Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, I have an inquiry which I should like to direct to the Minister of Labour. Will he be good enough to give a full statement to the house with respect to the strike of the employees of the Montreal Tramways company, so that hon. members may have full information?

Hon. HUMPHREY MITCHELL (Minister of Labour):

Mr. Speaker, I think it

might be just as well, in view of the inquiry of my hon. friend, to place on the record definite particulars in regard to this matter.

There is an agreement between the company and its emploj'ees which was entered into in July of 1940. The agreement was consummated between the company and a negotiating committee representing the employees. Clause 109 of that agreement reads as follows:

The negotiating committee referred to in this agreement, consisting of Messrs. Elphege Beaudoin, Raoul Trepanier and Osias Neveu, will continue in office during the life of the agreement.

The members of the committee were all officers of local 780 of the Amalgamated Association of Electric Railways and Motor Coach Employees of America.

At the time the agreement was made it can be assumed that the majority of the employees were members of this union because the agreement was confirmed by a majority vote of the employees at that time.

Subsequently another labour organization, the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employees and other transport workers, entered the field and began to organize the employees of the company, and on March 2, 1943. sub-

Montreal Tramways Strike

mitted to the Department of Labour an application for the establishment of a board of conciliation and investigation under the pro-visons of the Industrial Disputes Investigation Act.

It was set out in the application that the cause of the dispute was the claim of employees to be represented by the person or persons of their choice and that such request had been refused by the company.

Following the usual practice an industrial disputes inquiry commissioner was authorized to investigate the nature and cause of the dispute with a view to adjusting it. All the interested parties made representations to the commissioner, including members of the negotiating committee, officers of the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employees and other transport workers, representatives of the Catholic syndicate and the assistant general manager of the company. While the report of the commission was before the department for consideration it appears that the negotiating committee requested permission of the company to take a vote on the premises of the company, which permission was granted by the company. This negotiating committee, of course, were members of the amalgamated association of street railway electrical employees. The ballot to read as follows:

The National War Labour Board has just been changed. This change gives the negotiating committee the opportunity to make new attempts with regard to wages. Are you in favour of according the negotiating committee all the support it will need to undertake these attempts on your behalf?

Thereupon the company was advised by the representatives of the employees who were members of the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employees, and other transport workers, that if such ballot were held, all employees, members of the brotherhood, would cease work on Monday, March 29.

So much for the background of this strike. The contract made between the company and its employees was made for a period of three years or for the duration of the war, whichever was the longer. No doubt the company thought its labour relations were settled for the duration; however, the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employees quite evidently have enlisted the affiliation of, if not a majority of the employees, certainly a very large proportion of them. This is evidenced by the fact that the strike has taken place. The hon. gentlemen will note that the contract covered a considerable period of time.

The threat of a stoppage of work was made known to officials of the department on Saturday, March 27, and was confirmed in a telegram from Mr. D. E. Blair, General Manager

of Montreal Tramways company, to me which was received late last Saturday evening.

Saturday and Sunday were devoted to efforts to reach an understanding which would provide for settlement of the dispute. On Sunday, March 28, I sent telegrams and in order that they may be on record, I am going to read the telegram sent to Mr. Blair:

March 28, 1943.

Mr. D. E. Blair,

Vice President and General Manager,

Montreal Tramways Co., Montreal, Quebec.

Replying your telegram twenty-seventh regarding possibility of strike employees your company occurring to-morrow morning, in view of serious nature of situation it is my intention to establish at once a commission or board of conciliation and investigation with a view to conciliation of the existing dispute. It would appear however that if a stoppage of work tomorrow morning and consequent disruption of traffic is to be avoided company should postpone decision on request of negotiating committee for ballot to be taken to-morrow on company premises. Please let me have your decision on this point by seven p.m. to-day in order that departmental officers may communicate with all parties claiming to represent employees.

Humphrey Mitchell.

I also wired the representatives of the unions concerned as follows:

Mr. A. R. Mosher.

President C.B.R.E. & O.T.W., .

230 Laurier Ave. West,

Ottawa.

In connection with letter received yesterday by Mr. D. E. Blair General Manager Montreal Tramways Company signed by Presidents locals 210, 214 and 219 of your organization and your own telegram to him of March 27 relative to strike action to-morrow of members of above locals in protest against ballot proposed to be taken by presently recognized negotiating committee, I have decided in view of serious effects of any disruption of Montreal tramways or bus services to appoint a commission or board of conciliation at once with view to conciliation of existing dispute. In meantime desire to warn you that strike of employees of company members locals your organization referred to above would be illegal and you are urged to take necessary steps to prevent the action contemplated by them.

Humphrey Mitchell,

Minister of Labour.

Mr. Elphege Beaudoin,

Business Agent,

Union D'Employ de Tramways de Montreal,

1153 St. Denis, Montreal.

Have received telegram from D E Blair General Manager Montreal Tramways Company relative to threatened strike of certain employees of the company members of three locals of Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employees and other transport workers in protest against proposed ballot to be taken to-morrow among all employees of the company by your negotiating committee with permission of company management. In view of serious disruption of tramway and bus services in Montreal which will ensue from strike of any substantial number

Montreal Tramways Strike

of employees of company I have decided to establish at once a commission or board of conciliation to endeavour to conciliate the dispute. Urge your committee in meantime to postpone proposed ballot and let all matters come before this tribunal. Such postponement will not in my opinion prejudice the interests of membership your organization. Hope you can give me an affirmative reply this evening.

Humphrey Mitchell.

To these telegrams the following replies were received:

Hon. Humphrey Mitchell,

Ministry of Labour, Ottawa.

Your telegram has received our careful consideration. As we have indicated we granted permission to the negotiating committee to hold ballot and we do not see our way clear to withdraw permission except on their request. Have spoken to Mr. Beaudoin who refuses to postpone ballot.

D. E. Blair.

Hon. Humphrey Mitchell,

Minister of Labour, Ottawa.

A stoppage of work by employees of Montreal Tramways Company will be as unwelcome by me as anyone. If the government with the authority it has cannot restrain the company from collaborating with those seeking to place its employees in an untenable position it is unreasonable to expect me with the limited authority I have to prevent employees from refusing to report for duty.

A. R. Mosher.

Hon. Humphrey Mitchell,

Minister of Labour, Ottawa.

Postpone ballot only moderate routine. Our members will not stop work. CBRE should be made to understand that this is no reason for a strike. Our local established in Montreal since nineteen eighteen and intends to stay. Executive meeting presently and will take decision during the night.

Elphege Beaudoin,

President Local 790.

As everyone knows, the strike occurred on Monday morning, March 29, and the situation is very serious, mainly because important war productions are seriously handicapped because men cannot get to work.

This condition cannot be permitted to continue. I have already sent Doctor H. C. Goldenberg to Montreal as commissioner under the Industrial Disputes Investigation Act to see if he can bring the parties together. I selected him because he was born in Montreal, is bilingual, and an important officer of the Department of Munitions and Supply, which department is vitally interested in this dispute. Doctor Goldenberg is in a position to make strong representations on behalf of both departments. He has had a great deal of experience in matters of this kind.

I feel quite confident that the better judgment of both the management and the men will prevail and that the men will be back to work very shortly.

Mr. LIGUORI LACOMBE (Laval-Two Mountains):

I should like to ask the Minister of Labour when the government will take the necessary- measures to provide transportation facilities for workers engaged in war industries and the civilian population of Montreal, made necessary by the strike of the Montreal Tramways employees.

Mr. MITCHELL:

I think that question

was covered in the answer I gave to the leader of the opposition.

Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Opposition):

I should like to ask the Minister of Transport if an interdepartmental or other committee has been set up by his department to consider and study the problems of Canada so far as commercial aviation in the international field is concerned. It would appear from news dispatches from time to time that other nations are giving careful study and making comprehensive plans with respect to this very important problem and it is for this reason that I am anxious that the minister shall acquaint the house with the steps which this government is proposing to take in this regard.

Hon. C. D. HOWE (Minister of Munitions and Supply):

The government has established an interdepartmental committee on international aviation which has been at work for some months. It meets frequently and I think is making itself familiar with every phase of the situation. This committee is submitting recommendations to the government from time to time as the situation warrants.

Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Opposition):

I should like to ask the Postmaster General when he will be in position to make the statement which he told us last week he would make with respect to the safe arrival of mail directed to those in our armed forces overseas.