VENTS of the last few weeks reveal the sharpness of some of the problems raised by the draft resolution for the fourth convention of the Labor-Progressive party. I refer to events which have a special bearing on the Canadian

trade union movement.

1, The alarming,

They

Hitler-like Labor Relations Board against the Canadian Seamen's

ares |

the Canada Union.

decision of

2. The role of the official trade union leadership when the threat of the use of the atom bomb appeared imminent.

3. Some developments on the wage-price-profit front.

These events show how fully correct was the estimation and warning of the third convention of the Labor-Progressive party two years ago. But these events also show with painful clarity how far the efforts of Communists and other progressives fell short in the effort to influence in a suf- ficiently decisive manner the course of the trade union move- ment on a national scale. The crisis in international and domes- tic affairs will, therefore, place a colossal responsibility upon this LPP national convention—the re- sponsibility for hammering out eorrect and clear-cut answers to all major problems which confront

the organized workers in our country. : ‘The draft resolution, encom-

passing as it does every major sphere of international and na- tional affairs, could not but pre- sent its estimations and proposals on these problems in a very con- densed form, The LPP convention itself and its panels and commit- tees. will have to elaborate these points and provide the plenary sessions, and through them the LPP and the entire working class, ‘with a program of action to suc- cessfully meet the critical issues that, labor and the people of Canada have to face in ithe im- mediate period ahead.

1 The federal Labor Relations

Board decision of December T, 1950, which disqualified the CSU asa legitimate bargaining agency, climaxes a development which threatens the very life of trade unionism in Canada.

It is of a piece with Hitlerite labor regulation. It flagrantly re- jects the right of workers to ‘choose their Own union. It at- tempts to codify—utterly without legislative authority—what this government and the top circles of labor bureaucracy have done un- der cover against the seamen for the last two years.

The board, which usurped the powers of partiament, now estab- lishes a precedent which if not challenged and defeated, will en- able monopoly capital to outlaw any union which fights militantly for its members and which dares to oppose government policies af_ fecting the freedom and very life of the Canadian people.

Even sections of the big busi- mess press expressed fear lest this Labor Relations Board decision rip the thin veil of democracy which‘the ruling class prefers to maintain as a cover for its drive to turn the trade unions into government instruments for the complete militarization of the country.

The reactionary Toronto Globe and Mail questions the legality of the decision. The pro-St. Laurent Toronto Star states editorially that the board’s decision ‘is said to be the first of its kind for labor in Canada or the United States.” It is, to speak plainly,

- worse than anything contained in, or done under the provisions of,

the hated Taft-Hartley law which

is, at least officially, opposed and fought by both the AFL and the CIO in the US.

The Labor Relations Board was compelled to admit that the ship_ ping company “has not submitted evidence to support its -contention that the respondent (CSU) no longer represents the majority of employees in the bargaining un- ion, the application for revocation in so far as it is based upon this ground, fails.”

In other words, the CSU is ad- mitted to be the unquestioned bargaining agency of the crews on the ships of Branch Lines Lim- ieed, a line owned by the Simard Brothers, notorious supporters of the Liberal government and Que- bee’s outstanding industrialists. But despite this fact, the choice of the seamen is ruled out on completely unsubstantiated politi- cal charges which are moreover completely contrary to the pro- visions of the federal Labor Act.

This fascist-like ruling further emphasizes the dangerous trend which reflects the government’s

_ drive towards war, its continued

offensive on the living conditions and the rights of labor, and the betrayal of labor's interests and rights by the ruling circles of the trade union bureaucracy who have surrendered all working class in_ dependence and have become the labor arm of the warmakers.

During the last two years we saw the shameful collaboration between union bureaucracy and the government and shipping in- terests to violate every principle of union democracy and labor

‘legislation against the Canadian

seamen and their union. We saw the government acting as a ruth- less and murderous strike-breaker against the seamen,

We saw !U.S. domination pene- trate the trade union movement through direct intervention of the U.S. State Department, the USS. heads of “international” unions and their hirelings in this coun- try. We saw the complete capitu- lation of the leaderships of the two Congresses to this foreign dictation,

We saw the appointment of a military man to head the min- istry of labor, and we saw how

. the government broke the strike

of the railway workers. The board’s decision against the sea- men tops this alarming trend.

These attacks upon Canadian

workers and the Canadian labor

movement were carried through step by step with the foreknow- ledge and active support of lead- ing trade union officials. The “socialist”? A. R. Mosher (CCL) and the “Liberal’’ J. A. D’Aoust (TLC) both voted for the Labor Relations Board ruling which the capitalist Toronto Star calls “the first of its kind for labor in Can- ada and the U.S.”

At the 1950 conventions of the union congresses the rul- ing class completed its campaign

Striking Canadian seamen Pickens the U.S. consulate at Ottawa to protest American interference in a Canadian labor dispute.

J. B. SALSBERG, MPP, discusses the Draft Resolution of fhe forthcoming LPP national convention

Defend fabor’s rights

for the transformation of the leading organs of Canadian trade unionism into instruments for the carrying through of its war poli- cies,

.

To facilitate this, the leadership undertook to smash every oppo- sition to those plans within the ranks of labor, even if it meant the destruction of important un- ions and the complete abrogation of union democracy and self- government of the unions.

The resolutions which the bur- eaucratic machine forced through the TLC and CCL conventions, constitute the most uncritical and unreserved éendorsation of the war drive of U.S. imperialism. Hav- ing surrendered so completely, the official labor spokesmen found themselves totally incapable of €ven questioning President Tru- man’s world-shaking announce- ment about the use of the atom bomb against the Korean and Chinese people,

But if the Liberals and Tories in the TLC gave consent to Tru- man’s threats by their silence, the

‘right-wing CCF leaders of the CCL found it necessary to give more concrete evidence of their continued support of the war- makers,

The CCL Executive Council met when the peoples of the world were crying out against the atom bomb maniacs, But the Moshers and Conroys not only found it unnecessary to join the peoples of the world in the cry for peace, but emphasized instead their ad- herance to the war plans of im- perialism by compelling George Burt, the head of the UAW in Canada, to repudiate his signature on the Ban the Bomb petition, which he had previously volun- tarily given. SH iy hig

The official trade union leader- ship thereby gave convincing evi- dence ito the militarist war- plotters in Washington and Par- liament Hill that they are to be counted on to support and defend these dangerous plans within the ranks of labor. By the same token they have revealed themselves as the betrayers of the overriding in- terests of the working class and the majority of mankind, who seek to save the world from a

third world war. @

The labor chiefs who have

completely surrendered to the warmakers have quite naturally also paved the way for the under- mining of the economic conditions of Canadian labor.

The most flagrant example of this is to be found in the case of the railway workers. While the railway companies are making their greatest profits, the railway- men’s families are asked to reduce their living standards, The de- cision of Justice Kellock means that railwaymen will have less purchasing power than they had three years ago.

The Canadian supporters - of Reuther’s 5-year contract plan continue to advocate this hog- tying, straightjacketing scheme which emanates from the war orientation of Walter Reuther and the heads of the billionaire auto corporations. Only the resistance of the militant rank and file of

Ford and other organized auto

plants deféated the 5-year scheme thus far and extracted instead substantial wage increases.

The right-wing leadership of the coal miners in Nova Scotia robs the miners and their fami-

lies of essentials of life as living

costs soar simultaneously . with the profits of Dosco. The steel union leadership raised the cry for price controls and rejected wage-demand policies, thus help-

ing the steel barons to increase |

their fantastic profits. Under the pressure -of the that leadership now raises the wage issue On the eve of threatening wage controls.

however,

While dividend payments, which reflect only a portion of the amassed profits, have reached diz_ sying heights, the real value of the workers’ dollar—even in wide organized areas, not to speak of the majority who are unorgan- izzed—is lower than it was # year or two ago. .

rank-and-file,

But the full effect of the econ- emic attacks upon the workers: to make them pay for the mili- tarization program and the main_ tenance of skyhigh profits, is yet to be felt, Prices continue to rise; the next session of parliament will impose additional taxes upon the people, and the Dominion-Pro- vincial conferences plot new, “in- direct” taxes on the she ‘and salary earners.

These grave problems have been dealt with in the draft resolution and they will have to be grappled with at the forthcoming LPP con_ vention, There we will have to work out a political and economic program which will help the pro- gressive forces in, the whole movement, the rank-and-file of the unions, to hit back at the enemy from without and within, and to go forward to the accom- plishment of the common objec-: tive of labor—peace, the preser-

» vation and extension of democ-

racy, and unity to defend working class rights and living standards.

* There is a powerful mass force within the ranks of organized labor waiting for such a program and such leadership. There are as never before, entire unions which defend working class inde. pendence and which desire to pursue progressive policies. There are limitless forces in the ranks of all unions, regardless of their leadership, who are seeking sound, progressive, democratic leader- ship. They are to be found among the railway WOR Ss, the miners, auto, steel, r ibher, and all other industries an cupations, f

It will be our task to give con- creteness to the general policies contained in our draft resolution. _ This is the task of the LPP na- tional convention and the sane Be

PACIFIC TRIBUNE - — JANUARY 5, 1951 — PAGE 4