Le CTC et la vie internationale The CLC and International Life

Sommaire

L'auteur rappelle brièvement l'intérêt porté aux questions internationales par les syndicats canadiens depuis les débuts du mouvement ouvrier canadien; il explique le développement des divers organismes internationaux qui ont surgi depuis la guerre et la part qu'y ont joué les groupements ouvriers anglais, américains et canadiens; il s'arrête particulièrement à la Confédération Internationale des Syndicats Libres dont il décrit la composition et le rôle important qu'elle joue auprès des Nations Unies. Il souligne en dernier lieu la responsabilité du syndicalisme canadien dans le domaine des affaires internationales.

Summary

Along with the development of Canadian Trade Unionism grew its interest and cooperation towards unions of other countries. This fact is easily explained by its origine so influenced and closely related with British and American unions and by its philosophic conception of unionism; indeed Canadian unions believe that world peace can be assured and maintained by the evolution of trade unionism and by free collective agreements.

Since 1898, the American Federation of Labour and the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada mutually exchanged some delegates in their annual convention and since 1913, the TLCC and British unions did the same. Besides, the Canadian Labour Movement always took an active part in the activities of International Labour Organization created in 1919. Immediately after the Second World War, the World Federation of Trades Unions was born and the Canadian Congress of Labour joined it just like the CIO, whereas the TLC of Canada like the A.F.ofL. stayed out of this organization alleging communist influence. The CCL and other unions left its ranks. And strongly supported by the T.L.C, the A.F.ofL., the C.I.O. and the Congress of British unions the International Confederation of Free Trade Union was founded in 1949. This organism now groups 54,000,000 members of 88 different countries and is closely related with the United Nations; its objective is "bread, peace, and freedom for all" and to realize it, a broad program of education is elaborated. CH. Millard, from the C.C.L., has recently been appointed director of its Organization department. At Calcutta, Asia, an important school of education has been organized and workers of other countries follow a three-months course and, this summer, at the Banff School of Fine Arts, there will be held a session for 40 to 50 international students.

Besides education, the Canadian labour movement has and always had a great interest in international affairs and proudly gives its own opinion in questions of general interest. It has great responsibilities and the CLC is aware of them and wants to share actively its own.