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_ BRITISH COLUMBIA

Mid-June may seem a little late to sound “may day.” But one look at the returns on this year’s financial drive tells us we must.

It’s been close before — but never, in our 52-year memory, can we recall it being this close.

tages here.

At press time, Tuesday, June

We're talking big money shor-

16, we were still $35,000 short of target.

That means only $65,000 has come in to meet our target of $98,000 for 1987. It may well mean many of us are financially strapped in tight economic times. But it most certainly means there has to be a superhuman effort if we’re going to have a victory to celebrate at the Victory Banquet this Saturday.

Urgent: we need $35,000 in ‘87 drive

We do know that these are tough political times. Bill 19 threatens to become legislation, and Bill 20 has become law. There are hard battles ahead to prevent the elimination of workers’ protective organiza- tions — trade unions and the B.C. Teachers Federation — from extinction.

The people in that fight will

need the Pacific Tribune to record, analyze and help guide that struggle. We’ve said it before, but it certainly bears repeating now.

There’s an unprecedented amount of money to raise in the final few days. But our suppor- ters have done outstanding things before.

Show us a miracle by June 20.

Continued from page 1

Zalm which people will be asked to sign States: “We, the undersigned, call on your 80vernment not to proceed with Bill 19. We urge you instead to work co-operatively with labor, business and other groups to develop fair and balanced labor legislation, Job opportunities and economic growth.”

Copies of the open letter have been sent Out to every local union in the province as Well as scores of community and women’s Organizations and NDP constituency asso- Clations.

In a letter to affiliates and community groups, B.C. Fed president Ken Georgetti and secretary Cliff Andstein noted that the 80vernment “has suffered a series of set- backs as its proceeds along the confronta-

IRIBOUNE Pa

—__.

tional road of ramming Bill 19 through the legislature.

“Over 350,000 B.C. workers participated in the largest general strike this country has ever seen. The Supreme Court threw out the government’s allegation of sedition and conspiracy and polls show most people in the province are opposed to Bill 19 and support the federation,” the stated.

The letter added: “The executive council members felt that, even if the government pushes Bill 19 through clause by clause or third reading, we still must send a message to it not to proclaim the legislation.”

The signed copies of the open letter are to be sent in to the federation offices by July 6, following which they will be presented to the government... :

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The open letter proposal was initially presented to federation meetings last week in an effort to find some way of demonstrat- ing the massive public opposition that exists to Bill 19 — opposition that has been engendered by the federation’s campaign and by the one-day general strike June 1.

The government itself touched off renewed opposition to its policies with its contentious application for an injunction to prevent any further job action by the trade union movement. The application was quashed by Justice K.E. Meredith June 10, further undermining public credibility in the Socreds,

Although Vander Zalm has declared his intention to force the legislation through over the next week, a massive open letter blitz across the province could still hold up the bill, particularly if New Democrats question the legislation intensively during clause-by-clause debate in the legislature.

NDP caucus leaders had initially stated that MLAs would not take any extraordi- nary measures to hold up passage of the legislation — in the interests of maintain- ing legislative civility — but NDP labor critic Colin Gabelmann indicated last week that the policy might be changed. There has been considerable pressure on the NDP to impede passage of the bill, forcing the Socreds to impose closure on debate.

Many trade unionists have also report- edly urged the federation to organize a mass rally in Victoria to coincide with the delivery of the open letters to Vander Zalm and to use the open letter campaign to escalate the trade union movement’s campaign against the legislation.

The program adopted by the federation’s executive council last week included provi- sions for rallies in various communities, with organization left up to local labor councils.

The council also began making plans for the boycott of the Industrial Relations Council in the event that the legislation is shoved through and proclaimed, and the withdrawal of labor representatives from all joint committees and public boards except those involved with worker safety.

In the letter to affiliates and community groups, Georgetti and Andstein stated: “Plans for the boycott of the Industrial Relations Council are underway. Unions and members have been asked to withdraw

from joint committees and public boards, ©

agencies and commissions. A co-ordinated media campaign will continue and a com- prehensive strategy to assist unions faced with compulsion, coercion or other signifi-

- cant action through Bill 19, is being drawn

up.

Unions, groups rallied for petition

OPEN LETTER TO THE PREMIE R FR PEOPLE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 4h

We, the under signed, call on your government notto

Cooperatively with labo: ; to develop fair and balanced Opportunities and economic growth.

NAME (Please Print) ADDRESS SIGNATURE

Return to: B.C. Federation of Labour, 3110 Bounda:

Road, Vancouver, B.C. VSM 4A2, by JULY 6/87,” KVG: ml (cl) open.let oteu 15

Community protest |

Organizers are terming a success a com- munity based protest against Bills 19 and 20 side that drew some 400 people Sunday to Grandview Park on Vancouver’s east side.

“There has been no other community- based protest against the bills that we’re aware of, but we hope after this, there will be others,” commented organizer Donalda Viaud.

The event, organized by All Women Against Labor Legislation 19 and 20 (AWOLL) and sponsored by Women’s Economic Agenda, featured several local bands and theatre groups, with speakers from community organizations and trade unions.

Speakers included Sheila Baxter of End Legislated Poverty, president Sarwan Boal of the Canadian Farmworkers Union, and Phyllis Webb of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union.

Webb, whose union has the tough task of organizing B.C.’s 10,000 largely immigrant garment workers, said the ILGWU was fully opposed to Bill 19. Provisions of the bill will make it much more difficult to organize garment workers, she noted.

Tickets still available

PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JUNE 17, 1987 e 3