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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-04-11, Page 17a Serving over 25,000 homes in Listowel, Wingham,. lqunt Forest, Milverton, Elmira, Palmerston, Harriston, Brussels, Atwoq i, Monkton, Millbank, Newton, Clifford, WallenStein, Drayton, Moorefield and Arthur. Wednesday, April 1 1 , 1984 aakaazaa 444. BUSINESS SOLD—Canada Packers Inc. recently sold their York Ice Cream business to Beatrice Foods Ltd. The sale meant that over 30 employees were laid off as of March 30 and 20 additional employees were transferred to Beatrice plants in Oshawa, Kitchener and. Simcoe. Prior to the layoff ,the Harriston plant had Employees laid off 135 employees. The company hopes to step up its production of its other lines, dairy product's and specialty and cheddar cheeses; and recently purchased the creamery equipment of Graham Creamery Ltd., of Alexandria. by Patrick Raftis EXPANDED PLANT—At the left of this picture is the Canada Packers cheese pro- duction facility, which was added to the main facility only a few years ago. Now , the company is shrinking rather than expanding due to the sale of the York Ice Cream business to Beatrice Foods Ltd. Bob Kidd, dairy manager of the Harriston and Mount Forest plants blamed competition- for the ice cream market, from big dairies put Canada Packers in a position where they found it necessary to sell out. York Ice Gream plant in Harriston sold The layoff of 30-40 employees might not seem all that disastrous in comparison with massive plant closings in places like Brantford in recent years. But in Harriston, Ontario, (population 2,000) when a business like York Ice Cream, owned by Canada Packers Inc. and the town's major em- ployer, closes its doors the effect on the community can be quite unsettling. Beginning Sunday evening, March 25 and continuing through Monday morning, employees were informed as they came in for their shifts that the York Ice Cream business had been sold to Beatrice Foods (Ontario) Limited. Bob Kidd, dairy manager for Canada Packers' Harriston and Mount Forest plants, said he could not comment as to how long local management had known about the impending sale, but between 30 and 40 workers were informed their employment would cease as of March 30, 1984. An additional 20 or so employees were notified they will be transfered to Beatrice plants inkitchener, Oshawa and Simcoe. Prior to the layoff, the Harriston plant had a staff of 135 employees, including managment personnel. While a press release issued by Canada Packers' head office in Toronto stated approximately 45 workers would be laid off, Mr. Kidd said the actual number of lost jobs would be closer to 30. He said more notices of termination were issued than were necessary and that some notices may be "retracted". The sale to Beatrice includes trucks, ice cream cabinets and some manufacturing equipment. Beatrice will continue to market ice cream under the former company's three trademark names, York, Clover Cream and Canterbury. Employees affected by the layoff have up to four year's seniority. The company will them full salary for four weeks after their termination, in lieu of notice and they will be entitled to recall on a,preferential basis for a period of up to two years, should any work become available. Canada Packers has long been a source of .high -paying summer employment for quite a few area students, but this year, said Mr. Kidd, it will depend on how many employees decide to hang onto their recall rights. There may not be any student openings this summer. Employees are being offered $300 separation pay if they wish to forego their recall privleges. If they are not recalled during the two-year periodthey will get the separation pay at the end of that time. One cause for some optimism is the purchase by Canada Packers of the manufacturing equipment of'Graham Creamery Ltd., of Alexandria, a manufacturer of food service and retail butter products. A statement issued March 26 by R. L. Symmes, vice president of Canada Packers Inc., said the purchase of the butter manufacturing equipment is the first of a number of steps planned that will improve employment opportunities in the dairy complex over the long term. Harriston will continue its other dairy activities including manufacturing of dairy protein products as well as cheddar and specialty cheeses, for the domestic and export market. Mr. Kidd however, said he couldn't say at this point whether the expanded creamery activity would bring the plant's workforce back to full strength in the near future. Poor returns on the business and a decreasing marketplace were cited by Mr. Kidd as reasons for the sale. He said that York Ice Cream was having • trouble competing with ice cream products from big dairy ,firms that can go into a store and supply everything from milk to ice cream on one truck. Another source off competition is the trend toward chainstores buying dairies and producing their own ice cream brands. "The market for ice cream from in - dependants is shrinking," said Mr. Kidd. Mr. Kidd said the layoffs affect predominantly young people of whom "a high percentage are not 'married" and presumably do not own homes. Still, there will be hardships. It is doubtful there are enough jobs available in Harriston and the surrounding area to absorb all of the laid off employees. Some may have' to move to other areas, or take jobs that require driving a considerable distance. "I've never had to drive to a job in my life," said one disgruntled employee who was affected by the layoff. Another problem Canada Packers has to , deal with is the large number of displaced female workers. The ice cream plant was staffed largely by female workers and many of them have a lot of seniority. "They have every right to try traditionally male jobs," said Mr. Kidd. He said if the female employees can handle the physical,labor involved with some of the jobs they can displace a male worker with , less seniority. For laid off employees, finding a job will be difficult. Finding a job that pays as well as Canada Packers will be even harder. The base rate for a worker who has been with the company for five months is $8.64 per hour, with progressively higher rates being paid for different job classifications. Mr. Kidd said the layoffs will definitely have an effect on the Harriston area. "If we laid off even three people it would have an effect. To what degree, no one can really say." Many area businesses havelong benefited from the presence of York Ice Cream and Canada Packers being in the community. Local garages andauto dealerships are used to doing a lucrative business selling and servicing ice cream trucks. • Numerous other businesses have Canada Packers as a major client and local mer- chants have always benefited from the patronage of well-paid workers. Several years ago, Harriston residents were extremely upset by an article in the Toronto Star which labelled Harriston a "Ghost Town". The article was based on a reporter's observance of a few vacant storefronts and comments from local merchants who later claimed they were misquoted or taken out of context. The ghost town story did not present an accurate picture of Harriston at the time, or at present, as the town boasts many thriving small businesses and a strong community spirit. There are no tumbleweeds in Harriston: Still, ghost town. or not, the spectre of unemployment looms large at present for a considerable number of area residents. Maryhill Chord Spinners Four part harmony still entertaining If the words, barbershop music, evoke for you memories of men with red and white jackets, straw hats and canes, the Chord Spinners of Maryhill will take you by sur- prise. Barbershop harmony has a whole new look in this Village — women, in royal blue gowns. But the unaccompanied, four-part harmony is the same music that has enter- tained audiences for years. The Chord Spinners made their debut in Maryhill two years ago but women's bar- bershop has been around much longer. In fact, Harmony Inc., an international bar- bershop organization for women, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The Chord Spinners belong to this international group and as members compete at a local level to- wards a chance to compete against the best of 80 member choruses at the international level. Four members of the Maryhill chorus are sure of attending the international competi- tion in Rhode Islandthis year. Jo Rider, chorus director, with her two daughters, Cathy Cunningham and Sherry Setchell and her sister, Cathy Mahony form a quartet, Family Tradition, which will compete for the first time internationally in November. Jo. Rider is certainly a qualified chorus director. She has been involved in barber- shop singing for over 20 years. She recalls that her father sang it and the first group she joined in Guelph was called the Barber- shop Bells. Rider haa been international president of Harmony Inc. and she used to direct the Guelph chapter. But two years ago enough interest was shown in the Maryhill area to form another chapter. Friday evening, April 13, the group will present its second annual community show at the Maryhill Knights of Columbus. To be called "Sounds of Disney", the show will start at 8 p.m. ; and at 9 p.m. a dance will be held. Money raised from the show and dance helps defray travel and costume expenses for the group. Also, any extra money gener- ated by members of Harmony Inc. supports the Autistic Foundation, autism being a sev- ere disturbance of mental and emotional de- velopment in young children. As well as the community show, the Chord Spinners have performed at nursing homes, churches and for local organizations. Members obviously have a love for bar- bershop music but the group is also a hobby. and a social time for some. Harmony Inc.'s motto is 'A Blend with Friendship.' As well as singing, the group works on costumes — special designs for the com- munity show, and the basic outfit worn by all members. When she isn't directing the group, Rider is often at the sewing machine making new outfits or redesigning one. "Any woman who can carry a tune is wel- come," says Rider. The group rehearses weekly on Monday evenings at the Knights of Columbus. It isn't necessary to have a trained voice nor to read music. It's easy to learn how to sing barbershop, says Rider; music, she adds, that people seem to either like,or dislike. For those who know they like barbershop and those who have yet to find out, tickets to the community show are available by calling Rider at 64$-2466 or Dolly Provost, 648-2416. ";We are working diligently to make this show better than last year," comments the director. by Kim Dadson CHORD SPINNERS—Women's barber- shop thrives in Maryhill with this group. Back row from left: Marg Berwick,' Cory Denduyf, Anne Bolger; Liz Bruder, Linda Liddle and Cathy Cunn- ingham. Middle row: Lorene Reid, Marg Meyer, Dorothy Carter, Roxy Madlensky, Aileen Snyder, Flo Robson and Sherry Setchell. Front row: Janice Cook, Cathy Mahony, Dolly Provost, Marg Brown, Inez Falls, Lois Cafik and Jo Rider.