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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-12-27, Page 3JAC[S JOTTINGS The decision made Septem- ber 21st by the Civil Service Association of Ontario, to demand a 61.5 percent wage in- crease this year and to strike' if that demand is not met by December 31st, is a storm war- ning that cannot be ignored. Civil Service strikes were outlawed more than two years ago , but there will be a dislocating protracted and acrimonious strike anyway unless the Government acts promptly, decisively and in good faith to restore order and reason to its labour/management relations. Clearly the Provincial em- ployees are not deterred. by the fact that their strike woo'ld be illegal and in fact the com- pulsory arbitration aspect of the Government's heavy han- ded and insensitive bargaining prcedure has intensified their current militancy. If the Gover- nment acts noW to modify its restrictive Crown Employees' Collective Bargaining Act; then a strike can be avoided.Other- -w se- an 4®rl inevitabl'e. Leader of the Official. Op- position, Robert Nixon, belives that the, present statute which became law :on May 30, 1972, is unnecessarily restrictive. The Liberal Party opposed it when it was put through ' the Legislature -and Mr. Nixon said during the debates that he believed it is wrong in principle and that anyone who supports it will regret it. It is now ap- parent that the legislation is self defeating - that rather than preventing strikes it has engen- dered. a bitterness and frustration within the Civil Ser- vice that threatens to provoke a strike. The arbitration provisions which leave a 2 to 1 built-in majority favouring the Govern- ment and the . exclusions of almost all conditions of em- �� ployment except salary are two areas that must be corrected efore useful negotiations can ontinue. Mr. Nixon suggested that a joit committee of MPP's and rep esentatives of the Civil Ser- vice Association should . be estab ished immediately before relati ns with the 60,000 gover- nment employees deteriorate further, to redraft ' the law governingCrown . Employees contract egotiations. The new legislation should establish free and open negotiations irrd all areas dealing 'with salary and working conditions for Provin- cial employees. The new law must recognize, however, that certain em- ployees of the government per- form essentialservices, which they cannot be permitted top, withdraw by means of a strike or a walkout. Specifically police protection and certain other services such as the basic care .'a patients in psychiatric hospitals should• be recognized by reasonable people as essen- tial. The joint committee should determine which other categories' of employees, if any, would endanger the health or safety of the community .at large if they were to withdraw, their services , and should provide for an efficient and fair arbitration procedure for these employees. There is no' way, however, .-that any essential characteristic can be associated with the people who work for example in the liquor stores or many,of the government offices, whose ser- vices, while important to 'a community arenot so essential that their withdrawal would endanger health or safety. During the last two years elected representatives have had experiences at the Federal, Provincial and Municipal levels' with strikes in the public service area: There have been illegal strikes among 'the fire fighters at airports and by some hospital workers in this Province and in other jurisdic- tions. Obviously the solution is not sitriply to put those people breaking the law, as it presen- tly is, in jail. It must be recognized that if the laws are so constructed that broad categories of people find them- selves unable to obey them,. then we do not have the proper solution to the problems, that our laws are designed to solve - problems that have been with us in the past and are growing in intensity and scope day by day. • This view is apparently shared by Senator Carl Golden- berg, who was recently appoint ted by the Davis Government as mediator in the Toronto Transit Commission tabour dispute. fie wrote last year that "compulsory aroitratton will not in itself eliminate --strikes. In Australia where it has been in effect for many years, there are many more strikes and walkouts annually than in Canada. Its experience shows that compulsory arbitration does not prevent strikes; it only makes them illegal." Surely the Government's ob- jective must be to• prevent strikes not simply, to make them illegal. In the present cir- cumstances, it "appears that a Civil Service strike cannot be prevented unless the law is changed to provide greater freedom of negotiation and to restrict compulsory arbitration .to employees whose services are essential. The corizposiotion of the Ar- bitration Board which as presently established, is seen to be weighted in favour of the Government, is an additional problem. The procedure which allows the government to. ap- point one, member • and the Chairman of. the three-man. legal ~tri a appears -Board reinforee -i► --the--tm=- the employees acid many.objec- tive 'observers.; the impression that the legislation as it now stands is fraught with problems and possibilities for ,unfairness and injustice. At 'the upcoming session of the Legislature the government must bring forward new legislation as developed by the joint committee of MPP's and Civil Service rerresentatives that will correct this situation and, also make ' it possible to negotiate with provincial employees in a free and open manner in all areas dealing with salary and working conditions: 4 Once again emphasis must be placed on the fact that certain employees perform essential services and must be so regulated but the general categories of employment must have access to free negotiation if we are ever to restore some harmony and co-operation to labour -management relations in the .Provincial Civil Service. The present adyertising .cam- paign by the Civil Service Association has emphasized this aspect even more than the financial issue, and it is Mr. Nixon's belief shared ' by the members of his Caucus that it would be impossible for any -reasonable negotiation to -take place on salaries and wages un- til the ill -feelings related to the method of negotiation are dealt with. If the atmosphere of hitter= ness surrounding the Crown Employees' Collective Bargaining Act is dispelled by • the passage of new legislation, the salary' demand will un- doubtedly be modified, by negotiations in the corning months. The alternative is heightened confrontation and resistance on both sides of the bargaining table, and ' even- tually an illegal strike which will cause hardship to citizens and taxpayers ,in every part of the Province. -The Minister of Transpor- tation and Communication in- troduced'a Bill entitled,,•An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act. This Bill deals with nine subjects of legislation four ,of which are of significant impor- tance to the motoring public of this Province. They are amendments relating to. the operation of school bu'se's, mandatory driving license suspensions of convictions under the criminal code for offenpes ihvolving the operation of a motor vehicle, delegation of powers to municipalities and the. regulation of motor assisted: assisted bicycles. The, school bus provisions are amended to require the sehool bushstopping law to apply to all highways regardless of speed limit, Under these provisions there is an onus on the school bus driver to activate the signals as prescribed. Motorists 'following' a school bus must stop, whenever school bus signal lights are flashing and motorist meeting the bus must similarly stop except when on a highway divided by a physical barrier or an unpaved strip of ground. These provisions also prohibit the use of chrome ,yellow paint ,,on busses other than school buses. The driver license suspension provisions . prescribe a man- datory three month suspension for all first offences and a man• datory six months suspension for every subsequent conviction within a five year period. In furtherance to the policy of delegating greater powers to the municipalities the Bill con F:ROM QUEEN'S PARK by the Minister of Municipal by-laws regulating and gover- ning traffic with the exception of those relating to. connecting links in the installation of traf- fic lights. Provision is made for by-laws to be filed by the Ministry and for th repeal of by-laws which are innc nsistent with the Highway Traffic Act. An amendment providing a reduction from 50 percent to 20 percent in Ontario's Land Speculation Tax was given third reading in the Legislature..Revenue Minister, Arthur Meen, said the tax would lose its immediate im- pact by being only 20 percent of th'e amount of speculative gains rather than, a very substantial healthy and significant 50 per- cent. The'amendment rose out of the Federal Government's refusal to allow the Provincial tax for Federal Income tax pur- poses. Those who have paid the full 50 percent tax will receive refunds plus 7 percent interest. In the opinion of the Official Opposition, the demand for a 61.5 percent pay increase is unrealistic and inflationary, and .must surely be recognized as an initial bargaining stance adopted by the government em- ployees. It is the feeling of the Official Opposition that there should not be` interference at this stage with the negotiations between the representatives of the workers, that is 'the executive of Civil Service Association, and the Management Board of the 'Province; which has the respon- sibility to bargain for the management side. DEAR EDUOR tit Dear Editor, Happiness is,a state of_rnind, not something that is turned on and "off by gifts and merry making. This I realized while • making arrangements for the delivery of .Christmas Meals - on -Wheels.• I sincerely hope that the meals -on -wheels drivers realize the happiness that they have generated with each meal they have delivered. The meals are unportant. .hut the fact that someone has. been concerned enough to take.time to deliver. them with a „smile' and a kind• word has brightened the lives of many lonely people. As I ha'd a spot of tea with our number 'one (she was the first to call to' reserve a meal) she smiled and said, "All those drivers are good.' Some know me but, they have changed so much since I knew them. I love • to see them cot-rm. I must. get out and clear• a path for them through the snow. The path I cleared for yo,. is almost filled That is important having someone to make a path for. One woman struggled to the door with a piece of tinsel hanging to her walker. I asked what she' intended to do with it.. She 'replied,_ "Oh, I am • looking for place to hang it. It is so awful not being ah'le to do the things -I used to do. This morning I got up really hltie hut as I painted my face things got brighter. It is not so bad I have my own home. I am not in an, institution." Another door was opened by • the visiting hairdresser. -She 'was washing Mrs. Bell's hair in the kitchen sink. I take my .hat off to Miss Godfrey. She is a - morale builder for many of the older women who cant get out to the. hairdrestiers, I. was surprised how quic•k,ly another door was' opened by one of our. regulars. • She was; putting on her overshoes while she waited for a M.O.W. driver to pick her up to take her to visit a sister in_ the hospital. • Her sister will' he out for Christmas. They will he able to enjoy their Meals -on -.Wheels -1 Christmas dinner together. Miss Kirkey and her Alexan- dra Marine and General Hospital's kitchen staff has - promised an ' extra. special Somebody dares! Cares if you are new in town and feel kind of lost; If you've just added.a new son or daughter to your family; If HE' has finally asked you to become his wife; If you or someone in your family is celebrating a very special oc. casion . Who? \1111k 'c\k,V,,t111 Call 524-6675• tains provisions which will ' eliminate the need for approval Christmas dinner with all„ the trimmings. When Miss Kirkey asked last October how m-a''ny I expected would want Christ-. mas ,dinner,.. I was startled . because I hadn't thought of the great day then. Now it is almost here, How; time flies? The Meals -on -Wheels co- ordinators, Muriel Stokes and Isobel MacDonald are a bit selfish. We are enjoying the pleasure of visiting and delivering the Chrititmas din- ners ourselves. We have known and visited these people for almost a year. It seems fitting that we should have the pleasure of delivering "a really (great meal" on this, festive oc- c'asion with special favcirs made `try Marg Murray. • Mrs. Stokes and I wish to thank everyone who made Meal; -on -Wheels 'possible. We have enjoyed working with fill of you. We have -another thine; going after the New Year. Mike Dymond, G'oderich Recreation Director !„has promised a daytime 'exercise group for those of you who feel their 'creaking joints need some exer- cise. The price is right — $3.00 for 12 weeks if we can get enough participants to pay the expenses. At the moment we ex- pect that the exercises teaching us how to t'retch and ;relax those well worn muscles, will be Monday, depe=nding on the. availability, of an instructor and a place to have them. if you are interested please pick up a doctor's consent form,at the Goderich Recreation Office, 9 Waterloo St. S., Huron County Health Unit, C'i'iirt House or the Information and Friendship 'Centre, 56 East Street. Women,!s Dav Out had a lovely Christmas party with carols, -children's games, pup- pets Santa 'Claus and everything. As someone said "It is just like a house party." Everyone enjoyed singing the ofd familiar carols. It was fun watching mothers and children play ring -around -a -rosy and other fun games with , Eta* Nixon providing the music and rhythm.-Hilde Maurer and her puppeteers hung a' blanket on the Knox Presbyterian kitchen door to present'an exciting pup- pet show with Hilde manipulating the puppets, Joan Van Den Broech projecting the voices and Gwen Kiar swit- ching puppets. Santa Claus' arrival with ha gs of candy canes and Santa's interested in safety -even at New Year's time Dominion `Automobile Association, Canada's largest independent automobile club, recently sent their officials to the North Pole to interview Mr. Santa Claus on the subject of highway safety in Canada. Santa's comments and advice ranged from the heart ren- dering to the humorous and fol. the good of a safe Christmas holiday, we offer the following,.,, excerpts from that discussion: D.A A. "Mr. Claus, are you aware of the tragedy of traffic deaths in Canada, particularly at this time of the holiday season?" Santa: "Yes son; every year here at the North Pole, Mrs: Claus and I read so many sad letters from little boys and girls, who do not want toys for Christmas, just asking. to have mommy and daddy come back. A quick check with my elves and'time and'again I find that Tommy and daddy have been killed in an auto accident. It's - a crime. Santa can fix. broken ., a little train, burl can't help. the' hundreds of mommys and dads' who die during 'the holiday seas'o)n. D.A.A. "Is it • rkeessary that these nice people have to be killed or seriously injured Santa? Santa: 'No my boy, if only people would keep the true spirit of Christmas and dp to other 'people what they would like done to them. Courtesy and slowing down would be the greatest Christmas gift everyone could give, 'and it would help so many. And one other thing. The spirit of Christmas means staying out of the spirits. Alcohol and driving don't mix. I should know. "Orle year I had one too 'many egg nogs before I left on my annual flight. Why I only made it as far as the Arctic Circle heading south when I stopped the sleigh for over an hour. Why I thought Rudolph's nose was a stop light and I almost didn't finish my rounds that year before the children woke up." D.A.A. ,"Getting hack on- the track Mr. Claus, what advice, can you give the motorists to get through the holiday season safelyr Santa: "I'm.glad you asked that question sonny. The most important thing to remember is to .show" consideration for the other driver. That runs all the way from not .drinking if you are driving, to slowing down on the slippery roads, and not trying to prove that you are right all the time...you could end up "dead right". Too -many boys and girls are looking for- ward to a happy and merry Christmas to have any of their loved ones hurt in a .traffic mishap. That also reminds me that it gets -dark early at, this time of the year when boys and girls' .. are , still outside playing...please grown-ups,'turn on your headlights early and drive extra carefull"v. I love all my .Kittle .ones. Rudolph has been shining ,up his nose all year long, and when I take off Christmas Eve you can bet he'll have his nose a'blinllin all the way from Halifax to Van- c•ouver, from London, Ontario to Edmonton, Alberta." D.A.A. "Well Santa I can see by the clock on the old workshop wall I have to run to . otter ill` sleigh Ua,K th. stickers was the highl-ight.;of the party. ..would like to echo Santa's greeting. Merry Christmas to all and a• Happy New Year Mrs. Isobel MacDonald. TO GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CERTIFICATES 1O1/2% VICTORIA & GRE14 TRUST CITY SAVINGS & TRUST STANDARD TRUfi�f. r CANADA PERMANENT TRUST Bruce Erskine 86 North St. Phone 04.9555 GODERICH TYGNAL-STAB,F'RIIMY, DECEMBER. 27, 1974 Any last minute advice for our motorist friends?" Santa: "Yes Siree. The only way to make this a merry Christmas for everyone is to make is a safe Christmas. Christmas is for children, and Santa won't !illy it at all if you, or any grown-up is responsible for matting it a sad holiday by c•a.using a needless traffic ac eidetic- Every time' '° you gef,., behind -the wheel, remember ... safe driving is a family affair ... and Christmas is a time for. families. When you get hack south young mart, please ask everyone to drive safely and wish them a merry Christmas, from Mrs. Claus, the elves and - reindeer and of course from me, Old Saint Nick. Drive carefully, ,and watch out for that cloud at the' end of the driveway when .- you' fly out." •PAGE 3 we're weighing, our'.wishes carefully have a perfect balance of peace .. , good health ... happiness .. prosperity.-, throughout the New Year,. Denomrne's Industrial & Garden Centre-• 166 Hamilton St. 524-8761 Alterations At Cost No Exchanges Or4teturns. REMAINING GROUP OF SUITS REG: $135 TO $165 OFF a LONG SLEEVE RES NRESS AND SPORT SIHRTS- SPECIAL GROUP 1i OFF TOPCOATS -- REGULAR TO $80.00 O% OFF REMAINING STOCK OF SHIRTS -20% OFF PANTS SPECIAL GROUP REGULAR $19.95 TO $27.95 1/ OFF 3 REMAINING STOCK 2 O% OFF BLAZERS 20%PFF WINTER JACKETS GROUP 1 . REGULAR $40.00 TO $80.00 REGULAR $45.00 TO $60.00 GROUP 2 1,/ OFF 3 PRICE - SPORT COATS SPECIAL GROUP �jOFF 3 REMAINING 1TOCK 20%oFF RAWSON it SWARTMAN LTD. 'ON THE SQUARE Style Shop For Meso EARLr;RAWSON & BOB SWARTMAN GOQERICH