First Published: 1973
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Malcolm and Paul Saba
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THE MAJORITY OF COMINCO LTD. WORKERS AT TRAIL, KIMBERLY AND SALMO HAVE JOINED THE CANADIAN WORKERS UNION BUT THE B.C. LABOUR RELATIONS BOARD HAS REFUSED TO ALLOW THEM TO VOTE TO HAVE THE CANADIAN UNION REPRESENT THEM.
Canadian unions for Canadian workers – the struggle is sweeping British Columbia, encouraging all Canadian workers. In less than a year, over 8,000 workers have broken away or attempted to break away from U.S. unions in B.C. and the Yukon. Miners, pulp and sawmill workers, smelter workers in Kitimat, Vancouver Island, the Kootenay region, they have all joined independent Canadian unions, most of them affiliated to the Council of Canadian Unions.
Although these workers have organized into Canadian unions despite the “legal” status of the United Steelworkers of America, the “International” Woodworkers of America and other U.S. unions, many face another bitter enemy – the provincial “Labour Relations Board” which has the power to legally “certify” a union as sole bargaining agent for a unit of workers. The B.C. Board is delaying and preventing many breakaways, allowing U.S. unions to hang on just a bit longer, to collect more Canadian dues in order to fight us.
In fact, the “Canadian” Labour Congress (CLC) and its affiliated U.S. unions have recently launched a “Million-dollar campaign” to combat the breakaways. They are so scared about the rise of independent Canadian unions that they are willing to use some of the money they have robbed from us against us. But their desperate “Campaign” will ultimately fail because the desire for independence amongst Canadian workers is growing stronger every day. We must fight the “Million-dollar campaign” with a campaign of our own. The first step you can take is to sign the petition.
SIGN THE PETITION! WE DEMAND THAT:
1. The British Columbia government must stop collaborating with U.S. unions to keep these unions in power.
2. The B.C. government must stop its campaign of preventing and delaying the formation and certification of independent Canadian unions.
3. The B.C. government must immediately hold representation votes at Trail, Kimberly, Salmo, and any other place in the future where workers have organized into a Canadian union.
Q. WHY DO CANADIAN WORKERS BREAK AWAY FROM U.S. UNIONS?
A. Canadian workers, like most Canadians, are fed up with U.S. imperialism running Canada; our industries, resources and culture. The first blow for independence can be struck in our own backyard-our unions.
In the nine years from 1962 to 1970, more than 100 million dollars in dues have gone south of the border in clear profit! These figures, compiled by the federal government “Corporation and Labour Unions Returns Act” Report (CALURA) are from figures submitted by the U.S. unions themselves-profit after expenses (strike benefits, welfare, salaries etc.) incurred in Canada.
| INCOME AND EXPENDITURES OF U.S. UNIONS IN CANADA 1962-1970 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Income | Expenditure |
| 1962 | $22,123,000 | $12,612,000 |
| 1963 | $23,981,000 | $11,645,000 |
| 1964 | $25,516,000 | $14,232,000 |
| 1965 | $28,297,000 | $20,291,000 |
| 1966 | $30,987,000 | $21,357,000 |
| 1967 | $35,418,000 | $18,116,000 |
| 1968 | $41,792,000 | $29,544,000 |
| 1969 | $41,377,000 | $31,863,000 |
| 1970 | $45,579,000 | $31,836,000 |
| TOTAL INCOME | $295,070,000 | |
| TOTAL EXPEND. | $191,496,000 | |
| NET PROFIT | $103,574,000 TO THE U.S.A.!!! |
WE COULD USE THAT $100 MILLION RIGHT HERE IN CANADA!
U.S. unions, with the United Steelworkers in the lead are pushing for protectionist laws in the U.S. such as the Burke-Hartke Bill which would severely limit the import of foreign manufactured goods to the U.S. Thousands of Canadian jobs would go south as U.S. branch plants packed up and moved away.
Canadian workers are fed up with the rotten sweetheart dealing between U.S. unions and the bosses (especially U.S. companies). We are fed up with being sold out strike after strike, with shoddy contracts, bad service and lack of concern for our problems. {The only time U.S. headquarters knows about us is at dues-collection time.)
Q. WHY DOES THE B.C. NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY GOVERNMENT OPPOSE CANADIAN UNIONS?
A. The NDP, which pretends to be a “working-man’s party” stands right with the other parties on the Canadian union issue. The Liberals, Conservatives and Social Credit are run by large U.S. corporations. The NDP is run by the big U.S. unions. The U.S. corporations and U.S. unions work together against Canadian workers and the Canadian people.
B. C. Premier Barrett likes to boast that his government isn’t run by U.S. unions. But Labour Minister Bill King is a member of the United (U.S.) Transportation Union. Al King, his brother is the United Steelworkers’ representative in charge of keeping the Cominco workers in the U.S.A. At the height of the Kitimat struggle, Bill King announced publicly that the fight between U.S. and Canadian unions must stop or the B.C. government would step in and stop them. And it has!! The Labour Board decision on the Trail and Mackenzie and the other applications is proof positive.
Q. DO OTHER PROVINCIAL LABOUR RELATIONS BOARDS DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CANADIAN UNIONS?
A. Yes, no matter what political party is in power. Anti-Labour Board members are expert labour politicians carefully chosen from the civil service, the Canadian Manufacturer’s Association and the “Canadian” Labour Congress (the CLC is 80% U.S. unions). Highly tuned to political trends, they almost always collude with U.S. unions to delay or reject Canadian union applications on flimsy “technicalities”. Their job is to protect U.S. unions from their members and keep labour “peace” in the colony.
NANAIMO, B.C., 1966 – MacMillan Bloedel Harmac mill workers denied representation vote fight two years against B.C. anti-Labour Board. Mass demonstrations and political agitation by the Pulp and Paper Workers of Canada wins in 1968.
CAPE BRETON, NOVA SCOTIA, 1970 – Fishermen denied right to have Canadian union despite majority signing cards in United Fishermen and Allied Workers. Nova Scotia anti-Labour Board grants U.S. union with no members automatic certification and a closed shop. Workers are fired.
HAMILTON, ONTARIO, 1970 – Stanley Steel workers get a representation vote but ballot boxes are sealed by Ontario anti-Labour Board and votes never counted because one worker borrowed his $1 initiation fee for the Canadian Union of Operating Engineers. Entire application thrown out. The struggle there continues.
Q. WHAT IS THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR INDEPENDENT CANADIAN UNIONS?
A. It is an organization of individuals and organizations across the country who want to fight for and organize Canadian unions for Canadian workers. The campaign against the British Columbia Labour Board is just one of the struggles we will be involved in. If you want Canadian unions for Canadian workers, join us.
Q. WHAT CAN YOU DO?
A. 1. Join your local branch of the National Committee for Independent Canadian Unions or form a branch in your area.
2. Sign the petition and circulate to your friends, at factory gates, shopping plazas etc.
3. Donate money to the cause, cheques payable to National Committee for Independent Canadian Unions.
4. If you’re in a U.S. union: a) organize a branch of the NCICU within your local. This branch could be the basis of a breakaway from the U.S. union. We’ll help you. b) circulate the petition and collect money.
5. If you’re in a Canadian union. a) get your local and your union to make a donation to the NCICU. b) Circulate the petition.
6. Write letters to the editor, your local MLA and MP, phone-in shows, agitate!
Participating Organizations: Hamilton Committee for Independent Canadian Unions, Canadian Liberation Movement, Canadian Union Caucus in BRAC (Brotherhood of Railway, Airline, Steamship Clerks)