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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1996-03-20, Page 4fS. Page 4 Times -A try aak,March 20, 1996 Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett Business Manager: Don Smit)? Production Manager: Deb Lord Advertising; Barb Consitt Chad Eedy News. Heather Mir, Chris Skalkos, Ross Haugh, Brenda Burke Production; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Brenda Hem, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner Transportation: Al Flynn, Ai Hodgert Front Q ice & Accounting: Elaine Pinder, Sue Rollings, Ruthanne Negrijn, Anita McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple ;F; pi The Exeter Times -Advocate is a member of a family of community newspapers providing news, advertising and information leadership i inion Meat inspection is vital ccording to information re- ceived by this newspaper there was a time in Ontario when the provincial meat inspectors were classified as a vi- tal service. In fact, this was the situation until near the end of the term of the NDP government when a decision was made to take meat off the list of vital servic- es. Maybe they were psychic about things to come in labor relations with the new Progressive Conservative re- gime. The time was right to give their union brothers even more clout. This area has been particularly hard hit by the strike action as several local abattoirs are nearing the end of their supply of meat. If the situation contin- ues some businesses could be forced to close their doors. Meanwhile, larger meat retailers can expect their sales to jump as they are not feeling the power of OPSEU mem- bers. Their meat is federally inspected before being allowed on the plates of Ontario consumers.Simple mathematics will show while many smaller business- es, who have a hard enough time oper- ating under normal circumstances, could suffer permanent damage. Of course, there is always the option of trucking the animals to be killed to plants where federal inspection is availa- ble, but this is expensive. We would like to believe both the gov- ernment and OPSEU members would want to see meat inspection re-classified as a vital service. Isn't the destruction of small, family-owned businesses the wrong approach to winning a labor dis- pute. Meat inspectors have been working closely with our local killing operations for many years. They're part of a system responsible for building a trust between consumers and those who provide our beef and pork. To break this bond, albeit federplly- inspected meat will undoubtedly fill any shortfall, is short-sighted. A decision Thursday by the Ontario Labor Relations Board denying a gov- ernment request to restore the "vital ser- vice" designation to meat inspectors is a mistake. Whether or not the OPSEU strike is settled soon or it lingers on for many more weeks, meat inspection should be declared a vital service immediately. f� 4 our Views Letters to the editor PACS is a non-profit agency We want to offer the people in Huron Park a chance to buy their own homes with innovative terms.... Dear Editor: Steele Semper Fidelis Inc., and PACS (Partner- ship in Community Services) are willing to step up to the plate and work as part of a Huron Park team to purchase the park and, together with the resi- dents, turn.it into a healthy and sustainable commu- nity. Given the federal and provincial governments' stated intent to transfer control of public housing to the private sector, I believe Steele Semper can offer this community an opportunity to transform itself on its own terms, rather than terms directed by gov- ernments or large development companies. The offer to purchase Huron Park is part of Steele Semper Fidelis Inc.'s plan to reinvigorate the local economy. We want to offer the people of Huron Park a chance to buy their own homes with innova- tive terms, and at affordable prices. How can we make this work? By living in the community and working with the residents of Huron Park to develop businesses, create jobs, and strengthen the local economy. Not all community needs can be met economical- ly. PACS is a non-profit agency that will be run by a community board, with financial assistance from Steele Fidelis Inc., to offer coordinated, integrated human services where people in the community identify there is a need. PACS plans are far from fi- nal. We will be asking every member of the commu- nity, plus others close to the community what they want this community to look like, and how they see its future. We are committed to working collaboratively with all who are willing to help form a healthy, vigorous Huron Park community. May God Bless You! Yours truly, Brother James, MTS, MDiv. • • TORONTO -- Ontario's public servants, who used to t link the worst that could happen was shorter tea breaks, are taking a pounding from which they will have difficulty recuperating. Progressive Conservative Premier Mike Harris in drastically cutting the public service is doing what anyone who visits public build- ings will feel should have been done years ago and previous governments shied from doing, al- though there is room for argument that he is moving too quickly. Hams has declared the public service bloated and many of its workers superfluous, and much of the public reaction has supported him. Some criticisms of public servants have been scathing and must have left many of them feeling wounded. Letters to newspapers ha. said the prov- ince's rowince's own employees who struc.t to keep job security sire making totaltytihrealistic demands because no other workers have security these days and particularly because their employer, the public, is bankrupt. Many have said public sector workers are overpaid, underworked, mollycoddled cryba- bies who should get out in the real world "where they would have to beg for jobs. Some have even suggested that Harris is too gentle, which is not a complaint usually levelled at him, and should fire all his civil servants and many people would be happy to do their jobs for 25 per cent less pay. Letters have jeered that public servants on pickets and other demonstrations never worked 1 so hard in their jobs and even that their leaders should go to jail for civil disobedience. The dispute has brought out a latent irritation at public servants. Most people have a relative or friend working in the public sector and have heard of employees there sitting around. People have been reminded of ultra - generous wages and benefits given many public Publications Mast Registration Number 0388 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: CANADA Within 40 mike (63 be) addressed to non latter owlet addresses 633.00 plus 62.31 Q.S.T. Outside 40 miles (85 km.) or any latter minim' address 633.00 plus 630.00 (total 63.00) + 4.91 Q.S.T. Outside Canada 699.00 plus $8.83 QST (includes 688.40 postage) Published Each Exeter, Ontario, NOM Wednesday E Morning at 4Publications Lt24 Mehl d. Telephoto 14111-235-1.332 • Fax: 819.3350764 O.S.T. 0111011210435 Health Matters. 13y Heather Mir Weekend warriors Spring has sprung and al- though a few snowbanks lin- ger, there is a decided air of optimism taking held. Those of us who have been in hibernation for the past four months are beginning to wake up and fill our bicycle tires with air or perhaps pull out the running shoes. After months on the couch, muscles will need gradual conditioning to get back into shape and those who try to be weekend warriors will feel likely the pain before the gain. It's important to listen to your body. Pain is its way of telling you something is wrong. Different sports can have varying impacts on the body but correcting form and warming up by stretching are good ways to avoid serious injury. A warm-up will increase blood flow to muscles,. liga- ments and tendons. This in- creases flexibility of these soft tissues. Physical exer- cise can injure muscles that are not warmed up but will strengthen a properly pre- pared body. Stretching is only good medicine if done properly. You should only stretch to the point at which you feel a slight easy pull. This feeling of tension should diminish as the stretch is held for 15-20 seconds. Don't bounce. Stretching should also be done at the end of a workout to ease muscles into a relaxed state. Injuries often result from doing too much too soon. Experts suggest running mile- age should only be increase 10 per cent per week. Every third week you should drop back a bit. Alternating activities such as running with other sports gives the body a chance to re- cover and strengthen itself. Runners frequently develop imbalanced muscles such as weak abdominal muscles or quadriceps if they do not ex- ercise them. Other sports such as golfing and baseball also have char- acteristic injuries. In baseball sudden bursts of activity, such as sliding into first base, can cause a dislocation of the shoulder or, tendonitis and if left untreated may lead to a frozen shoulder. A poor golf swing tech- nique can also result in tendo- nitis of the shoulder muscles or low back pain. Consulting an expert to adjust your swing will help relieve back stress. Sometimes the proper equipment is just as impor- tant for preventing injury as proper form. As anyone who has tried rollerblading will agree, wrist, knee, and elbow guards are invaluable in pre- venting scrapes. More seri- ously, falling with an out- stretched forearm can result in wrist fractures. Whatever sport you choose, warming up and cooling down, correcting your form and maintaining the proper equipment will help to reduce your chances of being side- lined before the best of the season begins. Public sector workers sector workers including teachers commonly paid $65,000 a year, retiring on pensions half paid by the public and claiming bonuses up to $32,000 because they did not take days they were allowed to be off sick with pay, but went to work as healthy employees are supposed to. Teachers traditionally have been high among respected professions, but papers have been flooded with letters saying they have life too easy. People also have been offered an electrifying example of how the public sector is overweight and can be reduced by the way On- tario Hydro has cut staff by one-third without noticeable loss of service. If it can be done at Hydro, the public will reason, it can be done elsewhere. Public sector workers also take a drubbing when Harris and his ministers talk constantly of privatizing some branch of gov- ernment. The implication that private enterprise always can do a more efficient and cheaper job does nothing to boost any pride public servant* still have. Public sector workers used to have clout with politicians, who often shied from confron- tations. A Tory government in the 1970s, as ex- ample, wanted to refuse teachers the right to strike, but teachers rapped their knuckles in the biggest demonstration ever at the legislature and the Tories hurriedly backed off. Civil servants' and teachers' unions in the 1990 election ran full-page advertisements ac- cusing Liberal premier David Peterson of not doing enough to fund public services including schools and hospitals and this helped to dis- patch him and install a New Democrat govern- ment. But Hams has ignored these unions and their powers and the Liberals and even New Democrats under Bob Rae, who scrapped union agreements in his social contract, have shown less deference to them. Ontarians will not have a lot of choice where they work, but they will no longer see being in the public service as a prize and job for life. I 1