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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1994-02-02, Page 6Page 6 — Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday. February 2, 1994 "Fairways at Walkerton Golf Club featuring All You Can Eat CHINESE BUFFET Each Thursday Evening beginning Feb. 3 5 -bpm $8.95 881-070 li ANNUALtt WINTER THE KITCHEN SALE YOU ;HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! UP TO 4O% on during our ANNUAL WINTER SALE save up to 40% off the regular cabinet price of a complete new. Canac, Cellini or Signature kitchen.. BONUS OFFER: Bring in this ad during our sale and receive a built-in single compartment, recyling bin free.when you purchase a complete kitchen. YOUR KITCHEN/BATH PURCHASE COULD BE FREE Get Details at Store Sale offer ends February 28, 1994. Milano Collection SHOWER REG. $1795.00 NOW $92499 inc. base, walls & door MADE IN CANADA SHOWER UNITS CORNER ENTRY SHOWER UNIT ALL RYAN TUBS MADE IN CANADA 35%..50 OFF '110 n. r:rulil•,• W/13•1 •141, WERKER CLOSET & SHELF • O/•MMw Of Yr, MNre. MM•M, • MM, Van Dolder's KITCHEN & BATH LTD. "THE GOOD IDEA PLACE!" 1266-16 St., E. OWEN SOUND 371.1975 Alton: Bill 91 creates unfair obstacles *from page 1 labor would make one proposal, management another and an ar- , bitrator• would choose one or the other." Corbett said that in the bill's present form, 40 per cent of the work force could bring in a'union. "Once it goes to application, you have no choice. Once it comes back, you join the union or you don't work. Our argument has always been that the right to join an organization should include the right not to join it. This is a democracy for heaven's sake." Ross Procter of RR5 Brussels is a beef farmer and a local supporter of the movement being made by the OFRG. He said he has heard much opposition to the bill by area farmers. He said he attended the annual meeting of the Huron Coun- ty Beef Producers (HCBP) at the Clinton Legion recently. "There was a resolution presented that the Huron County Beef Producers ask Agriculture Minister Buchanan to withdraw Bill 91. It .was passed. unanimously." Ken Alton, second vice-president of the HCBP, owns a beef farm near Lucknow and said that he ships roughly 3,000 head of cattle per year. He said- that Bill 91 will create unfair obstacles for Ontario farmers who have to compete with non-union operations in the U.S.A. "I can compete with anyone in the world, but when I have to compete with unions and the U.S. doesn't... if we don't get the NDP out and get free enterprise back, what's the point? I could employ more people, ••but the way the government's operating, why bother?" • • Procter said he has heard similar sentiments in the farm community. "One farmer told me he'd be careful about hiring certain people or he may decide not to hire anyone because of all the hassle." Huron MPP Paul Klopp said the bill got its first reading in the fall and is now being prepared for its second reading. He said that throughout " the process, ' the agricultural community has been kept in constant consultation by way of a committee on the bill, so the bill will reflect their concerns. "There were 11 points that the farm community had concerns with," said Klopp. He also replied to the sign put up across from his constituency office. "Bob Rae is not unionizing the family farm. That's not in the cards." He said that Corbett's concerns that a farm with two non -family member emnlovees could form a union are not realistic. "In cold, hard terms, no union would accept • two members." He said of Corbett and the OFRG: "They have an agenda. It's Toronto people going out here and I don't know what they're doing. They seem to be a group attacking every leyel of government - in this case going at agriculture," . Klopp said that Corbett's statements show a lack of research into what's actually going on with Bill 91. "If he's doing this poor a job of finding all the answers, I have very little credibility for this group." • He doesn't believe this bill will affect the competitiveness of On- tario farmers. "There's trade out there, but we want to be sure that people are buying here. We made a commitment that we were going to have vehicles to invest in agricul- ture. We've put it forth that rural Ontario counts. We import a lot of food in this province. We do have growing areas around here, but they (farmers) need to get paid." Klopp said of Bill 91, "It's a bill for farm laborers." He said that the government recognizes that there are concerns with the bill and that, by way of the farm committee, they hope to solve the problems in the bill before it becomes a law. "Remember, this is not the final draft." He emphasized that the bill will be drafted ina way which suits the unique conditions of agricultural work. "Obviously, we cantt have strikes. When everything's ad- dressed, I think it Will be good for everyone." Corbett.. warns' farmers about Bill 91 by Scott Hilgendorff A nfieniber of Ontarians for. Responsible Government had a warning for area farmers. Thom Corbett told about 20 farmers they would not benefit from a provincial government bill to unionize farms. Corbett, of Guelph, poke at' the Jan. 26 A Line in the Dirt meeting at Reid's Corners. "Any farmer with more than one employee is open to unionization," Corbett said about Bill 91, a farm union bill. • He said the Bill received • first, reading last July and the provincial government could fast track it through legislature this spring. - "This bill was intended onlyfor the big industry type farms." But now, he said it is feared the bill, which( is governed by the Labor Relations Act, could even affect farmers who employ seasonal workers. He said all it would require is for cabinet t6 pass an order incouncil to allow seasonal empldyees - to unionize. Through the Labor Relations Act, it would require only 40 per cent of a farmer's workers to apply for union certification. Even if a farmer had only six -employees, two of them would be enough to. start ' on the path to unionization, Corbett said. With NAFTA, Corbett said, "over the next decade, the market is going to b.., lot freer.". In combination with the farm unionization bill, he said the foreign markets would benefit. and would keep, fan tars from being as com- petitive. • He also said Premier Bob Rae would benefit by gaining, some 'union support for his party., ' "We've been fighting ,this since August." He explained Ontarians . for Responsible Government formed in 1990 to look at issues relating to Ontarians.+He said the organization formed out of the National Citizens Coalition which formed in 1967 and has opposed such issues as large pensions- for members of parlia- ment. Before the meeting, Corbett was in Clinton where the Ontarians unveiled, a billboard opposing Bob Rae and there is also a radio adver- tising campaign planned: He . told the group . if their employees unionize, a farmer could be told to pay mord wages based on information that would be collected from them under the Labor Rela- tions Act. • He said a situation could arise where an .arbitrator is looking at how muchmoney a farmer made in a year. He said overhead costs could be ignored when 'telling a farmer to increase employees' wages. "The only compromise to make with this bill is to take it out to the back 40 and bury it." Bob Hallam, a farmer from Auburn, said, "there isn't a bill we can't change if we put our minds to it." "I have a right to organize my farm and run it the way I see fit," he said. He :didn't think the bill would have much affect on him but was concerned about those in the fruits and vegetable industries in Southern Ontario who have larger numbers of �YJ ra'J�iNl�o I'Il•'r( Fu•s ...,, Id's not a question of age., Or strength. Or ability. It's a matter of will. Inspired by the incredible true story. Fri.-Thurs. Feb. 4-10 LONG DISTANCE?•CALL 1 -e00 -265-343e FOR TOLL FREE MOVIE INFO employees. ' Fred Phillips, chair of A Line, in the Dirt told The News farmers should be concerned because they can't pay high wages to their employees and still compete in a highly competitive world mar- ket. • • "Right now, we're . competing against the Americans by their rules," he said. However, the Americans do . not have to contend with farm union- ization. He said unionization in Ontario would . make it harder to compete than it is now. If people, want cheap food, he said they can't have .thewages to _go with' it. Another concern he raised is the possibility unions would 'cause problems with the time" of day a farmer is expected to work. He used the hay season as an example. When it comes time. to bring in the hay, he said a farmer sometimes doesn't start on it until late in the afternoon and works half the night to finish. He said a union could decide the employees shouldn't be expected to work those hours. Although the Labour Relations ' Act would prevent farm employees form striking, he .said they could still work to rule, call -in sick or fight the hours in other ways which would jeopardise'. the farmer's har- vest. He said A Line in the Dirt hasn't planned. anything yet to fight the bill but wanted to send out the message "we're prepared to do something." THOMAS J. WALL INVESTMENT COUNSELLOR I. F.I. C.; C. S.C.,. R. 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