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Photo by G RAHAM PAINE* Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Union Local 2620 - which repre-* sents 110 public works employees - walked off the job Thursday mornlng atter belng without a contract since January, 1997. Here, they picket the Hwy. 25 Iandfill site yesterday morning.* Wages key issue in strike The Ca nadian Champion, TuesdaV - Apdl 14, 1998 -3 pO)NTIAC *BI.ICK *CADILLAC * Iveuw* Yo cnhae i 10chnc f inig he$0 *0 jakpt Ysi yubu o eae ewo uedvh *l slYour nae w l 10 chne of ing the $10,000 .* The draw will take place in our showroomi shortly * after the lOth entry.* t ram WATER on page 1id watermnain breaks. Mr. Dean said making such repairs - which heN explained happen almost every day - should be the least of everyone's wonries. r "(Management) hasn't recognized the potential ( problem," said Mr. Dean. "Halton Region hasn't woken up and smelied the roses yet."M Barry Maimsten, Haiton Region's chief administra-m tive officer, said Mr. Dean's scenaria "won't happen" 1 and that ail facilities are staffed by managementv supervisors whose sole intent is to maintain safety and meet ail provincial guidelines for water quality. Key issues in the dispute include wage increases and benelit reductions. Workers have been wiîhout a raise in six years and are seeking 50 cents more an hour across the board. The union had been looking for parity with their counterparîs in other regions but said it is ready to accept the 50 cents per hour raise. A Halton plant worker is paid $1688 per hour. Those in Durham Region, for example, get $2037 an hour. Mr. Malmsten said botb sides met for a 22-hour marathon session on Monday/Tuesday and eventually bammered out a deal. On Wednesday night this wasc taken to the union membership, which promptiy rejected it by more than 70 per cent, said Mr. Dean. Because of the 12:01 a.m. Thursday deadline, Mr. Maimsten said he rcmains unaware of -why it didn't sell. "lt's bard to say why it was tumed down," said Mr. Maimsten, who adds that the bail is now in the union's court. "What's the issue that has to get dune?" Mr. Dean said the union had wanted $2 more per hour but settled on the "absolute minimum" of 50 cents more per hour. The Region's latest offer - whicb Mr. Dean said is 17 cents an hour more for the first year - is unacceptable. -(The bargaining committee) said if you don't go on strike we can't get you another dime," said Mr. Dean. Mr. Maîrosten said he would not discuss the specitics of the agreement- Although Local 2620 bas been withuut a contract for 15 months, Mr. Dean said the Region is offering retroactive pay from only ianuary, 1998. At press time, Mr. Dean said the union and manage- ment are not speaking at ail and nu negotiations are planned. Ms Savoline said she regrets that Local 2620's membership did not endorse the deal, which bad been worked out with the aid of an external mediator. *Tihe agreement was both fair and reasonable and was within the mandate supported by regionai coun- cil," said Ms Savoline. Mr. Malmsten said Halton is in thse precarious posi- tion of attempting to strike a balance between the needs of taxpayers and those of unionized workers, whom he characterized as "good employees-" Particularly vexing is the $24 million in provincial downloading witb which Halton must cope, be said. "There are unique pressures on the Region," said Mr. Malmsten. "Council is agonizing over this." Another sure spot with the union is the issue of psy raises linked to Ministry of Environment and Energy (MOEE) certification. Currentiy ulder workers receive MOEE appruvai without schooiing thanks to a grandfather clause whicb takes miou account their skilis and experience. Discarding grandfathering would make these older workers nelîgeble for pay inl.reases. Teachers find layoff picture disheartening etram AS 0F NOW on page 1 (teacher) representatives there was a good possibility of layoffs," said Ms Clarke. TMe news is disbeartening, said Ms Clarke, but not unexpected. The Halton District Scbool Board will get less oper- ating money via the Ontario government's new funding formula. As weli, 38 elementary- vice-principals decided tu retumn to teaching with the uncertainty of manage- ment positions under the province's reorganization of education. "I taiked to the educa- tion director and some superintendents on Monday and we came up AI Tanner with these (layoft) num- bers" after thse board crunched somne financiai figures related to the new funding formula. "We appreciate tise difficuit position tise board is in," saîd Ms Clarke. However, Ms Clarke said that there are circum- stances that could resuit in tise recail of somne laid off teachers. AI Tanner, president of Haton's public secondary teachers union, said tise number of potential layoffs for bis group should be known by late April, but specific teaching positions affected probabiy won't be known until mid-May. "Tbe board taking this step witis elementaiy (teach- ers) certainly doesn't bode well for us," said Mr. Tanner, who noted 24 secondary vice-principals bave 1opted to returo to tise teaciing ranks. GR N ____ Reorati Si oiiinnda arIs * 'kABSbrakes, deep intedgasM M *.,.Abd w, aiso wanl b introdwce*oui, *m GMOPTIMUM USED vehicles* 150 Point inspection - Consumer friendly besylng environisent * Full mechsnical reconditioning * Natlonwide GM baced warranty' * Complete appearance detailing minimum of 6 month or MM 00kma * *1-time exehange policy *Romadade uslatane includied* (30 day or 2,M00kmi) - Preferried [«am rates *You can now have a worry-free used vehlicle, wlth a new vehi-* * dce purchasing experience for a whole lot less. We have over* * 40 optimum used vehicles in stock (many one owner trades). * Osly reli cusorners are eigible loh the $10000 giveasey tuet, As-t or Wlolisa purrdases adi sol quiel. Wataoe Poniac employars and reliflvi are sol dligile. The affner must amair sa sui tsssng quesion la qua5ly. *Lase base!! se $3O do"m pasmeent lus rWgil & *Wue plus 1 st monllr parment, lecusls desel. ScAce due se dehvery OAC. Cusomer musi taee dellsy 51 sericte to quay.