Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1974-02-07, Page 14PAGE 14 ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1974 Settle (continued from page 1) The teachers were advised by Mr. Carey that they would be enrolled as employees of the OECTA and would receive pay of $75 a week if married and the sole supported of a family or $50 if single, per week for the duration of the dispute. (This amount was raised at an OECTA meeting this weekend to 500/o of previous salary). The teachers were asked to clear out any personal belonging from their schools before the keys were returned to the board. By 10:30 Friday morning teach- ers at St. James' Separate School in Seaforth were taking record players and other person- al materials out of their class- rooms. Friday afternoon the teachers staged a protest march along the sidewalk on Seaforth's Main Street from the Legion to the HPRCSS board office to return the school keys to the board. Carrying signs and led by Huron -Perth OECTA presid- ent Sister Audrey Dumochelle, Principal of Immaculate Con- ception School, in Stratford and union leaders, the teachers waited quietly outside the board office while Mr. Carey put the keys inside the door of the board office, Pickets, carrying signs in English and French saying "let me teach, " "We demand just- ice" and "Negotiate, " marched in front of the board office until normal school closing time Friday afternoon. Other teach- ers attended professional devel- opment activities, organized by teacher Brian Morrissey of Stratford, at the Legion. On Monday afternoon, Bob Cooney, of Windsor, president of the OECTA and Rejean Bel- anger, assistant secretary of the Association Des-Enseignants The International Scene PLAIN TALK ON THE ENERGY CRISIS I don't know when I have seen so much confusion as there has been with the current energy "crisis." Every day something that is said or happens seems to change the picture and the end result is that nobody or almost nobody really knows what is going on. Even governments seem to be included in this group. From Franco Ontariens, from Ottawa attended the teacher's meeting and both recommended accept- ance of the contract. In the new two year contract, the board 'has agreed to pay a bigger share, 75°/o up from 66.6°lo of the teachers' OHIP and life insurance coverage. They have agreed to administer coverage of teachers by a drug plan. The new contract allows accumulation of a maximum of 200 unused sick leave and for payment of a sick leaved grat- 'uity upon retirement. Other provisions include the establish- ment of an educational improve ment or sabatical leave select- ion committee, to include two teachers, two trustees and the superintendent. A contract interpretation or grievance committee has also been established, Dashwood Mrs. Ray Rader, Mrs. Earl Keller, Mrs. Delmar Miller, Mrs. Ernest Miller, Mrs. Gord- on Bender and Mrs. Stuart Wolfe attended the training school at the Exeter United church, January 31 and February 1, for the project "Taking a look at Yourself." Bowling scores at Zurich Lanes SENIOR MIXED BOWLING LEAGUE, January 31, 1974 Whippoorwills - L. Gascho - 628 Varieties - I. Laporte - 542 Newcomers - E, Zimmer - 486 Ramblers - H. Finkbeiner - 618 Hi Hopes - E. Horner - 641 Hawkeyes - F. Denomme - 652 HIGH SINGLE - Ray.Jacobe - 324 HIGH TRIPLE - George Sweeney - '757 Total Points Points 0 18 7 89 2 67 5 '72 2 55 5 98 WOWS fi BEDARD CONSTRUCTION really has the "know-how" when it comes to Building And Remodelling *MODERN HOMES *NEW COTTAGES *BARNS &SHEDS *COMPLETE RENOVATIONS Give us a call for any type of Building Construction. Complete Backhoe Service Available Richard Bedard CONSTRUCTION 236-4679 - ZURICH ( BY RAYMOND CANON) what I have seen of their actions lately, I am sure that they are more than slightly confused. Are we or are we not in the Arabs' good books? The govern- ment says we are and yet there is no evidence of the amount of oil coming out of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia that we are supposed to be getting. More important is this question. How much do the multinational oil companies know and are not telling? My guess is a great deal, especially the amount of oil that is being juggled about after it leaves the Mid dle East. For a country that has been cut off from oil as much as Holl- and is supposed to be, they are not doing too badly at all. There are a few facts, how- ever, that I believe to be in- contestable and which I wish to share with you at this time. The first is that I do not believe we can hold the Arabs respons- ible for the current crisis. At least, not to any degree. If there is a crisis, it is mainly because of the shortsightedness on the part of both governments and oil companies. I know of at least four reputable reports, the earliest one dating back to 1952, that predicted an energy shortage in the 1970's unless something was done to increase production,. Of course, none of these reports coui.d be aware of any political action on the part of the Arabs, but the reports certainly emphasized that there was going to be a shortage. As, I indicated, I honestly believe that the recent action on the part of the Arabs is making very little difference as to the amount of the shortage. It is just that it is easy to make them the fall guys in this business. One other bit of food for thought is the possibility that in a very few years this oil short- age could well turn into a glut, the likes of which we can hardly conceive of at the present time. There are several sound reasons for believing that this will, in effect, happen. First of all, it doesn't take much to recall that there have been at least a dozen major shortages of commodities since the Second World War, and all of these so-called crises have melted away almost as fast as they came. In 1947 there was a coal crisis and it was claimed at the time that no coal miner in Europe or Japan would have to worry about losing his job before the end of the century. Before the end of 10 years most of these coal mines had been complet- ely closed. In 1956 France and Britain went briefly to war with Egypt because the closing of the Suez Canal for a week was supposed to starve Europe of oil. It was also supposed to put both Britain and France in the Arabs' bad books for the next 100 years. Just look and see who are the Arabs' friends in Europe today! If the oil producing nations such as Iran and Saudi Arabia have made one mistake, it is that they have jacked the price of crude oil so high that it opens the field to all sorts of cheaper substitutes. With Western tech- nology, it won't be long before these substitutes are in full production and then watch out! It has even been predicted that by 1980 the Arab countries may even be in need of foreigh aid because their emphasis on oil may ruin them when the glut does occur. IT' S RENEWAL TIME FOR MANY OF OUR SUBSCRIBERS If the month on your Label reads Feb., and the year to the extreme right reads '74, your subscription is now due for renewal. YOUR CO-OPERATION IS NEEDED NOM If the month on your Label reads anything prior to Feb. , and the year to the extreme right reads anything prior to '74, your subscription is now past due. WE HOPE TO AVOID A PRICE INCREASE In an effort to avoid a price increase at the present time, we hope to cut down our expenses by not mailing out renewal notices for several weeks. Won't you please check your label now, and if your subscription is due, or past due, send us your remittance at once! $5.00 PER YEAR IN CANADA $b.00 PER YEAR IN U.S.A. If you don't understand your label, give us a call! muelook, PHONE 236-4672 - ZURICH