A2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 2, 2000

City, union
avert strike

Pay rises 3% over two years

CALL it the strike that never was.

Before city workers were even able to impose
an overtime ban last week — the first planned slep
towards an actual strike — a deal had been reached.

Canadian Union: of Public Employees local
2012 ratified the deal Thursday giving members 1.5
per cent wage’ increases in each of two years.

“We believe: we. gota fair deal,” CUPE rep.
Tammy Simonds ‘said. “We're also happy we
didn’t-have'to ‘resort to a full: ‘fledged strike. That
would have-been.difficult.for-both.parties.”....

The ity initially. offered ‘a three-year contract
with one per cent increases in each year.

The two sides had been close to a deal along
those lines when the-union asked for'an extra con-
cession letting workers schedule extra days off.

The city balked at.that, leading the union to
conduct a strike’ vote Jan. 21. Renewed talks Jan.
25 resulted in the’new agreement without the con-
tentious clause but witha larger wage increase:

Both sides had'been working out which services
would be deemed essential services in a full strike,

“We had ‘to reassess whether a strike would be
a good.idea.or bad idea,” city. chief administrative
officer Ron Poole said af the city’s decision to
sweeten the offer. | -

The new deal adds more workers that’ previously
weren't part of the union — including animal shelter
staff and the aquatic centre's casual lifeguards.

It should boost the pay of labourers — the lowest
paid city workers aside from lifeguards and some
recreation positions — to around $20.30 an hour,

TERRACE & AREA
HEALTH COUNCIL

Survey says!!

The results are in! Terraceview Lodge has
received the responses to the survey it sent out
about the upcoming changes to the food-service
system.

In April, Terraceview Lodge will be moving to a
cook-chill method. Food will be prepared in
advance at Mills Memorial Hospital (as the
kitchen is much larger there), chillad to 4°C (a
safe holding: temperature), transported to
Terraceview and gently reheated,

It is then put on plates and served directly to
the residents, as it is now, allowing staff members
to control portion size and be aware of the resi-
dents’ food preferences,

Of the 74 surveys sent out (to family members
of Terraceview residents), 13, or 17.6%, were
returned. Given the furor about the changes at a
family<information. meeting: in- October, this is a
lower resporise'than. expected:

‘One of the’ biggest issues ai the November
meeting was concern over how the food was
going to taste. People wanted a chance to taste
the food before it was decided to. serve it to the
residents. Of the surveys returned, only two peo-
ple indicated that they.would like to participate in
taste tests.

The survey asked what menu items and fea-
tures of the existing system people would like
changed. It also asked respondents to rate the
current system at Terraceview on a scale of one
to five, with five being the most satisfactory,

This aspect of the survey included questions
such as meal times, portion size, taste, and tem-
perature. The majority of the survey responses
were fours and fives, a great boost to the staff.

The survey asked what items people would like
to see removed.from the menu. The food most
Often stated was ‘fast food,’ such as chicken strips
or hot dogs. These items are on.the menu infre-
quently, and are very popular with the residents.
The majority of people in Terrace eat fast food
every SO often; when the occasional chicken strip
is eaten with a balanced diet, it is not detrimental
to one’s eating plan.

Personal taste must be accounted for in any
menu planning. Terraceview staff tries to strike a
balance to please everyone, and this can be a dif-

ficult task. Some respondents commented that
the vegetables were too soft, while some indi-
cated that they ware too hard:

Fish was an item that was suggested be on the
menu more often. This has been attempted, but
most residents won't eat fish unless it's breaded
(i.¢., fish sticks). ;

The most consistent comment was that the

temperature of the food was not appropriate.

Through the new system, temperature will be bet:

ter controlled..Due to the new equipment, the food
can be kept at a consistent temperature until

served,

The staff and service at Terraceview consis-
tently received high comments from respondents.

These aspects of- ‘Terraceview will not change.

The serving process remains the same; only the

preparation will be different.

Some foods * will continue to be cooked at

Terraceview, such. as- the baking for both

Terraceview and Mills Memorial, _

Some respondents sent In recipes for the staff

to try; recipe trials will be taking place over the

next two to three months, as the sysiem is being

lested.

It is Important to note that the proposed

changes to the foad-service system at

Tetraceview Lodge is not a switch to ‘prepared

meals flown: in -from Vancouver,’ as some have

thought. Mast food preparation will be done in

Terrace, with the exception of some- itams like

waffles - things that the rest of us often eat out of

a package as well;

Watch :for: further information on the notice

board at Terraceview Lodge; the results from resi-

dents’ survey will be available shortly.

AIR MILES® rewar miles

IC

ICBC HAS been named in a lawsuit arising
from the June 12, 1999 accident in Thornhill
that killed 17-year-old Laura Allison Lee and
her boyfriend Renaud Fontaine.

Terrace ICBC official Frank Fekete, said
the crown corporation has been served with
papers on a negligent death suil.

The papers were originally served ta Aaron
Douglas, the alleged driver of the stolen vehi-
cle which struck the car containing Lee and
Fontaine, while he waits in jail on a number of
criminal charges arising from the incident.

When Douglas failed to respond to the neg-
ligent death suit last November, ICBC became
liable as the vehicle stolen, and. therefore un-
insured.

Depending on the results of the case, Fe-
kete said the corporation would pay Laura’s
parents, Nancy and Gordon Lee, then try to re-
coup their loss by making Douglas pay the
nexl time he tries to insure a vehicle in his
name.

ICBC has already paid the Lees $2,500 in -

“Each time y you accumulate
~ $500.00 ry.
are Janis O°

thru March.

Savings Awatd:o:

funeral benefits, a sum that is part of [CBC's
slandard schedule of benefits.

It has also compensated the Lees for their
car which was damaged in the incident and
has paid the cost of a rental car last summer.

Fekete said the suit actually hinges on the
amount of money the Lees qualify for under
the Family Compensation Act, a provincial
act which allows families to sue for damages
on behalf of a deceased spouse, parent or
child.

Under that act, the Lees can sue for addi-
tional funeral benefits above the standard in-
sllrance payout.

The. Lees would-alse-need.to:-prove-Laura’s.

- financial worth, in terms’ of economic support

and household assistance to her -parents as
they aged.

Fekete said the case law from previous
court judgments for a person of Laura’s age in-
volves compensation ranging from $12, 000 to
$20,000.

But Jim’ Hanson, the Lee’s Surrey-based

| : | Chicken
“Legs

Back Attached. Frozen.
a in a5 kg box for only

~ Asparagus

Imported.
No. 1 Grade.

3;C named in lawsuit —_.

lawyer, said he plans on establishing the Lees
deserve more than what the case law indicates .
because he can establish Laura was an excep-
tional daughter.

She would have done more for her parents
than the typical child, said Hanson.

“Laura was a real personality people in
Terrace can relate to,” he said. Hanson also

wants 2 trial by j jury.

ICBC lawyers in Vancouver are expected to
file a staternent of defence this week.

"If the case isn’t settled out of court for a
confidential dollar value, the trial is expected
to be held here this year.

Aaron Douglas is -in custody. in - Prince
George, facing nine charges including criminal
negligence causing death and impaired driving ’
causing death.

He is also charged with possession of stolen
property and breach of probation for a charge
incurred while he was a young offender.

His next court date here is a Feb. 10 hear-_
ing to fix a Supreme Court trial date.

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