939, 87.5 million in 1956 and 145.8 million in 1963. x * * And where is Canada in this picture. Take another look at the table and you'll find Canada — right at the bottom of the heap. The need for a merchant marine in Canada has been emphasized time and again by the trade union movement. Numerous briefs have been presented to the government on this question — but no action has been taken. In the immediate post-war period 20 percent of the total - dry cargo exports from Can- ada were carried in Canadian ships; today the figure has dropped to two percent. The peak year of shipbuild- ing in Canada was in 1943 when $376 million worth of merchant construction took place. In the entire war time period, 398 merchant ships _ Were built. Today the Canadian mer- chant fleet, particularly for deep-sea operations, has prac- tically disappeared. The Great Lakes fleet and coastal ship- ping accounts for almost our entire shipping opera- tions. Vancouver is the busiest commercial port on the Paci- fic Coast, and the No. 1 wheat port in the world. Can- ada is one of the largest trading nations in the world. Yet of the hundreds of ships that visit Vancouver annually, not one is of Canadian re- - gistry. What is needed, obviously, ic ated merchant fleet. a ct ally every industry i ada, from the steel i to the shipyards, woul mack fit if Ottawa would Se ie ing and adopt a policy t velop a Canadian met marine. The money is available workers are available seamen are available. Al is lacking is action by gh ment. Country = . OD ON AOE WN = France West Germany Sweden Panama Denmark = — PNT ee sa roe Gio Yee Aart WD tonnage Gren tons) 23,132,781 21,658,142 13,668,819 41,391,212 9,976, 7,093,974 5,604,558 oe | 5,433,709 5,226,819 5,216,098 5,050,250 4,176,326 3,893,701 9,418,207 2,007,340 1,796,437 No. of ships ) 6 October 23, 1964—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—P09"