Loading...
The Wingham Advance-Times, 1989-08-15, Page 11411(5-1 SE, ..11UN Wingham, Ontario, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 1989 ROYAL HOMES LOCK-OUT—Production employees remain locked out the Royal Homes plant in Wingham. Employees vote on the company offer this Thursday at the Wingham arena. The offer was rejected earlier this month by the International Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners Union. Royal Homes workers iocked mut Royal Homes' production The vote will be held this Thurs- employees in Wingham remain day, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. locked out of the Arthur Street upstairs in the Lockridge Memorial plant, at least until they vote on the Arena. company's contract offer this All production employees were Thursday at the Wingham arena. The approximately 150 employ- ees have been locked out since last Tuesday, Aug. 8, the day they were to return to work after the plant's summer shut -down. Negotiations for a first contract between Royal Homes and the International Brotherhood fo Car- penters and Joiners ended on Wednesday; Aug. 2, when the union rejected- the company's- last_. offer. According to Royal Homes' plant manager Doug Penson, the union refused to take the offer to the employees for a ratification vote. Union spokesman Adam Salvona could not be reached for comment last week. In a press release issued last week, Mr. Penson says, "We believe the (company's) offer is a good one and want our production employ- ees to have the opportunity to see the details and vote on the offer." For this reason, according to Mr. Penson, the company asked the Ontario Ministry of Labor to Inter- vene and order a secret ballot vote. Representatives of Royal Homes and the union met with labor min- istry officials last Wednesday in Toronto, at which time details of the vote were arranged• to receive a certified copy of the company offer to study before the vote, Mr. Penson says the offer is "pretty decent — comparable to, or even better than, other (Wingham) industries". The company has proposed an increase in the number of statutory holidays, a shorter work day with overtime paid over eight and one- half hours,, a ,updated, den#al schedule and a wage Schedule that stabilizes the categories and wages in each of those categories. Last week, visitors to the plant were greeted by security personnel equipped with the radios and everyone was required to sign in or out. Although this all may seem rather strange, Mr. Penson says it is normal procedure during a lock- out. The lock -out applies only to pro- duction personnel — office staff, on-site workers and truck drivers all are on the job, as employees ofthe Crown Windows plant. Mr. Penson says he is eager for the strike to end and should the workers...voteto: accept the compa-' ny offer, production will resume immediately. If they choose to reject the 'offer, Mr. Penson says the company and the union will have to return to the negotiating table to settle the matter as quickly as possible. According to a spokesman for the Listowel employment and immi- gration office, it could be several weeks before Royal Homes workers know if they are eligible for UIC benefits during the lock -out. Royal Homes production work- ers received union certification last fall. Since then, the company and union have met numerous times to try to work out details of a first con - Royal Homes has operated in Wingham since the early 1970s. Farm leaders surprised as Riddell dropped from cabinet Huron County farm leaders say they were surprised by the news that Huron MPP Jack Riddell had been dumped as provincial agricul- ture minister in a cabinet shake-up earlier this month. "I was surprised and I wasn't pleased," says Jack Flanagan, presi- dent of the Huron Cattlemen's Association. "I thought he did an excellent job." Among Mr. Riddell's greatest successes, according to Mr. Flana- gan, were the red meat, land stew - Woman's condition serious following farm mishap A Morris Township woman was seriously injured Saturday after- noon when she slipped off the tongue of a trailer on which she was standing, according to Wing - ham OPP. Patricia Aitcheson, 48, of R.R.2 Blyth was taken by ambulance to Wingham and District Hospital with a fractured skull after a freak mishap caused her to lose her foot- ing as she was riding on the tongue of a trailer full of wood. The trailer was being towed by a tractor driv- en by her husband, Douglas Aitche- son. According to police, the valve stem on the tractor broke, spraying fluid on the trailer tongue. Mrs. Aitcheson lost her footing and fell, striking her head on the road. She was transferred Saturday to Victo- ria Hospital in London by air ambulance, where she remains in serious condition. The accident occurred about 1.30 p.m. on Con. 8 near Lot 15. Lunar eclipse begins tomorrow evening Tomorrow night (Wednesday) will afford sky -watchers in this area with the best opportunity for view- ing a lunar eclipse since the sum- mer of 1982 weather permitting, of course. The total eclipse of the moon on the 'night of Aug. 16-17 will be a good one in this area for several reasons, according to the National Museum of Science and Technolo- B3" the tinning will be good for viewers in Eastern Canada with the eclipse beginning about moonrise; —the moon's path is nearly cen- tral to the Eartiniihsdovarresulting in a relatively long interval of totali- ty (only 11 minutes less than the maximum po:'. able); --observing conditions are assn- paratively comfortable in Au st, an important consideration eat the long duration of a lu This one will be just under five and - one -half hours. An eclipse of the moon occurs when the moon, at full phase, moves through the Earth's shadow and is darkened. This shadow is a cone with its apex projecting beyond the nit side of the Earth. How darkthe !Molt will dome depends upon a number of condi- tions; such as the amount of dust, volcanic ash or Spoke from forest fires In the atmosphere. The range in color also it unpredictable. It may be .ar d"eepy or brown, a dark or rusty red or:a bright carp. peryr-red or orange, The use of litoculars will, enhance the view•a*:Otters alid tuns srmair a at envelept d by and emerge front ilio Pth'ss shadow Thetaf at appra x eareniilg -- etude at ardship and tri -partite stabilization programs. Mr. Flanagan also sup- ported the former agriculture min- ister's stand on stabilization for farm -fed grain. However, one of Mr. Riddell's greatest accomplishments was the beef vote, says Mr. Flanagan. "He (Mr. Riddell) had the courage to settle the beef -marketing issue (con- cerning alternate ways to sell cattle) in a very democratic way so that producers could work together" "I guess I liked his whole approach to agriculture. I consider him a realist, he understands farm- ing and knows that he can't give everything to everybody," says Mr. Flanagan. "1 can't disagree with anything he has done because I always understood where he was coming from, even if I didn't always agree with him." Chris Palmer, president of the Huron County Federation of Agri- culture, had mixed views on Mr. Riddell's departure as agriculture minister. "I was really pleased with him at first, but he kind of petered out at the end." "For the years that Mr. Riddell was farm critic, he knew what the problems were and agreed with the OFA (Ontario Federation of Agri- culture), but as soon as he became the minister of agriculture, he had different opinions," adds Mr. Palmer. Particularly disappointing to Mr. Palmer was the cancellation of the Ontario Farm Families Interest -Rate Reduction program. Last year, according to Mr. Palmer, Mr. Rid- dell told the Huron federation that ;OFFIR would be terminated, but would be replaced by a program the banks couldn't abuse. "But the program was totally dropped and not replaced. He didn't even try to change the pro- gram so that the banks couldn't abuse it." However, Mr. Palmer says he does not place all the blame for problems in agriculture on the min- ister. "Agriculture doesn't have the power it once had," he says, adding that the provincial treasurer is putting pressure on various min istries to save money. Mr. Palmer says he will miss hav- ing the agriculture minister "in our own backyard" and overall, Mr. Riddell did a very good job. "He was such a loud, boisterous person, he got his message across." Of the new agriculture minister, New Liskeard farmer David Ram- say, Mr. Palmer says that farming in Northern Ontario and farming in Southwestern Ontario are two dif- ferent things. "I hope Mr. Ramsay understands the situation here." Peter VanDriel, president of the Christian Farmers' Federation of Huron County, says, "I liked Jack. He got along with a lot of people... (he) did his best, there's no way of proving he could do a better job." Woman pleased with recreation programs A Wingham-area woman is pleased with the recreation depart- ment's summer programs and has put her compliments down in writ - n. • In a letter to town council, Peg Lockridge says, her two children were enrolled in the first session of day -camp programs. She reports she is pleased , with the programs, addingthat the youngsters thor- t u"hlyenjoy thetti, 1 think ever�'a n aag'i aciated with these p igr s deteri'res a pat Ott the back fi � and we look foie aft ittlsr at ,n niOrtsurntr a' • year over the day -camp and 'swim - Ming pool schedules. In the report of ,the recreation committee, Counciller'Bill' McGrath said the recreation programs are running well and. , he has not received any complaints. Hay thermometer now avail.b A hay thermometer nOW is avail, - tibia throe h the Wingham and Aioa Fire Department,Tire thief }'Utley 'Crum told last week's Itiptat begird meeting, Atliiiltilkt l ira& the firs board chief, to Chase or t�r use , w it hot tdtneter„ Single Copy 50e Bike parade, penny carnival is this evening Wingham's annual bicycle and buggy parade is tonight, Tuesday, starting at 6:30 p.m. from Cruick- shank ruickshank Park. Deb Eskritt of the Wingham Recreation Department asks chil- dren to dress as their favorite Walt Disney characters for the parade. Prizes will be awarded. The parade will make its way to Riverside Park near the swimming pool where a penny carnival will be held. Following the penny carnival, youngsters are invited to the pool for a free swim. Dispute over property line ends in fight A dispute over a property line in Walton has resulted in charges of aggravated assault being laid against one man, according to a spokesman for the Wingham;. detachment of the Ontario Provin- cial Police. The OPP report that Robert Walker and John Morley Shepherd, both of Walton, became involved in an altercation last week. Mr. Walker was injured by.a chain saw, say the police and required 15 stitches. Mr. Shepherd has been charged with aggravated assault and will appear in provincial;eourt, Wing - ham, on Aug. 30. The:ittvestigation is continuing. r Lawn bowling In Brussels Page 9A Farmers oppose traller park ..... Page 2A Editorials ▪ Page 4A Letters ▪ .. Page 5A Classifieds .•... Page 6A Community News ▪ Page 2B Sports ..b.. Page 3B Earl Heywood named to country music hall of fame Earl Heywood of Wingham, "Canada's Singing Cowboy", will be inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame at a ceremony later this month at Kitch- ener. This is a big honor for the Wing - ham -based entertainer as he will be in such distinguished company as Hank Snow, Wilf Carter, Tommy Hunter, Cordae Tapp, Al Cherney and the. Mercey Brothers, to name just a few. Posthumous awards also will be presented to old-time favorites Don Messer, Charlie Chamberlain and Marg Osborne. Mr. Heywood is walking on air these days, awaiting the ceremony at Kitchener's Centre in the Square. He will be among 25 deserving candidates;inducted into the newly -formed hall of fame. An" advisory board of Over 40 ple active in the country music justness selected candidates for this first induction. Ali the people who cernprise the advisory board are dedicated to country music, 114? i ley wu and he is proud to have been chosen by his peers. As a memento of this special honor, Mr. Heywood will have his portrait painted by renowned Canadian artist Ken Danby. The Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame is the brainchild of Cof adliln performers Cay Buck, i Sb who has worked hard to see his dream realized, says Mr. Heywood. The hall of fame currently is located at Sportsworld at Kitchener in a structure donated by Royal Homes of Wingham until a perma- nent home can be found. Knechtel stores are in charge of promotions for the hall of fame. Born and raised near Zurich, Mr. Heywood came to Wingham dur- ing the 1940s to perform on air at the local radio station and later on television. He gained the moniker "Canada's Singing Cowboy" and adds that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of his first single on RCA records. Those were heady days for Earl, his wife Martha and their two chil- dren. Mrs. Heywood often per- formed with her husband and the e children sometimes did as well. In addition to his radio work and recordings, Mr. Heywood became a regular with the popular "CKNX Barndance" and toured all over Southwestern Ontario. He is proud to note that several "Barndance" alumni are among those being inducted into the Canadian Coun- try Music Hall of Fame, quite a feather in the cap for our area. It will be a proud moment for Mr. Heywood and his wife when he is inducted into the hall of fame in two weeks. Tickets are available for the gala event, he adds and it will be videotaped, possibly for broad- cast during September.