”

World pressure on the Uruguay government recently won the release of R. Arismendi, secretary of the
Communist Party of Uruguay. He is shown above, left, being greeted by leaders of the Communist Party

of the Soviet Union shortly after his arrival in Moscow earlier this month.

—Tass photo

Fishermen union pari

marks 30th anniversary

The United Fishermen and.
Allied Workers Union began its
annual convention this week,
opening what is expected to be a
tough year for fishermen, with
negotiations for herring prices
already stalemated as a result of
company adamance, and trawl
fishermen faced with several more
months of unemployment — all
coupled with approaching
negotiations for minimum prices
for salmon fishermen and wage
talks for shoreworkers.

The convention marks the 30th
anniversary of the UFAWU, for-
med in 1945 by the merger of the
United Fishermen’s Federal Union’
and the Fish Cannery, Plant
Reduction and Allied Workers.

Fraternal delegate Dave Werlin,
invited to address the convention,
drew attention to the turbulent 30-
year history of the UFAWU and
noted the affinity of his union —
formerly the Vancouver Civic
Outside Workers, now local 1004 of
CUPE — with the UFAWU during
the early years. The Outside
Workers were expelled from the
old Trades and Labor Congress in
the early 1950’s after members of
the union had been seen taking upa
petition for a nuclear arms ban. An
editorial in the Fisherman
criticized the TLC for the Cold
War-inspired action, resulting in
suspension of the UFAWU from the
Congress when the Fisherman

. would not recant.

Werlin also noted, in more recent

history, the efforts of big business.

to oust the NDP government from
office. ‘“‘There’s a tremendous
drive being put on to revert back to
Socred rule,’’ he told the delegates,
“and the progressive legislation
enacted by the NDP explains that
drive.”’

Emphasizing the responsibility

of trade unionists, he said, “the

NDP is a force for progress that.

deserves the support of working
people.” But where it has fallen

short of our expectations and, in.

fact, short of its own election
pledges, we have a right to
criticize.

“But we can only criticize,” he:

stressed, ‘“‘where our criticism is
constructive and where it is
designed to unite the whole trade
union movement.”

Referring to those unionists who

and the rest of the trade union
movement.”’

A resolution submitted to the
convention also noted the right
wing attack on the government and
called on the B.C. Federation of
Labor to convene a conference of
trade unionists on political action
in order to discuss ways of
preventing a return of big business
government.

Werlin’s comments found a
response in the officer’s report to
the convention which emphasized
that ‘‘some sound and progressive
legislation has been introduced by
the NDP” and added, ‘‘the labor
movement would be making a
terrible mistake to be drawn into a
position of being overly critical of
the government to the delight of its
right wing adversaries. There is
always a place for constructive
criticism and labor’s approach
must be kept at that level,” the
report stated.

A specific criticism of the
government and a continuing issue
in the convention is the field of
bargaining rights for fishermen
and the union’s demand-supported
by the B.C. Federation of Labor —
for the inclusion of fishermen in the
provincial labor code. Caught in a
tangled web of constitutional
disputes, fishermen are still out-
side the labor code as provincial
labor minister has insisted that the
jurisdiction is federal, even though

_ two federal court rulings have

determined that labor relations
between fishermen and fish
processors are _ outside

the

jurisdiction of Parliament. As well,
two provinces — Newfoundland
and Nova Scotia — have assumed
jurisdiction for fishermen and
have not been challenged — im-
plying that B.C. could do the same:

Speaking to the convention
Monday, B.C. Federation of Labor
president George Johnston assured
delegates that the demand for
fishermen to be included in the
labor code would be pressed and
pointed out that such a demand
was included in the Federation’s
proposed submission to the
government.

“Surely the recent federal court
ruling that federal legislation was
ultra vires is sufficient en-
couragement for this government
to include fishermen in the labor
code.’’ Johnston stated, quoting the
brief. ‘Continued inaction in this
area not only jeopardizes support
for the fishermen but many other
workers who feel that fishermen
are unjustly treated.”

The demand for a provincial
ministry of fisheries — an NDP
election pledge — was also voiced
in several resolutions submitted by
various locals and subsequently
adopted by the convention.

A number of other resolutions
had also been adopted at Tribune
press time including a call for a

rollback of rents and food prices to_

January, 1973 levels, a guaranteed

annual income of $5000 for single’

persons and the establishment of a
provincial government rental
housing authority.

STRIKEBREAKING THREAT

The anti-union and
strikebreaking stand by Van-
couver radio station CKLG came
under sharp fire from the B.C.
Federation of Labor ina statement
issued last Friday which attacked
the announcement by General
Manager Don Hamilton that his
company is prepared to bring in
strikebreakers in the event of a
strike by members of CUPE Local
686.

Len Guy, BCFL secretary-
treasurer, charged that ‘‘since
employees of CKLG first decided
they wanted union representation
over a year ago, this company has
attempted to place every obstacle,
legal and illegal, in their path.”

The labor federation statement
issued by Guy, said that ‘“‘now that
a federal conciliation award, which
is very much a compromise has

been agreed to by the employees, :

this company is suggesting they

will refuse to accept the award and _

may attempt to operate by hiring
strikebreakers.

“We want to make very clear to
Mr. Hamilton and his 19th century
colleagues that the B.C. labor
movement is just not going to allow |
this to happen. From the leader-
ship of this federation to active
members of all our affiliates, we
will be there if CKLG attempts to
bring in strikebreakers. Nor will
the courts be of much assistance to
a company who appears with such
unclean hands, to seek the
assistance of the courts.

_ “Furthermore, we are sure that
companies who advertise on CKLG
will think twice about getting
caught in the middle of the kind of

_ struggle which will ensue if CKLG

attempts to carry out its threat to
hire strikebreakers.

“Finally, Mr. Hamilton’s threat
to blacklist striking employees is
an empty threat. We are certain
that most employers in this in-
dustry would not be party to such

illegal activities.”’

Employees of the radio station,
members of the Canadian Union of
Public Employees, gave CKLG
radio station general manager Don
Hamilton until Sunday midnight to
indicate acceptance of federal
commissioner Hugh Ladner’s
conciliation report. The local
accepted the report last Wed-
nesday.

Hamilton’s response was to
declare that he would bring in
other employees from Western

Canada radio stations to keé
CKLG operating, and said that an}
strike would result in ‘notoriety
to the employees. Hamilton wrol#
the union last Friday saying thal
further negotiations were useles!
as he had no plans to sign #!
contract or accept the conciliatio!
report.

CUPE’s spokesman Ed Mitch
charged Hamilton with
“strikebreaking and blacklisting:
Richard Hughes, organizer 0!
CUPE’s broadcasting divisiol
said Sunday ‘we will strike if i
doesn’t sign the contract.” cups
has filed 76 unfair labor practi
complaints against Hamilton.

Hamilton indicated Monday thé
to keep the radio station open
intended to draw on the employ’
of 10 other stations in Weste
Canada licensed to Moffat Co
munications Ltd., to which CKL
is licensed, and _ has it
headquarters at 1006 Richards St
in Vancouver. }

CUPE organizer R. Hughes sé!
they are experiencing identi@
anti-union tactics wherevé
organizing occurs in the broad
casting field, and that CKLG is ®
alone in its anti-labor attitude. |

Moffat Communications Lit
operates AM and-FM stations
Vancouver, Calgary and Winni
as well as an AM station in M
Jaw according to financial repor
It owns CKY-TV in Winnipeg wh!
is a CTV affiliated station.

Secretary of Moffat Co
munications is G. T. BrazZe
solicitor in Winnipeg, who’
director of a number of industt!
and machinery companies }
cluding Albany Oil and Gas. Moflt
also owns MBL Cable Televis!
Ltd., and 80 percent of Winnipt
Videon Ltd., which operates
cable TV system in Winnipeg.

10 BIG CORPORATIONS |
PAID NOU.S. TAXES

Ten major U.S. corporati
with combined profits of nearly
billion dollars in 1973, paid
federal corporate taxes last y'

The ten corporations inclu!
United Airlines, Trans Wot
Airlines, Consolidate Edison (N
York) and American Elect
Power Company.

Another very large tax evade!
1973 was Texaco, the fifth high!

Workers stage

Cont'd from pg. 1

when the government has saved
other jobs by buying companies
out.”’

There is no viable reason why
Willow’s Farms can not re-open,
other than the narrow self interest
of Canada Packers. In fact, it
nearly ‘did open last Monday
morning on the initiative of the
workers themselves. As Jim Wells
related, CFAWU negotiated for
2400 chickens and had on hand 24
workers ready to go on the job on
Monday morning. Each - worker
would have been paid $5.00 per
hour — a wage 43 to 55c per hour
more than the collective
agreement. With the cooperation of
the B.C. Federation of Labor a
store was to be opened in Van-
couver on Monday afternoon, with
the chickens going on sale at 50c

profit earner in the U.S. during
e

‘year. —
ee /
SiT-in

meeting early this week to supP
the call for a government takeov
But thus far Stupich had not b
moved to do anything about it |

In the opinion of the WilloW
Farms workers, something ha®
be done. They can not afford
loss of their jobs. Chilliwack’s ¥
office already handles 300
applicants weekly and at
Manpower office there are
jobs listed — two car hops
car painter.

The Willow’s workers are a ™
112 joining an army of unemploy
in B.C, that number in exces®
100,000. The importance of
struggle lies not in their num
but in their determination. I”
rash of layoffs and plant clos
in B.C., particularly in the lu)
and mining industries, these ?

and)

Veteran unionist Steve Stavenes takes notes during the UFAWU

convention this week, marking the 30th anniversary of the formation

of the union. Although he was president of the predecessor to the

UFAWU, the United Fishermen's Federal Union, from 1940 to 1945,

he declined to take a paid post with the new union, opting instead

for a position on the 12-member executive. He later became

president, however, occupying the post from 1954 to his retirement

in 1970 when Homer Stevens, also a founding executive member,

succeeded him. —Sean Griffin photo -
PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1975—Page 12

per pound to Federation affiliates
and pensioners. But the company
scuttled the plan by rendering
processing machinery inoperable.

With no comment available from
Canada Packers, the issue is. in
agricultural minister Stupich’s
lap. According to Wells’ in-
formation the NDP provincial
council voted overwhelmingly in a

the first group of workers who.
refused to give up their livelib?,
simply to protect the profit matt
of a giant international monoP
CFAWU and the Willow’s Fa%).
workers have set the pace ©.
B.C.’s labor movement. In Kal }
words, “They know we ™}
business... We started this #|
we'll finish it.”

want to silence all criticism on the
grounds that it adds weight to the.
attack launched by the opposition, ;
Werlin stated, “I reject that
concept. We have to make sure.
that this government continues to
carry out policies that we can
support — your union, my union

(i