Loading...
The Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-05-28, Page 1There has been little activity at the Sifto-Salt poor ventilation. The 156 underground workers, management threats of legal action. The mine in Goderich since underground workers members of.Local 16 of the Canadian Chemical employees want a written promise of action. walked off the job last Thursday in protest of Workers, have stayed off the job despite (photo by Joanne Buchanan) Goderich welcomes area Shriners Clowns, mini cars; motorcycles and bands will just be a small part of the attraction in the Shriner Parade in Goderich this Saturday. Morer than 2,000 Shriners and their wives will in the Goderich area this weekendfor the Mocha Temple Spring Ceremonial. The major attraction, for those not involved in Shrine Club activities will be the colourful parade Saturday morning. The parade wiill form up at the Goderich and District Collegiate Institute parking lot at 9.15 The parade should leave from the Bennett and South Street intersection at approxirxiately 9.45 a.m.. rr" .Sifto Salt workers report for duty at mine Sifto Salt mine employees returned to work for the 8 a.m. shift Wednesday to negotiate their concerns of poor ventilation in the mine. Management had requested the Members of Local 16 of the Chemical Workers of Canada return to their jobs before negotiations would take place. Union, representatives and management were Holed up in meetings Wednesday morning at press time and there was no indication the worker's concerns were resolved. A statement from the tneetings was expected late Wednesday. The employees, members of Local 16 of the Canadian Chemical Workers Union, walked off the job site at 2 a.m. Thursday moming in protest of what they term poor ventilation in the mine. The 24 surface workers joined the 156 underground emplyees in the walkoff but returnedto work on a later shift Thursday. Union representative, Russ Pratt of London, said the underground workers complained about the lack of proper ventilation in the mine and walked- -ff--theeh--'after-b1a'sting--waS-- completed Wednesday night. Employees stayed around the mine area Thursday but claimed their action was not a strike, but rather, a protest against health and safety conditions. They were not stopping other workers from reporting for duty, they did not set up picket lines and trucks are allowed ac- cess. Employees at the site Thursday said there was no air circulatiou in some of the mine areas and they claimed they often encounter pockets of dead air. They insisted their grievances are four years old and added that ventilation equipment at the mine is 10 years old. The workers said the situation is much worse in the summer months and that there is often no movement in the air. One employee said their action was simply a protest against ventilation. "Management calls it an illegal strike but it's just a protest," he said. "What we want is a promise of written action." While the negotiations continued over the protest the two sides remained at odds over the conditions under which work should resume. The employees wanted a written guarantee of action in connection with their poor ventilation charges while management is unwilling to negotiate until the employees have returned to their jobs. Pratt, the union southwestern Ontario representative, is trying to persuade the em- ployees to return to work after the company threatened it may seek to prosecute the union and its members for an illegal walkout. The employees had received telegrams from the company stating that their protest and walkout violates the collective agreement. The members of Local 1 -6 -have -just completed thee secondehmpahyyear of,a three-year agreement withth The company has notified employees that they were required to report to work and the union was cautioned that disciplinary action deemed appropriate under the collective agreement arid such legal process as is required to satisfy the law and recover damages is being considered and most probably all actions wilt be taken. Following the notification, Pratt met with the employees in the Park Theatre Saturday, urging them to report for duty. C. .4, The parade Will proceed down South Street to The Square and follow the Square to West Street. The Shriners will follow West Street to Waterloo Street and will- proceed down Waterloo Street to Britannia Road. They will turn right on Britannia Roadf and then make a left hand turn onto Eldon Avenue and proceed to Robertson Memorial School. The parade route is 1.4 miles in length and parade should last close to an hour. It is im- portant to remember that the parade will not take in all of the Square but only the portion from South to West Streets. The parade will feature highland, trumpet and oriental bands and a marching unit of war veterans will foern the Legion of Honour. There will also be a, jeepsters unit, a new group of Volkswagens called The Love Bugs, a scooter unit, clowns, mini -cars and small motorcycles. Also, as a special feature, the Bluewater Shrine Club will have two mini and two antique fire trucks on display in the parade. After the parade the first ceremonial section will be held at GDCI and then the nobility will proceed to Clinton for lunch and the afternoon parade there, The Second ceremonial section will be in the Clinton Arena. A special dinner will be held in the Clinton Arena at 7 p.m. and that will be followed by a dance at 9 p.m. Both the dinner and dance are open to the public and the cost for the dinner is -9 and $5 for the dance. Tickets for both events can be .......purchas_edfor.$_13_and in Goderich are available from Ed Harrison. 01811.101211101. 132 YEAR—fl WEDNESDAY, MAY 28,1980 35 CENTS PER COPY ele ation wi 1 protest in Ottawa The Goderich Municipal Airport Committee has decided to send a delegation to Ottawa to meet with the Minister of Environment Canada and representatives of Transport Canada to discuss their objections to the automation of the weather station at the airport. The delegation, whose members have not yet been chosen, will head to Ottawa in -ap- proximately six weeks, after arrangements have been made by Huron Bruce Conservative MP, Murray Cardiff. At an airport committee meeting on Wed- nesday, Miy 21 a motion was passed to send a letterof objection regarding the station's automation to the Ministry of Environment Canada with copies also to be sent to Transport Canada and Mr. Cardiff. It was also decided to send a letter to the County of Huron outlining the problem with the station and requesting the county's support on the matter. The airport committee feels that the com- plete automation of the weather station is a "step backwards" for the airport. The com- mittee is agreed that an automated station will not provide the same degree of accuracy and detailed information for pilots as provided by a manned station. Members feel too that, because the airport is located so close to the, lake, the weather pattern here is unique and requires special attention. Paul Shalapata and Drager Kocman from the Atmospheric Environment Services, Environment Canada appeared before the airport committee at last Wednesday's meeting to discuss the proposed changes to the station. They stated that they were at the station for the purpose of installing the new automated equipment and could comment only on the Co-operative effort on alleys Goderich town council hopes that alleys behind businesses on The Square and radiating streets can be cleaned up through a co- operative effort. An investigation of the back alleys was prompted by council after a letter of complaint was received from Bruce Betties, indicating the alleys required immediate attention. Building inspector, Doug Harrison, was in- structed to inspect the problem and report back to council. Harrison reported that many of the alleys behind the business section were in poor shape and suggested that one possible solution would be to initiate one central refuse area with a container that all could use to dispose of gar- bage„ _Re_ added _that many of the buildings in the alleys are in a Eferiiii-ated-sTATE-- Harrison also informed council that the Business Improvement Area (BIA) group have completed a study that proposes the establish- ment of off-street parking behind several stores. "We should meet with the merchants and let them have their say. It would be the diplomatic thing to do," Harrison said. "They may have some recommendations to make and we should work with them." Mayor' Harry Worsell said it w volve trod der as a good idea to get the businessmen .in :1 rather than having council take action. Deputy -reeve Bob Allen iii aced a motion that calls for the building 3artment and commissioner of works, Ken Hunter, to meet with owners and BIA representatives to discuss ,,.thprobIem.andr,pprt,,n,t,,,Qt4Pcil. In other business, council was forced to with- draw a motion from the May 12 meeting calling for the building permit issued to Kelly -Lyn, Construction of London for the senior citizens complex to be charged at a rate of $2 per thousand. Robert Fisher of Kelly -Lyn informed council Meet your new weather Machine. This Mars I meteorological automatic reporting station is presently being installed at the Goderich Weather Station. It is expected to operational within a week and will reed data to the national network 24 hours a day. (photod by Jason Ainslie) he was led to believe the building permit fee was $1 per thousand and he was later required to furnish an additional cheque for $2,000 to cover the permit fee of $3 per thousand. He maintained the error was made by the town building department. Council compromised with Kelly -Lyn and agreed to charge $2 per thousand for the permit ,or $2,000. In a letter from town solicitors, Donnelly, Murphy. -and Pickell, council learned that the building official is bound by a toWn by-law establishing the rates at $3 per thousand to January 14, 1980 and $4 per thousand thereafter. _Therefore council's motion to reach a comprom Ise m it-feel:kilt not ammend a previous bylaw that established such fees and holds no merit. The solicitors explained that the building inspector could get away with charging $3 per thousand for the permit since that fee was in effect when the job was tendered. Intensive Care area to be established in hospital BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER The Medical Advisory Committee at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital» on Monday evening received board approval for its motion to give immediate consideration to the estabishment of a new Intensive Care Area. The president of the medical staff, Dr. J.L.Hollingworth, brought in very preliminary sketch plans for an intensive care area addition on the north side of the hospital off the first floor over the present laboratory and laundry area. Dr. Hollingworth said the medical staff had examined four locations, and felt this one was the most suitable for the requirements of the hospital. He said there was a need now to determine the feasibility of the proposal, the site and architectural design. Dr. James Rourke spoke as well of the need to determine some idea of the equipment requirements for the proposed new intensive care area. Dr. Rourke also said the design of this par- ticular unit would need to be much more technically specialized than some others because of the nature of the care offered there. For instance, it is important that the nursing staff have full view of all patients within the unit from one central point, the doctor noted. The present intensive care area at AM&G has been under discussion. for sometime by medical staff. While' the level of care provided there is certainly safe and adequate, there is, need for updating equipment and improving the physical surroundings. The doctors explained there is much com- munity support for this particular project. Board member Bob Dempsey said the in- tensive care area is also a top priority item with him, personally. However, Dempsey said he would feel easier in his own mind, and better informed' as a board member called upon to make a decision if he knew what other capital building projects are expected in the next few ye ars. Dempsey said that the hospital has just completed an addition for an emergency department, is currently involved in the con- struction of a new psychiatric department and equipment itself, not policies. Shalapta told the committee that the weather station would be a 24 hour station and would give wind, humidity, rate of rainfall, tem- perature, dew point and pressure readings. A machine being installed would also be capable of taking cloud heights and visibility, he said, but would require add-on equipment which will cost approximately $50,000. The add-on equipment has at least a two year lead time. Shalapata stated that the material and in- struments are supplied' to the airport and local people are trained to run the equipment. A computer will feed statistical information to a weather network but local pilots, boaters and residents will not be able to obtain any, weather information from the station itself. In other business, the airport committee .learned that a report on tree trimming at the airport will be presented at the next meeting. Chairman Don Wheeler presented a report from the Airport Managers Association meeting which he attended at Buttonville Airport on May 7. The meeting considered possible disaster plans for airports and fees at airports, particularly landing fees. iilaillERR.TainguNsinsMg5..smtagiro4.*:3E41-44 ii is INSIDE THE In this corner. or t e irst time SIGNAL -STAR boxing has been introduced to the GoderiCh area and several youngsters are taking the op- portunity to learn pugilistic skills. The program is offered by the Recreation Department at St. Marys School. Summer events There is plenty happening in the Goderich area this summer and the Signal -Star has put together a list of the summer events for your convenience. A schedule of over three months activities appears on the first page of the second section. Keep it for handy reference. Referendum Last week the residents of Quebec voted NO in the referendum that asked for the right to negotiate sovereignty association. Shirley Keller takes la look at the vote and what it means to Canada on Page 4. Regular Features Tid Bits Editorial Letters p. 2 Events P. AI P. 4 Columns P. Al P. 4 Martha P A4 .ports P.10-12 Farm P. A9 Classif ied P. 14 Church P. A10 Real Estate P. 16 Entertainment... P. A5 lii