Feb., 1961 WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER . Socreds’ Bill 42 Termed Vicious Class Legislation _ BY IWA LEGISLATIVE REPORTER VICTORIA. Trade unions in British Columbia will be for- bidden to make financial contributions to any political party out of.funds derived from membership dues if Section 5, Bill 42, amending the Labour Relations Act, is approved by the Legisla- ture. Unless the union assures the employer that the order is being obeyed, all check-off rights will be cancelled. The recent introduction of the Bill triggered off criticism throughout the province and all Canada, regarding it as a piece of vicious class legislation. No_corresponding provision was made to ban or regulate the campaign con- tributions of corporations responsible to their stockholders, The general condemnation of the amendment is based on the following points: Opposing Views (1) It is intended to damage the interests of the CCF or New Party in opposition to the Social Credit Government. The Social Credit Government has outraged British parliamentary tradition by attempting to use its majority in the Legislature to interfere with democratic political opposi- tion. It renders inoperative a section of the CCF Provincial Constitution, which for years has permitted the affiliation of trade unions, (2) The amendment deals with conditions, which, as a matter of fact do not exist. The unions have not yet sanctioned a political check-off. The Constitution of the New Party has not yet been approved. All such matters are in the discussion stage. (3) The amendment is dis- criminatory. It is directed solely against workers organized in trade unions. They are refused the right to spend their funds as the members direct. Similar con- ditions are not imposed on cor- porations which make large con- tributions to the Social Credit (4) The proposed amendment ignores the legal rights estab- lished for workers in Britain, sub- sequent to the debate in the British House of Commons on the Osborne judgment. British . trade unionists may pay a politi- cal levy, and devote funds so raised to political objects. Pro- vision is now made for any in- dividual worker in a British union to “contract out”. Assurances Ignored (5) The amendment ignores the assurances given repeatedly by the Canadian Labour Con- gress that no trade union mem- ber, and no trade union will be under any compulsion to make political contributions. It has been assured that freedom of conscience will be guaranteed, and that the exercise of such freedom will not jeopardize mem- bership privileges. (6) The amendment dealing with political support is written in a Bill to amend the Labour Relations Act. It introduces a political issue in legislation which . regulates labour-management re- lations. It thus places the Gov- ernment in political opposition to efforts of the unions to gain im- provement or bargaining pro- cedures. Loss of Civil Liberties (7) It is an encroachment upon the civil liberties of the or- ganized workers. It negates com- plete freedom of association as groups of workers engaged in collective bargaining may not also engage in political activity that would otherwise be lawful. It deprives trade unions of the right to spend their own money as they may see fit. Employers’ Proposal Observers agree that the proposed amendment originated with the em- ployers. The employers will have ex- traordinary powers of enforcement if they wish to plague a union. The extent to which the proposed law will affect the B.C. Federation of Labour, the Canadian Labour Con- gress, and:affiliates in other parts of Canada has not been determined by those engaged in an intensive study of the Bill. It is generally understood in Vic- toria, that the Bill is intended to strangle all trade union consideration of any form or political action or political education. Amendments The amending Bill provides: (1) There shall be no discrimina- tion against any person in regard to employment because that person may refuse to make a contribution or ex- penditure on behalf of any political party or candidate. (2) No trade union and no person acting on behalf of a trade union may directly or indirectly contribute to or expend on behalf of any political party or candidate any moneys de- ducted from wages, or paid as.a con- dition of membership. (3) A member of a trade union may accept remuneration while in public office. (4) Unless a trade union delivers to the employer an affidavit stating that no funds are being expended in a manner contrary to the order, all check-off rights will be cancelled. (5) An employee may sue the union for moneys deducted from wages in a manner contrary to the February 18, at Woodworkers’ House, in Vancouver. UNITY MEETING of officers of the International Woodworkers of A merica and Pulp; Sulphite, and Papermill Workers’ Union Three Points What National Revenue Minister George Now- lan said— “J received a letter... from a constituent (who) felt he knew me so well he started ‘Dear George’. “He said he started working last spring, worked all summer and last fall. “Then he said: ‘Last week I went to the unemployment insurance office and asked for my unemploy- ment benefits. What do you suppose they did to me, George? They offered me a job’. “He said: ‘George, why did they play this dirty trick on me? You have to do something about it’.” * * What this unemployed man said— “Six months ago I lost my job. Today I received a blue slip from the * Of View On Unemployment Unemployment Insurance Office say- ing that I had used up my benefits. “Tam 60. I have sought any kind of work for over six months. But at my age I am always turned down. “T am classed as single and cannot get city relief. How will I live? In jail I could get food and be warm. But I am no criminal. “T am heart sick, desperate and terrified as the bleak winter comes”. —Letter to the editor, Toronto Daily Star. * * What "Follow John" said— “As long as I am Prime Minister, no man or woman will suffer be- cause of unemployment”. — 1958 election pledge of Rt. Hon. J. G. Diefenbaker. Miners Paid For Work Stoppage A Quebec Arbitration Board has ruled that miners who re- fused to work for three days be- cause of dynamite stored under- ground must be paid for the three days work stoppage. The Board has also criticized a Quebec Mines Inspector for improp- er authorization of dynamite storage and has called for the establishment of a joint union-management Safety Committee in any future collective legislative order. agreement. The arbitration award involves some three hundred and fifty em- ployees and an amount of back pay which comes close to $20,000. The Board was convened following a work stoppage on August 18, 19, 20 and 21, when mine workers, members of Local 5186 of the United Steel- workers of America, refused to work due to the fact that the company had stored 1800 cases of dynamite under- ground. The Quebec. law states that only enough dynamite for 48 hours work should be-underground at any one time. Seventy cases would be the limit at this mine. The company’s argument was that, due to a possible strike of office em- ployees, they were storing the dyna- mite underground in order to pre- vent “sabotage” in the event of sym- pathy action by the miners. We Concur. Quoted in Ottawa by Professor F. H. Underhill... “The Social Credit movement ‘will remain a classical horrible example in our history of the kind of economic and political thinking with which low-brows uninfluenced by high-brows are likely to delude themselves.” “It was a hardship case. The government needed his money.” —Bob Hope on Elvis Presley’s discharge from the U.S. Army. Canada Labour Board Backs Local 1-85 It has been announced by the Officers of Local 1-85, IWA, Port Alberni, that the Federal Depart- ment of Labour has rejected the application of the Port Alberni Local of the International Long- shoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union, for certification of 60 IWA shiploaders at Tahsis. The Board in turning down the application stated, “In their opinion, _the Longshoremen’s Union is not appropriate for col- lective bargaining, having regard to the manner in which the opera- tions of the company are carried on including, among other things, the interchangeability of the shiploading employees with the larger group of employees of the company.” . i a «|THE ONLY EXPERIENCE He Gave WAS DAYTONS ON no TIM tt oi SHOE MANUFACTURING CO. (B.C.) LTD. 2248 -50 EAST HASTINGS STREET, VANCOUVER, B.C. YN | jai pees U9\ aa ERE << The Boot Built by Experience (and by union labour)