TORONTO — In a year-end statement, the leader of the Communist Party of Canada, William Kashtan, noted that on a world scale, “a trend toward peaceful co-existence, toward detente” had set in despite any- thing the cold warriors could do. But he warned that the road ahead was still rocky.

For Canada, he predicted “a very exciting year, a very tur- bulent year” in 1974, one of the features of which would be “a marked sharpening of the class Struggle.” He said that growing sections of the Canadian people are being compelled by the laws _Of capitalism to enter into the Struggle against monopoly.

.The year 1973, the Com- munist leader characterized as

“a year of rather rapid change — sharp change — and the change is best illustrated by the fact that a process of’ detente, away from the cold war, has

While much tough bargaining faced organized workers in the past year, the new year will be even tougher. ‘Organized work- ers who engage in 1974 bargain- ing will have to embark upon a

broad and militant “campaign to regain lost ground on the Wages front. Corporate and bank profits in the past year have wiped out all real gains made in 1971 and 1972. And many of the contracts signed in 1973, put the emphasis on “non- taxable" fringe benefits and so- called “non-inflationary’ wage increases (like the perennial 3% in the auto industry for a quarter of a century).

In the long run such a policy is self-defeating for labor. It allows the monopolies to raise prices and profits while keeping Wages down, with a sharp de- cline in living standards for the workers. While the lid is kept On wages the speedup drive in productivity continues. As in- flation, i.e. rising prices and profits, plus taxes and rents con- tinues, an absolute decline in real wages takes place.

Real Wages Down.

The Canadian Labor Congress Statistics now show that average real earnings of both organized and unorganized workers in the third quarter of 1973 were $7.50 per week less than in the fourth ‘quarter of 1972. This has prompt- ed thé president of the CLC to point out that: “For workers who have the protection of union organization, the statis- tics. point to the need for in- creased militancy at the bar- gaining table this year — to im- prove real wages, to obtain a fair return on increased produc- tivity which has’ contributed to

_. record corporation profits.”

Dragged-out negotiations and arbitration makes the situation worse, even while some pay in- creases are made retroactive. In the railway workers’ case, the arbitrator will barely have time to submit his report before the railway workers are again in- volved in negotiation for an-

BY BRUCE MAGNUSON

started and that it opens the possibility of a path being charted that would lead to a word without war — something that the communists, socialists and all throughout the world have been striving for for many many years.”

Evidence that the road is a rocky one, he said, is seen “in the efforts of reaction in Chile to set back a course that the Chilean people strove to deve- lop — a peaceful path to social- ism. “And we see the rocky character of it in the Middle East, where imperialism strove to set back the national libera- ion movement and the struggles of the Arab people for their freedom and independence.

“And yet,” the Communist leader said, “no matter -what the cold warriors strive to do, a ba- sic trend has set in in the world —a trend towards peaceful co-

peace-loving peoples

existence, towards detente—and this trend is being enhanced in large measure, by the socialist camp, by the unity of Com- munist and Workers’ parties, and by the growing’ strength of the peace forces of the world.”

He noted that 1973 “marked the high point to date in the gathering of all the peace forc- es of the world, of which Can- ada was a part, with the dele- gation of 60 sent from here by the peace movement and others. The course of action set by the World Congress of Peace Forc- es created the conditions for the people of the world ‘inter- fering’ in the pathway of im- perialism and preventing im- perialism from moving, by its inherent laws, towards war, and checking it, while the forces of peace, democracy and socialism grow stronger. So I think,” Mr. Kashtan said, “that 1973 has been a year of marked change

LABOR SCENE Canadian workers face | tough bargaining in 74

other contract at the end of

this year. Open-ended cost of living allowances are needed in_ all

contracts, But at best these are measures to maintain the status quo. They do not allow for any share of increased productivity or improvements in living standard. Organize Tnonpanived:

While the number of Cana- dians working is now approach- ing ‘nine million, total union membership is. still below two and one-half million. Unions now represent 34.4% of the non-agricultural labor force, but when agriclulture is included this figure drops to 27.6%. Ob- viously the organization of the unorganized is a most urgent issue to be taken up now right

across this country in every: area. To facilitate a successful

drive in that direction requires some reforms in both policy and structure: to. strengthen inner- union democracy and bring

about all-round cooperation of.

effort on a voluntary basis. It

_ calls for a more representative leadership in unions and central .

bodies, capable ‘of establishing a rapport with the membership, inspiring and drawing workers

into participation in union ac- |

tivity to-better their position by collective effort. It calls for militant policies of struggle and sacrifice wherever — necessary, and without which the challenge of technological change cannot: be met and job security cannot be won. Changing Relationship International union member-

‘ship in Canada has declined to

59.6% compared to 70.8% in

1965. At the same time national .

unions have increased their membership to 37.7% from 24.5% in 1965. This constantly changing relationship of. forces within the’ house of labor calls for more autonomy leading to- wards independence and sover- eignty for Canadian members of U.S.-based unions, while

strengthening international ties of solidarity and fraternity be- tween Canadian unions and unions of all countries.

It is only on such a basis that unbreakable solidarity can be built up» between workers in basic industries and in service occupations, and between white- collar and blue-collar workers, as well as between workers in national and international or- ganizations. In other words the battle for change and for re- forms in the interests of all working people has to be con- ducted within the frame-work of the struggle to maintain all- inclusive unity and to build and strengthen that unity.

Motto for 1974

As we approach the 1974 CLC Convention in May, every union and central body of labor in Canada affiliated with this Congress, has a sacred duty to contribute to making this a con- vention that will strengthen the unity and effectiveness of the Canadian working class in the fight against state-monopoly capitalism in this country. A strong CLC with a revitalized and strengthened leadership, capable of giving leadership in the day-to-day struggle of Cana- dian working people in both the economic, social and_ political sphere, will influence the direc- tion of development even in areas outside its own periphery.

On the other hand, anything that goes to split, dismember and weaken the unity of organ- ized labor will be cause for re- joicing by the enemies of the working people.

Let our motto in 1974 be to strengthen labor unity, curb monopoly, expand democracy and contribute towards growing international detente, making this process irreversible in the interests of disarmament and world peace. Let our resources, our productive capacity, our ingenuity be used to improve life for ourselves and all man- kind instead of enrichment of the few.

and shifts in the eolanee of forces.”

But 1973 had also been “a year of sharp contrasts between the capitalist world which is

beridden with crises of all kinds...” and the socialist world. Capitalism faced “a

crisi$ of energy, a crisis of the monetary system, a crisis of in- flation, a crisis within the NATO camp — wherever you turn, the growing crisis of capitalism, which indicates the increasing difficulty capitalism is faced with at this stage, and in which it tries to solve its difficulties by putting the burden of its crisis on the backs of the work- ing people, and by, at the same time trying to suppress the libe- ration movements of the people throughout the world.

“On the other hand,” the Communist leader pointed out, “we see the sharp contrast of the socialist world here, despite

some difficulties and temporary set-backs that may exist from time to time, the general course is towards advance, towards de- velopment, towards growth. The socialist countries are not plagued with inflation, rising prices, or the contradictions that capitalism is ‘beset with.

“What we see here is the steady growth of. socialism on the one hand, and historically, the decline of capitalism. and imperialism on the other. And 1973 marked another step in that direction.”

Then Mr, Kashtan spoke of Canada and 1974.

“I think that we can say with some assurance, that it’s going ‘to be a very exciting year, a very turbulent year. One of the features of politics in our coun- try will be a notable sharpen- ing of the class conflict.

“One can see that illustrated, for example, in the Ontario teachers’ struggle. Who of us would have dared to say that

you’d have more than 30,000 teachers demonstrating in the City of Toronto — parading in front of Queen’s Park? This used to be the habit of only the Communists years ago. But it has been taken over by other forces, and now it has been taken over by the teachers also. And it is evidence of the fact that there are growing sections of the people who are entering the battle against monopoly in their own way — with great hesitation sometimes, with fear,

_with doubt, but being impelled

by the laws of capitalism to en- ter into the struggle against monopoly, and inevitably being impelled to move beyond that to the struggle for fundamental social change.”

Accentuated in the struggle in 1974, the Communist leader said, will be the “trend toward democratic and working-class unity, of which the Communist Party is a part. All the signs point to a continued trend to the left in Canadian society.

Taking on David Archer, One tario Federation of Labor presi- dent and Mel Watkins, spokes- man for the Waffle, who dismiss the Communit Party as a “spent” force, Mr. Kashtan promised that “both these gentlemen will be forced to eat their words.

“We can pledge that the Com- munist Party will continue. the course it has set, and as out- lined in our program, a course directed toward the uniting of the democratic forces to achieve a democratic coalition and to open the doorway, through Canadian independence, to a so- cialist Canada.”

Mr. Kashtan called on Com- munists throughout Canada “to go all out in Party, YCL and press building. This will be a ma- jor contribution to the building

of the forces of peace, democra- |

cy and progress and a solid gift

to the 22nd Convention of our -

Party taking place in April.”

12 to 20

years for

Carabanchel Ten’

MADRID — The Carabanchel Ten, nine workers and worker priest, have been given sentenc- es ranging from 12 to 20 years following their conviction for “illegal association” (organizing labor unions) which is a crime under the Franco fascist dicta- torship. They had already been

Five of the Carabanchel Ten inside the notorious prison be- fore their trial.

jailed 18 months while waiting trial.

The three-day trial, conclusion was foregone, began on Dec. 20, two hours after the bomb-blast that killed Spanish premier Luis Carrero Blanco. The assassination became a pre- text for briefly clearing the court of observers. They later returned, however.

During the trial, which lasted

’ only three days, lawyers for the accused were denied any legal

rights, including the right to call defense witnesses:

Present were some 30 foreign —

observers from seven countries, including Canadian NDP MP Paddy Neale and Michel Char- trand, president, Montreal Coun- cil, CNTU.

In a formal statement, the

foreign observers expressed a

“commitment of solidarity with ‘the humane and courageous ef- forts of the workers’ represen-

* tatives and their defenders in

the legal profession to exercise” the basic right to organize to improye their conditions.

PACIFIC FRIBUNE—FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1974—PAGE 5

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