page six Katy LeRougetel, Wendy Stevenson and Suzanne Chabot were fired from the Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Company last November. The Quebec Human Rights Commission charged Pratt and Whitney with political and sexual discrimination and recognized RCMP int- ervention as a cause of the firing. The women are union act- ivists, feminists and mem- hers of the Revolutionary Workers League. As part of a_ national campaign, Stevenson spoke at the University of Alberta October 2. As well, other speakers discussed various topics rel- ated to the Pratt case inc- luding union laws and aff- irmative action. Katy LeRougetel, also one of the Pratt women, was a student at the U of A a few vears ago. The committee in defense of the Pratt women has also heen supported by the U of A students’ council, in a motion passed this summer. The Scenario | Wendy Stevenson was at home sleeping one Friday afternoon when the telephone rang. It was her boss from the Pratt and Whitney aircraft engine plant at Longueil, Quebec. He told her to come to the plant imm- ediately. Obediently, Stevenson went to the plant and she was promptly fired. The company’s probationary employment period would have been over for her had she worked for one more morning. On Monday she couldn’t have been fired without consulting her union. That same Friday, two other \women, Suzanne Chabot and Katy LeRoug- etel, were also fired from the Pratt factory. The company claimed the wom- en were laid off because of a “‘personnel surplus’’. But two weeks later Pratt and Whitney began adver- tising to fill their recently vacated positions. The three women were good workers. They were practically the only women in a machine assembly shop of 3000 employees. Stevenson, Chabot and LeRougetel are also active members of the Auto Wor- kers Union (AWU), active feminists and members of the Revolutionary Workers League(RWL). ! Their union submitted a greivance for unwarranted layoff and lodged a com- plaint with the Quebec Human Rights Commission. The commission found Pratt guilty of political discrimination. More interestingly, they found that visits by an RCMP agent were ‘‘dec- isive’’ in the company’s decision to fire the three women. On April 11 the three women were fired from their new jobs. Chabot and Stevenson were working with Canadair fa Crown corporation), and LeRougetel from Canadian Marconi. They were fired on the same day but the companies claim there was The Other Press no conspiracy involved. The Quebec Human Rights Commission (HRC) recommended the three women’s reinstatement with full-backpay and damages. Pratt has refused to comply. The Quebec HRC have also begun an inquiry into the second firings. However, the Quebec Human Rights Committee recommendations are not legally binding on Pratt and Whitney. If arbitration fails to win the women’s jobs. back, Pratt will face a legal suit. The campaign is asking for support for the rehiring of the women and they are also asking for the opening the RCMP files to end the harrassment of people “‘whose only wrongdoing consists of holding views different from those of the government and RCMP.”’ The Police State Gordon Wright, provincial NDP candidate and lawyer spoke on the civil liberty aspect of the case. “‘This case is an example of a police state in action,’’ he said. Wright also offered a slogan for the defense campaign to take to heart. “‘The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.’’ He told people at the forum to fight state fascism when it is at a low level or it will increase in the future. “‘There is no difference between what happened to these women and_ what would happen in Czechosl- ovakia,’’ said Wright. “They hold a particular view and for that alone they lost their jobs.’’ j W right said he was pleased with the Quebec Human Rights Commission’s judgement that ‘‘police ac- tion caused a cowardly employer to fire employees’’. The HRC in Alberta would nevér come to that con- clusion’’ he added. He said entrenchment of a bill of rights into the Can- adian constitution is des- irable and necessary. When the USA entrenched its bill of rights, conservative judges were honest in their evaluation and construed the legislation fairly ‘‘so as not to deprive individuals of life, liberty and happiness in the pursuit of property.’’ If it worked for the USA it should achieve the same for Canda, said Wright. It would give citizens legal protection of their basic civil rights. Slave Labour “‘There is a virtual ab- sence of rights for workers in Canada as a whole and especially in Alberta,’’ said Simon Renouf, chief exec- utive officer for United Nurses Association of Al- berta(UNA). He spoke on Labour Leg- islation and worker’s rights at the Pratt forum. Renouf said it is necessary for the public to recognize the prime motivation of lab- our laws are. the preservation of property ri- ghts. A question by Nina Miller for Canadian Un “The Government of Al- berta’s relationship tolabour is equal to the relationship of a colonial power over a colony’’ he said. He explained that all the talk of Alberta development and cooperation looks at on- ly profit and capital owners. Only the rich corporations are considered in the dev- elopment of Alberta and at the same time there is a growing paternalistic and patronizing attitudé towards labouron the part of the Government according to Renouf.