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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-08-17, Page 1ClHE|C J Y0T NGLIST — Before Fleck employees started voting Tuesday afternoon, officials checked the eligible voters list. They are from the left, Sheila Charlton of the UAW local, On­ tario counciliator Don Ainslie and Don Appleby of Fleck management, T-A photo Fleck Hope police will too UAW may drop charges e The United Auto Workers have agreed to drop charges against Fleck Manufac­ turing as part of the strike settlement. UAW director Bob White said Tuesday a memoran­ dum of agreement signed Saturday said the union would drop its charges against the company and vice-president Grant Turner for unfair labor practices. The union has already been granted the consent to prosecute. In turn, Fleck Manufac­ turing has agreed to use its influence with the Ontario Provincial Police to have charges under the criminal code for various picket line disturbances dropped against the strikers. However, the agreement does not include OPP officer Bill McIntyre and Liberal MPP Jack Riddell. They are charged by the UAW for interference in union ac­ tivities. "We still have to make a determination whether we will continue to prosecute,” White said. * Outside demonstrators who visited the Fleck plant are not covered by the agreement between the UAW and Fleck. They are in the same category as Riddell and McIntyre,” White said. Judge W.G. Cochrane Monday remanded until September 11 a hearing into •chargesJaicL.against Riddell and Fleck. McIntyre’s case was remanded by Judge Cochrane until October 16. In June, the UAW an­ nounced that it also intended to proceed with a libel and slander suit against MPP Jack Riddell, arising out of comments he is alleged to have made about the strike . on a radio program. A writ of summons issued at that time claimed that Riddell had issued defamatory and false statements to the press and news media. The writ alleged that Riddell’s statements were intended to mean or could be interpreted to mean or imply that the union used illegal, deceitful, fraudulent and intimidatory methods and means to obtain membership cards from Fleck employees and that it used the cards to obtain bargaining rights for the workers. The writ also alleged that Riddell’s comments accused officers and organizers of the union of using illegal threats, physical intimidation and illegal means to convince Fleck employees to strike. Riddell’s statements allegedly infer that the UAW wasn’t a credible organization and didn’t Elmer Taylor takes position in Goderich Elmer Taylor, ad­ ministrator at South Huron Hospital for almost four years, has accepted a similar position with Alex­ andra Marine & General Hospital in Goderich. He was one of 33 applicants for the position and his appointment was ratified at a meeting of the Goderich hospital board on Thursday. He commences his duties on September 15. “I regret to be leaving this community,” he told the T-A on Monday, but noted that the Goderich position offered more of a challenge and he felt he could help them overcome problems that arose earlier this year when they ran into financial and staff problems. Actually, Taylor has been assisting the Goderich board with their administration for the past two months after their administrator resigned. The assistance was provided in a cooperative move between South Huron Hospital and the Goderich board and Taylor said the latter-would probably return the favor in allowing him to continue to assist the South Huron board until his replacement is named. "There’s great coopera­ tion between the two hospitals,” he said. The Taylors plan to relocate as soon as possible this fall. While a resident in Exeter, Taylor was the in­ coming treasurer of the Lions Club and was active in recreational ball and hockey activities. n represent the interest of the employees. The writ alleged that statements by Riddell in­ terfered with the position of the union as a bargaining agent, interfered with collective bargaining and contributed to prolonging the strike. Riddell complained at the time that his privileges as an MPP were being violated by the union’s charges, but in July, the Ontario Labor Relations Board granted the UAW consent to prosecute. The strike is over ... but will the melody linger on? That appears to be one of the basic questions still un­ answered after employees of Fleck Manufacturing at Huron Park voted Tuesday to accept a two-year con­ tract that gives them a union security clause — ending the bitter strike that began 163 days ago. While the strike has been settled, comments from some of the non-strikers, many of whom apparently voted against the contract, indicate that the bitterness may be even more difficult to resolve. After being called a varie­ ty of obscene names, being subjected to threatening . phone calls and a variety of wilful damage incidents, •non-strikers indicated it would be difficult to now work beside those whose vindictiveness they had suf­ fered for so many weeks. The strikers, however, were jubilant as they left the strike headquarters in Huron Park to vote on the two year agreement. "As far as union security went, we got something. But as far as salary goes, we couldn’t expect miracles,” one striker told reporters on her way to vote. The strikers marched seven abreast through the industrial park to the com- . munity centre, led by Bob Whitp, director of the 144,000-member union. The final vote was 73 in favor of the contract, 37 against, and Polio scare dying down Huron County residents who haven’t already had their polio shots will have to wait until the people in Oxford County and seven other counties have had theirs. Health minister Dennis Timbrell announced Friday that no further adult clinics are to be held outside' Oxford, Lambton, Mid­ dlesex, Elgin, Haldimand- Norfolk, Brant, Waterloo and Perth counties. The measure was taken so that available vaccine could be channelled to the areas where it was most needed. Dr. Brian Lynch, Huron County Medical Officer of Health estimated Wed­ nesday .that .about 4,ooo adults’ in the county had received either their first vaccine or a booster since the outbreak in Oxford. He said special clinics will be set up in Huron County once the vaccine does become available again. "There is no real need for people in Huron County to have the vaccine right now,” Lynch said. However, when the vac­ cine does become available, people who have let their immunization slip should get their shots, he said. Timbrell said other areas outside the eight counties will be able to resume regular immunization clinics for adults when a million doses of vaccine are delivered in September and another 500,000 in October from Connaught Laboratories. Lynch said people in Huron initially overreacted to news reports of the out­ break in Oxford, but people have calmed down because the press has calmed down, he said. The current polio outbreak is attributed to visitors to Canada from an area in the Netherlands where fun­ damentalist Protestant sects oppose immunization. About 100 cases have been reported in that country. two spoiled ballots. The strikers didn’t gain a major wage increase though. Before the dispute, labourers were paid a minimum of $2,8.5 an hour to start, $3.22 after five years, and $3.24 after 10 years. The settlement gives the workers a startihg rate of $3.05 an hour, which will be raised to $3.15 after 30 days, and to $3.30 after 120 days. After two years, labourers will earn $3.44 an hour. The top rate in the plant is for skilled maintenance workers and truck drivers. They receive $5.69 an hour after two years. In the first article of the agreement, the company recognizes the union as the sole and exclusive bargain­ ing agent of all employees at the plant except for foreman, those above the rank of foreman, office and sales staff, and people who work less than 24 hours a week. RIDES TO RESUME The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority plans to resume the hayride program at Parkhill con­ servation area following a fatality there August 6. A six-year old boy died after he fell under the wheels of the wagon being pulled on the hayride. The hayrides have been temporarily suspended to allow a break period. They will eventually be resumed, a spokesman for the Authority said. Payment of union dues in the agreement is a require­ ment for employment. Workers at the plant do not have to join the union though, even though the dues will be deducted from their pay. "The strike was about the right to strike and they won that,” Bob White said before the vote. "We’ll live another day to fight the wage issue.” White said the company plans to recall 75 workers to the plan over the next four weeks. He said some of the is finally settled striking workers may be laid off if there isn’t enough work for them to do. One of the key elements which brought the strike to a conclusion was the consent of the labour relations board to prosecute .company of­ ficials, White said. Al Seymour, the UAW in­ ternational representative, said it will take some time before the company will be able to return to full produc­ tion. “The company has return some machines took out when the strike began. Then there is some maintenance work that has to be done,” he said# The one element missing from the final strike day was the Ontario Provincial Police. Only one OPP cruiser appeared in the park during the voting and the of­ ficers stayed clear of the recreation annex where the votes were being taken. Cost of policing the strike was criticized by opposition parties in the Ontario legislature. Bob White said the police action during tlie strike had hurt the forced image. He said in the future they should realize they don’t have to interfere in a strike situation. To avoid any confronta­ tion between the non­ strikers and strikers, the vote was staged so neither group met the other. The strikers arrived about an hour after the last of the non-strikers had voted. The ' vote was under the jurisdic­ tion of the labor relations board. JUBILANT MARCHERS — Striking Fleck workers were in high spirits Tuesday as they marched from the entrance to the in­ dustrial park to the recreation centre to vote on the contract offer. The agreement conceded union security to the strikers, a key element in the dispute. T-A photo One Hundred and Fifth Year imes - Advocate Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 i ’ 1 z v * &, &&s < a. / z z ' V Two area barns destroyed by fire Firemen were called out Thursday night when fire broke out on a Stephen township farm but many more than volunteer firemen showed up. Huron Park fire chief Norm Hyde said fire fighters were hampered in getting to the blaze because of curious motorists on Concession ^2 and 3 of Stephen, south of Huron Park. Hyde said the blaze was far out of control when the alarm was turned in. He added, "This time the crowd intervention didn’t make any difference, but, sometime it might.” Cars were parked on both sides of the sideroad before firemen arrived. The fire of undetermined origin destroyed the barn on the farm of Tony Conlin. The Huron Park fire chief said the hay and straw in the building was in storage for more than two years, so combustion was not suspected. The Crediton fire brigade was also called to assist. A fire at the farm of John Damen south of Whalen’s Corner completely destroyed a barn Tuesday night. The fire was attributed to spontaneous combustion from hay stored in the barn. The hay was put in the barn about two months ago, ac­ cording to Mrs. Damen. The fire broke out about 7,45. About 85 western steers and 15 small calves were removed from the barn without injury. The loss, which is covered by insurance, has not been estimated. Contract okayed by custodians The threat of Huron Coun­ ty schools not opening this fall because of a custodial strike has ended. About 50 custodians and maintenance workers ratified a two-year agree­ ment in Clinton Sunday afternoon. The members of Local 210 of the Service Employees Union have been without a contract since May 31. Tony Borg, union inter­ national representative, said Monday an agreement was reached after four meetings with Huron County board of education represen- tatives. He said the differences centred on wages. Although complete details of the contract are yet to be released, Borg did say the Please turn to page 3 EXETER, ONTARIO, AUGUST 17, 1978 fire of undetermined originFIRE DESTROYS STEPHEN BARN — Late Thursday evening f destroyed a large barn on the farm of Tony Conlin at Lot 3, Concession 3 in Stephen township. T-A photo Mitchell cyclist dies in district collision Price Per Copy 25 Cents Investigate shooting, knife events t & % w MITCHELL MAN DIES IN CRASH — Dallas Wettlaufer, 29, Mitchell died Saturday when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a tractor on ■ „ Highway 83 eight kilometres east of here, Corporal Dave Woodward and Constable Bill Osterloo examine the crash scene shortly after the accident at about 4:25 p.m. T-A photo A 29-year-old Mitchell man was killed Saturday af­ ternoon when his motorcycle collided with a tractor on Highway 83, just west of Huron County Road 11. Dallas Edward Wettlaufer was eastbound and struck the tractor driven by Grant Hodgert, R.R. 1 Woodham. Hodgertwas pulling a wagon and baler and was turning left across the highway into a farm lane when the mishap occurred. Coroner Dr. Charles Wallace, Zurich, pronounced Wettlaufer dead at the scene. Hodgert had stopped his tractor on the north shoulder of the road to ascertain if traffic was clear behind him, but failed to see the on­ coming motorcycle before pulling across the highway. Damage in the fatality was listed at $2,000 by in­ vestigating officer Constable Jack Straughan, who was assisted by CpI. Dave Woodward. On May 18, 1977, another motorcyclist died near the same spot when his machine ran into a transport truck which was crossing High­ way 83 at the County Road 11 intersection. Constable Straughan also investigated that fatality which claimed the life of a Brucefield man, Charles R. Litice, who was also 29. The accident was one of six investigated by the Exeter OPP this week, several of which resulted in injuries, none of which was serious. On Sunday at 10.45 p.m,, an Exeter girl, Sheila McLeod, suffered a frac­ tured foot when it was run over by a car at the Crediton ball park. Driver of the vehicle was Michael Brannon, R.R. 2 Dashwood. She was taken to Huron Hospital for ment. Constable Osterloo investigated the incident involving the South treat- Bill pedestrian and vehicle. Two people sustained minor injuries in an accident on Saturday on Stephen road 1, just north of the Crediton Road. A car driven by Paul Johnston, Blyth, had a front tire blow out and the vehicle went into the ditch and rolled over. Johnston and a passenger Please turn to page 3 Tenders are called for CCAT housing Huron-Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell told the T-A Tuesday morning that tenders are now being called for construction of a students residence at Centralia College of Agricultural Technology at Huron Park. The student residence is required by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food to provide modern and expanded facilities for year- round use of students at the college. A single structure it will contain a series of five pods, each providing ac­ commodation for 40 students and one supervisor. The pods will be linked by a walkway at ground level. This walk­ way will adjoin a students lounge located in each pod allowing for social in­ teraction while maintaining a community atmosphere. The main entrance to the new residence will be combined with the existing Huron Hall. The entrance will lead directly to a common administration area containing offices, an infirmary, change rooms and a manager’s apartment. The heated and air con­ ditioned structure will have a gross floor area of ap­ proximately 57,000 square feet. Specifications also call for load bearing concrete block walls with brick facing, double glazed windows, pre cast concrete floor, steel deck and beam frames for the roof and site services that include a paved access road and landscaping. Design and construction documents have been prepared by associate ar­ chitect Paul M. Skinner, London. It is anticipated con­ struction will be completed by September, 1980. A Crediton man, '’Ahmed Osmond, has been charged with possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace after three shots were fired in the village last week. One of the bullets hit the left rear fender of a truck driven by Brian Gaiser, RR 2 Crediton. There were two passengers with Gaiser at the time of the incident near the Stardust Drive-In Restaurant. Osmond is scheduled to appear in Exeter court on August 22. The incident is being in- vestigated by OPP Constable Bill McIntyre. The latter was also in­ volved in the investigation into a robbery attempt near Hensail on Monday when a knife-wielding hitch-hiker failed to get any cash because his victim had none. George Murray Grainger, 67, of Goderich, picked up the hitch-hiker near the OPP office north of Exeter and drove towards Ilensall. Grainger stopped his car when the young hitch-hiker demanded money and hand­ ed over a wallet that con­ tained only some identifica­ tion papers. The youth threw the wallet back at the Goderich man and fled .Police said the would-be thief was about 17 years old, weighed about 140 pounds, had black hair and was wearing blue cut-off jeans and a blue shirt. A tracking dog was brought in from Mt. Forest to assist police in the search, but the youth could not be located. It was indicated the knife had a blade about five inches long and it was placed on the seat by the youth when he asked Grainger for his money. The Goderich man was un­ hurt. Constable McIntyre also told the T-A this week that two juveniles have been charged with the recent breakins at the Centralia Community Hall, the residence of Jim Fletcher, and the saddle club grounds at Huron Park. Considerable damage was done to the hall when coffee and hot chocolate were strewn about and the water ’ ’ was turned on in the kitchen flooding the floor. A quantity of cash was taken in the breakin into the Fletcher residence in Cen­ tralia. <4 X.