Labor demands special legislative session to deal with strike issues

Full support. for the B.C. Federation of Labor's (CCL) demand for special session of the legislature to deal with the strike situation was urged th week by the Labor-Progressive party in a statement from Maurice Rush, labor secretary. Rush exressed thé opinion that the federation’s proposal wou be welcomed by all public-spirited citizens and would meet with the endorsatie

_of the entire trade union movement.

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FRIDAY, JULY 25, 1952-

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Editorial

Truman apes Malan

T= China Daily News, leading independent Chinese-language daily newspaper on this continent, which has been published in New York since 1940, is in danger of being suppressed.

Daily News on trumped up violations of Trading With

The Enemy Act.

Behind this attempt to suppress a progressive newspaper stand the sinister forces of the Kuomintang in North America, ‘whose own press has lost no opportunity ‘to slander ithe China

Daily News.

When the Peron regime suppressed the influential Buenos

Aires daily, La Prensa, every Canadian daily carried editorials

denouncing ‘the Arg

entine dictator’s attack on the freedom of

the press. But where are these same bold champions of a free press now \that a progressive newspaper is threatened and by the US. administration? Their’ silence is the measure of

their hypocrisy.

The suppression of any progressive paper anywhere is the suppression of the liberties of ‘the people to voice their opposition to venal and antidemocratic governmental policies.

that all

China Daily ‘the

“

rights and privileges be restored to the Forward your protest and fimancial aid News, 105 Mott Street, New York 13,

Union disrup

SMA

In his statement Rush charg- ed B.C, politicians with hiding behind the confusion caused by the recent !provincial elections to evade responsibility in the present strike situation. Regard- lesy of what party might form a government, he said, the newly- elected legislature had the re- sponsibility of coming to grips with this situation as quickly as possible in the people’s interests. Further delay in getting action by the legislature could only aid the employers, who wanted the strikes drawn out in the hope that this: would weaken and dis- rupt the unions and force them to retreat without any wage gains. :

The LPP labor secretary urg- ed that ho time be lost by the trade unions and other interest; ed organizations and citizens in giving full support to the B.C, Federation of Labor’s demand for a special session of the leg- islature.

In, addition to voicing support for the BCFL proposals for a special session, delegates to Greater Vancouver Labor Coun-

cil (CCL) voted $50 to the [WA -

strike and appealed to all af- filiate members to pledge $1 per week per member to the IWA strike fund. It also called for a special emergency meeting of the CCL national executive

tion by packers

forced union to call off strike; Indian fishermen intimidated

The strike of 6000 B.C. fisher- men and shore workers, sched- uled to go into effect on Monday this week was called off follow- ing extended executive sessions of the United Fishermen and Al- lied Workers Union. (UFAWU)

Reasons for calling off the strike are given in a press re- lease issued by the UFAWU.

“A recommendation that a strike of salmon net fishermen at this time be not proceeded with is being forwarded to all points along the Coast following two-day meeting of the general executive board of the UFAWU with delegates in attendance ‘from locals in Vancouver, the raser River and up-coast points aincluding Rivers and Smith’s In- ‘let and Prince Rupert. Presi- ent William Scow and Business Agent Ed: Nahaney of the Na- tive Brotherhood also “attended the sessions. |

“The recommendation follow-— -ed a review at the meeting of

‘the strike ballot taken at the -end of last week. The combin- -ed vote of UFAWU and Native

i, Brotherhood fishermen showed

tions in the strike vote of fisher-

men in different organizations,

. areas, and to some extent types

of gear, led the committee to the reluctant conclusion that it would be- unwise to take any

other course of action.”’ bs

Faced with the salmon can- ning operators’ demands for a drastic cut in fish prices, leav- ing only sockeye sities at 1951 levels, UFAWU members had voted rejection of these price cuts and prepared for strike ac- tion. Meantime the organized packers, utilizing the plea of un- certain market conditions and the existence of a 623,000-case earryover from the 1951 pack, launched an extensive campaign of disruption in certain sections of the union in an effort to head off the strike and create

dissension in the union ranks. —

_ Union spokesmen charge that packers resorted to every form of intimidation against the Na- tive Indian fishermen in efforts to split off this decisive section of the fishermen in the struggle to win better prices. Indian Agents were called in to help the packers break the unity of

the fishermen, by threatening

the Indian fishermen and shore- workers with curtailment of credits and relief,

How successful the organized packers have been in this dis- ruptive move can be seen in the

Vancouver Sun of July 23, where it quotes President Scow of the Native Brotherhood as saying:

“Billy Scow, president of the Native Brotherhood of B.C., said even if UFAWU fishermen reject the back-to-work proposal, In-. dians would sign a _ separate agreement accepting canners’ fish price ,cuts.

“Arrangements have been made with Fisheries. Association of B.C. for a quick signing, Scow indicated. But Indians will not go out to the fishing grounds until the result of the UFAWU ballot is known.’

This ballot, to accept the re- ‘commendation of the UFAWU general executive board to call off the strike, was not fully tabulated as the Pacific Tribune went to press. but incomplete re- sults showed a 60 percent major- ity to fish. :

‘Although the fishing stoppage

is tentatively in effect until the ballot returns are in, the New Westminster UFAWU has auth- orized one boat to fish in the Fraser River area in support of the IW strike,

Workers in the Canadian Can- ners plants on Lulu Island and in Vancouver voted 95 to 26 this week to accept a classified wage increase, ranging from 7

cents to 15 cents per hour, re-

troactive to April 1.

GORDON SLOAN

’

to consider supporting action for the striking lumberworkers.

~On Thursday this week, Chief Justice Gordon Sloan, acting as mediator in the IWA strike, told the press:

“J have this morning handed to the operators and the union a statement of what I believe to be, under the circumstances, a fair settlement of the dispute.

“T have requested both sides to notify me by Monday noon next of their acceptance or re- jection thereof.

“Should the union require ad- ditional time in which to obtain the views of its membership on . my suggested settlement, I would be pleased to agree to ex- tend the deadline beyond the time fixed.” ear

‘Together with the Labor-Pro- gressive party, numerous trade union spokesmen in both AFL and CCL have voiced the opinion that the IWA strike has now reached a decisive stage, and that only by the widest support- ing action along the lines advo- cated by the B.C. Federation of Labor, can the deadlock be broken and the lumberworkers win their just wage demands.

In an effort to break the dead- lock in negotiations and end the long strike tieup in the construc- tion industry, the provincial La- bor Relations Board has called a joint session of carpenters and

building contractors for Thurs- day this week to ‘“‘explore’’ new

avenues for settlement. |

Union spokesmen were stating ‘that the board’s last proposal for a 10-cent an hour wage in- crease, (which contractors agreed to and then rejected) would be the main point raised by them at the talks. | ;

It 1s rumored that plans are under way by the Building Trades to send a delegation to Vancouver City Hall this week, urging that council take steps to mediate the dispute.

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_ by the Cooperative Commom _wealth

charge” in connection with ©

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — JULY 25, 1952 — PAGE

Continued

CCF

4. That the bombing of the ° Yalu River power stations by U.S. planes must be condemn ed. Premier T. C. Douglas pan address to a banquet sponsor

Youth Movement (CCYM), warned against “mili: tary megalomaniacs who miél plunge the world into global W# and pointed out the danger ° world war had not been ended by the dismissal of General Ma‘

Arthur. se 5 That the People’s Republi

* of China should be admitte to the United Nations. os

G, While re-affirming its faith .* in the United Nations, the body must not be allowed t0 © dominated by any one nation: The resolution declared: aggressiveness. of elements jin the USA every ©" increases the danger of bev thrown into catastrophic wor war.” 2

7, That expenditures on ard * aments should be reduc? in.favor of “useful governm! services,”’ not only for the Be nomic assistance of the- people of other countries, but als” 1 improving the life of the peor of Canada. The St. Laur® government was called upo? institute a national healt surance scheme, and more eral aid to education was cated,

On a number of key provincl# affairs, there was evidence i stronger approach by the on vention than «in past ye" ow en

The convention struck di proposals for a “aeterig

Saskatchewan Hos pitali2 Plan. This would have ™ erin necessary for everyone on i the hospital to pay a certain *

of money. The conyventio ‘oe sisted that the plan should ast ‘tinue to be free to the individt

and supported out of PO funds, aS.

It was apparent ‘that ff thinking of CCF people ° development of Saskatcb natural resources is placing m emphasis on the need for P -ownership. The government urged to undertake itself t? tribute natural gas withia katchewan cities;

Further evidence of the aie ing desire for public owne™ and development of nature) oe sources was shown in ne oe lution approved by the Re CCF organization, which gested “that the gove consider participating i? production of oil from its oro reserves through the ™ a crown corporation ultimate objective of prev exploitation of consum petroleum products.” _ : vA :

BY.

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