Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-18
Canada Crews
Leave Ships
ToPrOfest Bill.

10 Protest Bill
MONTREAL. oct. Is CAP)-
Members Of the Seafarers' In
ternational Union were called
off their ships all across Can
ada today in preparation for
a march on Ottawa Monday to
protest legislation placing Ca
madam maritime unions under
a federal trusteeship.
From Halifax to Vancouver,
the walkout hour was noon
local time.
Union crew members Of two
vessels locked at Halifax we're
first to heed the instructions,
issued by a union committee
in Montreal. Others followed
as the sun moved westward.
Oppose Trusteeship
The instructions called for
orderly demonstrations before
the Parliament buildings in
Ottawa, starting at noon Mon
day. The union is opposing the
three-year truSteeship. intend
ed to end labor violence on the
Great Lakes and halt warfare
between United States and Ca
madam maritime unions that
has strained governmental re-
lations between Ottawa and
Washington.
The legislation was approved
by the Canadian Senate last
night.
Before it becomes law, how
ever, it must be given Royal
assent-a formality-and then
be proclaimed by Prime Minis
ter Lester B. Parsons cabi-
net, a step that can be taken
Immediately or withheld in
definitely.
There was no indication how
long the protest might last.
Nothing in the instructions
ordered the men to return to
their ships after the Ottawa
demonstrations.
Orders From Montreal
The instructions to the
members were sent by the Sea-
mems Rights Committee, oper-
ating from union headquarters
in Montreal. Leaders declined
to comment on plans for the
march. One union source said
the men we're taking advantage
of a clause in collective bar
gaining agreements which en-
titles Seamen to leave their
ships to take care Of legal
problems ashore.
The union is the chief tar
get of the bill, backed by
Prime Minister Lester B. Pear
sons Liberal government, and
the only one of the five unions
affected which is baking
More than 95 per cent of all
Canadian flag shipping is
manned by Seafarers' Inter-
national Union crews, includ-
ing $500 members on the
West Coast.
The Government legislation
won final passage from the
Senate yesterday and now
needs only the Governor Gen.
erals assent-a formality-and
cabinet proclamation to be-
come law.
After the cabinet proclama-
ton, three government trus-
tees will be appointed with
full powers over unions repre-
senting more than $4,000
Canadian seamen, marine en-
gineers and deck officers.
Banks Is Blamed
Justice T. G. Norris recon-
mended the trusteeship after
conducting a government
sponsored study of the labor
violence that has plagued the
Great Lakes and the st. Law
renee Seaway. Justice Norris
placed the major responsibility
for the trouble on the STU and
its American president, Hal C.
Banks.
At the heart Of the labor
friction has been rivalry be-
tween the STU, which is affili-
ated with the AFL-CIO, and
the rival Canadian Maritime
Union for Jurisdiction over
Seamen on Canadian ships.
The truSteeship would be i'm
posed over the STU, the GNU,
the Canadian Merchant Service
Guild, the National Association
Of Marine Engineers and IS
marine locals of the Canadian
Brotherhood of Railway Trans
port and General Workers.
The House of Commons ap-
proved the measure last week
after the failure of attempts to
work out a voluntary trustee
ship, a proposal that resulted
in bitter exchanges between
United States and Canadian
officials and prompted Mr..
Pearson to telephone President
Kennedy in Washington.
United States Secretary of
Labor w. Willard Writ had
said collapse of private talks
between Canadians and Amer
leans on a voluntary trustee
ship was due to insistence by
the Canadian Labor Congress,
parent organization of the
GNU, that Canadians control
any union-sponsofed trustee
ship.
e d.