HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1972-03-09, Page 2GODERICB SIQN 1.f -STA., TH6RSDAY, MAROR 9 1972
StrIke pay cut at Sheaffer Pen
Tts.been 195 days now since workers,
a.tthe Sheaffer Pen Company Plant in
QQderich walked, off their jobs in
Support of wage and other contract ,
demands and despite an announcement
- fast week that -negotiations will,{ once
mare be endeavoured, it is difficult to
Seo that an end to the work stoppage i
much closer than it was on November
The strike of the 65. employees has
n ►t been without indident. Two of .them
{ 'fyf'aei-ng .charges in court
arising from picket. line trouble, 'a
local police officer, caught up in the
labor' troubles, found himself
suspended and now the workers have
been informed, their strike benefits
are to be reduced from $40 per week to
$10 weekly.
All this leads one to consider the
value •of unions as part of the labor
scene in the seventies. How effective
are strikes and :wheat of the
questionable affiliation between
Canadian'unions and those operating
in the United States? All indications
are that the work stoppage at Sheaffer
Pen maywell be falling far short of the
effectiveness it should have. Why?
.,,Fewwould argue with the
suggestion, that it is essential labour
organize themselves with an eye to•
collectively negotiating a better deal
for the. working man. From the
unionistspoint of view,• the various
brotherhoods have proved themselves
time and time again_ at,,,the job of
protecting the workers rights and
helping give• him a fair 'den.l. The
:rob1 gin w en a union gets
too- b'ig-
Like the. prehistoric dinosaurs:, a .
treat many trade unions have grown to- ,
a point where they are so huge and
inflexible they can ° not deal with
disputes on ' a local level. They seem
unable to understand that one company
may well not be in a position to pay its
'worke'rs wages on parity with'workers
of another company even though the
'employees are all members of the
same union.
Such a situation as this comes up all
too frequently in the cases 'of unions of
a multi -national nature, particularly
in, the case of Canada` and the .United
States.
:Whether or net the -management of
the Sheaffer Pen Gornpny is .justified
when it says the company can not, meet .
the wage demands of wisdom in
prolonging a .strike better than 100
-Claylf7/CtirrafrIrperiodiAial, a ld even
then very°"brie'f, atterripts to negotiate
seerns obvious. :Both sides of the
argument are probably to 'blame for
this situation despite the fact they of
course blame each other.
•It seems more than obvious that if
the strike continues much longer
workers will have to work through the
complete duration of a new contract
(even if they receive everything `they
are asking) just to make up for the
money lost during the strike.
Another point also comes to mind. It
is •no longer `whether or not the
company refuses to negotiate on
credible grounds that costs the union
members money. It is far more their
trusted Yankee kingpins, who
recklessly turn down offer after offer,
on the basis of principle from some ,,
far offNew York office and then in the
same breath tell, union membership
their strike benefits are• being cut
back by three quarters because the
strike fund is getting low It seems
hard, to believe the -re is any "point
organizing such huge; international
•
unions if money paid into its coffers
from the American brothers is not
used to help- support a Canadian local
!of only,. 65 workers when they .strike.
Surely some one within . the
Canadian union,locals will `soon smell
the rat. :How long will -they let the
American big boys continue to drain
the Canadian locals of their dues and
then offer $10 per week strike
benefits. ,..•................
Truly unique proposal
There are indications in Goderich
h'is week that some peoPhe here are- `
reluctant to believe that the Surly
Foundation will donate a completely
landscaped, fully'equipped park worth
$75,000-•-$100 000 to the
municipality --no strings attached
* It may simply be that in our dog. -eat -
dog. society, there-- seem -s to:_ be
ulterior motives for
everything..It
could be that, we've been duped too
often ' by bargair"s which are not
bargains at,ali. Our suspicious nature
may result,from bad experiences all
the way from our personal lives
through the gamut of governments.
• The "skeptictsm•which people on the
street are reflecting this ,week
following the presentation in council
las-t vueek b —Bruce Sully, president of
The Dominion Road Machinery
Company Limited, was not unexpected
by Goderich Town . Council. It was
Reeve Paul, Car -roll who reminded
council that "an element'of
criticism" would be forthcoming
whether council accepted or rejected'
the Sully's generous gift.
Fprtunatery for the future of• the
Town of Goderich, council saw only
—the good in the Sully Foundation
proposal: The' members of • council
tentatively approved the plan outlined
by Bruce Sully for a,three-acre park in
nnemory of his father, A.V.M. J.A.
Sully. '
The matter will now go before the
people of Goderich. Since the Sully
plan involves'the closure of certain -w
streets in the town, citizens"Will have
an opportunity • to express their
dislasure', if any, to the park. They
will have the right of appeal ,,and a
possible public hearing. ,
We, trust there will be only minor
objections from Goderich folks. We
feel it would be a mistake to
• jeopardize siich a valuable municipal
resource 'because of possible petty
vanes-- -.� r•---d-ai3g er as -w sh-or t_,
� ,
sightedness. ,
Others are now reaping the sad
results of their -lack of oresight in
yearsone by and evidence ofthat fact
was.. • •vividly. portrayed at last
Thursday's council meeting as well. A
letter -from-. the,. SarniaCity Council...
`told, of the establishiT ent of a Lake
Huron Parkway Commission ' for Th'
purpose of reclaiming"' lands along
Lake Huron for` public use.
That's not a small task. In Huron
County, a recent study revealed that of
about -80 miles of take Huron
shoreline in the county, only about two
miles is accessible to the public.
That's a4tartling-.arid cold fact which
gives us an Idea how ' -
,_� _. _,._ o, we'ye sold our
heritage for the itverbial "mess of
potage'.
In Goderich, for instance, a silent
battle is being waged to• maintain the
beach areas we presently enjoy—and
to ,improve upon them. The Reeve's
harbor and waterfront plans' outlined
in this:newspaper xast year sh'bwed the
need and the value to,retain public
recreational and green areas along
the lakeshore and the river. It makes
good sense to build upon these natural,
res'ource's—for future time when mores
leisure hours will be, enjoyed by
everyone.
The situation which is developing in
Goderich is unique. This may well be
the only Lakeshore community in many
miles where „ land need not be
reclaimed at exorbitant • cost • for OYP proje$ts•, it is possible to come across many worthwhile
public usage, but • is being offered,' ' endeavours. But, aSVith the heavy water plant at what cost, oh
absolutely free and fully serviced for
our perpetual enjoyment.,
As far as we can see, the Sully
family continues to bring only good`
things to Goderich. It is our hope that
the Sully mernorial Park will become
reality`this year.
70 YEARS AGC;
In a special inter community
hockey game ° played at the
Goderich Arena the home town
team downed Lucknow 11.3.
John House, the night watchman
At the Goderich Organ Factory;
proved his worth upon
discovering a fire in the finishing
room of the establishment located
on the third floor. Mr. House
turned •the ch°err}ical
extinguishers on the blaze and
then the factory hose and managed
to extinguish the Fire before any
a riious-nature-was<"
' doll,.
Miss .Laura Acheson returned
to her home in Goderich following'
winter tour throughout North
America "with the Boston Ladies
Symphony Orchestra.
The identity of. a man killed on
;•-the G.T.R. tracks at St. Marys,
and thought to be of Goderich, was
•cleared up when he was identified
as Daniel Hanley. •
A long time resident of
LETTERS
Dear Editor, •
.-'s , rn _r.,said. to _th
Retarded • or. ."slow -learning
adults in our coniinunity...'• I am
referring to last week's -article in
the.Goderich Signal -Star
"Regional Workshop Fails,"
project should not fail it will
f tie-doalt\0#l1-hp,--P%4eacr-�--
„of Directors and Mecutive of the
Goderich and District
Association whoswill he put into
office on March 20. . •
• The representative ' from
won ( 'I e O)OIf
have
• PHOTO BY RON .SHAW
°u y O.AM.R. '(Ont. Assoc, for• The
The Doubts .
All about opportunities
for gouth; grants
In the past few., -weeks, we've heard of a couple of schemes in
Goderich for young people to cash in on the federal government's
Opportunities 'For Youth program. The first was a travelaink
Musical show for people of various ages and problems who are.
confined to institutions of one kind or another, aiid the second
was an environment committee to clea np_Qoderich and the area
•immediately surrounding it
There may be some people who believe these plans are.less
than useful, and while everyone is certainly entitled to his own
opinion, it.is interesting to note that the schemes we've heard •
about in Goderich so far this year • 'are remarkably sound
compared to some others for which grants have already been
•
approved. . .
• The following is an editorial "The Doubts '•;. which came from
the Smiths Falls Record News to us via -The Glengarry News.
A Canadian Experiment is what • Secretary of State Gerard
Pelletier calls his new pocketbook. It's a title that is meant,to•
stir ,the blood with'the pulsing of old initiatives. And it does—
there's the' heavy, water plant in Glace Bay, .the Canada
Dev'elopmeat Corn._, the,Avvro Arrow, the -Bona nture Which
..
isn't to say that some day we may not end up with a valuable heavy ,
water plant on the east coast. Or that,we never benefited from the
Arrow, Or that the Bonnie didn't have its• lessons.'Or that there
was absolutely no value in Mr,r Pelletier's Opportunities for
Youth Program • •
Obviously there are good things to be found in any of these
experinioents: And so flipping through the pocketbook, which is. a
catalogue of how Mr• Pelletier spent $24.7 -million. funding 2,316
•
the 'SIGNAL -STAR SICNAL-STAR
•�( The County Town Newspaper of Huron —0—
Founded in 11148 end' published every Thursday at 37 West St., Goderich, Ontario', Member of the..Audit
BureatiafCirculation, the CWNAendOWNA. Advertising rates on request. Subscriptions payable in
advanc0,0100 in Canada, 09.50• in t►rl•cquntries other than Canada; single copilis 20 cents. Second'
a ala'ssmailliegistritionNurriber,0716, Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of
typographical error, thatportiOn.of the Advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together
With le 61I*Wiece forsrgnature, wi Ir not be charged foe but the balance of the advertisement
will be paid for at the applicable rate. In The event of a typographical error advertise"ng goods or.
.servicesat*wrong price, good's or ftrvicesmay flot be .old. Advertising is merely .an offer to sell,
Ina may be withdrawn at any time.
y.... P tblisbed by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd.
d• 'ditoriar�,,fite .1 . ;pre ' ident and publisher
�I�x1116►s'� �l1 Room. G. �HFt ER p s t p
TEt ENf al '524,8331 ,
- vial staff
aria erode 5i9 . 3HIfiLI J: K i!.t» R ,elle
torlat staff
Second Oats Melt rsgfa►trstton nur+rrbIr 01'16 EDWARD J. BYRSKI-advet'tising manager,
Lord, at• what cost!
It is possible to overlook all the activist programs *such as the •
one in Quebec East where $18,029 was provided for "thirty
students(to) carry out sociological studies of the environment
during the summer season with a view to creating political
awareness among the people." ,
If the Government wants to feed the hand that bites
maybe there'll be lessons in that too.
•
Nor is it necessary to get outraggd•about all the projects where
the Government Seems to be buying public opinion research
througtre Opportunities for. Youth Program which would be
more honestly contracted for openly and through nbrmal party
channels. For instance, in Matane County in Quebec $2;160 was
granted to "three student's (to) conduct a study of services...in
order to determine the needs of the populatiot't'and to assess the
satisfaction or dissatisfaction with existing services". Or in
Montreal $6,690 allowed six people to do"a technical analysis of
the consequences of constructing the fast -West autoroute...and
public reaction toward urban•renewal'', The Liberals may find
distress -in such public -opinion -surveys -on -the -cheap.
It is even possible to admire the initiative of the nine people at
D'Arcy in British Columbia who got $3,200 "to enable members
of the Langstaff Cnrnmune to buihI themselves a sound economic
base and to establishan intercommunal itlformation • service" .
(Acquiring their sound economic base was a neat manoeuvre.
How did they make out with their information service?)
But when it comes to giving five people at the Bare Bottom
Ranch commune in Edgewood, B.C. $1,000 to, among other
things, "care fora dairy oow' that's another matter. Even Mr.
Pelletier would have to admit that's going a little far with the
milk of human kindness. . m
Editorto
the
Mentally Retarded) will continue residences," according to
1t�r�3i•s�rs•src>rr�-•�~-�-�,---��>�• O:A-.�
Association to promote this' The readers who may think that
project, To be acceptable by the this-problemisot; no concern to
associationdt may take a different, them.must remember the need for
form than did the original these facilities, may strike some
)ro osal. member of their own family:any
Many peopled -ono( realize that where, anytirrie! °We need ail of
there is a need 'for a; larger , Goderich and • Huron County
workshop in this area.. The backing plans for a,•.-„Retaircded
present location has a limited • '” Workshop•for this district.
capacity, and a limited Are you prepared to help when
curriculum to help these people -the plans are finalized? ' •
find their place in the community.
It has certainly ,played an Yours truly,
important part in teaching the The Advisory Committee
present' students how ' to do for a' larger workshop
various household jobs such as 'for retarded adults
cooking, sewing: Making rugs and
other crafts, but the boys who will privately to the Concerned Youth:
be leaving The Queen Elizabeth .• I read your letter with great
school in one or two years at 18 enthusiasm.' Obviously you are a
years of age,, need other skills rriii w ith real _
fully earn mitted yo '>
such as gardening, and -care of , deal of wisdom! it always .shows
animals on a limited scale and strength when one casts the yoke
this cannot be taught in .the of trouble onto one's parent's
present location. shoulders.
Some of the benefits_ available Since YOU know that "sone -of
to the Mentally Retarded in a the guilty ones were admitted",
larger Workshop and Residence •deductively, I can reason that you
are listed below; also know who the guilty kiddies
1. 0./V.M.R. has stated that it
can' make.availabl'e more trained were.
Have you thought of reporting
personnel to teach a greater these to "old Bricsles" so that he
range of subjects and skills so can keep the destructive -children
that more of the reta riled • persons out and allow the innocent ones"
may find someway of fitting into: to enter the sanctified halls?
the commit, aruzusai 4 _'IIncrdeittall'y; that rat- r t -i -ng
The.-.p-rovifi, . f Ontario has
grants availae ` to assist these . ,but nherely'a protection of your
Goderich E. Downing was back in
business following his purchase
of the P.T•.' Halls shoe store
locally..
J. J. •1VIcMath brought a numberi.
of snow drops from his garden
into the Signal Office as a sure
sign of spring.
The annual meeting of the
Huron County Children's Aid
Society was to be held at he
director's office that Friday,
March.10.
25 YEARS•AGO •
A group at Auburn announced
plans to build a communityohall in
memory of men from. that 'village
and area who lost their lives
'overseas duriitheSecond World
War. •
Rev. Father C. F. Nagle died
following a tong illness at the age '
of 75. Bishop Kidd announced he
would conduct the service for the
priest who had been in charge of
.St.Peter's Church in Goderich.
Goderich Town Council was
seeking a vote of,the rate payers
in the;questi4on df,a large
expansion to the local, 'public
school.
• The minister and officials at
the Victoria Street United Church
announced that they would be
the holding their 'second annual
Sunday especially for 'all :engaged -
in thoanse pursuits.
Atr the rregular meeting of the
Goderich Music Club plans and
t t ri rl ��llCarre_d.is r ti c s ed f or
Workshops to operate.
2. A larger workshop would
also lead itself to ",more
recreational facilities, -music and
sports, which are available to the
rest of the population,
3. The students may' commute
daily to the workshop, or if this is
not convenient a residence may
house them near the workshop for Dear Editor,
part of the week. O.A.M•R. has When first the emp• loyees of a
• been promoting this idea also. Company joined together td+
Nearly two years of "ground" bargain unitedly ' with that
work has gone into the planning of Company, they became a Union as
this project by a few, of the the name implies. They took this
' members of The Association. step for mutual protection, and to
Perhaps there has not been advance their individual and
enough discussion among the collective interests, and that was
other members as to how this the one and only reason for their
should be organized and what they Union to exist. This we can call '
could do to promote this need in the Trade Union Structure.
• the community. Today we have the same type of
-� ' • Do any of you readers wonder Structure, and sitting on top of the
what happens to these retarded Structure is the Superstructure of
people when their parents are Officialdom, now it would appear
gone? Some•go into Institutions (if that the reason for the Union to
there is room), some go from One exist is to serve the
relative to another, Or are placed-Superstructut'e. 'What • other
in Nursing homes and forgotten. explanation can 'there be in the
The value of . a 'residence action of the International
connected, with the wrrkshop Association of Machinists
should .be -considered. Parents reducing the strike aid to the
maym a k e previous• striking workers of the Sheaffer
arrangements, so that their Pen Company. •
retarded child could :stay there, It could not have been a lack of
and not find the adjustment so funds t h aT caused t h e
difficult when they are left alone. • Superstructure to, take' thin"
The government' a will also action.. Any Union collecting
subsidize the upkeep of these millions of dollars. yearly from
its Canadian membership, much
"democratic" rights!)
Moral of the story (Life):
• Instead of cawing "much ado
about nothing" -X•OU ' "take
action"
J.A.F.
P.S.•
PatMichael Watts' baek for
me!
0
4
it
y3 .
b
the upcoming Music Festival in
Goderich. '
'Reeve _ John f'. Daly of •Seaforth
passed away in his seventy-fifth
year. He had been in failing health
btor the past two months.'
The Ahmeek Chapter of the
Daughters of the Empire held a
special meeting to celebrate the
46th anniversary of the group's
founding.
FIVE YEARS AGO
can des -Ag 1 Ulture •MiT tster
J. J. Greene had good words to say
for the Huron ,County Beef
industry whenhe was in town to
address a meeting Of the Huron.
Liberal Association.
Representatives found
themselves in the bear pit when
they attended Goderich Town
Council meeting'with the council
members firing a long list of
questions *ith regard to dousing.
The Canadian Red Cross
started a drive in Goderich to help
raise the fund ; xieeded to finance
the group's work.
Gord McGavin, a Walton area
-irplemeht dealer,, was chosen by
the Huron -Liberal Association to
head up its activities for the
upcoming year.
`' A large crowd enjoyed the
Ontario Fa•r-niers U•nj.on,
Centennial, Ball held in Auburn
.' with prizes giveh for various
categories of dress as well. as a
beard growing contest. °•
It A was announced that the
elementary schools of Ashfield
and West Wawanosh -would,, be
consolidated under one roof with
the• new school to be officially
openectina ceremony on April 3,
- Open House was held at
Victoria Public School as part of
activities going on at the school .in
recognition of Education Week.
of that motley goingacross the
line to swell the coffers of the
International Treasury, can
surely afford to issue full strike
aid to 64' strikers, that have so
gallantly stood all winter on a
picket line, fighting against
something that °threatened their
Very existence as''a bargaining
unit, And at the same time fighting
Hie battle for other workers, that
could be in a similar position.
As an old Grade Unionist I do -
hope that no anteHTratle unionist
draws aid and comfort from' my
° Tetter. Such types would get Short
Shrift from 'me. Midst) would sett
serving offidialdom: ' '"
Arthur,Laverty..
ife
4