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THE FISHERMAN
May 9, 1958
THE FISHERMAN
10 cents per copy — $3.50 per year Published every Friday except the last Friday of each month by The Fisherman Publishing Society, 301 Powell Street, GEORGE NORTH, Editor Vancouver 4, B.C. Phone: MU. 3-1829
Authorised as Second-Class Mail by Post Office Department, Ottawa
Chamber Takes Aim At Trade Union Rights
BRITISH Columbia workers no longer need unions—they have the Chamber of Commerce to guard their interests. At first blush it may seem a little anomalous to have an employers' organisation playing protector to the toilers, but we have the word of the Chamber that it really wants to save workers from exploitation by unions.
"An individual's freedom to work is a basic human right that transcends any agreement between management and union, and it should not be possible to bargain this right away," the B.C. Chamber of Commerce said at its annual meeting in Vancouver this week.
"It is the right of every individual freely to elect and follow the vocation of his choice ..."
This is high-sounding stuff, calculated to warm the heart of every worker who cherishes the ideals so glibly stated by the Chamber in this most recent addition to its platform of employer-employee "principles."
One could almost expect the next sentence to carry a ringing call for full employment, sharing of technological advances with the working people and even a reduction in profits to help get us out of the depression we're in. After all, the Chamber should be willing to practise its theory that nothing's too good for the workers. (Perhaps they are carrying out that theory, depending on how you interpret it).
The Chamber, of course, is not the slightest bit interested in anybody's rights but its own. And the basic right to all good Board of Traders is to get all you can all the time and the deuce with the worker.
This talk about "right to work" is pure poppycock. The Chamber, as a matter of fact, never even urged extension of unemployment insurance benefits, let alone ask that B.C.'s 90,000 unemployed workers be provided with jobs.
It merely wants to have legislation introduced in B.C. that will strip away any union hiring rights, outlaw the closed shop, make it easier for employers to hire labor at rates under the union scale, and guarantee "right to scab."
Pray tell us what else the Chamber has in mind? After all, it is advocating the same policies as big business in the United States but using a slicker way of covering the facts.
The Chamber wants written into the Labor Relations Act a clause that would prohibit "agreements which deny or terminate employment because of an individual being or remaining a member of a trade union."
The concern of Chamber members for workers whose employment has been lost because of such contracts is about as sincere as a salesman's smile. Despite occasional union abuse of closed shop practice, we would much prefer to see the power of committing such abuses in the hands of organised labor than in the hands of management. For every case of discrimination by trade unions, and they are rare, 10,000 can be cited of management discriminating against workers. How many thousands of workers have been fired merely for organising into a union? How many have been fired for countless other reasons simply because the boss wanted them removed? The history of trade union organisation is studded with such instances, many of them going on at th's very moment. What about Murdochville and Lever Brothers, both very recent cases of vicious discrimination?
Management has a purpose in seeking restrictive legislation such as the Chamber's proposed "right to scab," its request for binding arbitration "where it is considered a strike or lockout would jeopardise the health or safety of the general public" and repeal of the Trade Union Act to abolish "special privileges granted to unions."
To put the matter bluntly, management wants to take the guts out of the trade union movement and make it easy prey for employers represented in the B.C. Chamber of Commerce.
Talk of employers protecting the workers' interests must surely take top dishonors in the field of brash hypocrisy. It is nauseating nonsense that can't possibly deceive any worker.
The B.C. Chamber's efforts, however, regardless of how transparent their objectives may be, require the sternest possible opposition from all sections of organised labor and its allies. The legislation it is seeking could set the labor movement back many years and concentrate its fight on issues which were settled long ago as part of labor's legislative rights.
In the meantime, we are still waiting to hear the Chamber of Commerce come forward with just one important proposal that is really in the interests of the working people who right now are in their toughest set of circumstances since the hungry 'thirties.
Not Getting Paper? Help Us Set Records Straight
We have received a great many complaints in recent weeks from members of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union who claim they should be receiving The Fisherman by virtue of having paid their subscription through their Union dues.
Because of the seasonal nature of the industry, we maintain Union members as readers even though they may have dropped a year behind in their payments.
But there have been cases of members believing their Union dues have been paid simply because they signed a voucher. This is by no means always the case.
Other errors can occur and some have taken place both on the part of Union members and the Union office.
The important thing is to have them corrected. All Union members who should be receiving The Fisherman are urged to put matters straight by contacting the Union Hall at MUtual 4-3254 or by writing the UFAWU at 138 East Cordova Street.
Any reader who knows of cases where individuals are not getting the paper and should be is asked to help clean up the situation. Many have changed addresses and not passed along the information.
Please help set the record straight. The Un:on office in turn will let members know if there is any reason for them not continuing to receive their subscription to the paper.
asp*??*
FISH AND SHIPS
THEY sure have wide streets in Formosa, according to The Vancouver Sun. A report Saturday said that a U.S. rocket nvssile "is capable of carrying an atomic warhead into Communist China across the 100-mile-wide Formosa STREET." Why, it's even wider than Georgia Street!
* * *
Douglas McPhee has given up fishing for a new occupation. The former seiner-packer man is now in the real .estate business with Rutherford-McRae Ltd. in New Westminster. Doug has been with B.C. Packers for 10 years and has only been real estating for a couple of weeks but feels confident things will go well. He plans to keep readers abreast of his listings through a weekly ad in our classified section. We wish Doug the best of luck.
And a special note to cigar smokers: Trump, Cabinet and Simon cigars are non-union. You can take your choice of these union brands: White Owl, Peg Top, Marguerite, Punch, Gem, House of Lords, Daily Double, Columbia, Bachelor, Lord Tennyson, and Old Port. We saved Old Port to the last to keep Roy Olsen In suspense; it's his favorite lung buster.
* * *
That Moscow- report that says a flight of geese over the United States "triggered air raid alarms that sent U.S. hydrogen bombers winging toward Russia" has us really alarmed. We knew we were in the hands of a goose in the person of Dulles, but to depend on geese, the fowl type, for war or peace is very very shivery. In the case mentioned, defence department "experts" had mistaken the geese for guided missiles. Now tell us you're not a wee bit worried.
Benson's Shipyards are building four 16 foot power skiffs for Tu I loch-Western Fishing Company which will be powered by 137 H.P. Paragon Fords sold by Harry Walker Limited, West Georgia Street.
* * . *
Norman Douglas, Ternen, is the
first troller in from the west coast this year with 2,000 pounds of salmon which sold for 48 cents a pound. Norm's main reason for coming in to the city was engine trouble.
Off on a five months holiday to Europe are Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Egeland of Vancouver. They will be visiting Norway, Denmark and other parts of Europe on their trip. We wish the popular couple bon voyage.
There was one halibut land-
Auxiliary Maids
A MAN IN A BAR announced that his dog could talk, and offered to bet on it. Others took him up; the bartender held stakes. "What's your name?" the owner asked the dog. The dog was silent. For nearly an hour the man pleaded and threatened. Not a sound out of the dog.
The others laughed in derision, collected their money, and left. The owner turned to the dog and said, "Why did you let me down like this?"
"Don't be a dope," said the dog. "Think what odds you'll get next time."
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FRANCES AMUNDSEN . . . President of the New Westminster Auxiliary to the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union. Frances is a vice president of the Women's Auxiliary Central Council, executive group which coordinates activities of all auxiliaries in the fishing industry.
tiently brought along beauties, shed them some time back. Can-fisco in Vancouver has a fair crop, however, with George Smith still sporting one of the best.
Reports have it that trolling on the west coast has dropped off considerably.
In last week's Fisherman, we said the B.C. Electric was shooting for increases in gas and electricity rates. We were a little ahead of ourselves — the Company at the moment is seeking a boost in electrical rates. There is strong opposition to the request but YOU can make the opposition just a little stronger by writing the Public Utilities Commission, Parliament Buildings, Victoria, telling that body you think the B.C. Electric is doing quite well on its present rates, just about the highest in Canada. The PUC, if past examples are a criterion, leans very much in the direction of Grauer's Towers.
SALLY DOBSON . . . Secretary of the New Westminster Women's Auxiliary and very much involved in work of the organisation.
ing, the Western Girl from Area 3B, Bering Sea which sold her 85,000 pound trip in Seattle. The fare consisted of 65,000 pounds of large which sold for 22 cents and 20,000 pounds of medium which sold for 27% cents.
* * * Draggers in from Hecate Strait
were B.C. Producer with 65,000 pounds, Sharlene K with 50,000 pounds, Sea Pride, 65,000 pounds and Skeena Maid 30,000 pounds.
* * *
What's wrong with B.C. Packers' centennial spirit? The company has frowned on beards—so some of the lads who had pa-
Union Lists Union Shops
A list o| union and non-union establishments supplying food to the fishing fleet has been issued by the Teamsters Union, Local 351 over the signature of secretary treasurer John Brown.
Two of the firms, Ferry Meat and Jones Market, one partially union and the other fully union, are advertisers in The Fisherman. The balance, union and non union, do not advertise.
Readers are urged to take note of these facts and those supplied by the Teamsters Union in making their grub purchases.
Jones Market—217 Main Street, is 100 percent Union, having agreements with both the Meatcutters Union and the Teamsters, Local 351 for their groceries and delivery.
Ferry Meat Market—119 East Hastings Street, have a contract with the Meatcutters, but their groceries and delivery are not union.
Egley's Market—702 East Hastings, the Meatcutters and Teamsters have applied for certification for this firm and hope to have a signed contract soon.
Rosebank Grocery—686 Powell Stieet, is non union and is on the "We Do Not Patronise" list of the Vancouver and District Labor Council.
Harbour Grocery—1873 West Georgia, is non union.
Annieville Store—in Annieville, is non union.
Hagen's Meat & Grocery—633
Front St., New Westminster, is ncn union.
The note from the Teamsters concludes with thanks "for your cooperation in making sure that your purchases and deliveries are with a Union firm," and an admonition to "look for the union service sign on the delivery truck."
Science Can't Fool Salmon
[GUEST EDITORIAL] Vancouver Daily Province
APROPOSAL by Dr. Gordon Shrum, head of UBC physics department, for a $10,000,000 federal - provincial research program to develop the Fraser River's hydro power potential without harming the river's salmon runs reflects a scientist's conviction that science can do almost anything.
Unfortunately Dr. Shrum is not a fish biologist and fish biologists would politely suggest to him that he is talking through his hat. Salmon are contrary creatures of centuries-old habits who will not be cozened out of their spawning cycles by any artifices of man.
★ * ★ Probably the most authoritative testimony to this effect was given by Dr. Loyd A. Royal, director of the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission, before the House of Commons standing committee on marine and fisheries on March 6, 1957.
Dr. Royal stated unequivocally that the salmon industry as we know it today cannot exist with power development on the main Fraser.
"I could take half an hour to tell you why," observed Dr. Royal, "but I assure you, gentlemen, that there can be no such things as dams and salmon on the main Fraser.
"When you put a series of dams on the Fraser you will be interfering with normal migration. You are dealing with fish, and all the ingenuity of man cannot teach a fish to swim over a vertical flow without hesitating, nor will it teach a fish to swim into water that has suddenly been lowered 10 degrees lower in temperature than that which he has inherent ability to accept as normal.
"There are eight dam sites (on the Fraser) between Prince George and the Delta area. We believe it would be impossible—and I am speaking about people who have had years of experience in this and I have had 29 years' experience myself — on the basis of current research or on what we know from past experience that you could ever eliminate time delays at a dam which would be less than two days per dam.
"There is not a fish in the Fraser which would get to the spawning grounds if delayed for 12 days. Some of them will in six days but none in 12 . . .
"You will hear a lot of easy ways of solving the fish problem, but if they ever do develop the Fraser I am saying here on record that it cannot be done and have the fishing industry as you know it today."
★ ★ ■★
We rather gather from all this that the $10,000,000 mentioned by Dr. Shrum for research might be better used toward building a power dam at Mica Creek on the Columbia, on which American dams have already ruined the salmon runs.
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