3 Embraces 80 Percent of Workers 5 i shipyard unions almost from the Jeginning of the war and came (0 a head just twelve months ‘ZO in the dispute between the s0ilermakers Union and the Con- Sress. That struggle, centered round the immediate issue of deal union autonomy, stemmed rom a deeper and more basic uestion—the need for a power- fal industrial union that could ilize wages and conditions, and lay an important part in decid- ‘The initial conference which stablished the Federation last reekend at a two-day gathering 1 the Holden Building attended y 40 delegates from eleven local nions in Prince Rupert, Victoria, ‘ew Westminster and Vancouver, juld only make provisional re- ommendations subject to ap- coval of the local union mem- erships. Decisions of the con- ‘rence, including the draft con- ‘itution drawn up, will be rati- ed within the next two weeks iy Special meetings of the locals. Wext step will_bethe calling of a jnstituent convention, set for ebruary 2 and 28, at which per- fanent officers will be elected gid the draft constitution en- orsed. Under the proposed setup, local iions will be chartered directly * the Federation, which in turn ill -be affiliated to the CCL. i2r capita fee has been tenta- rely set at 20 cents per member month, while the Federation il pay a per capita of five cents the CCL. oee Logically enough, leaders of these who have fought for ars for its formation. Provisional president is Mal- Im Mecieod, long-time business ent of the Boilermakers Union, id one of the key figures in at union’s fight for autonomy. ath him are George Culhain, eretary-treasurer, who has been esident of Victoria Boilermak- ‘5, Local 2, and Harley Lewis, se-presiden;y, from Prince Ru- rt Boilermakers, Local 4. The ovisional executive includes illiam Stewart of the Vancou- rt Boilermakers, Charles Saun- TS, president of the Dock and lipyard Workers Union, G. itchell, Victoria Machinists nion, and ©. Rouse, Blacksmiths nhion. Draft constitution as approved ’ Gelegates defines the purpose the Federation to “promoet actment of suitable legislative easures, municipal, provincial STEAM BATHS 40 Lorne Street INEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. Across from Cotrthouse Open 5 Days a Week Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. iL AND ELECTRIC MASSAGE . Varila, Prop. Tel. 2264 a ES W union come from the ranks — ully organize the industry, sta- — By AL PARKIN -and federal, in co-operation with its affiliated and other trade _ union organizations.” Full auton- omy for local unions within the Federation is specifically out- lined providing such locals ob- serve the constitution. Each local ean write its own bylaws. By resolution, the Federation made its position clear on the following points: © Unconditional opposition to the new federal wage -legisla- tion and its immediate removal from the statute books. e Broadening of the €CE base to allow the affiliation of “all labor, farmer and working class organizations, thus _ achieving that degree of unity essential if the plans of reaction are to be defeated.” © Support to all measures con- {ributing to an early victory in the war, and agreement in full With the principles enunciated at DPeheran. @ Elimination of the three- month membership clause in the IGA Act and joint action with other unions for amendments to both the ICA Act and Workmen’s Compensation Act. e e e@ What are the perspectives fac- ing the Federation? Malcolm Meleod, its new president, line them up in this way: : First, the immediate task of ratifying the conference decisions by the locals, and the opening of a headquarters. Second, pre- parations for the constituent con- vention of the Federation on Feb- ruary 27-28, which includes an in_ -vitation to locals of the independ- ent Amalgamated Building Work- ers of Canada to become affli- ated. Third, the opening of a drive in all Coast shpiyards for Shipyard Federation Opens Way To Broad-Developments The setting up of a powerful industrial union in British Columbia shipyards, long sought aS an objective which will open the way to full organization of the industry, was close to realization this week with the formation in Vancouver of the Shipyard and General Workers “ederation, a new national union which will embrace all locals of the Canadian Congress of “Gabor in Coast shipbuilding centers. _ The Federation is the direct outcome of the long struggle which developed in B.C. organization of the remaining un- organized workers. “From an industrial union point of view three is still a big field for organization in the yards,” WMickeod states. “There are still the office staffs, engin- eering and inspection divisions, and in almost every case, these workers want organization. What has held them back to date has been our inability to bring them into the general’ organization of the workers. With the Federation setup, that can be overcome.” McLeod sees a number of changes onee the new union is established as a functioning body. “We will be able to Straighten out a number of problems caused by overlapping of jurisdiction be- tween locals, Jack of uniformity in agreements, and perhaps most important, elimination of dis- putes caused in the past by fail- ure to permit the local unions to exercise full local autonomy,” he says. “It looks as though we've fin- ally established full democracy within the shipyard unions, and further intereference in our af- fairs is a thing of the past.” Shipyard workers were justi- - fied this week in looking back with ever greater satisfaction to the victory of the Boilermakers Union in its fight for autonomy. That victory paved ¢he way for an all-round strengthening of the shipyard unions, both as to membership and unity, and paved the way for the next logical step —establishment of an industrial union that will ultimately em- brace a big majority of the in- dustry’s 26,000 members. ‘The Shipyard and General Workers Federation can become the means for achievement of that goal. Atlantic Fishing Union Formed LUNENBURG, N.S.—Atlantic Coast fishermen, long at the mercy of fishing companies and suffering under appalling living conditions, have established a union and launched an organizing campaign for 1944 that is expected to bring the major part of the industry under union conditions. The organizing drive was of- ficially opened at the recent initiative convention of the Ca- nadian Fishermen’s Union, which met just before the new year. the convention decided to apply. for a charter with the Canadian Congress of Labor as a national union, and elected an executive charged with putting the union- izing campaign into life. President of the CFU is Ben MeKenzie of Lockport, with Wil- lis Parks of Lunenburg as vice- president. Secretary-treasurer is Harry Allison, one of the orig- inal organizers of the union. (Allison was for years one of the best-known fishermen on the B.C. coast, having been an active member of both the United Fish- ermen’s Union and the Deepsea and Inlandboatmen’s Union. He came east about a year ago and immediately became active in organizing work.) Addressing the convention, Al- lison drew on his experience with » the United Fishermen’s Union in B.C. to show that the key to low prices paid Maritime fishermen could be traced basically to lack of organization. Comparing prices paid on the east and west coasts, he showed that in B.C. halibut sold for 25 cents a pound, and $1 for livers, while the east coast paid 12 cents and 25 cents for liver. Cod brought 12 cents and $1 for livers on the west coast, while the east coast buyers paid only four cents and two cents for livers. “This differentiation is not caused by markets or quality,’ he Said, “but by the fact that the buyer on the Atlantic Coast, with no organization among fsher- men, can pay almost any price he wants.” Delegates voted to affiliate with the Workers Educational Association, which is now con- ducting a price survey for the union as a basis for later nego- tiations with the fishing com- panies, LPP Asks Gov't. To Buy Hydro There should be no plebiscite on the purchase of the B.C. Hlectrie’s street railway system in Vancouver until a practical plan, including purchase price, is prepared for submission to the electorate, in the opinion of the Vancouver City Committee [AM-UAW Reach Pact TORONTO, Ont. — Welcoming the agreement between the Unit- ed Automobile Workers Wnion (CIO) and the International As- sociation of Machinists (AFL) to refrain from “raiding” each oth- er’s members for the duration of the war, George Burt, Canadian director of the UAW declares that the agreement will be effective in Canada. Mr. Burt’s statement was as follows. “The agreement between the United Automobile, Aircraft and Agricultural Implement Work- ers of America and the Interna- tional Association of Machinists (AFL) to refrain from ‘raiding’ each other’s members for the dur- ation, has our approval and will be effective in Canada. It is one of the most forward-looking steps . in labor relations on the contin- ent. : © “This policy, insofar as we are concerned, has been in effect for some time. We recently opened a Montreal office where th TAM has three aircraft plants under contract but we confined our ac- tivities to unorganized plants. We have three aircraft plants under contract in Ontario. “The agreement sets a pattern for unity which might well be followed by other unions and we are hopeful in the near future will result in organic unity of the two labor congresses. = “The UAW is the largest union in the Canadian Congress of La- bor. The [AM is the largest union in the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada.” Elect Political Action Committee MONTREAL, Que. Acting upon a resolution introduced by Lodge 712 of the International Association of Machinists, urging that the Montreal AFI, unions take independent political action as recommended at the last con- vention of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, the Mont- real Trades and Gabor Council last week elected a committee of seven to prepare a labor pro- gram and determine what politi- eal action the trade union move- ment would support as an ex- pression of its aims. of the Wabor-Progressive Party. The committee’s position on the question is made clear in a statement issued this wek by Ei- gin Ruddell, LPP city organizer, which declares: We condemn the lack of states- manship displayed by the Van- eouver City Council in its re- fusal to seriously consider the proposal put forward by the pro- vinecial government that it take over the B.C. Electric system in the city. : It is our opinion that the City Council missed a splendid op- portunity to assist provincial authorities in putting into effect a practical plan program for pub- lie ownership of the’ entire power resources of B.C. In the existing situation we urge the provincial government to take over all hydroelectric re- sources in the province—as it has Stated its intention of doing—at a price equal to its actual value today. This price should take into account the fact that much of the equipment is obsolete and that much of the BCER stock is watered. Having taken it over, the gov- ernment should work out with all municipalities ceneerned an equitable plan for the purchase or rental of public utilities with- in each municipality. Teachers Ask Uniform Scale Demands of Surrey teachers for a fixed wage scale, as opposed. to Surrey School Board’s prefer- ence for a system which “recog- nizes special circumstances” were laid before a three-man arbitra- tion board this week. The teach- ers point out that the so-called “flexible” scale can lead to dis- crimination and favoritism. The second point of dispute arises over the school board’s re- fusal to grant yearly inereases of $70 to secondary school teachers and $60 to elementary school tea- ehers, with a maximum of 12 in- ereases for elementary teachers and 15 for secondary school tea- chers, as proposed by the teach- ers themselves. The board offers instead $60 increases for all tea- chers with a maximum of 10 in- creases. D. B. Brankin, school board chairman, giving evidence before the board declared that he did not consider that higher salaries would stabilize staffs. Teachers, he said, would only move to ur- ban centers, or to their home dis- triets where good opportunities were afforded. CLASS IFIED A charge of 50 cents for each in- Sertion of. five lines or less with 10 cents for each additional line is made for notices appearing in this column. NOTICES Regular meetings of the South Vancouver LPP Branch are held at 8 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month, at Nor- quay Hall, Kingsway and Slocan. Canadian Aid to Russia Fund, Auxiliary No. 1, wants sewers and workers. Send used clothing of all kinds to 835 West Pender. MArine 2744, : If you have a spare copy of Builders of British Golumbia by Bill Bennett, published at Van- couver in 1937, The People can use it in its library. Send it to The People office. Regular meetings of the Hast- ings East LPP Branch are held at 8 p.m. on the first and third Friday of each month, at’ 2443 East Hastings. Whist drives are held every Saturday at 8 p.m. Cash prizes. Admission 25 cents. Whist drive and dance at Grandview LPP Hall, 875 East Hastings, Friday, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. Good music, refreshments, cash prizes. Admission 35c.