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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-06-12, Page 11137 YEAR --24 GODERICU, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 1985 50 CENTS PER COPY Sifto miners go on strike Local 16 members will hold out for a better BY PATRICK RAV PIIS A dispute over life insurance and disability benefits sent the 311 unionized mine workers at the Domtar Chemical Group, Sifto Salt Division mine, Goderich out to the picket lines as of 8 a.m. Tuesday. Negotiations between the Energy Chemical Workers Union of Canada, Local 16 and Domtar management ended Thursday evening, and did not resume before Tuesday's strike. A one year agree- ment between the two groups expired April 1. Local 16 President Guy Robinson called last year's agreement a stop -gap measure and said he was, "not optimistic" about a quick settlement of the dispute. "They (management) knew a year ago that these benefits had to be in place by now," said Robinson. Key issues are the union's bid for im- proved life insurance, accident, death and dismemberment benefits and a long-term "disability plan – benefits non-union office staff at the mine now receive, said Robin- son. The previous agreement called fpr life insurance coverage of $16,500. The com- pany has offered $19,500, but the union wants the equivalent of two years' salary, about $80,000. "Which is still too low. Way too low!," said Robinson. The union has also rejected the com- pany's offer to raise lump sum payments for accidental death and dismemberment from $5,500 to $7,000, but the union wants $80,000, a sum equal to life insurance coverage. Which, says Robinson, "is nor- mal for the industry". The existing disability plan would pay about 66 per cent of a worker's wages for 32 weeks in the event of an injury, then 50 per cent for another two years. The union wants 50 per cent of wages until an injured worker returns to work, turns 65 or dies. Robinson said the dispute might already have been settled if the union had only to deal with local management, rather than the Domtar Corporation. He said it was not corporate policy to provide these benefits to workers, even though non-union staff already have them. Such benefits are not extreme, accor- ding to Robinson. -The girls uptown in the beauty salons get them – our friends over at the ( Goderich) elevators get them. Everybody gets them. We're the only ones in the Town of Goderich who aren't properly covered," he said. Robinson maintains that the benefits would not be expensive for the company to implement. "We've had it costed and it's not a big benefit package Striking miners outside the Domtar Salt Mine display walked out Tuesday morning to back demands for signs as they picket. Unionized workers at the mine improved benefits. (photo by Corinne Boyle) deal," he said. . Although benefits are the issues on which the strike is based, Robinson says that now that the strike is on, everything from wages to vacations is back on the table. The company has offered to increase the average $13.70 hourly wage by four per cent in each of the next two years. The union is willing to accept that offer if the benefit improvements are included. The current strike affects only the workers at the mine, but Robinson is ex- pecting additional support from workers at the Goderich evaporator plant, members of Local 37 of the same union. Local 37 workers were also under an agreement which expired April 1 and were voting late Tuesdaynn.a new contract of- fer. "We ( the union) may take some action to shut them down as well," said Robinson. Robinson said the miners are prepared to strike until they get what they want. "The membership is behind the ( negotiating) committee all the way,". he said. The last strike at the mine occurred in 1981 and lasted for about three months. Local mine manager Gaston Brousseau said that the strike was, "certainly a sur- prise" for the company. "We felt that the deal that we offered there was good," he said. Brousseau said that combined salary and benefit increases in the latest offer added up to an 8.8 per cent increase on the total package for workers. Underground premiums, additions to hourly rates for workers who work underground were also increased as part of the package. "We are not afraid to compare our total package with other companies," said Brousseau. Domtar's accidental death and dismemberment and long-term disability plans are as good as or better than any in the industry, he said. Brousseau declined to comment on how long the company -expects the. dispute to continue, or how it will affect the com- pany. Hydro p line routes through Huron By Stephanie Levesque Huron County Council will go down to the bitter end opposed to any hydro transmission lines running through the predominantly agricultural county. County planner, Dr. Gary Davidson, told the June session of county council that On- tario Hydro will be announcing its prefer- red route for transmission lines from Bruce Nuclear Power Development to 1,ondon on July 8 Dr. Davidson said it appears, and he stressed the word appears, that hydro's favored route will be either M1 or M7, both of which run right through Huron County. MI has two lines, one running from Bruce to London through Huron and the other, from the Nanticoke generating sta- tion to London. M7. a new route, has three lines, one from Bruce to Essa near Barrie, one from Bruce to London and the third. .from Nanticoke to London. The county planner also noted that of the four alternative plans, only one, M3, has no lines through Huron County. However, he said Hydro has said M3 is "electrically deficient". Environmental hearings are expected to be held this November, and Dr. Davidson said it will be up to the county planning department. to prove that M3 is not defi- Chira Panupong and Miss Vanee Lertdumrikarn of the Board of In- vestment, Royal Thai Government, made a brief stop in Goderich Friday as part of their Canadian investment promotion mission. At the invitation of Bruce Sully, Chief Executive Officer of Champion Road Machinery Ltd., Chira and Vanee toured the Champion facili- ty and met with Mark Sally al the c 's marketing division. Angus Ross of A.S.I. Consultants is pictured on the right. The Thai delegation met with 10 companies in Ottawa and Toronto to pro- mote investment in Thailand and entice Canadian companies to enter into mutually -beneficial technology agreements. (photo by Dave Sykes tient in any way. The county planner also said that of six potential routes through Huron County, hydro has limited the choices to two. They are the east and west routes. When asked if OntarioHydro is aware of the county stand against the hydro lines, Dr. Davison said hydro was notified by let- ter and acknowledged receipt of the letter. "And it's been verbally stated several times," he added. Ministry study says livestock contaminated Lake Huron Two summers ago, beaches along the Lake Huron shoreline were closed to swim- mers for several weeks as a result of high bacteria levels. The high levels were blamed on a com- bination of factors including hot weather and a lack of rainfrall. The Ministry of the Environment says the high bacteria levels were the result of intensive livestock prac- tices in the Western Ontario region. A study, to be released this month sometime suggests that farm sources of fecal coliform bacteria are the major causes of water pollution along the Huron shoreline. At the time of the beach closure here, there was concern that sewage was making its way to the lake'. To rectify the situation, the ministry is considering augmenting existing provin- cial aidrograms designed to help farmers improve manure handling capabilites and lessen soil erosion. Farm livestock waste has long been suspected as a cause of water pollution in southwestern Ontario. High levels of fecal coliform can cause ear and skin irritation and; diarrhea. Ministry officials will reveal the results of a year-long beach pollution study at public -meetings in Grand Bend and Goderich. The study, initiated to deter- mine why bacteria levels were so high along Lake Huron from Grand Bend to Goderich, suggests that urban sewage was not as much of a source of bacterial con- tamination as expected. students to wash cars for tornado fund June 17 to 22 is Hire -a -Student Week. To celebrate this special week, the Canada Employment Centre for Students is hosting a fund-raising car wash. All pro- ceeds from the car wash will be donated to .� the Barrie Tornado Relief Fund.. . Representatives from the Barrie area have been making public pleas for finan- cial help and the Canada Employment Centre for Stude'hts is inviting Goderich and area residents to get their cars washed on June 17 at the Suncoast Mall between 10:00 and 4:00, and make a donation to the Relief Fund. Come out and participate. t. The Student Office has been busy registering students for summer work. Already 800 students have registered and new applicants keep coming in every day ready to work. Remember - students are available on short notice, to do any kind of work as long as needed (for a morning, clay, week or longer). If you require any further information or are interested in hiring a student for any tyre of job, please call 524-15.744 between 8:15 and 4:30 Monday through Friday. Board reaches tentative pact with employees The Huron County board of education has reached some tentative agreements with some of its employee groups and a definite date of mediation has been set with its secondary school teachers. Superintendent of personnel Peter Gryseels announced the tentative set- tlements late last week. However, no details can be released until both parties in each case have ratified agreements. The board is expected to vote on the set- tlements at a special meeting on June 25. The elementary teachers and the board have reached a tentative agreement. The agreement would cover the 1985-86 school year. "Both parties are happy with the tone of negotiations and will be recommending ac- ceptance," said Gryseels. It is not known when the teachers will ratify the agreement. A tentative agreement has also been reached with the secretarial group for the 1985-86 year. The secretaries will be voting on June 18. The superintendent said another meeting has been scheduled for June 13 with the custodial staff. "Both parties are hopeful of a settle- ment," said Gryseels. The mediation meetings between the school board "T d its secondary school teachers will take place on June 19 and 20' instead of the originally announced dates of June 17 and 18. This will mark the first time the two parties have met since the teachers May 28 strike vote. 6 RDE THE R NAL-STAp r- t Sail Past The Goderich Power Squadron and Goderich Yacht Club held its Annual Sail Past in Goderich Harbour Sunday and several local sailors took advantage of teh fine weather to participate in the ceremony. Photos on Page B1. Tanzanian visitors The Domtar Evaporator Plant is expor- ting Goderich techology to Afriea. Six Tan- zanians and one Italian, workers for a company under contract to the Tanzanian government recently visited Goderichto to Iearn about local salt production methods. Story and photos on page Al. Return to Haiti Min Dalton, a Grade 11 student from GDCI has vowed to return to Haiti, the island country where she experienced Third World poverty first-hand. When she does, she may be taking 10 or 15 Goderich residents with her. A Feature Report on page 3A.