The Burmah—Shell plant employees in India have expressed their full support for the petroleum wrkers at the Pasadona oil and chemical plent in Texas, operated by Shell Oil Company, whoc have beon on strike for eleven months, Congratulating tho Pasadena workers for their "heroic strug gles" against the high-heanded and anti—labour" policy of the Shell Company, ¢he Indian oil workers have requested the Indian Potroloum Gmployees' trade union to expose the unfair practises of Shell, The 2,000 chemical and atomic workers at the Pasadena plant havo boen on strike since 19th August, 1962, in protest against conditions prevailing in their plant, which are inforror to those of Shell installations elsewhere in the world, The strike broka out ever the company's demand for unilsteral control over work rules, job descriptions and contracting out, Two international conferences of o11 workers have been held to discuss ways of aiding tho strikers,
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An Orientation Conference of New Democratic forces in Quebec, attracting over 200 was recently held there. It may well prove to be the most significant event in the development of the WP since the founding convention of the party in 1961. A new party wos launched - The Socinlist Purty of Quebsc. The over= riding question at this confcrence was thit of the relationship of the socialist aovement in Quebec, to the Federal MDP. Some advocated an independont socinlist party runnig candidatus in both feieral am provincial olections. Others, largely Enclaéh sponking Canadians wished to mintain thcir present status undcr tho party federal constitution. Tho eventual comprogise sjlution was an indepsemient party which would restrict itself to the provincial fieM, luaving the foderal fiblad frees for the MDP.
The confcrcencc spencd with the roport of Forming Daocust, presiaent of the Q@icbec NDP. He reesunted how the proivisioml council of the NDP had been unable t9 auster a majority for any one 2 the throes formulnc, ani hand decided once agnin t® postpone the 9fficinl founding of the Quebce party. He wished t®2 give orgnisational form t2 the theory 2f two Canadinn mitiins by forging an imiepenient party. However, he thought > compromise noco sary, and advocated the intcrmecdinte s2lution: Wepenient party provincinlly, and NDP section federally. Othors proved loss imclinel t+» c3npr misc. The ros®2lution submitted by Emile Bouwironau, stated flatly that the Scv-inlist Party of Quebec should bo free of 1 adepemtence in ogither provincial or federal fi jde to any p3litical marty, but wowld anintnin fratornal ties with the fecicral DP, This res2lution was debated heatedly for three hours in conmittee. Opposition came chicfly from fraie Union ani English sponking g elegatce *
RegimléA Boisvort insisted that he did not want the French “Camidian socialist asvemant t>o be subjugated ts the snae Kind of English domination in the NDP. They had ad, hoe said, sufficient 29f that in the 310 CCF. The French-Caméinan wirkeor is beginning t. ranlize where the cconomy of Quebec is cimtrolled, The s8%ciaList movement could only win the support of thse natiomlist—- Minted workurs if it presented itself as an inlopenicnt party. Bousreau's russdlution was pnasscd aiidst uproar by tw? votes. provisisml council foria new provincial sy inlist party was elected. But the struggle is far from over. Boudrraau, amending his own resolution, exploincd thnt the cimpromise he wos agreving 4) involved for hin only ao qucstion sf timing: he wishod t» achicge an full indepomont party at a. Inter date. It my boa surprise that the vast mjority of NiPers are convincec that they must in some way Cissociate thomselves from the Federal Party. The NDP leadership has enisrsec the two-mitions principle in theory whil- t violating it in practice.
In spite of the difficultics which it faces, tha Sxcinlist Party of Quebec ehows the promise sf becoming the first gonuine Tabour Party of French-Canndian Workers. The Qricntation Conference certainly t3ck important steps twaris umierstanding their mtioml and econwmic grievances. based upon Workers Vanguard reports