Nova Scotia unionist declares
'Socreds, Liberals, they're all the same'
PENTICTON — Delegates to the B.C. Federation of Labor convention burst into wild applause when Gerald Yetman, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labor, addressing the opening session October 31, told the 40-member UFAWU delegation that "some of the seeds you sowed in 1970 are coming to fruition and pretty soon we'll have the fishermen of Atlantic Canada organized."
Yetman, who received two standing ovations in the course of his hard-hitting speech, described British Columbia and Nova Scotia as "the bookends of Canada — we keep Canada together."
Both, he said, "share the misfortune of having the most anti-labor governments in the country.
"Yours is Social Credit and ours is Liberal, but their attitude toward labor is the same — they're against it.
"Our attitude, the attitude of our two federations, has to be the same. We've got to organize, mobilize and sweep them out of office."
Reporting the demonstrations organized by the Nova Scotia
Federation of Labor, including the occupation of various government offices, to compel government action on unemployment, Yetman brought tears to some delegates' eyes when he said he knew of 10 suicides attributable to unemployment.
"I went into one home where the father waa dead from a gunshot wound," he related. "He had left a note saying, 'I can't find a job.' And then some people try to tell you the unemployed are lazy, they don't want to work.
"There were five children in that home. What do you tell them? How will it affect their lives?"
Unemployment in Nova Scotia, he said, was "catastrophic" — 30 to 35 percent and in some areas even higher.
At the same time, the people of Nova Scotia were mercilessly exploited by the monopolies, paying the highest gasoline prices, the highest home heating rates in the country.
"We can't look to those who have brought this upon us to solve the situation," he declared, "we have to organize the unorganized, take stronger political action and supply the answer ourselves."
AN IMPORTANT NOTICE
to all members of
GULF and FRASER
FISHERMEN'S CREDIT UNION
803 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6A1R8 Telephone 254-6266
If you have not received mail from the credit union in recent weeks it is because the credit union does not have your correct address.
Help your credit union serve you better. If we do ndt have your correct address please complete the form below and either bring it to the credit union or mail it to the address shown above.
Name..............
(PLEASE PRINT)
Account number........ .
Address.............
Postal zone ...........
Signature ............
8 / THE FISHERMAN — NOVEMBER 4, 1977
Hal Griffin photo
* During B.C. Federation of Labor convention sessions at Penticton this week, Nova Scotia Federation of Labor president Gerald Yetman (centre), is flanked by UFAWU northern representative Con Mills (left) and union president Jack Nichol (right). Yetman praised the UFAWU for its pioneer work organizing fishermen in his province.
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