—Sean Griffin photo

Lloyd Williams points to the Burkenhead River, source of the salmon food fishery for the Mount Currie Indian Band, which is threatened by the prospect of a supertanker oil port on the west coast and the inevitable oil spill that could destroy the salmon runs. The Mount Currie Band manned the dramatic blockade in 1975 to fight for their fishing rights, and they turned out in force again last week to tell West Coast Oil Ports Inquiry commissioner Andrew Thompson in a community hearing on the reserve that they are opposed to any oil port on B.C.’s coast. Phase two of the Inquiry starts Monday.

CUPE rejects tripartism

The national executive board of the Canadian Union of Public Employees has rejected the tripartism of the Canadian Labor Congress.

That is spelled out in a document entitled An Agenda for Action, to be placed before the CUPE national convention, opening in Vancouver October 24.

In a letter sent to locals across the country, Grace Hartman, national president, made the folowing comment:

“After a great deal of discussion, including debate at CUPE division conventions, the national executive board decided tripartism could not adequately respond to the needs of Canadian trade unionists. However, in rejecting tripartism, we felt that an alternative program was necessary for CUPE. Therefore, the national exeuctive board adopted CUPE’s Agenda For Action.”

If the CUPE program is adopted in convention, it could influence the policy direction of the convention of the Canadian Labor Congress next April.

The preamble of the Agenda declares that labor needs a program which responds to the pressing needs of working people in order to increase the influence and power of the labor movement.

-In reference to Labor’s Manifesto for Canada published by the Canadian Labor Congress, the preamble declares: —

“tf the CLC enters a form of tripartism from its present position of weakness, it would be co-opted into serving the interests of corporations because govern- ment has not shown itself to be a neutral third party standing bet- ween business and labor.”’

The major weaknesses of the CUPE document is indicated in

these quotations from the preamble: e “. . . if we truly wish to in-

troduce positive changes, labor must first look inward and attempt to overcome basic weaknesses in our move-

ment.” e ‘Acceptance of a tripartite arrangement between

government, business and labor is alsoa denial of labor’s traditional alliance with the New Democratic Party. Participation by labor in tripartite decision-making is a clear sign that we have given up all hope of a labor-oriented party ever coming to power.” In short, the document, despite

some positive features, tends to look inward and reflects the pressure of the top leadership of the NDP to impose a political

‘monopoly over the trade union

movement. :

However, the wording of the preamble indicates a recognition that we live in a class divided society and that labor will have to make necessary compromises with governments representing big business.

LABOR COMMENT

BY JACK PHILLIPS

“This is not to deny the im- portance of holding discussions with government on issues of the day. Elected officials must con- stantly be made aware of labor’s views on economic and social affairs. In addition, our ongoing relationship with the business community is contained in the collective bargaining process,’’ the Agenda notes. :

The program, which follows the preamble, does not mention the NDP as such.- This should leave room for provincial divisions and locals to engage in political ac-

_ tivity on a broad basis that would

include the trade union movement, the NDP and other left and progressive forces. In short, to develop independent political action without being a captive of the NDP. as The 10-point CUPE campaign can be summarized as follows: 1) A massive campaign to organize the unorganized, with emphasis on low income workers. 2) Closer cooperation between CUPE and other public service unions, with possible mergers. 3) Development of a new collective bargaining resource center. 4) Establishment of a CUPE

bureau of consumer and social

affairs.

- 5) A political action program to

act as a watchdog on provincial and municipal governments.

6) A feasibility study into the development of CUPE—run day- care centers for its membership. bership.

7) A scholarship program for rank and file members, linked with the new labor studies center to be funded by the federal government. 8) Investigation of the possibility of developing low-cost, cooperative

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—OCTOBER 21; 1977—Page 8

housing programs for the mem- bers.

9) Establishment of a national health and safety center within the union structure.

10) Launch a complete study of federal, provincial and govern- ment financing and spending, as an aid to collective bargaining.

The program is weak in a number of areas. It makes no mention of the fact that the Canadian economy is dominated by a handful of monopolies and multi-national corporations, with foreign corporations controlling

‘most of the key industries, thus

ignoring the need to restore Canada’s. independence through

nationalization. Neither does it

make any reference to the growing demand for a sovereign, united and independent trade union movement. It is silent on what should be done to produce full employment and makes no mention of the serious threats against the collective bargaining rights of public employees. These problems havea direct bearing on the future of the union and the labor movement as a whole.

As the largest union in Canada, and a purely Canadian union, CUPE could make a significant contribution on such vital issues. One of the strongest points in the program is the call to organize the unorganized, which should be welcomed.

In so far as the Agenda re‘ects tripartism, it is an advance. In so far as it attempts to offer a program to meet the needs of the membership, it tends to be something of an inward-looking,

business-as-usual document, at.

least in the opinion of this writer..

However, a paragraph inthe concluding section indicates that the membership could take full

advantage of the positive features -

of the document and thus extend the scope of the program through their own struggles and ex- perience:

“Therefore, let us unite behind an all-out program to organize the unorganized; rationalize union structure; develop a program of increased inter-change and co- operation among unions; set higher standards of democracy within our movement; demon- strate labor’s concern for broader social issues; ensure all workers have basic trade union rights through increased legislative pressure; and pursue a strengthened political action program.”

‘at all of

Cont'd from pg. 1

or demotion. A bizarre new provision is the ‘‘charity fine’ by which a worker, if in violation of the law, could be ordered to pay to charity an amount equivalent to his wages.

Although the immediate response of the trade union movement to the new legiislation was not available at Tribune press time, the reaction of unionists to premier Bennett’s recalling of the Legislature and his announced intention to bring in essential services legislation left no doubt as to their unequivocal opposition to such legislation and their intention to do everything possible to defeat it.

Officers of the B.C. Federation of Labor, with several represen- tatives of labor councils and local unions were in the Legislature Wednesday when the bill was in- troduced and meetings were ex- pected to be held Wednesday night to study the legislation in detail.

The previous evening, however, delegates to the Vancouver and District Labor Council made labor’s opposition to the bill clear as they unanimously adopted an executive resolution ‘“‘condemning the B.C. cabinet’s proposal to extend the essential services legislation and thepossibility of the removal of the right to strike of all civil servants in the province and calling on the B.C. Federation of Labor to mount a campaign in the labor movement and among the general public in opposition to these proposals.”

A subsequent resolution, ad- vanced by the International Longshoremen’s Union which has been the target of federal strik ebr eaking legislation, pledged

the full support of the labor council~ Act may itself pose a threat to the

to any union whose right to strike was denied in the proposed legislation. It also called on the B.C. Federation of Labor to take whatever action necessary to support such workers. Labor council secretary Paddy Neale noted at the meeting that

New bill strikes

|

labor’

there was every indication that the Socred government was going to be moving to remove the right of civil servants to strike and warned that there were “extreme pressures” within the cabinet to move even further towards right-to-work laws.

Fishermen’s delegate umn: derscored the warning, pointing out, ‘‘The Socreds lost the first round with the ferry workers and now they’re champing at the bit to take away the right to strike, not only from the ferry workers, but from all workers, beginning with government employees.”’

“We've got to realize that if the | Socreds move against ferry workers they’ll be moving next against all of us,’’ he said.

“They must know that they're facing an aroused labor movement — which is prepared to take the action necessary to defend its rights.”

While it was the support of al “aroused labor movement” which enabled ferry workers to win the first round in their defiance of a 90 day cooling off period, the Bennett cabinet has clearly not ruled out further punitive action against ferry workers.

Premier Bennett has insisted that the new legislation would not apply retroactively to the ferries but has refused to say whether the government will use the courts exact reprisals from ferry workers for their defiance of a back-to-work edict.

Labor minister Allan Williams also rasied:new fears of such actio# when, following the introduction ° the new bill, he denied any knowledge of an LRB ordels | stipulating that no action would b@ taken against the ferry employee: |.

The Essential Services Disputes |

ferry workers the Socreds get thé swift passage they seek. The DY could be usedtoforce an end to ally new strike by ferry workers should the mediation attempts of Clivé McKee fail to move the B.C: Ferries Corporation from its former bargaining position.

CP meet views election

The central committee of the Communist Party of Canada met last week in Toronto and heard a report that 83 candidates have been nominated to date for the

‘anticipated 1978 federal election.

The party expects to make further nominations before the end of the year.

The 59-member central com- mittee, with eight members from British Columbia, spent three days debating the policy statement delivered by party leader William Kashtan.

Kashtan’s report centred on the economy and the crisis in Quebec. “The affluent society has turned into a sick society,’’ he said, reiterating the CP’s call for a

‘of Confederation will not be solved

broad coalition of forces that could win new government policies.

The central committee report warned that the federal Liberals are purposefully fomenting anth Quebec sentiments in Englis Canada that fuels the separatist movement in Quebec. “There ® growing recognition that the cris by perpetuating the status quo, the report said, “French Canad wants economic, political a? cultural equality with Englis? Canada.”’

A section of the committ@ report dealt with the specifics of 2 new Canadian constitution that t CP proposes.

Next week’s Tribune will carry® full report of the meeting.

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