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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1992-01-15, Page 23E ntertainment THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15,1992. PAGE 23. Scottish music performed Community Play designed to bring community together Bly th and area residents will get a chance to tell their story and take part in a fascinating experiment in community-building when a "com munity play" is presented in Blyth in the summer of 1993. Although the play is more than a year away, first steps in organizing the event will take place Wednes day, Jan. 29 when a meeting is held at the Blyth Festival's rehearsal hall, upstairs from its administra tion building. The Community Play Project is based on a number of successful plays in Britain in which people from the community work behind the scenes and on stage with pro fessional directors and writers to shape a play about the community. In Eromosa Township, north of Employee relations very touchy subject in ’90’s, speaker says BY SHELLEY MCPHEE-HAIST It isn't easy to be in business these days. More than 90 Huron County business people were reminded of their precarious situa tions as employers at a January 8 seminar in Vanastra. Reactions ranged from interest, frustration and confusion among the seminar participants as they heard the complicated rules of hir ing and firing from Yvonne Fried, human resources manager for Knechtel Wholesale Grocers. The seminar was sponsored by the Fed eral Business Development Bank (FBDB) and the Huron Industrial Training Advisory Committee (HITAC). Ms. Fried, of Kitchener, oversees the human resources department for Knechtel's Grocers wholesale and retail employees. She admits that employee relations can be a oner ous task. “Protect yourselves and be knowledgeable,” she warned her audience. “Ignorance does not stand as an excuse in a court of law.” Employees may charge discrimi nation by their employer on many levels Fried noted, adding, “The Human Rights Commission will investigate any complaint that comes in the door at no cost to the person.” IN WRITING Ms. Fried urged her audience to have written documentation of all employee relations. It is essential that employers and employees establish written job descriptions, work schedules, company policies, performance evaluations and warn ing notices. “Documentation is critical for good employee relations. The employee has the right to know in writing what is expected of them. In a court of law an employer must have written proof that a dismissed employee did not live up to their job expectations,” Ms. Fried noted. JOB INTERVIEWS Diligent employee relations begin the moment an employer advertises for help. An employer cannot ask job applicants about birthplace, ancestry or ethnic ori gin. An applicant cannot be asked Guelph, a similar play several years ago brought together more than 120 people as performers and 1000 peo ple working behind the scenes. A slide show of that event will be shown at the Jan. 29 meeting by Dale Hamilton who was a writer with the Eromosa project. The meeting will begin the process of recruiting local volunteers to research the play, write and gather jstories, work in production, act and do such behind the scenes work as public relations and volunteer recruitment. It was Ms Hamilton who helped spur the idea of the project in Blyth when she contacted Bill Dow, asso ciate artistic director of the Blyth Festival, last summer, Peter Smith, Artistic Director of the Festival revealed last week. She mentioned about age, marital status, depen dents, health or religious affiliation. The interviewer treads a thin line when it comes to Human Rights. They may ask about educational qualifications, but not ask when an applicant graduated from school. This could be construed as trying to determine an applicant's age. An employer may ask questions directly related to an applicant's ability to perform the essential duties of a job, however it is dis criminatory to ask unnecessary questions not directly related to the applicants ability to perform the job. Questions cannot be asked about illness, medical history or injuries. JOB DESCRIPTIONS Written job descriptions are essential and should be shown to applicants. They should indicate reasonable job criteria and confirm that the applicant can do the required job. An employer is obliged to train, provide adequate tools and give adequate time to allow a worker to gain job skills. It is customary, but not mandated by law, to provide new employees with a three month probationary period. Ms. Fried encouraged her audience to monitor and discuss performance evaluation closely, to extend a probationary period if nec essary and to dismiss an employee who does not meet the job expecta tions. “Too many business people let problems go on too long. Deal with your employee problems in the first three months, or it will cost you a great deal down the road,” Ms. Fried said. She suggested that employee per formance evaluations be carried out twice a year. The evaluations are like report cards, showing areas of excellence and needed improve ment. From these, employers and employees can develop action plans and job efficiency. HOW TO FIRE Seminar participants raised many questions about firing procedures. Fried noted that job termination for “just cause” is virtually impossible to prove, unless the employer has a clear cut case of theft, fraud, incompetence, drunkenness or inso lence. that John Orum, who had organized a number of community plays in Britain, would be visiting Ontario and a meeting was set up between Ms Hamilton, Mr. Orum, Mr. Dow and Mr. Smith. Mr. Orum will be at the meeting Jan. 29 to tell his expe riences. Mr. Smith said he is excited by what the community play can do for a community. In Eromosa, he said, it brought people together and resulted in a new spirit in the com munity. "My hope is people will get involved with it," Mr. Smith said of the Community Play Pro ject. Current plans call for the Com munity Play to be performed in conjunction with the 1993 Blyth Rutabaga Festival and be presented at the G. L. Hubbard Rutbaga plant. Wrongful dismissal suits against employers can be filed if em ployees feel that they have been fired without reasonable notice or if they have been demoted or trans ferred without just cause. KEEPING ON TOP Employers best protect them selves against the inability to fire an undesirable employee, or wrongful dismissal suits, by doing their homework ahead of time. •Employees who do not live up to the job expectations should receive written warnings. •Job criteria should be detailed on paper, understood and signed by each employee. •Adequate training must be pro vided for employees. •Employers should use proba tionary periods wisely and they should hire with greater care and diligence. “A bad employee can cost you money. A bad employee creates bad public relations and cause morale problems amongst staff. A bad employee ruins work produc tivity. You must hire carefully to avoid Human rights conflicts,” Ms. Fried said. Make your move. panncipacrinn^ Happy 2nd Birthday Tommy Love Mom & Dad by Blyth Festival Singers The music of Scotland will be on display at Holmesville Feb. 8 when a Ceilidh is hosted by the Blyth Festival Singers at the Goderich Township Hall. “There will be dancing, stories from Scotland, the gentle music of a harp, a celebration of song and lots of surprises” says Mary Hearn, organizer of this special event. “A Ceilidh (pronounced “kay-lee”) is the gaelic word for a social gather ing or a Scottish variety night where everybody contributes.” Even the audience gets in on the act with Bob Shepherd of Lucknow teaching Scottish country dancing, the choir leading a sing-a-long and the offering to all of a Scottish deli cacy, “haggis”. (Snow date is February 22). Wade Whittaker conducts the Blyth Festival Singers with selec tions of Scottish Folk songs and some music set to Robbie Bums’ exquisite poetry: My Love Is Like a Red. Red Rose and solos and duets performed by members of the choir. This fun-filled variety night features the talents of the Blyth Festival singers, a 40-voice choir that is drawn from the Belgrave, Belmore, Blyth, Brussels, Clinton, Exeter, Goderich, Lucknow, Seaforth, Stratford and Wingham area. Bill Craig of Clinton will act as Master of Ceremonies with Katie and Kelly Durst of Goderich performing their highland dancing. Rick Elliott of Blyth will play the Happy Sweet 16 th January 20 Kerrie Love Mom, Dad & Jenn PARK THEATRE Hi FAMILY HELD OVER 2 DAYS ONLY I pipes and Mary Hearn of Clinton will be featured on harp. But besides haggis, there's lots of food beginning at 10:30 p.m. for every one, served buffet style, all includ ed in the $12.00 ticket price ($14.00 at the door). WING NIGHT 5 P.M. - MIDNIGHT WINGS 35e EACH MINIMUM ORDER 10 a variety of sauces available Wings available for take out at regular price of 50e each. CHICKEN WINGS & CHIPS $5.45 AVAILABLE MON., TUES. 4 WED. 5:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. THURS., FRI., & SAT. 5 P.M. - MIDNIGHT THURS., FRI. & SAT. NITES PIZZA 5 P.M. - MIDNIGHT EAT IN OR TAKE OUT Love Mom, Dad, Kim & Josh r From The Acclaimed 1 Director Of"GoodFellas" Robert . Nick . Jessica DeNiro Nolte Lange CAPE FEAR,