In Northern California water vending machines have become common.
Shoppers line up with their own containers to buy water at 20 cents a
gallon. The U.S. has polluted and wasted its water. Now they are
pressuring Canada, and particularly B.C.,

resources, starting with water in the Columbia River system.

Cominco ‘non-offer’
rejection anticipated

Cont'd from pg. 1
seriously called into question the
wisdom of investing in British
Columbia massive. sums which
would be necessary to bring these
plants up to the most efficient
operating standards.

“. . In view of the improved
economic environment in British
Columbia, Iam happy to announce
that your directors have approved
in principle a phased program of
expansion and modernization for
the Trail metallurgical plants and
Sullivan mines.”

The address went on to point out
that the aim was to modernize the
operations to the point where they
will be “the finest and modern in
the world.’ Production will be
greatly stepped up, but, in the
words of the president, ‘We will
have fewer people, but any effect
will not be felt for five or six
years.

“T want to point out’? added the
president, ‘‘that although we may
have fewer jobs, these will be

better and more secure jobs in the,

modernized operations.”

The front-page announcement of
a modernization plan involving the
spending of $425 million over eight

competitive position

years contained a veiled threat
directed against the workers.
“This program will be so staged
as to avoid interferences with
existing production levels. It will

_progress in a series of logical

steps, each of which will be con-
ditional upon prevailing federal-
provincial policies, wage and
salary costs; and will require the
continuing demonstration of our
in the
marketplace.’’

In short, this giant corporation,
which is controlled by Canadian
Pacific Investments, is telling its
workers that it is looking for more
concessions from government and
a cheap settlement in wage
negotiations — all to subsidize a
modernization program which is
designed to increase productivity,
further reduce the work -force and
greatly increase profits.

It is not likely that the Cominco
workers will accept the company’s
no-offer proposition.

(At Tribune ‘press time, 1,000
workers at Monday’s meeting in
Trail voted to reject the Cominco
proposal and proceed to a strike
vote. Further meetings with local
members in Kimberley and Salmo
were scheduled for Tuesday.)

Greetings to
The Labor Movement

TRADE UNION RESEARCH

138 E. Cordova St.
Ph. 681-2338

savek Pit Gey ae aa 3s

PACIFIC EaURe 29, Be rca 4 20

MAY DAY GREETINGS

to our members,
friends, and supporters

oe

for access to our water

in the labor movement

Two major issues confront the
labor and democratic movement at
this time: unemployment and the
crisis of Confederation.

On March 14, the ‘British
Columbia Federation of Labor
submitted a brief to the mini-
federal caucus of the NDP in
Vancouver. The brief was sharply
critical of the economic policies of
the Liberal and Socred govern-
ments. In the context of that
criticism, the Federation said:
“The only alternative to allowing
these follies to continue. in-
definitely is for the power of the
corporate interests and establish-
ment political interests to be
broken and cast aside.”

The Communist Party,-at its 23rd
convention in October, advanced
the same, basic conclusion .in its
main policy statement: ‘‘What is
required today is not only united
struggle against the effects of the
crisis policies of monopoly and its
governments; what is equally
required is united struggle against
the causes of the crisis. To get at
the crisis of capitalism requires
deep-going reform measures,
measures which at the same time
strengthen the independence of
Canada and weaken the position of
the multinational corporations and
of monopoly over the Canadian
economy.”’

Theanti-monopoly position of the
Federation leadership is most
welcome, pointing up as it does the
possibilities of broad labor and
democratic unity.

However, it is significant that the
Federation submission to the NDP
makes no mention of the crisis of
Confederation. It reflects the fact
that up to now, and with some
honorable exceptions, the trade
unions in B.C. have tended to shy
away from the problem. This has
resulted in some prominent trade
unionists joining committees set up
to promote “‘solutions”’ to the crisis
of Confederation that have nothing
in common with the interests of the
working class in English and
French Canada.

The only viable solution to the
crisis is the adoption of a made-in-
Canada constitution based on the
equal voluntary partnership of the
two nations. While recognizing the
right of French Canada to separate
from English speaking Canada, the
trade union movement can play a
vital role in uniting the working
class of both nations.

The separation of Quebec from
Canada will not advance the real
interests of the people of Quebec;
nor will it advance the unity of the
working class of English-speaking
and French Canada against their
common enemy: monopoly
capital.

The struggle for a united Canada
based on a voluntary union of the
two nations cannot be separated
from the struggle against
monopoly on the economic front. A
fragmented Canada would worsen
the economic situation of the
working class.

| Quebec, unemployment
major issues of May Day

On May 13 there will be a con-
ference of Federation affiliates to
discuss proposals “‘with respect to
a campaign to fight government
inaction on unemployment.”

This conference can play a

decisive role in uniting the em-

ployed and unemployed workers ‘in
a common front.

Among the proposals for the May
13 meeting which have been

LABOR
COMMENT

_ BY JACK PHILLIPS

discussedin trade union circles are
the following:

e A condemnation of the federal
budget and a call for greater
government intervention to create
new jobs and raise purchasing
power for the people;

e Demonstrations at  ap-
propriate federal government
offices to protest the extension of
the qualifying ‘period for. unem-
ployment insurance benefits;

eA demonstration at the
‘legislative buildings in Victoria to
demand action for jobs and an end
to wage controls;

e An appeal: to the Canadian

Labor Congress executive to
organize a Canada-wide demon-
stration against unemployment
and for an end to wage controls;

e Labor council submissions to
municipalities in B.C. calling upon
them to endorse labor’s program to
put Canada back to work;

e The setting up in every
community where there is a labor
council of joint committees to
include trade unions * and
representatives of other concerned
groups. For example, in Van-
couver the various university and
college student councils could be
invited to .participate. Such
committees could
locally, by presenting briefs to

campaign |

municipal councils, interviewing
members of the legislature and
parliament, placing ads in
newspapers, holding public
meetings and addressing in-
terested groups;

e Full support to every com-
munity group which undertakes —
action around its own special —
problems, for example, the |
problems of secondary and post —
secondary school graduates —
seeking to enter the labor market;

_@ Full support to all unions in-
volved in contract disputes with
their employers. This is necessary
not only to increase the purchasing
power of working people, but in
order to cement the unity between
the employed and unemployed.

May Day, 1977 comes at a time
when the crisis of capitalism is
more evident than it was on May
Day, 1976. Thousands of people
who were not prepared to be in-
volveda year ago now realize they
must become involved.

The next year should bring an
upsurge in the class struggle and
new advances in building labor and —
democratic unity. Central to this
development is the fight for policy
within the labor movement.

FEDERATION

Cont'd. from pg. 1
living. “We’re seeking an ex-
tension of.the present contract for —

one-year with an immediate in- |

crease of six percent,’”’ he noted. »

“But the employers, instead of |}
negotiating, are trying to hide

behind the skirts of the AIB.” 4
Although no plans have been

outlined as yet, the Federation did

discuss possible assistance to the
Steelworkers and has sent an in- —
formation newsletter out to af-—
filiates regarding the dispute.
Douglas did voice concern, that

some companies may ‘be at-

tempting to bring material in from
affiliated companies outside the
province.

[

MAY DAY GREETINGS

from

Marineworkers’ and
Boilermakers’ Industrial
Union, Local 1

‘CREATE EMPLOYMENT
BY ENDING WAGE CONTROLS’

MAY DAY GREETINGS

Nanaimo, Duncan
and
District Labor Council