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B.C. LUMBER WORKER

LEGAL MONSTROSITY SAYS MacDONALD

Four hundred IWA shop

stewards, wives and friends,

heard General Secretary Donald MacDonald, of the Cana- dian Congress of Labor, denounce the new B.C. Labor Relations Act as a “legal monstrosity”, when he addressed the banquet tendered them by Local 1-217, IWA, at Happyland, Hastings Park, April 17.

Arrangements for the banquet, floor show, and dance, made the evening an outstanding success. President Lloyd Whalen keynoted the occasion, when he expressed the hope that the banquet might become an annual affair. He praised the faithful services ren- dered the Union by the shop stewards and committee men, and stated that their loyalty had made the Local Union the largest and most active within the Inter- national.

Carl Winn =

International Secretary, Carl Winn, who made a special trip from Portland to attend the ban- quet, complimented the Local Union on the enterprise shown, and said, “Now that I am face to face with the shop stewards and committee men, I well un- derstand why Local 1-217 has captured top place within. the International.”

An unexpected guest of honor was Vice-President Silbey Bar- rett, of the Canadian Congress of Labor and veteran of District 50, UMWA. With amusing refer- ences to his long experience in the trade union movement, he warned the audience that the les- sons of past struggles should not be forgotten if present-day objec- tives are to be won.

Secretary MacDonald, spoke in feeling terms of the spectre of unemployment which now haunts all trade union gatherings, and which he claimed is now more manifest than in the last fifteen years. He deplored the fact, that under the free enterprise system, -so-called, many thousands were now pleading for social assist- ance. “Those responsible for this deprivation of health and decency standards of living stand indicted of the most despicable crime con- ceivable,” he said.

Official “Brush-oft”

He described the reception given the trade union movement, when the request was made to the Federal authorities for work projects, and measures to stimu- late employment. “It smacks of callousness, as well as stupidity, that we should have been told, that the problems of the unem- ployed could be solved if they sought work elsewhere.”

The unemployment now experi- enced in Canada is not seasonal, he declared, and it provided cold comfort to be told that it was the result of an orthodox reces- sion, soon to pass. He called for the adherence to policies which would promote standards com- patible with human dignity and worth. ‘

‘The speaker described the shop stewards as the N.C.O.’s of the trade union army, who had given the movement vital leadership.

When the GCL Secretary ex- pressed his opinions of the newly- enacted B.C. Labor Relations Act, he was unsparifig in his con- demnation of the attitude taken toward the trade unions. He said:

“One of the purposes of my present visit to British Columbia is to consult with the Unions af- filidted with the Canadian Con- gress of Labor with respect to the Labor Relations Act, recent- ly enacted by the government of this province.

The Canadian Congress of Labor shares the view, already expressed by the trade union movement of this province, that this legislation is unworkable, and provocative of industrial un- rest, because it is designed to interfere with and restrict the legitimate and established right of organized labor.

Legal Monstrosity

In the Congress we recognize the menacing features of this legislation which has been aptly termed a legal monstrosity. We deplore the fact, that, in a pro- gressive industrial province such as British Columbia, the govern- ment should enact legislation which gives legal effect to the anti-union, anti-democratic views of reactionary interests — views which have been emphatically repudiated elsewhere on this continent.

We believe this Act stands in contradiction to established legal principles and trespasses upon the civil liberties of trade union members in-this province.

It denies to them, the most elementary rights of justice be- fore the courts in its enforce- ment. It also proposes to sub- vert the functions of our courts to fulfill a2 vengeful purpose against an offending union.

Challenge Validity!

On these grounds alone, the legal validity of certain sections of the Labor Relations Act should be challenged by CCL unions. I am not an authority on constitutional law, but I do know, that certain laws enacted by provincial governments in the past, have been disallowed by the Federal Government, when found prejudicial to the welfare of the Dominion and natural justice.

I venture the opinion that, on reference to our legal counsel, grounds may be found for the disallowance of this Act by the Federal Government. Whether such legal grounds exist or not, I cannot say for certain, but I do say that this Act should be wiped off the statute books of this province by a superior auth- ority, as being contrary to the public interest.

If disallowance is not feasible, I hope that this law will be tested in the courts, and found in violation of the rights of the subject under Canadian juris- prudence. We will welcome such a test of its validity in the courts, as soon as it is proclaim- ed. I find it difficult to believe that our courts will uphold a law which proposes the elimina- tion of a legally constituted trade union, without fair trial, and the right of appeal to the higher courts.

Legislative Blunder

In my opinion, the govern- ment has committed a serious legislative blunder in the enact- ment of those sections of the Act which enable direct refer- ence to the Supreme Court of an alleged illegality on the part of the union, on grounds to be stated by the Labor Minister. Obviously, the provisions of the Act make it easily possible to “frame” a union, and the refer- ence is made on terms which constitute a presumption of guilt, which would naturally prejudice the position of the Union before the court.

Those sections of the Act can be regarded as a travesty of British justice, especially when it is realized that the sentence to be passed upon the union, which fails to pass this unprece-

plete elimination. Prosecution by the Crown, should follow the prescribed rules of law.

Strikes Made Ineffective

Clearly, these sections in the Act are intended to render strike action well nigh impossible.

dented legality test, is its com-|—

This has long been advocated by the employing interests through the medium of compulsory arbi- tration. This Act not only makes a farce of conciliation proced- ures, but at the same time des- troys the bargaining strength of a union. It contemplates the eventual obliteration of any union that dares to pursue a militant policy in defence of the living standards of its members.

District President, Joe Mor- ris, has rightfully said that this Act was conceived in hatred of the IWA. I am inclined to agree with him, that labor laws en- forced in the spirit with which this one was drafted, may pre- cipitate a period of serious in- dustrial unrest.

Will Never Surrender

The men and women who form the free trade union movement of this province are proud of the traditions of struggle which have won for them their pres- ent “rights, Those of us who know the ‘sturdy independence and deeply rooted sense of free- dom possessed by trade union- ists, can easily foresee, that, if justice is denied them under the law, ways and means will be found to have the law corrected.

This government will find, as other governments have found, that Canadian workers do not work willingly or efficiently, by virtue of threat or compulsion.”

ROSS WINS PRAISE

The Loggers’ Navy returned to Vancouver this week after

of the program were the Van- couver Co-ordinating Council of Citizenship and the Canadian Citizenship Branch of the De- partment of Citizenship and

Immigration.

Opening session, chaired by Emmett Holmes, Local 1-217, IWA, was addressed by Mrs.

Maisie Hurley on the topic “Our Native Indians”, and Professor William G. Dixon, UBC, on “The Doukhobor Report”.

were “Canadian Immigration Policy and Procedure”, Tom Als- bury; “Community Attitudes and Responsibility”, Mrs. Ethel Al- lardice; “The Place of Work and the Employer’s Attitude”, Knute Buttedahl;

Immigration tice”, J. F. Maguire.

Session was Dean G. C. Andrew, Deputy to the President of the University of British Columbia.

Labor Fosters Race Harmony

Annual Institute under the auspices of the Joint Labor

Assisting in the presentation

Workshop sessions and leaders

and “Trade Union Policy and Prac-

Guest speaker at the Dinner

APOLOGY

Publication of ‘the names of firms on the “We Do Not Patronize List” in the 2nd March issue, of The B.C. |} Lumber Worker included the name of the Stolberg Con- struction Co. Ltd. inadvert- ently.

The editorial staff of this publication hereby tenders an |! apology to this firm for a regrettable oversight in deal- ing with these reports.

The Stolberg Construction Co. Ltd. holds an agreement with Local 1-217, IWA, and has observed the terms of this agreement in good faith.

Committee to Combat Racial Discrimination attracted an attendance of 80 persons, who participated in an inter- esting and varied program at the YMCA, April 25.

CIVIC PAC FORMS

Tentative plans were laid at the April 27th meeting of the Greater Vancouver and Lower Mainland Labor Council 5 to participate in Vancouver civic elections.

This decision was reached fol- lowing the announcement that the CCF had withdrawn from the field on the understanding that organized labor desired direct civic representation.

‘At the next meeting of the Council, a committee of five will be elected to work out the neces- sary plans.

Unemployment Conference Vancouver's top labor officials will meet with leaders of other groups early next month to see if they can come up with anys solution to the unemployment

problem.

Vie Forster, secretary of the Vancouver Labor Council, told delegates at the council meet- ing Tuesday night that’ he and president Lloyd Whalen and Tom Alsbury and R. K. Gervin, presi- dent and secretary respectively of the Vancouver, New Westmin- ster. and District Trades and Labor Council, would attend a meeting, May 5.

an extended cruise to all iso- lated Coast logging camps, which commenced early in

March, with a report of record- breaking activity among the camp committees.

The accomplishments of Orga- nizer Bob Ross, who now con- ducts his work from the decks of the Local Union’s flagship, were praised by the Local Union officials as outstanding. His en- thusiastie loyalty to the IWA, against his background of ex- perienée as a logger, has won the confidence of the camp orga- nizations, they stated.

A full program has been planned for the ship and the ship’s crew for the next few months, in the servicing of all camps in the Local Union juris- diction.

LOGGERS’ ORGANIZER

BOB ROSS, International Orga- nizer, and active crew member

of the Loggers’ Navy, Local 1-71,

Ne: &

Bank or MonTrRear Canada's First Bank

WORKING WITH CANADIANS IN

7 WY BANK

70.2 MILLION CANADIANS

EVERY WALK.

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