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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1982-06-02, Page 1Y Champion employees accept wa In an effort to make the company more competitive in the world grader market, management and unionized employees of Champion Road Machinery Limited have agreed to a 10 per cent reduction in wages effective June 1. Executive vice-president, Iain Bain, said managment made a commitment to the reduction last week and office and union staff followed sub- sequent to an address by chairman and chief executive officer of'the Champion group, Bruce Sully, Thursday. _ The wage reductions begin June 1 and will remain n-effect..forte.,-s9_z_c ttnper d,_l uring_that__time all. wages and salaries will be frozen, there will be no staff increases and overtime will be reduced. ' The company has an annual payroll of about $20 million and the concessions agreed to by employees €.,t.e1. SI wau ,caaue Ali sav Lugs ua is a„ua,ua, LH the next six months. Champion's fiscal year ends July 31 and company officials will review the effects of the wage reductions on the company's position in the market at the end of November Bain said. Aside fromthe wage reductions, employees have agreed to make vacation bonus available to the company this year. Bain said the bonus money will be made available to the company and if it is needed employees, would receive double the amount next year. The company has also made three separate ap- plications to participate in the work sharing program offered -by- Faraployment -and immigration -Canada- The program is designed to reduce the work week while keeping the labor force of a company intact. The program runs from six to a maximum 26 weeks and the company enjoys the flexibility of reducing the work week by one to three days. Employees par- ticipating in the program are eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits for the days not worked. A spokesman at the London office of Employment and Immigration Canada said the daily rate paid to employees is established on the last 20 weeks of work. To be eligible an employee must have worked at least 20 weeks in the past year. Eligibility for the program dictates that the company must have been in operation for more than three years and is in no great financial difficutly. "The program is not designed simply to delay the inevitability of-la}ol fs the-spokesnam said. Applications for the program have been flooding` into the London office and it takes as long as six - weeks to secure approval. e cuts Underlining the severe enecea ua ~ uulation, high interest rates and the general economic downturn upon the grader industry, Mr. Sully outlined the necessity for cost savings to ensure competitive bidding in a seriously depressed grader market around the world. The wage reductions will put Champion in a more competitive situation in the market, Bain said, ad- ding that it will supply the company with the op- portunity to lower the selling price of its graders. He indicated that while the market is depressed, other countries have introduced lower priced products and potential buyers are simply delaying the major ex- penditure. xp nditure. Don Goddard, `president of Local 1863 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union, would not comment on the concessions.claiming there could be changes. SIAL—STAR 134 YEAR -22 GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2,1982 50 CENTS PER COPY Mr. Huang Renquan, department director for the Chinese Ministry for Economic Relations and Trade toured the Champion plant in conjunction with a nationwide tour of several large Canadian com- panics. Accompanying Requan was Chinese Embassy representative, Chang Hsueh-Wu, Ministry officials, Zhang Guochen, Yang Haim*Fong Junslan, Shi Jianxin. Also on the tour was Secretary of State representative, Dr. D. Duval and representatives for External Affairs, Roger Beare and Teresa Gervais Representing Champion was Chinese delegates tour grader plant here BY KRIS SVEW Champion Road Machinery was once again the focus of international attention this week with the visit of the Department Dirctor for the Chinese Ministry for Economic Relations and Trade, Mr. Huang Renquan. The minister together with representatives for the Chinese embassy, Secretary of State and External Affairs toured the facilities as part of a nationwide tour sponsored by External Affairs in Ottawa. According to Champion spokesman, Don Longwell, the group is visiting a series of industries across Canada. ' "They just arrived from Cambridge where they were touring a number of large farms and are now on their way to Vancouver to tour the MacMillan- - Bloedel company," he said. The group was impressed with the operation of the facilities and the hospitality they were shown here, • " he added. Longwell acknowledged that the visit will not result in any contracts because it was primarily designed to increase co-operation between Chinese and Canadian businesses_ Any contracts are negotiated with a different branch of the Chinese government," he said. Longwell explained that the reason Champion was picked as part of the tour is because of its in- volvement in other joint Canadian and Chinese projects. The group will continue its nationwide tour before attending a Trade Conference in Ottawa later this Don Longwell and Wayne Kennedy. month. Town loses one trustee on board of education BY STEPHANIE LEVESQUE GODERICH - Seven municipalities will be affected by changes to the school electoral districts made by Huron County Council. At its May 27 meeting, council made changes affec- ting the number of trustees representing seven municipalities. The total number of trustees sitting on the Huron Board of Education remains at 16. The changes, based on assessment, take one trustee away from Goderich, leaving it with one trustee,' giving one more trustee to the combined Municipalities of Seaforth, McKillop and Hullett Townships and splitting the formerly combined municipalities of Stephen Township, Exeter and Usborne Township. Now, these three municipalities have two representatives on the board of education, but Stephen is on its own with one representative and Exeter and Usborne have one between them. The changes were approvedby a vote of 24 to 5, with two motions to table the matter for a month be- ing defeated. Goderich Deputy Reeve' Robert Allen made the motions and they were seconded by Goderich Reeve Don Wheeler. Reeve Wheeler said the changes have a "great many ramifications" and he wanted some questions answered. Deputy Reeve Allen said he was "a little disturbed" with his colleagues for not agreeing to table the motion for a month. "One month doesn't change anything ... I'll refrain from voting," said Deputy Reeve Allen. "I'm to assume from the administrator's remarks that representation is by assessment rather than by population, I'm opposed to that particular view," said Reeve Wheeler. "I'll not refrain from voting, 111 vote against it." . Charges against Domtar, supervisors to be heard in fall Charges against Domtar Incorporated and three of its supervisors will be heard in provincial court later this year. The company and three employees face a total of nine charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The charges were laid by the Ontario Ministry of Labour following the deaths of two mine employees, Stephen Palmer,23, and 'Gordon Powell, 24, in November 1981. The charges were scheduled to be heard in Provincial Court here Monday but they will now be spoken to on two different dates. The charges against Dotntar and supervisors Berend Kalkman and William Lawson, laid in connection with the Palmer death will be heard in court September 15. The other charges against the company, Lawson and super- visor Kenneth Duncan, in connection with the Powell death, will be heard October 12. The company faces a total of five charges and the supervisors three charges in connection with the two deaths. Palmer died November 9 when he became trapped between a conveyor belt and a metal chute while working alone, clearing salt from the conveyor belt in the mine. Powell died November 27 when the truck he was driving plunged 18 feet into a salt pit, crushing the cab. Powell was operating the vehicle in reverse and was working alone as he attempted to dump a load of salt into the pit. Domtar has been charged in both deaths, as em- ployer at the mine, with failing to ensure that equipment, materials and protective devices were provided and two charges of failing to ensure as an employer that the measures and procedures as set out in the provincial regulations are followed. The company also faces a fifth charge. in connection with the Palmer death, of failing to provide protective equipment with respect to a guard for a pulley. Social service cases up from last year GOlERICH - While they are still up over last year. general assistance cases of Huron's social services have decreased since the winter months. The social services report to Huron County Council on May 29. indicated its general assistance caseload was at 148 on May 1,1982, ups from 100 nn May 1.1981 "The number of enquiries is decreasing, we only had 65 enquiries. i can remeiriber this past winter hiiving 123 in one month," said J. A. MacKinnon, ad- ministrator. In April of this year, 58 cases were closed. Of these 22 got jobs and 11 received unemployment benefits. Clerk -treasurer. Bill Hanly said the rules for representation on a school board are laid out in The Education Act, which gives authority to county coun- cils to establish representation. On a percentage basis, Goderich has 6.16 per cent of the equalized public school assessment: Seaforth, McKillop. and Hullett combined have 10.99 per cent. Exeter and Usborne combined have 9.39 per cent of the equalized public school assessment and Stephen has 7.45 per cent. Morris Township Reeve Bill Elston said he could see Goderich's point of view. since it would be losing one trustee, but he asked council not to change the boundaries. Hullett Township Reeve Tom Cunningham. speak- ing as a member of one of the affected townships, said the area needs an additional trustee. He agreed with Reeve Elston that the boundaries not be changed because the taxpayers would have ditticulty knowing who their trustee is.' . The recommendation from the executive commit- tee was approved by county council, and when the changes were to be passed as a bylaw. Deputy Reeve Allen asked for all the bylaws to be read separately. When the bylaw concerning the school electoral districts came before council. Deputy Reeve Allen again attempted to have it tabled. The motion to table was again defeated, then the deputy reeve requested 'a recorded vote. The recorded vote ended with 24 in favor of the changes and five votes against. Those voting against were Deputy Reeve Allen, Grey Township Reeve i mina .Armstrong. Bayfield Reeve George Fellows, and Reeve Don Wheeler with two votes. Exeter Depu- te Reeve Alvin Epp and Usborne Township Reeve Murray Dawson were absent. Parks included in ONIP plans Approximately 30 Goderich residents attended a meeting at the MacKay Centre on May 25 which was held in order to explain tentative plans concerning the Ontario Neighborhood Improvement Plan ONIP) for their area. Residents of the area which is bounded by Britannia Rd -.'Hibernia and Beach Sts., Cobourg and West Sts.. Wellington St. and Waterloo St. listened intently as the Goderich ONiP committee outlined their plans. The project includes the improvement of both hard services, which consists of sewers, waterrnains. roads, and sidewalks and soft services which consists of parks and recreational facilities. According to Goderich Building inspector. Ken Hunter, the provincial government has allocated 512 million for phase one off the project and only 46 municipalities have been accepted. Goderich has received $400,000 to date and hopes to receive another$400,000. The hard services plan which Hunter explained. "was not set, it's an alternative" includes replacing sidewalks for a total cost of 520.000, in 1982, building part of Wellesley from Elgin to Britannia and Britannia from Warren to Wellington in 1981 Also that year the cotntmittee hopes to pave Harbor Hill. in 1984 Wellesley St. from Lighthouse to Elgin. Britannia from Wellington to Waterloo and Wellington from Elgin to Britannia will be improved. There are also plans in 1984 to repair the sewers on Waterloo St. and if there is any money left over more street lighting may be installed. Aeeording to Hunter the streets were chosen when. "we went over the area and spoked at what areas needed the most work. We also looked at where the mast traffic as going to go and the ones that are in the taorst shape." Jam Knox. an engineer with the Brampton based firm of Knox,..Martin and Kretch outlined the soft services plan for the St" Christopher's Beach area whac h has been designated by the Ministry of Natural Resources as an approved beach. under the Parks Assistance Act. The plan entails screening the water treatment plant with vegetation to order to hide the building. and installing a. boardwalk that will run from the anarina'to the present beach area. A walkway will connect the boardwalk to the lighthouse_ To the north of the water'reatment plant an adult sports and picnic area will be added which will in- clude a volley_ ball area. horseshoe pits and a beach hou_se Sunset Park will take on a botanical theme and will Inc lude gardens and walkways. St. Christopher's Beach itself will be improved_ Plans Include removing stones. adding more sand, piantnu grass and trees on the barl;ehore area and • retaining the existing pavil on_ :1c cordane to Knox, parkin will not be a problem as there wall be a parking 1 near the water treat- ment plant that will accommodate 34 cars and there Is roans for 46 cars to park on the road. 1f the soft services plan goes ahead as outlined Knox says the area could become a "fairly important focal point an recreational facilities..' Parents petition for Grade 7 and Parents who would like to see Grade 7 and 8 classes implemented at Victoria Public School are being asked to sign a petition for that purpose by this Friday. Dianne Ladd of Goderich is presentlycirculating the petition, among Grade 4, 5 and 6 parents at Vic- toria School but says other parents are welcome to sign as well, She hopes to present the completed petition to Dorothy Wallace of Goderich, chairman of the Huron County hoard- of --Elis atioer__for con- sideration. Victoria School now has kindergarten through Grade 6 classes. After Grade 6, students must attend Robertson Memorial Public School for Grade 7 and 8. Mrs. Ladd says the distance that some students have to travel to school is one of the reasons for the petition. Some students who live closer to Victoria School on Gibbons Street in the centre of town must travel to Robertson School on Blake Street which is in the southwest end of town. Mrs. Ladd says there are other reasons for the petition but does not want to go into detail about those reasons at the present time. For those parents interested in signing or knowing more about the petition, Mrs. Ladd's phone number is 524-6764. Toilet damaged in jail cell Police arrested a man for public drunkeness in Goderich on Friday evening. He was lodged in a local police cell where he damaged a toilet to the extent of $400. He has also been charged with mischief and was reinanded in custody until a bail hearing set for today, Wednesday, June 2. Police were also called out to investigate a motor vehicle accident Friday at 11:19 a.m. on Huron Road. (Highway 8) at Mill Road. A man involved in the accident sustained severe injuries to his back. Also on Friday at 5:06 p.m. a young girl fell off her bicycle at the corner of Bayfield Road and Blake Street. She sustained minor injuries. There were eight thefts during the week including five bicycles and two incidents of shoplifting. There was also one assault, five incidents of mischief and threeminor car accidents. Police laid three criminal charges, three liquor charges, six Highway Traffic Act charges and one provincial statute charge. They also issued 13 war- nings. Local police continue to use the ALERT machine to check drivers suspected of drinking and several 12 hour suspensions were again issued this past week. This program will continue throughout the year in an attempt to cut down on .alcohol-related driving in- cidents and accidents. Cieslar appointed county health officer -GODERICH -Atting,M eall.Officer,+uif:HealthDr Harry Qeslar is now Huron's MOH, Huron County Council made the appointment at i4 meeting on May 27. Dr. Cieslar, who has been atten- ding the University of -Michigan for the past year, __.. graduated on April 30. His contract stipulated that once he graduated, he would receive his full salary of $47,892. This was ef- fective May 7. Dr_ Gneslar replaced former MOH Dr. Brian Lynch, who left in the middle of last year. Although he will not be attending university, Dr. G%slar's education will not cease. He has been ac- cepted into a 12 -month public health residency. This means supervision of his work, by Perth County's MOH Dr. Susan Tamblyn on a monthly basis. Two visits will also be made by an assistant professor from the University of Michigan. The only costs to the county will be the two trips made by the assistant professor estimated at $250 per visit_ INSIDE THE SIGNAL -STAR GDCI athletes excel Four GDCI students have qualified for the OFSAA All -Ontario meet to be held in Etobicoke later this month. it is the strongest showing GDCI athletes have achieved. The sore and pictures appear on the front page of the Recreation section_ Concessions applauded There has been heated debate over the issue of wage concessions on the part of employees throughout Canada. The feelings over the issue are mixed- in a letter to theeditar which appears on page 4 One Of our readers expresses his view. Baseball shorts Also appearing in the Recreation section is Rob .McDonald's review of last week's baseball action in tlorderich.