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Vol.18, No.35, Folio 69 Tuesday, August 27, 1985 28 pages, 40 cents On strike at Grew Pickeis were sei up outside the Grew plant in Penetanguishene early las: Friday morning after workers represented by United Au'o Workers, Local 1411, voted 98 per cen! 10 strike the boat manufacturer the previous day. Local 1411 chairman Ernie Earle, second from the right in this phot. taken Friday morning, said the Sy workers are seeking a "substantial" pay increase. They rejected an approximate 6 per cen! average wage increase made by Grew presiden! Peter Francis. A series of charges were laid by Midland OPP following this smash-up last Friday evening on Highway 93 just north of Vinden S:reet. One of the vehicles in- volved sustained $6,000 damage while the «ther received an estimated $4,000 damage. Two young passengers, riders in one of the cars, were rushed by ambulance' '6 HDH for treatment of minor injuries hey received in the spectacular crash. -Photo by Bob Murray . Strike settlement at Grew no closer There does not appear to have been any movement in the direction of setthement of the five-day-old strike at Penetanguishene's AFC Grew plant. That was the view offered late yesterday af- ternoon by Grew president (and principal owner) Peter Francis and by United Auto Workers negotiator Carole Phillips. (Phillips is the UAW's international representative and is working with Local 1411 in the neogitations from the UAW's Canadian headquarters in Toronto.) The Grew plant closed at 12:01 a.m. last Friday after workers voted 98 per cent in favour of strike ac- tion. Peter Francis There also appears to be some disagreeme over what are the respective positions of the two_ sides. ' Francis said his six per cent wage package offer hasn't changed. On Friday Local 1411 chairman Ernie Earle told this newspaper only that the union is seeking "a substantial increase." Francis says the union is seeking 16 per cent in wage in- creases but Earle said Friday, "Sixteen per cent is what Peter Francis is saying." Neither side in the dispute has told this newspaper that the other is bargaining in bad faith, but both appear to be frustrated with each other. Francis says the average industrial wage in- crease neogilated in Canada for the first six months of 1985 averages only 3.2 per cent and that in comparison, his offer is good. Phillips said that throwing oul the 3.2 per cent figure is a red herring. '"'We know (Grew) is making record profits,"' she said. Earle added that the company asked the workers to restrain wage demands during the years when the plant faced bankruptcy. "They told the workers 'Help us now and we'll help you later,' and now we're saying it's time for you _to help us,"' Earle said. Francis said he's owned the plant for the past 30 months and can't be held accountable for what happened before he bought uM, Earle said the union is trying to get pensions for plant workers, job security, particularly for those working in the plant's upholstering division, a cost of living allowance, and better holiday pay, which is currently 4 per cent of the annual wage rate. Francis said, 'I have a certain amount of money 10 give to them (and) they can do what they like with it." From a picket site set up al the foot of Main Street, one striking worker said Friday, "we're nol greedy." "We feel we've tried to go halfway (with management)," Earle added. The lowest paid worker at Grew is paid $7.43 an hour and the highest is paid $8.88. 1-4e company is offering average 35 cents an hour increases in each year for the nexi two years. Phillips said union officials are "willing to sit down to talk to Peter anytime."