HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-03-26, Page 1•
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STRIKE AT PREMIUM -LLOYD FACTORY—Workers at
the Premium -Lloyd door factory in Wingham ,went on
strike last week, walking out Wednesday afternoon, two
and a half days before their strike deadline. As of early
this week the two sides had still not scheduled a
meeting to resolve differences over a new contract.
Making the best of an overnight snowstorm, the
picketing workers built a large snowman to join them on
the picket line.
Would prohibit extra -billing, user fees
Contract negatiationa be-
tween Lloyd -Tr**. and the
union representhigabout 145
workers at tbac-Preinhim-
Lloyd door faCtOry in
Wingham reulain stalled
following a Walkout last
week.
Workers att- the plant
walked off thellib at 2 p.m.
last Wednesda:two and a
half days prior* the strike
deadline of miOight Friday.
As of early thiweek, union
and company*egotiators
still had not scheduled a
meeting to reneWtalks.
Doctors want board to lob
ainst Canada Health Act
Members of the Wingham
and District Hospital Board
plan to meet with local
doctors in res onse to
study the legislation and see
"the true idiocy now being
planned for you."
ho_spi tal
fr,
request from the president of
the Wingham Medical
Association that the board
lobby Ottawa against the
new Canada Health Act.
After hearing the request
in a report from the medical
staff last week, •the board
offered to organize a
seminar to find out more
about the Act, which among
other things would prohibit
extra -billing by doctors and
penalize prtivinces Which
employ health carouser
fees.,
Using both a carrot and a
•
stick, Dr. Walter Wongtold
board members that
whether they realize it. or
not, the Act will affect them,
potentially cutting into the
hospital's revenue from
chronic care. user fees and
increasing its costs.
He challenged the board to
boards must "stand up and
be counted," he declared. "If
you.asa communal body of
boards don't do it, then
you've had it!"
Dr. Wong told the board
the Ontario Medical
Association has been very
vocal in its opposition to
various clauses within the
Act, especially those dealing
with extra -billing by doctors.
If the Act goes through and
the OMA ' decides to
demonstrate its displeasure,
"we would be honor and duty
bound to stand by them."
One of the things which
might happen, he said, .is
that doctors would start
charging hospitils for some
'things they now do without
pay, such as manning the
emergency department on
weekends and. attending
East Wawanosh Township
board meetings.
He said the OMA recom-
mends charging $100 an
hour to keep a doctor on
caLover_the weekend. At 70
hours, that would amount to
$7,000 a weekend or $28,000 a
rnonth,he noted.
"If you don't pay, the
medical staff is not obliged
to attend the emergency
department."
Under the present system
doctors handling emergency
calls over the weekend get
only the OHIP fee for
whatever patients they
might 'see, he said, "and I
can' assure you it's nowhere
near ($100 an hour) — maybe
$15 an hour."
The doctors would also
charge $100 an hour for at-
tending hospital -related
meetings, such as board
meetings.
"You've been fore-
warned!" he told the board,
saying the medical associa-
OMB decision paves way
for Christian high school
A recent decision by the
Ontario Municipal Board
paves the way for a Christian
high school to be built in East
Wawanosh Township.
The decision was received
by East Wawanosh Clerk -
Treasurer Winona Thomp-
son on Monday_ and it settles
a matter which has been
hanging over the heads of the
residents of Hutton Heights,
council and representatives
from the Wingham and
District Interdominational
Christian High School
Society for more than six
months.
Dr. John Vanderkooy of
Harriston, a society spokes-
man, said Monday he and his
group are very pleased with
the decision and they defin-
itely intend to go ahead with
the school as soon as the
necessary funds can be
raised.
Council will deal with the
matter at its next meeting
Tuesday afternoon.
Last year the society
proposed to buy a 1.9 acre
parol of land from Lloyd
Hutton Real Estate Limited
upon which to build a school.
Mr. Hutton received the
necessary severance from
the county land division
committee, but council
refused to pass a zoning
change bylaw which would
permit a school to locate at
the Hutton Heights sub-
division.
Council and the residents
of Hutton Heights opPosed
the school for three reasons:
a lack of access to a public
highway, namely Crawford
Street; it does not comply
with the provisions of the
township's secondary plan
and the county plan; it
contravenes provisions of
the Foodlands Guidelines.
In reaching its decision,
the board said Crawford
Street clearly is dedicated as
a public highway in the
secondary plan and there-
fore provides access for the
proposed school.
The county plan desig-
nates the subject land as
agricultural and itsi-policies
provide that institutional
uses may locate in areas
designated as agricultural
and residential without a
plan amendment.
The East Wawanosh sec-
ondary plan, currently be-
fore the Minister of Munici-
pal Affairs arid Housing for
approval, designates the
area as urban and restricted
agriculture.
Since the ,East Wawanosh
plan appears to build on the
policies of the county plan,
the county policies will be
applicable where the East
Wawanosh plan is unclear.
As a final comment the
board suggested the section
of the secondary plan which
says Hutton Heights "should
be allowed to develop in its
own style and to the
satisfaction of the residents,
has the effect of giving the
residents the discretion of
approving 'only those
developments that they
want."
"In conclusion the Board is
..of the opinion that, although
the consideration of the
interests of the area
residents is a high priority
and of prime concern, the
council in this case has made
this a matter of sole con-
sideration to the exclusion of
any consideration of the
interests of good planning or
the public interests in
general."
The board said it is
compelled to direct the town-
ship ta pass the appropriate
zoning bylaw to permit the
proposed development,
tion would be willing to
meet with board members
either individually or as a
group to discuss ways of
opposing the new Act.
"The public at large has
enjoyed,4' +doctoNmod '
for quite a long time," he
concluded. "They've knock-
ed the medical profession al-
most senseless and speeal-
less, and that's unfortu-
nate."
Dr. Brian Hanlon, hospital
chief of staff and one of three
doctors who sit on the
hospital board, took a more
moderate approach, asking
board members for their
views as individuals on the
proposals contained in the
Canada Health Act.
The only one to respond
.was Robert Pike, who ad-
mitted he knew little about
the Act or its consequences
but said he was willing to
meet with the doctors to find
out more:
Dr. Hanlon explained the
federal government wants to
outlaw user fees by imposing
a financial penalty on
provinces which employ
them. The excuse is so that
everybody will have equal
access to health care,
whether or not they can
afford to pay, he said.
Also, if the "gOvernment
bans user fees, any doctor
working outside OHIP will
have to bill patients directly,
and the patient will not be
able to recover any part of
the bill from OHIP.
train our students?"
Board Vice Chairman
Hans Kuyvenhoven said that hoped to meet prior to a work were taken by ambulance to
while there has been talk stoppage and blames the the Wingliam and District
about the new AO, he has yet union for refusing to extend Hospital following the
ttn—s-e —strieadlitreit-also—mis
legislation. ' til you see , eotol;tss. ii.,a great cleat •,r
the actual dr it 1 Vita to ?..*;.. , 1 '.:.ikitligeOif03-10
ke-d
form an o ' IA:1. . ..eiteli. siit rg- -0*qiiiii,'
Mr. Pike , also asked thotigh- it 'cities' not 'explain
whether the Ontario HoSpital what those positions are.
Association, which. rep- '' The statement 'Concludes
resents hospitals in the that, "it is very unfortunate ',
province, has taken a this strike has commenced
might be better for the OHA withOut the parties having
had the opportunity to fully
position on the matter. It
to make a recommendation explore all possibilities to
rather than for each hospital reach an agreement."
to have to wrestle with it, he The union, however, tells a.
suggested. `somewhat different story.
However Dr. Hanlon said Though individual members
he would" like to see board were unwilling .to talk
members taking an interest publicly about the strike, Mr.
in the matter as individual
Salvona, business represent -
citizens. If the protests are ative for Local 3054 of the
just from doctors or
Car -
hospitals they might be United Brotherhood of
penters
dismissed as representing . and Joiners of
America, blamed frustration,
vested interests, he noted. . over foot -dragging • and
Eventually the board provocative tactics by the
agreed to hold a seminar company for triggering the
sometime in the near fnture-
to discuss the new Health walkout.
He denied that the uni
Act. Federal MP Murray
had called the walkou
Cardiff will be invited to
saying that contrary to th
attend to explain the Act and
carry the board's feelings popular belief that, a unio
calls a strike, that decision is
back to Ottawa. • up to the workers. At the
Ions remain -stalled
at Premium -Lloyd
However union negotiator same time, he added, the
Adam Salvotutaf Exeter said union believes their action
he was .wagiati for a SPA was justified and will defend
from company . negotiator them against any charges
Chris BaltieS o Toronto 'or a arising from the walkout.
mediator appOinted bythe "We believe the company
Ontario Labor Relations provoked and precipitated
Board and hoped to get talks this strike," he said, citing
underway soon. several incidents including:
Neither side would discuss —a production speed-up,
exact details of its, including assigning of
bargaining position, but Mr. foremen to production duties
Salvona did say that except reserved for union mem-
bers;
—arranging to have chief
steward and safety repre-
sentative Elmer Schultz out
of the plant last week when
the safety inspector arrived
to investigate a complaint
about hazardous working
conditions, involving fumes
from a solvent; _
—while Mr. Schultz was
away, ordering foremen to
for a dental plan, mone
items are not the maj
things on the agenda. More
critical from the union's
point of view are security -
related items such as
seniority rights and the
treatment of probationary
employees, he said.
Details remain sketchy
about just what precipitated
the illegal walkout by plant
employees. The company's
only public statement to date
has been a terse, one-page
press release expressing
surprise at the strike, which
it notes was illegal and
contrary to the terms of the
collective agreement. (The
strike has been legal since
midnight Friday, but was
illegal prior to that time.)
It says the company had
Two injured in
Two men were hospital-
ized with injuries they suf-
fered in a single -car accident
at Wroxeter Saturday night.
The driver of the car,
Wilfred Borth of Goderich,
and a passenger, Brian
Gardner of Newmarket,
operate forklifts to load thing out of proportion" and
doors onto trucks instead of led to a spontaneous walkout
using union drivers as during the afternoon coffee
specified in the collective break. The walkout "very
agreement, with the definitely was not premedi-
machinery being driven tated," he added, and it
recklessly and in an unsafe caught the union by surprise,
manner. with some of its strike pre -
Mr. Salvona said he did not parations still incomplete.
know whether this was done
in an attempt to intimidate
union members, but said the
workers were upset by it and
that appeals from shop
stewards were ignored.
As well, he added, a strong
rumor was circulating that
the company planned to
impose a lockout at the
plant, starting Monday
morning.
He said the combination of
incidents, together with the
breakdown in contract
negotiations, 'blew.' - every -
accident
A second passenger in the
auto, Allan Gardner of
Vanastra, was not injured.
Provincial Police at
Wingham reported that the
Borth vehicle, •a 1977 Olds -
Mobile, was southbound on
p.m. .when it went through didn't know the safety officer
Huron Road 12 at about 10
High- was coming," he said, ad -
the intersection with
'
to the v "de was ding that the arrangements
way 87 and rolled over.
to have Mr. Schultz do a job
at Wallterton,had been made
Asked about the charges,
Plant Manager Gerry
Wilhelm strongly denied that
the incidents cited by the
union had been staged
deliberately. Foremen were
not ordered to take part in
production work or to drive
forklifts, he said, explaining
that the only one who could
have given such an order on
behalf of the company is
himself.
Foremen were instructed
to get certain things done, he
said, but they were not told
to do it themselves. As for
whether or not the incidents
occurred, he had not been in
the plant and could not say.
He also categorically
denied that the company had
arranged to have Mr. Schultz
out of the plant when the
safety inspector visited.
"I can categorically say I
0.•
This will lead to two levels
of health care, he said, one
for the rich for whom cost is
no object and another for the
-poor who can't afford to go
outside OHIP.
"Over a 10 -year period
(Federal Health Minister
Monique Begin) is going to
create what she's trying to
avoid.
"That's what concerns ine,
not the $100 an hour for
working in emergency."
Such an arrangement
would erode the rights of
patients, he said, since with-
out the prospect of
recovering at least part of
the bill from OHIP many
could not afford to visit an
opted -out doctor, He also
intimated that if the Act as it
stands is passed, many of the
top specialists would leave
Canada for the U.S., where
they could command higher
salaries.
What happens if the great
specialists desert Canadian
teaching hospitals such as
University Hospital in
London, he asked. "Who will
To open tenders Tuesday
Special meeting planned on
hospital building project
A final decision on whether or not the
Wingham' and District Hospital will build a
new emergency and outpatient wing could
come as early as next week, after the
hospital board opens tenders on the project.
Before making that decision, however, the .
board will get its long-awaited special
meeting to review pros and cons of the
project.
The special meeting, described as "ari
information meeting to discuss all aspects"
of the building project, was requested by the
board's vice chairman, Hans Kuyvenhoven,
who reminded the chairman that board
members had been promised a chance to go
over all the details before being asked to
make a definite commitment.
In a motion calling for such a meeting, he
specified that a final vote would not be taken
"until the next board meeting," but left it
open whether that would be at the regular
meeting April 18 or at another special
meeting called in the interim.
During last week's regular meeting of the
board, Chairman Mary Vair announced that
tenders on the new wing will be opened next
Tuesday afternoon, and that a special
meeting had been scheduled for Thursday
evening to discuss the building project and
make a final decision.
However several members objected that
would not give them enough time to
thoroughly digest the information and be
ready to vote.
"WAbat do board members feel about
opening bids one day and being asked to
make a decision the next da?" Dr. Brian
.Hanlon inquired, asking if it would not be
possible to allow a week to review the
material before making a decision.
Others questioned whether two days
would give the architect time to properly
review the bids and prepare recom-
mendations.
"Every step should be taken so that no one
in the public could interpret this to be a ram -
rodding through," Dr. Walter Wong em-
phasized.
Mrs. Vair told the board it would be ideal
if a decision could be made at the Thursday
meeting, saying there is nothing to be
gained by putting it off, but agreed that "if
there is too much information to absort
that's a decision for the board to make,"
She urged board members to leave open
the possibility of making a decision that
night if they find they are satisfied with the
information provided.
Asked by board member Robert Pike
what the status of the press would be at that
eet' Mrs. Vair told. him the press is
not nvit d" to the special meeting.
The board was told that 18 general con-
tractors had obtained copies of the, plans for
the new wing, indicating a brisk interest in
bidding, and,that a number of electrical and
mechanical subcontractors have also ex-
pressed interest in those details of the
project,
Stewart Coupland is
the new T -D manager
The Bank of Commerce is
not the only Wingham bank
that can lay claim to having
a native son as its manager,
not since Stewart Coupland
recently took over at the
Toronto -Dominion Bank.
Mr. Coupland, a native of
Wroxeter who attended the
old Wingham and ,District
High School, said he was
shocked when he heard of his
move to Wingham from his
previous posting at
Leamington because the
announcement was unex-
pected and because he was
being moved "back home".
There are obvious ad-
vantages to returning to this
area. Mr. Coupland's mother
still lives at Wroxeter and his
wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Robinson, live in
Wingham.
In fact he is staying with
his in-laws until his family
moves to town in June.
One disadvantage of the
move is that his son is
enrolled at the University of
Windsor and his daughter
hopes toenter St. Clair
College at Sarnia in the fall.
Living in Wingham means
the Couplands will be further
away from their children.
After he completed his
high school education, Mr.
Coupland worked with a
construction company
before joining the bank at
Gorrie in 1955.
Since then he has been in
many branches, the most
recent being Leamington.
Coming home I's not too big
a "culture shock" for Mr.
Coupland since he spent the
years 1974 to 1980 at Seaforth
and has been in close touch
with the area and his family.
Last fall, Grant Currie,
another homegrown Wing-
hamite, returned to town to
manage the Bank of Com-
merce.