PORTRAIT OF A LEADER

By ARTHUR CLEGG

; cons : is at present in the “high tide of a socialist revolution,” Chairman Mao Tse-tung has told

a meeting of China’s Supreme State conference.

Since last summer socialist transformation has unfolded on an extremely broad scale, Mao -said. In the main, it could be completed on a national -scale within three more years.

» Mao was speaking on a draft program for agricultural devel-

re opment over the next two years — Ss under discussion by the con- ference.

He stressed two points in his speech. The socialist revolution in China could now be conducted peacefully. And the changeover from individual ownership in agriculture and handicrafts to collective ownership, and from private to socialist ownership in industry and trade,- would lead to an ever-greater release of pro- ductive forces.

This created the social con- _ ditions for a great development of both industrial and ragaunet tural production.

Dealing with the peaceful

nature of the revolution, Mao

- said that many had~ been con-

cerned abott this in the past.

< : But with the recent upsurge of

_ the co-operative movement in the

- countryside and the upsurge of

socialist transformation in the

hy _ Cities, these doubts had largely been dispelled.

Under conditions in China, it - was not only possible to change _ individual and handicraft owner- _ ship to collective ownership : peacefully, but it was also pos- sible to change capitalist owner-

China on ‘high Hele of

socialist revolution’

mAvU TSE-TUNG ship of trade and industry to socialist ownership peacefully.

The political situation in China had now undergone a funda- mental change, as a result of

which many matters formerly

considered impracticable had

become practicable.

For example, it was now pos- sible to fulfil China’s first five- year plan ahead of schedule.

~ The agricultural program for 1956-57 was based on this high tide of socialist transformation and construction and it was neces- sary for sectors of the economy other than agriculture to catch up quickly in order to meet the new situation.

Mao asked that planning cover

that China’s backwardness in all

fields could be eliminated.

, trial unions, and does not at all a period of several decades. so

WILLIAM KASHTAN’S LABOR COMMENT

Issues confronting Unity Congress are

far wider than call would imply

Now that the call to the Unity Congress is out, union locals will undoubtedly busy them- selves discussing resolutions and electing delegates to that

' historic event. The call creates

the impression that the only questions to be considered are the election of officers and adoption- of the draft constitu- tion. :

Obviously many more matters will have to»be given consider- ation. At the very last the Unity Congress should clearly set forward a rounded ‘out economic, social and legislative program through which the trade union movement can ad- vance. Moreover, if the congress is to live up to expectations it will need to outline a compre- hensive program directed to- wards organizing the unorgan- ized with the objective of doubl- ing trade union membership.

And to top it all, it should come to grips with the task of strengthening labor political activity to make possible real advances in?labor representa- tion at all levels of govern-

ment. * * *

Clearly the Unity Congress has its tasks set out for it. Whether it will accomplish everything the workers expect of it depends in large measure on the rank and file and those forward-looking leaders in the trade union movement who look upon the merger as a challenge and an opportunity, not as a means of gaining cushy jobs for themselves.

It should be made clear from the outset that the merger by itself gives no guarantees that labor will now automatically move forward with seven league boots. It merely creates more favorable conditions for that advance and these need to be seized upon.

Some of these problems wili be dealt with from now on un- til the coming Unity Congress. In the meantime, close atten-

‘tion ought to be given to the strengthening of the democratic

character of the congress and its constitution.

It is not without interest that widespread approval exists on the need for improving represen- tation to conventions, holding them annually and _ opening the door of the new congress to all unions in this country. In- volved therein is a strong feel- ing that the present proposals of the Unity Committee are in- adequate and are a threat to industrial unions.

oe reike e

Take the issue of representa-

tion. The Unity Committee

proposed that the basis of rep-'

resentation to conventions be one delegate for every 1,000 members or major fraction thereof. The argument may be made that it is. physically im- possible to continue the old basis or representation of approxi- mately four delegates per 1, ,000 members. :

I cannot fully agree with such arguments because the greater rank and file representation there is at conventions the bet- ter. However, things being as they are it is highly unlikely that such an amhendment would carry. Nevertheless one dele- gate per 1,000 -is completely unsatisfactory.

In the first place, it cuts down representation from the indus-

correspond to the role these unions play in the Capadias

Pied

and organized city,

Take, for ae Windsor, which is a highly industrialized and has about 25,000 members in indus- trial unions, mainly in the United Auto Workers. On the proposed basis it could elect TLC affiliates in that city with an approximate membership of 7,000 in 29 locals could send 29

‘delegates.

This is a lopsided and un- democratic arrangement. Should delegates representing 7,000 have a greater voice in formu- lating policy than those repre- senting 25,000? Especially when everything in that city revolves around the auto industry ?

MINE-MILL PRECEDENT

~favoring CCL

It is not a question here of versus TLC. There are a number of indus- trial unions in the TLC and they would also suffer.

It seems to me therefore that in the interests of democratic representation an amendment ought to be fought for at the Unity Congress which would call for the election of one dele- gate for every 500 members. While not entirely satisfactory. it would nevertheless partialty meet the situation. It would be more democratic and strengthen rank and file representation and influence in the moulding of trade union policy.

Ruling threatens right to union auionomy

& you are a member of a union

in Canada affiliated with an international headquarters in the U.S. and you win a measure of self-government or autonomy, you're liable to be declared “non-existent.”

This is the dangerous pre- cedent placed before a hearing

of the Ontario tebe Relations Board. :

A battery of 15 high-paid lawyers fortified by a ruling of the five-man board, argued

-strenously at this hearing on

January 18 that recent changes in the Canadian constitution of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers pro- viding for additional autonomy had created a new- union. Use of the word “Canada” in the

“name of the Canadian union

was the pretext for the original action of the board. Now it is probing in detail the union’‘s constitution — in defiance of board practice.

Mine-Mill approved. the rul- ing, the case involving | certifi- cation of workers at the Port Colbourne General Hospital. Should thé board’s decision, re- served until a later date, up- hold its original ruling, it would automatically void applications for certification which Mine, Mill is now pressing, and open Mine-Mill plants to raids by the United Steelworkers and attacks by the companies.

x x x

In a six-hour hearing, com- pany lawyers and counsel of United Steel Workers of Am- etica took a united-front posi- tion in declaring that inter-

_national Mine-Mill in Canada

did not exist. Board chairman Jacob Finkelman departed from his assumed air of impar- tiality to lead a strong-biased probe into what he called the status of Mine-Mill in Canada-

Longtime observers of labor

board hearings were surprised by the technicalities and court of law type of examination and cross-questioning pursued by board members.

Instead of acting as chairman, Prof. Finkelman carried the argument against Mine-Mill further than did representa- tives appearing for the Steel union or the companies.

_ Joseph Sedgwick, 26, who cited

Canadian and international con-

stitutions o

ee union to. erave

Mine-Mill was represented by

during the merg the: ae

that Canadian members were still affiliated, paid per capita and obtained benefits from their ‘international connections. The only change that had taken place, he said, was that the union had achieved a greater degree of autonomy.

Steel union counsel John H. Osler of the firm of Jolliffe, Lewis and Osler, throughout the hearing was, in effect, opposing the winning of greater autonomy by Canadian unions.

Mine-Mill counsel argued that the Labor Relations Act was de- signed to aid industrial peace. It was the right of any worker to join the union of his choice. The board was required to give force to this principle, and not as in the present case, bypass

the fact that 30,000 Canadians >

had chosen Mince Mill as their union.

“What business is it ef the board to question this choice by the workers ?” asked Sedg- wick. “And much less what business is it of any employer to question the right of the workers to establish their own constitution or probe into it ?”

The only group or groups that could question or deal with the

constitution were the members

themselves or a body of the union, not outsiders. He charg- ed that the “microscopic exam- ination” of a union’s constitu- tion was absolutely no concern

_of the employers organizations.

Sedgwick included lawyer, John Osler,

Steel’s in his

' scathing references to the un-

precedented and biased practice of the board. If Osler wanted to carry his argument to its logical conclusion, he pointed out, then a union should be in- corporated,

“This is strange talk coming ‘from Mr. Osler. I would have thought that he would have been the last to make such a > proposal,” he commented.

In sweeping manner Osler asserted “he international union does not in any real sence exist in Canada.” This was followed by such declarations as: “ I don't say it is not a trade union, but it is not a trade union in Can- ada or Ontario...it ‘doesnt’ exist...the board. ean’t find. them...you have locals that are locals of nothing. ee

The case has added signifi - cance in that both Canadian . Congress of Labor and Trades and Labor Congress of Canada affiliates are warning their locals © locals that changes of names

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