25yearsago...

WOMEN FIGHT BACK FOR THEIR RIGHTS MIMICO — Standard Coil, a U.S. company, has been practic- ing super-exploitation of its 300 women employees. Breaking Canadian laws — requiring the women to work a 53-hour week for 80 cents an hour, not provid-

ing proper: medical and rest -

room facilities — the company reckoned without the gpod sense and backbone of the work- ers.

Seeking the help of the United Electrical Workers Union, these

women publicly exposed condi-*

tions in the plant, revealing the attitude of company supervisors who maliciously refer to them as “stupid Canadians”. Threatened with firings for speaking up, the women still pursue their case, making front page news in the local press and eens the sympathy of their ellow citizens. : The Tribune, November 7, 1955

50 years ago... POLICE TERROR AT LAKEHEAD

PORT ARTHUR — Follow- ing a mass demonstration of un- employed workers, which

erupted into violence when >

police tried to arrest one of their leaders, the bosses have put this town under virtual martial law. They have brought in the RCMP, police from Winnipeg and Regina and have organized an army force of 800 fascists who patrol the streets smashing heads of the unemployed.

The latest event occurring during this reign of boss terror is the raiding of the local head- quarters of the Communist Par- ty. It is expected the police will arrest some local leaders of the party in the next day or two. The Mounted Police are kept in re- serve ready to shoot workers if they resist the “Special Force” uglies.

* The Workers, November I, 1930

Profiteer of the week:

. We all know the favors the oll companies do us by going out with their drills and finding more oil for us, despite nasty remarks about the government incentive dollars they get. Well, to compensate, Husky Oil Ltd., made an after-tax profit in nine months (ended Sept. 30) of $74.6-million. in the same period, 1979, it

was $57.2-million.

Figures used are from the company's financial statements.

Editor — SEAN GRIFFIN Associate Editor — FRED WILSON Business and Circulation Manager — PAT O'CONNOR

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PACIFIC TRIBUNE—NOV. 7, 1980—Page 4

EDITORIAL COMMENT

_ Make civic vote count!

When municipal voters go to the polls

across B.C. on Nov. 15 working people

will have important positions to defend, .

and prospects for new victories.

The big prize within labor’s grasp this

year is in Vancouver. It is there where al- derman Harry Rankin’s outstanding con- tribution to so many people’s movements, and where the tangible benefits of things like low-income housing and countless

' community grants, demonstrate the im-

portance of the civic struggle. Without al- derman Harry Rankin, the labor move- ment and all working people would be poorer by far. But with a Bruce Eriksen or Bruce Yorke to join him on council, or with. the election of other COPE candi- dates to council, school board and parks board, labor will be that much stronger.

The decisive measure in Vancouver could be the leadership role of the Van- couver Labor Council which has provided

working people with a united slate to vote.

for — Harcourt for mayor and the COPE candidates — and for the first time, in- vested significant time and money in bringing that slate to working people. — In Prince Rupert, labor alderman Mike Darnell has shown in just one year what a labor spokesman on that city council can mean for working people. His initiative established the second municipal non-

profit housing corporation in Western Canada. The other is that of the Greater Vancouver Regional District headed. by Harry Rankin. We are confident that the coalition of labor, Native and women’s

groups supporting Darnell will ensure his :

re-election.

In Vernon, labor has an excellent chance to repeat the positive experiences” of Prince Rupert where Vernon Labor

Council secretary Bert Nilsson is a leading — ‘contender for alderman. .

And in Comox, yet another break- through could come with the election of Fishermen’s Union executive member Fred Pearson to council and Wayne Brad- ley to school board. j

There are other labor endorsed candi- dates: alderman Tom Baker in New West- minster, school trustee Dorothy Lynas 11 North Vancouver District, and others which space will not permit to be listed here.

Everywhere, there is a key to success.

That is the size of the working class vote

and its awareness of who labor’s candi-

dates are.

There are only a few days remaining until November 15. Enough time to still reach tens of thousands to ensure a large -vote, and a vote that will count for work- ing people.

Confront Ottawa for jobs

The federal budget brought down on October 28 bluntly ignored the million unemployed workers in Canada who are demanding jobs. It shied away from any assurance of stopping the closure of U.S. branch plants here. It is the budget of a government which rides roughshod over the rights of public service workers, talk- ing of economies on one hand, and open- ing the treasury to the corporations on the other. A j

If workers across this country have been increasingly angered by the collu- :

sion of corporations and governments in soaking the workers, there is every reason for that anger rising now. Instead of re-industrialization under public ownership and democratic con- trol, to make the economy work for Canada and its people, and to put Canada back to work, the Trudeau government uses “Canadianization” as a

Greetings t When the socialist revolution burst forth in Russia in 1917, it was greeted by

workers around the world with a far gre-, _

ater depth of perception than can be at- tributed to its imperialist enemies. The Russian workers, with their allies in the

asantry, the armed forces and the Bet wes cast aside the exploiting capitalist system, and established the’ world’s first workers’ state.

Today, on its 63rd anniversary, that revolution holds even greater signi- ficance for embattled workers in capitalist lands, and for the liberation struggle. Today the USSR’s more than

cover for enriching the corporate elite:

Instead of admitting that the $5-bil- lion a year arms program is ravaging workers’ living standards, the govern

ment boosts it by 3% a year. Study afteT

study has proven that military produc tion slashes job opportunities compare ‘to consumer production.

When 12,000 Ontario. workers con- |

fronted Tory Queen’s Park on Oct. 18 denouncing plant closures, runaway employers, mass layoffs, and insisting 09 serious attention to job creation, the

above hard facts lingered as a backdrop

recognized or not. . Facing this bosses’ arsenal, it is impor- tant for the trade union movement an all labor and its allies, not only to con- front the reactionaries in provincial power, but to unite and move on to Ot- tawa for a mass showdown with the antl labor budgeteers on Parliament Hill.

November 7 7

100 nationalities live free of racism, free of exploiters, free of arms profiteers,

and free to achieve the highest levels in —

work, learning and culture.

The gains made over 63 years in the —

struggle for world peace, and for human fulfillment are today supported by a world system of socialist states, and by millions in the developing and capitalist countries.

It is in the company of these millions —

we greet the 63rd anniversary of the

Great October Socialist Revolution which changed the course of human —

history.