Rage 2-—= Saturday, December 30, 1944

eration of Labor’s legislative

first
Murphy,
Alex McKenzie and Nigel Mor-
gan, substitutine for “unavoid-
ably absent secretary Harold
Pritchett, made up the delega-
tion which represented the five
B.C. district labor councils and
64 local CCL. unions, with a total
membership of sixty thousand.

vice-president Harvey

War orphans in a nursery in China’s guerrilla area
taise their voices in song—for victory and democracy.

They are supported by the China Aid Council.

Greetings Of Trade Union Leaders
Foresee Vital Role For Labor in 1945

Strengthening of labor’s role in the affairs of the nation in the coming year as an in-
dispensable factor in solving the emerging postwar problems features the New Year's
greetings of prominent B.C. labor leaders w ho could be reached by P. A. this holiday week.

Said Nigel. Morgan, TWA in- = :
E «mp: |US take on new determination to
ternational board member: This | id a solid foundation for es-

New Year’s Day finds Canada, | tablishment of victory, freedom,
with the other United Nations, | prosperity and lasting peace
near the crest of the great of-| throughout the world—not in
fensive for final victory over | 1946 or 47, but now, in this year,
Nazism. In 1945, least of all, 1945.”

can we allow either complacency Garry Culhane, secretary of| tion and difficulty, toward the
or over optimism to prevent US | the Shipyard General Workers bianco Wied goals of vic-
from meeting our fighting men’s | Federation, said: “Demoeracy’s | tory, a stable Deace andi eronomic
increasing needs for supplies aS} goal for 1945 must be the re- | and social progress. The labor
the offensive advances. At the | sounding reaffirmation, through| movement will continue to lead

Same time we must prepare now | implementation, of the spirit and] this advance in 1945, with its

“The year 1944,” stated Harvey
Murphy, IUMMSW international
representative, “has witnessed
the continued march forward of
mankind with ever-increasing
unity, shouldering aside obstruc-

ficers to Premier John Hart and his cabinet in

second vice-president®

most of all, that we shall win
both the war and the peace. Let

| purpose of the Atlantic Charter

and the ‘Teheran Agreement.
Nothing less can give us total
victory.”

WASHINGTON— (ALN) The basis for a new

ternational labor organization, dedicated to

in-
Winning the

war-and establishing a just peace, will be established at the

London conference of world la-
bor in February, R. J. Thomas,
president of the United Automo-
bile Workers (CIO), declared
here. Thomas has just returned
from London where as a GIO
representative he participated
in a preliminary meeting with
Eritish and Soviet delegates in
preparing the agenda of the con-
ference. The other CIO dele-
gates to the preliminary meet-
ing were Sidney Hillman, presi-
dent of the Amalgamated Cloth-
ing. Workers, and Emil Rieve,
président of the United Textile
Workers.

Thomas disclosed that the
three major points on the agenda
of the February conference will
be: (1) winning of the war;
(2) problems of the peace; (3)
formation of a new world labor
organization. CIO president
Phillip Murray is expected to
make one of the principle speech-
es on the need for a new inter-
national labor federation at the
conference. Declaring that the:
new world organization “will
take the place of the moribund
International Federation of
Trade Unions,” Thomas stated:

|
| ‘Alex. Gordon,

“Such a world labor organiza-
tion is imperative to world peace
and security after the victory is
won. The firm unity of all work.
ers of the freedom-loving na-
tions is the surest guarantee that
the policies of world security
outlined at Dumbarton Oaks,
Bretton Woods and other United
Nations conferences will be un-
derwritten by the common peo-
ple of the world.

“These problems are very real
to the peoples of Europe, as I
learned on this and my previous
trip. It is our task here in Amer-
ica to unite, as workers and as
citizens, behind the plans for a
just peoples’ peace that have
been laid and.will be further per-
fected when the military victory
is won.”

Emphasizing that he had been
asked by all the labor leaders he
met in London to tell the people
of the United States that “the
war is far from over,” Thomas
added that it is not possible “to
secure a genuine peace. without
seeking the cooperation of the
resistanee forces in Europe and
elsewhere.”

| €ver-growing unity and influence
|being decisively registered in
sweeping aside the tricks and
maneuvers of Tory reaction at
| home and abroad. The march
[rorward will continue in 1945.”

Fish Cannery
| Workers’ Union secretary, gave
the following New Years mes-
sage: “Labor, the backbone of

| cur democracy, has been greatly

strengthened during the war
years. labor’s viewpoint today
command both attention and re-
spect. Its role in the coming
year will extend beyond the
workers organized in trade
unions to lead the struggle of all
the people for progress. Only
thus can Canadian labor fully
accept the responsibility placed
in its capable hands by historical
development.” :

Greetings to P. A. and its
readers were extended by Claude
Donald. WEA director in B.C.
“Fascism’s defeat,” he continued,
“will depend on strengthening
our unions and democratic or-
ganizations, supporting the la-
bor press, studying labor history
and allied subjects, and going
‘allout’ in our personal war ef-
forts. The struggles of the work-
ers in all lands—yesterday and
today—must surely shape the
postwar prosperity if it is to en-
dure.”

Greetings to all organized
workers were extended by HE. EB.
Leary, president of the Vancou-
ver Labor Council. “I hope that
in the coming year we shall be
able to build a solid trade union
unity, as a key factor in national
unity, not only to keep the
wheels of industry turning for
victory but to guarantee that the
aims of the people for the peace
will be realized.’

.. Federation Progra
resented To Cabinet

Support for a national*labor code headed the list of ten
presented in a brief, by Federation
Victoria last week. President Daniel O'R:

program which was

r

major points of the B.C j

The program was well re-
ceived by the Premier and cabi-
net, who assured the delegation
that it would receive serious con-_
sideration prior to the next ses-
sion of the B.C. legislature which
is expected to open the latter
part of January.

ASK COOPERATION

The delegation pointed to the
remarkable srowth of organized
labor in the province, and par-
ticularly of the unions repre-
sented by the Federation, and
the tremendous contribution that
labor has made toward achieving
victory, atid expressed the desire
of CCL unionists of seeing the
cooperation between manage-
ment, labor and government
which ‘has played such an im-
portant role in bringing victory.
nearer in the war, continued and
extended into the peace “so that
the same energy, resources and
intelligence which have been
used in battle to destroy, shall be
used, when peace comes, to con-
struct.”

The brief requests the pro-
vineial government to support
the demand of Ganadian labor
for a National Labor Code, with
provincial administration, which
would embody the basic prin-
ciples of P.C. 1003 with certain
amendments.

COMPANY UNIONS

Increased company union ac-
tivities in the province were
stressed by the brief which asked
for amendments to present regu-
lations which would “go a long
way to completely eliminate in-
fractions of the labor code by the
unserupulous employers who
would still like to interfere with
their employees right to bargain
collectively through the agency
of the employees’? own choice.”
Adoption of clearly defined and
fair labor practices and the es-
tablishment of seyere penalties
for infraction of these were
urged.

UNION SHOP :

Granting of maintenance of
membership or union shop provi-
sions where requested by a union
which has been duly certified as
the bargaining agency was also
urged. “Already this provision
has become widely established in
collective agreements,” the brief
states, “and the refusal of cer_
tain employers to grant full re-
cognition to a labor organiza-
tion in accordance with the spirit
and intent of legislation enacted
by your government is only pro-
viding a source of dispute, harm-
ful to the cause of further im-
proved and sound labor rela-
tions.”

BCELECTRIC

An important recommendation
of the brief was for immediate
government action, to which the
Federation pledged its support,
te conclude arrangements for the
taking over of the BCElectric
and for its administration and
development in the interest of
the public: It was stated that
planning for the postwar period
in B.C. could only be based on
the development of our hydro-

electric power and

power resources of energy 01.
tween eight and nine mil”
horsepower, while at the pre
time considerably Jess than

million horsepower has been

veloped and the great pull:
this is being used in the me
politan areas.” ;

On the subject of checkof
union dues it was pointed
that the coalminers of this D
ince have for many years
joyed this right, while it is
nied to workers in certain 0}
major industries. The brief
commended amendment of
Masters and Servants Act to
tend the right of check-off wi.
trade unions haye been duly
tified under the labor code. “F_
roll check-offs have and are
ing practised for hospital ~
medical plans, war finances, -
employment insurance, taxai
fraternal societies, ete., and
see no reason why it should
denied to responsible labor
ganizations properly certified
such.”

|
:
COMPENSATION ACT
:

In- connection with the We
men’s Compensation Act, blar _
coverage for all industries,
well as all injuries and inj
trial diseases, including her
and increase in compensat.
payments from two-thirds to
hundred percent coverace
urged, with a minimum payn
of $20 per week during ince
city. The extremely low Cs
pensation for dependent ¢
dren was noted and a minim
increase of $20 per month ~ |
urged. Also recommended ~ }
compensation for gas and fi ;
disability within the three~
limit and more adequate pri |

sions for partially recove
claimants and _ silicoties. ‘"~
brief supported the recommen
tions of the Sloan Commiss)
in this regard and urged tt |
immediate implementation.

HEALTH PLAN ;
Support for a federally-ena
ed national health plan, to ~
commenced immediately w
urged upon the provincial ca
net. The inadequacy of pres¢
measures and the need for heal”
insurance in order to spread 6 |
the costs of illnesses which cou
not be borne by the large numb
of families in the low incor
brackets was emphasized. |
More adequate health a |
safety inspection work in f: |
tories and mills was also urst
as well as elimination of exce
tions to the Hours of Worl A:
The delegation recommend —
that the _government, throug
the Department of Labor, shov
“make it obligatory upon all e1-
ployers to pay a minimum
time and one half for all time
excess of eight hours in any O1
day, 48 hours in any one wee
as well as for all Sunday wo:
and work on statutory holidays

re