Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-20
Mob in Quebec
Sacks Mining
Strike Offices

| MOfLDOCEV1L LILLE, quebec
Aug. 20 (Pt.-A mob last nigh
ripped apart the Offices of thu
United Steelworkers of Americs
in this strike-torn mining com.
munity. then overturned anC
battered seven automobiles anc
a truck.
About 100 shrieking men tore
into the unions second flool
Offices on the main street OF
Murdochville. an isolated Gaspe
Peninsula town. The sackine
of the Offices came shortly
after $50 labor delegates from
all parts of the province de-
parted following a demonstra-
ton that ended when police
broke up a stone-throwing
clash between the visitors and
200 nonstrikerS.
All the Office furniture and
equipment was heaved out OF
windows. and cars carrying
pro-union stickers were over
turned. Tires were slaShed
and upholstery torn out.
The attackers. many carrying
blackjacks and knives. were
finally halted by a 3O-man pro-
vincial police squad, rounded
up and ordered to company
bunkhouses. There were no
arrests and no injuries. Prop
erty damage was confined to
the Offices and vehicles.
Six Injured Earlier
Six men were injured earlier
in the day when the stone
throwing incident threatened
to erupt into a pitched battle
between nonStriking employees
Of Gaspe Copper Mines. Ltd.
and the visiting labor delega-
ton.
The delegation was headed
by top labor officials. including
Claude Jodoin. president of the
Canadian Labor Congress. and
Gerard Picard. president of the
Canadian and Catholic Confed-
Grafton Of Labor. They arrived
here early Monday from Quebec
City and set up picket lines
Some carried placards with the
slogan THE Union Is Here to
Stay One of the principal
purposes of the demonstration
was to get permission for the
USWA to picket.
Police gave special permission
for the demonstrators to picket
during a 24-hour period. When
the lines were set up a group
of nonstriking workers. stand
ing on a high elevation over
looking the mine gate. began
exchanging insults with the
union members. Stones were
thrown and six union members
were injured.
The provincial police detach-
ment ordered the nonstriking
company staff back to their
and pushed picketers
back to the company gate.
Strike Director Guarded
When the mob converged
later on the union Offices, pro-
police Immediately set
up a guard around the house
Of Roger Berard. USWA spokes-
man who has been directing the
strike since it began March IL.
Police said they invited Mr.
Bedard to leave town and Of
fered to provide an escort. They
said he answered he would re-
main in town las long as there
is striker here"
The union pulled 1000 men
of the job more than five
ago. mainly to back de-
mands for certification.
Last summer the company
obtained a writ of prohibition
restraining the Quebec Labor
Relations Board from acting on
a USWA application for GER
LITIGATION. The matter still is
before the courts. Since the
union is not certified the COM
pany maintains the strike is
illegal and refuses to nego-
tiate.
Three Blasts in Dispute
Three dynamite explosions
have damaged company prop
erty during the dispute. One
striker died Of injuries July IA.
two days after a midnight ex-
plosion which caused slight
damage to a waste pipe on
company property. An inquest
into his death was opened
July IS but postponed almost
Immediately. 1t is expected
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