Some of the more than 500 delegates to last week’s convention of the B.C. Federation of Labor are shown listening to Gd delegate at the mike. Spirited debate and unity marked the 16th annual convention. —Dave Werlin photos [Labor and the NDP EDITORIAL COMMENT It is significant that the top leadership of the New Demo- cratic Party felt compelled to appear before a closed session of last week’s convention of the B.C. Federation of Labor. With 160,000 members in the Federation, only 26,000 trade unionists are affiliated to the NDP. Despite the strong plea for increased affiliation and support made at the special convention of the Federation last March, there has been little progress in this field. Only a handful of new affiliates have come forward. Only three Federation locals have held political seminars. Only $5,000 has been collected as a result of the special plea for a voluntary assessment of 10 cents per member per month. With 160,000 members, full parti- cipation would have brought in almost $100,000. The proposal to run 10 labor candidates on the NDP ticket in the next provincial election is still in the talking stage. On the one side, the Barrett leadership says if labor wants to run some of their spokesmen as party candidates, they must go into the constituencies and fight for the nomination. On the other side, labor spokesmen maintain that there must be a better spirit of accommodation if a signi- ficant number of labor candidates are to seek election. The bitter hostility between some NDP members of the legis- lative assembly and leaders of organized labor is far from healed. Public statements by M.L.A.’s critical of organized labor’s militant action for higher wages, the shorter work week and against Bill 33 still rankle. There is a growing realization that while the NDP is an impor- tant part of the anti-monopoly coalition that must be built in order to defeat the parties of big business, it cannot claim to be the coalition in itself. Wide sections of the population, such as teachers, youth, farmers tenants, pensioners, women, homeowners and tens of thou- sands of workers are in action against the economic and political policies of big business without being committed to the NDP. What is needed is united action around the vital issues affecting the lives of the people, in order to lay the basis for political unity to defeat the Socreds in Vic- toria and to elect a progressive bloc of candidates from British Columbia in the next federal election. The situation calls for unity between the trade union movement, the NDP, the Com- munist Party and the mass move- ments of people. The steady drift to the right which was in evidence at the last. national and provincial conventions of the NDP are running into increased oppo- sition from organized workers. Hence the failure to inspire a sub- stantial increase in support for that party. This was the setting in which the closed debate took place and many convention delegates were very critical of the party leadership. It is reported that Lewis and Barrett didn’t bend very much, although it must be said that recognizing the spirit of the convention, they both came out for a policy of Cana- dian independence in their public addresses to _ the delegates. Such a deep-going chasm, involving as it does the role of the mass labor movement in relation to reformist, Social Democratic parliamentarians cannot be solved in two hours, two days or two months. The battle for policy will continue. There will be no funda- mental shift in political rela- tionships in Canada until the labor movement makes a deci- sive swing to the left. The possi- bilities for such a shift emerged clearly in the Federation. con- vention. The last word remains to be said. In the meantime, the battle must continue to make the working class more aware of its distinct interests. This is the essential ingredient’ in achieving fundamental social change in Canada. policies for trade, jobs Cont'd from pg. 1 Earlier in the proceedings the report of the Executive Council declared: “‘The unemployment situation remains critical, the Trudeau government’s policies still failing to provide a healthy economy. In recent months the situation has been aggravated by President Nixon’s recent policies of economic aggression, policies which the Financial Post described as ‘America First’ and ‘New Imperialism.’ Somewhat belatedly the Cana- dian government has shown signs of strongly protesting the Nixon moves; however, having committed our country to increasing financial control by American capital, the Trudeau government is in an extremely weak position.” The Socred provincial gov- ernment was also sharply criticized for its failure ‘‘to plan economic development in our province.” The statement adopted on U.S. Economic Policy and Foreign Trade was a substitute for 17 separate resolutions. It declared that U.S. economic poli- cies are designed to make Canada and other countries pay for the war in Vietnam and “finance the purchase of our country by American corpora tions.”’ It went on to say: ‘‘The U.S. government should be told in terms that even Secretary Connolly can understand that Canadians will not tolerate the stated demands_ of the U.S. program.”’ Specifically, the economic policy statement projected the following alternatives: e Aggressive seeking of new trade with European and Asian countires. e Real bargaining over our natural resources in order to: GEORGE McKNIGHT, popular Port Alberni alderman running for re-election, and IWA delegate to the BCFL parley, is shown making a point in the debate. Communist Party of Canada. Communist parley meets Thirty-three delegates elected at a B.C. conference two weeks ago are on their way to attend the 21st Convention of the Communist Party of Canada in Toronto this weekend. The three-day gathering which will be held in the Lord Simcoe Hotel in Toronto, will open Saturday with the keynote address by William Kashtan, the Party’s General Secretary. A highlight of the convention will be the Saturday night banquet to honor the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the The Party’s policy in the forthcoming Federal election expected next spring will also be under review. PACIFIC TRIBUNE — FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1971 — PAGE 12° achieve a properly mixed econo- my, with a wide range of secondary industry owned by Canadians. e Full employment to beconie a national policy>* e Protection of small and in- dependent farms by vigorous anti-dumping measures. “Our need for an independent Canada, with a mature and full economy, is greater than our need for a gross increase in trade. The U.S. must learn this in dealing with Canada, and Canada, in its turn, must learn a similar lesson in dealing with less-developed nations. If it is necessary for us to sacrifice to reach these goals, then sacrifice we must. Unlike Premier Bennett, we will not sell our souls for an increase in trade with the U.S.” Thus it was that organized labor moved to front-centre stage in the crusade for a truly independent Canada. NO WAGE FREEZE The policy statement on Wages, Prices and Profits categorically rejected any labor support for a wage freeze. It said: ‘‘To date the Canadian labor movement has opposed the whole concept of freezing wages. At this time, the B.C. Federation of Labor must emphatically reiterate its complete opposition to any form of wage freeze, even when combined with a freeze on prices and profits. “Further, we must point out that, in reality, the kind of wage freeze or wage-price freeze which is usually discussed is even worse because it would eventually lead to the familiar ‘pattern of ‘the rich getting rich while the poor get poorer.’ With improving technology leading to greater productivity, an indus- trial corporation can happily accept a freeze on costs and prices, secure in the knowledge that profits will. steadily increase in line with produc- tivity increases. The employers are thus guaranteed the entire benefits of automation and technological change.” When William Dodge, Secre- tary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labor Congress addressed the convention, he denied that he or any Congress officer had indicated support for a wage freeze, contrary to reports in the press. He categorically stated that the Congress is opposed to a wage freeze or wage guidelines. The debate on this question showed that the sad experience of top leadership of the Ameri- can trade union movement after it agreed to go along with wage restraints has been quickly absorbed and understood by the labor movement in B.C. If some delegates were hazy on the issue of wage controls at the 1970 con- vention, there was no such hazi- ness in 1971. If the debate was harsh in reference to George Meany and his colleagues, they got no more than they deserved. FIGHT FOR JOBS The convention voted for the establishment of unemployed committees by all labor councils, called for more demon- strative action in B.C. and for a national conference and demon- stration for jobs in Ottawa by the CLC. Many delegates demane an even larger demonstrate for full employment in Viclo# than this year’s rally in front ° the legislative buildings. wat C In reply, an officer stated t if there was sufficient SUPP” = from the membership, vie would be a second lobby i” toria. F The report of the int national Affairs commit was, in the main, a progress document, containing fiv recommendations which nore adopted: (1) That all Umi make a particular eff inform their members 02 Oe: issues in the international Ht. (2) That all trade union continue to give full supp! ts properly organized prote against the Vietnam wala That the CLC be asked t0 60H the British Trade Union ©? pot and urge that Britain's #o body protest British Ge ment policy in Norther? tot land; (4) That the Feder continue to oppose and pl 6) against all nuclear blast: 15 That all trade unionists 9 Sal i the boycott of South Ae i goods. ihe Of great significance wa od resolution adopted which ops } for recognition of the Ger be Democratic Republic 4% ie ¥ seating of both Germanys ! UN, . Space does not permit @ deal with many other aspects of the convention as the first-rate conferety Women’s Rights that Wa5 "ag & the two days preceding wat vention and the fOr asi positions taken on such issu i pollution; the Amchitka ios unity between the unemP eal the disadvantaged and the: ized workers. It is suffil™ state that the econom ip social program adopté ‘rt convention needs to be © PR Se a a into every local and labor ean ki, and to every work place 40° the people at large. Arout a program, there is 2.90 tial basis for uniting t© - gs F cratic and anti-monopOly ‘ee in B.C. ot LABOR UNITY | On the issue of trade unity, the convention Té ie the Federation’s posite” Al the United Fisher™® Allied Workers Union § itt allowed to join the CLC viel pre-condition. The ° e Congress position is tha way into that body or ty he UFAWU is through meré? i@ fi the Canadian Food and io! Workers, a Canadian S@ an American union. ; os? On political action, thet”, 0! closed and spirited qe pe iy; relations between ¢ ool I eration and the NDP; ance : legislature. I must S4Y #4) my opinion while ter ye much heat in the debat rat i was also much light aia) what needs to be done io” parties of big business defeated. ‘ofl om All in all, this convel™ all Je. long be remembered 48 at, ii, shed for the trade ume; ment, provided that ue taken to implement | sions, intent and spit? delegates.