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. R.
.,
SECURITIES INC.
• Mutual Funds
Blue Chip Stocks
• Income Investments
* R.R.S.P.'s
* R.R.I.F.'s *
COMMISSION -FREE ACCOUNTS
Available for Professional Investors
478 Waterloo Street
London, Ontario N6B 2P6 •
Phone: 432-6741 Fax: 667=4871
' 1-800-268-5390