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Klricton Carnival
Four contestants
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page 12
Special Olympian
Elsie Swan
on way to
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Second front
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Self defense
course
cancelled
in Lucan,
LUCAN -. - A women's self-
defense course planned for Lucan's
community centre has been can-
celled.
The course, which was to have
been sponsored by the Lucan Lions
Club and would have been taught
by an instructor from London, only
attracted 10 women to the registra-
tion on January 25.
Unforuutately, a 25 -person regis-
tration' was required to make the
two -Saturday course worthwhile.
Participants would '•.have,..been
taught to street -proof themselves to
guard against attack, and would
have learned basic defense skills in
case of attack.
T -A top-
ranked for
second year
TORONTO - For the second year
running, the Times Advocate has
placed among the top newspapers
in its class in the province: ,,
In the Ontario Community News-
papers Association's 1991 editorial
awards, the Times Advocate has
. placed second in the General Excel-
lence competition which each year
judges the overall quality of com-
munity newspapers in each circula-
tion category.
First place went to the Halibunon
County Echo, and third place to the
Kapuskasing Northern Times. Last
year, the T -A placed first overall.
At the OCNA convention later
this month, the T -A will also be
bringing home a third-place Pre-
mier Award in the Heritage catego-
ry for editor Adrian Harte's feature
article on the renewed interest in
Lucan's Donnelly, legacy. Premier
Awards are open to community pa-
pers of all circulations.
Hay Township
employees
given three
percent pay
hike
ZURICH - Salaries for staff of
Hay Township will be going up
three percent this year, as approved
by council at their January 20 meet-
ing
The hourly ges of pan -time
staff will also going up by the
same amount.
.. While, the wa a increases apply
to municipal off staff, road staff,
and the pari -time employees. what
the actual dollar cost to taxpayers
will be is not being released.
• Under their interpretation of the
Freedom of Information Act, Hay
Township .will not re1ee staff sal-
aries without written consent of the
employee, to which feat, if any;
staff would.agrec.
North Middlesex & Lampton
75 cents
Klopp backs stronger unions
CLINTON - Huron MPP Paul
Klopp appeared unruffled after lo-
cal business leaders slammed his
government's proposed reforms to
the Labour Relations Act at a meet-
ing Friday afternoon.
The meeting was a public forum
to -discuss the NDP's plans to over-
haul the 15 -year old Act; plans
which many claim reflect the gov-
erning parry's support of organized
labour unions.
The plan offers more support to
--workers in the process of organiz-
ing a union, strengthens the auaion`s
position in case of a labour dispute,
and will eliminate the right to hire
• replacement workers among its
many recommendations:
In his of ening remarks, Klopp
said he supported the white paper's
proposals, especially !!ince Pree
'Dade has dramatically changed the
picture of Ontario's worltplace.
Workers rights need to be protected
more than ever, he said, and dis-
pelled suggestions that a new Act
would make Ontario industries less
able to compete,ggainstthe-Ameri-
cans.
"We want to make some labour
changes that they dont have in
Louisiana? My feeling is they
should change Louisiana," said
Klopp. •
-
The goal, Klopp said, is to mak
labour and management work' bet-
ter together, and he stated that
many other countries have far
tougher rules regarding labour r* -
tions than those proposed.
The first speaker was John Gray,
the executive director of Communi
ty Living South Huron in Dish -
'wood, who said the unibnized
agency has had few labour dis-
putes. He went through the reform
proposals, section by section, and
suggested that while the govern-
_ment was about to stpmgthen the
rights of workers seeking 'to join a
union, he said he could not see "is
protection for employees' rights not
to ...1seeusmovingawayfrom
---Gray accused the NDPof apply-
ing - the same labour rules to his
small Dashwood operation that
!night be more appropriate "at GM
in St. Thomas".
"But these rules apply to us all,"
he said.
He also argued that the clause to
MPP Paul Klopp (right) defends his goverinment's labour reforms to Paul Steckle (left) and Mi-
chael Sully at Friday's meeting.
SPP cheaper, suggests Mickle
EXETER - Although the Police
Services Board has been in exis-
tence only a week and has yet to
have its first meeting, its effect on
the operation of the Exeter Police
Force is already apparent.
Mayor Bruce Shaw revealed at
Monday evening's council meeting
Council
relents on
pay raises
EXETER - While the tightfisted
mood of two weeks ago is still with
town council, they have relin-
quished part of their zeal -to freeze
the salaries of town employees.
A behind -closed -doors meeting
of council appears to have softened
the positions of councillors who
two weeks ago were ready to deny
staff pay increases associated with
a pay -scale grid approved by coun-
cil last Year through pay -equity ldg-
islation.
A report from the public works
committee proposing that four
works employees receive merit pay
increases went through with little
noise at Monday evening's council
meeting.
A call -by councillor Ervin Sillery
to freeze those wages did not re-
ceive a seconder. Councillor Ben
Hoogenboom said he too was reluc-
tant to sec salaries increase, bui
also mentioned the fact • the town
saved money •last year on PRIDE
and other capital projects by having
town staff do the work. 'He said, a
•freeze "was just not realistic".
Council also reconsidered the
merit increases of the three employ-
ees which had been sta led two
weeks ago by council's call for a
freeze. Reeve' Bill Mickle mo-
tioned to go ahead with the increas-
es as they had been proposed, but
councillor Robert Drununoid, ap-
parently referring to a closed -
meeting discussion, pointed out
employees with fewer than,
fav years service would not re -
eel the grid jump until the a iii
-versary of their hiring date. A third
'e.goloyee's pay ince would be
effective immediately. -
Councillor ,,Bob Spears still,ex-
pressed misgivings .about pay in-
creases-wbile-council_ was .aiming
for a sero -taut increase budget.
that the police association, which
represents the town's police officers
has already sent a, letter to the new
board suggesting 'that a wage con-
tract signed last year may be open
for re -negotiation. The contract
was to have been in effect until ear-
ly 1993.
Council also got into a debate on
who should represent Exeter at the
upcoming meeting for the commit-
, tee which oversees the Huron Po-
lice Communications system: a
council member, or a member of
the new Police Services Board.
"The easy way out would be for
me to go so I could represent both
groups, but I can't go," said Shaw.
Bill Mickle pointed out the Hu-
ron Police Communications system
was set up by an agreement among
county councils.
"Who is police communications
going to be billed to?" asked Mick -
le.
"To us," replied Shaw, to which
Mickle then said the town should
attend the meeting then the bill
should be fonharded to the board,
arguing that -the town is still 'the
spokesperson. for the communica-
tions system.
"We still have a shave 'in it, not
the police services foard," said
Mickle.
Council agreed with Mickle and
chose councillor Dave Urlin to at-
tend the February 19 meeting.
"Otherwise let -the government
put up their own damn communica-
tions," said Mickle.
Exeter's share of the communica-
tions service may be going up be-
cause of the increase in population
in the town in recent years. Shaw
Please turn to page 2
forbid the hiring of replacement
workers, or "scabs", during a strike
hum the employers rights.
."I feel,.*personally, an employer
has a right to continue business
during a strike," said Gray.
"This government feels that all
employees wish 10 be represented
by a trade union,." claimed Gray,
saying that is not the case at all.
Paul Steckle, from the Blue Wa-
ter Rest Home in Zurich, said
while he is an employee, he finds
himself taking -a management point
of view when reviewing the new
Act proposals. ,
makes no difference to small busi-
ness. There's no sense in getting
people whipJed up for nothing,"-
said
othing,=said Mason.
He also said unions do not mean
a loss of competitiveness, and quot-
ed statistics to back his point. He
also. said General Motors is still in-
vesting heavily in its St. Therese
plant, despite powerful Quebec la-
bour laws, including the ban on re-
placement strike workers.
"I hate to think what it would be
like without -a reasonable size la-
bour movement in Ontario," sled
Mason.
"Ontario has the best social programs...
the lowest productivity...
the highest percentage of unionized labour...
Steckle said the most successful
businesses have employees running
their own "in-house" unions, but
the new Act removes "intrinsic
rights currently theirs". He also
said the proposals run counter to
the recurring theme in Canadian
business: "government, get off my
back;'. .
He said the present failure of the.
economy isn't labour -related, but
because our businesses are having
trouble competing. And he stated
that forced quota hiring of minori-
ties won't help competitiveness
"when qualifications are secon-
day„•
"These very directives are caus-
ing business to leave our province,”
he said, adding that with Premier
Bob Rae's prediction of "economic
doom" this was no time to continue
pursuing "social justice reforms".
"I'm not here union bashing, but I
believe there are more important
matters than organizing these peo-
ple. Most people are glad to have a•
job," sakeSteckle.
"I do not believe we can legislate
people into competitive relation-
ships," he said. '
Randy Mason from the Canadian
Auto Workers Union local 27 in
London said his loll has lost 1,800
members in the past months. He
called the NDP plan a "practical
and sensible approach to reform"
and asked for the provincial,legisla-
ture to adopt them in whole.
He accused the business commu-
nity for acting with "outrightrhys-
terra" in some cases to the propo-
sals and said most complaints were
just "smoke and mirrors" to prevent
their losing their "absolute power in
the workplace".
Mason said the recent Health and
Safety Act was feared by business-
es to lead to more refusals to work
and production -line stoppages, but
he said these worries failed to mate-
rialize.
"Small business, what do they
have to fear of this legislation. It
"It's proeably the employer's fault
if the employees join a union," he
concluded.
Michael Sully of Champion Road
Machinery in Goderich, spoke
about how he saw the reforms
harming the competitiveness of On-
tario's industry, arguing that every
business needs to be "world class"
but,most fall short. He said Ontario
heeds to put more money into sci-
ence and vocational education, and
to reduce the drop-out rate, to im-
prove that competitiveness.
Sully said Ontario has the best
social programs on the continent,
the lowest productivity, the highest
pe¢entage of unionized labour,
the highest provincial deficit, the
most work days last, and the most
restrictive labour legislation.
"We have a society that thinks it
has this coming to them, that it's
all right," accused Sully, saying
that protective labour laws wont
eorrect this situation. He said the
companies with the best records on
.winters' rights have doiae so
• through "enlightenment", not legis-
lation.
Unions by nature,•said Sully, are
divisive, suggesting that a new La-
bour Act should encourage more
"harmonious relations by whatever
means, not just unions".
Ross Hemingway, representing
the CAW local 2213, also from •
London, offered his supp et of the
proposed legislation. He said new
legislation can benefit labour° sig-
nificantly, sayingthat the hazard-
ous materials handling rules took
many harmful chemicals out of the
. workplace.
He referyred to Sully's comment
that this was not the right time for
such legislation.
"When is the right time?" asked
Hemingway.
Valerie Bolton, representing the
Huron Employment Liaison Pro-
ject (HELP), explained she is also
the president of the Huron NDP
Please turn to page 3
Council costs town $62,874.1 last year
EXETER - It.eost Exeter taxpay-
ers $62,874.11 to have a town
council last year. That figure was
the bottom line of the statement of
remuneration and expenses present-
ed at council Monday evening.
The biggest spender was reeve
Bill Mickle, received, in addition to
his stipend and per diem rate, some
$4,902 for his attendance at meet-
ings and conferences oldie Associ-
ation of Municipalities of Ontario
(AMQ) and Ontario Small Urban
Municipalities (OSUM), the latter
of which he is chairman. •
Councillor Robert Drummond
asked why the town bore those ex-
penses and mayor Bruce Shaw
agreed it bas been a bone of,,�t'iten-
tion for some ythese or-
ganizations, including the Munici-
pal Police- Association, do not
compensate municipalities for the
expenses of executive members.
l'1ickle said there is hope -at
AMO that this situation will change
in the near future and municipali-
ties may be able to claim back
those expenses. At any rate, he
said his term as OSUM chairman
ends in May.
"That'll save us some money,"
joked Shaw. '
Mickle defended his position
with OSUM and AMO saying the
organizations have fought hard to
1991 Exeter council remuneration
Council member
— Stipend
- Per Diem
Mutual Life
Conf. Regis.
r Travel
' Total
Bruce Shaw '
$7,906
SO _
$111.76
$82.41
,$813.39
. $4913.56
4
Bill Mickle
$4,049
$2,20100
$1352.22
$498.66
$2810.97
$11,115.85
Lossy Fuller
$4049
5490.00
$1352.22
$449.91 ,
$674.48
$7,015.61
Ben Hoogenboom
$4,049
$01352.22
$14
$0
$5,415.22
Harry Klungel
$4,049
$420
$111.76
$703.31
$812.73
$6,096.80
Do 9thy Chapman
$4,049
$280
-
$1352.22
- '
$ 21.1O
$600.06
$6,802.38
-.1-
Dave Urlin
$4,049
-
$0
-+
' ..$111.76
$0 .
$0
$4,160.76
Morley Hftll
$4,049
$140
$1406.40
$0
$181.31
$5,776.71
&vie '
Stlkry -54;049
....,.$140
.
$1352.22
$703.31
$884.64
$7,129.17
keep provincial funds flowing to
Ontario's smaller towns.
"I hope council .realizes some
gains have been made at the table
of AMO by being there," he said.
Mayor Bruce Shaw was the sec-
ond largest recipient of remunera-
tion and expenses at 58,913.56, but
mainly due to the considerably
higher base stipend for the mayor's
chair, which is S7,906.
New councillors Robert Drum-
mond, Bob Spears and Tom Hum-
phreys have so far only spent
S149.35 each for registration at a
municipal councillor's conference.
When reviewing the statement
councillor Ben Hoogenboom said
there "was no question" that the per
diem rate of councillors could be
cut back. It currently stands at $70
for a full-day meeting, and $35 for
a half day.
' Mickle later made a motion that
council atipends and per diem rates
slay at 1491 levels.
Shaw intervened and pointed out
stipends in the past have been
based on the average of those in
neighbouring t+tl was in the previous
year.
Vac .year we did take a cut, and
this motion may be premature if we
tine to be taking a cut," mid Shaw.
said be *greed
M�d 's motialn fie I*Ied .
1pd ,�yacutive gormmitiee to t�ocort-.