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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-03-26, Page 1• ft, tk A.7"' 41,:.1rorg /11115,1 esot`ii hOo t!og '10 Wittei If1,440 *OW , Ne 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.