B.C. Tel on strike Local members of the Telecommunications Workers Union employed at CC. Telephone Company joined in a province-wide strike b walking off the. jo yesterday. Pickets formed outside the B.C. Tel offices on Kalum Thursday -mor- ning. ; roughout the province, 10,000 members of the TWU staged walk- outs in an escalation of their rotating strike " action. About 800 of the striking workers are employed at Canadian Telephones and Supplies, a subsidiary of B.C, Tel which has its head office in B.C, Tel headquarters in Burnaby, B.C., and which employs about 1,200 workers throughout the province. The other 9,200 workers are employed in B.C. Tel operations. HAVE NO CONTRACT The workers have been without a contract since Dec. 31, but today’s was the first full-scale strike action. The union favors Ryan Stokes is holding up an empty stocking in hopes that people will get out to support the Lions Bowl-a-thon this weekend. All money raised will go towards the Empty stocking fund the adoption of the recommendations of mediator Dr. Noel Hall, -who issued his report in June. Disagreement on the issue of contracting out led to a breakdown in negotiations last week. Company spokesman Jim Peacock said the day started with about 3,000 workers off the job. “Less than three hours before shift started, the remaining 7,-000 in the bargaining ‘unit were either forced to leave their jobs by pickets sted outside their of- ices or were called off work by shop stewards,”’ he said. He said about 1,500 supervisors have been dispatched to various parts of the province to assist about 500 super- visors already working to provide essential ser- vices. The strike came after B.C. Tel had announced a $5,000 reward for in- formation leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for damaging company property. to help the needy in Terrace around Vandalism rampant in Terrace: committee hopes to correct situation BY Donna Vallieres Herald Staff Writer Vandalism is on the increase in Terrace and about 100 people who got tired of smashed windows and damaged cars got together at a Chamber of Commerce sponsored meeting Tuesday night to discuss what to do about the problem. “It’s got to be dealt with and it’s got to be stopped,” according to Bernie Selder, chairman of the panel. The panel was made up of Skeena MLA Cyril Shelford, Terrace RCMP staff Sgt. Kick Latta, Arnold Brenner of the Terrace Communities Correctional Centre, and Acting Doug Mumford. Selder explained that the meeting was called to find out who is interested in finding a solution to the problem of vandalism, and judging from the turnout, a great many people are. Mayor “The meeting was a start,’’ Selder said, and it was decided to get something going on a positive manner. A committee to be co- ordinated by the chamber will be struck to in- vestigate the problem. Non only does yvan- dalism affect the business community, but is also a major problem for teachers in Terrace. CABLE CUT A cable south of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island was cut Wed- nesday, disrupting tele- phone services on Gabriola Island. The damage also disrupted services for about 75 customers in Nanaimo and knocked local radio station CHUB off the air for two hours. it was the third cable- slashing incident near the Vancouver [sland city since 280 union members walked off the job there earlier this week. “Tt was an emergency situation over there,” said Matthews. ‘'Those people were completely isolated. (They rely on Nanaimo for hospital ser- vises).”’ Matthews said services were restored early this moming. He also said Wed- nesday's snow storm increased the load on already-strained ser: vices. Long-distance cails were up by 15 per cent and directory-assistance use increased by about 10 per cent, he said. Christmas time.. Bowlers haye been asked to get pledges on an hourly basis for a four-hour or marathon bowl. The lames are free to the bowlers as are refreshments, A number of teachers showed up at the meeting, commenting afterward on the high ‘incidence of vandalism affecting teachers. ‘Merchants aren’t the only segment of the community who have been vandalized,” one teacher explained. He said it is “very upsetting’ when teachers have tires slashed and headlights kicked in, and spoke of several incidents when teachers’ properties have been damaged forcing hun- dreds of dollars to be spent on repair costs. When incidents = of vandalism against teachers continually Braving the cold and snow, local members of the Telecom- munications Workers Union picketed in front of the B.C. Tel wba tad Shea Lee LESDAnS 2 LEAMA. 8 VICI. VeVeLAs wpe ee thew bledey we ft re | office on Kalum yesterday. | =—_ L TERRACE daily VOLUME 71 NO. 143 hy A atc FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1977 Hydro settled VANCOUVER (CP) — The. International Dtacme 9 Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and British Colunbia Hydro and Power Authority reached a contract agreement- Thursday before the union’s threatened neon strike deadline. Union business agent Doug Cronk said terms of the agreement will be forwarded to the union's 2,500 members. Voting will take place by mail ‘ and results should be known in three weeks. Cronk said Wednesda that the union will recommend acceptance of the settlement pro- posed by mediator Ken Albertini. He said details of the agreement would not be released until after the vote results. However, Labor Minister Allan Wil- liams has said it is a two- year agreement within ederal Antilnflation Board guidelines. Negotiators for the two su 9s continued their dis. ‘ssions Thursday follow "g a Hydro an- nounce: ent Wednesday that the< -own utility was occur, it makes teachers think of moving to «4 different community, one teacher said, adding Terrace may lose some good teachers because of this. “T just don’t know what to do,’? he said, ex- plaining that vandalism larger is part of a } problem facing society. .. Adults’ expectations of young people are not high enough, the teacher said. “Vandals are not being held responsible for their actions.” Skeena MLA Cyril Shelford said vandalism is “one of the penalties we pay for a permissive society.” Vandalism in Terrace is now higher than any prepared to accept ._ -Albertini’s.. recommenda- tions which already had gained the acceptance of the IBEW Local 258’s negotiating committee. NEEDED SIGNING The union said a memorandum of agreement had to he signed by noon Thursday to avoid the planned mass walkout today. Cronk said the deadline was set because union membership meetings had been scheduled for the day, ; The union, which represents electricians, operators and truck drivers employed in the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical power throughout B.C., served strike notice Sept. 9. The previous contract expired Mareh 31. Albertini reported out of the dispute Oct. 19, but in an unusual move by Labor Minister Allan Williams, he was asked to propose settlement terms to break the deadlock in” negotiations. Most of the items in dispute were = non- monetary. other town of its size in the province and has increased faster, Shelford said. New legislation brought in this year which gives the courts the wer to sentence youth- ul offenders to training camps is a step in the right direction, he added. Shelford asked for more community support for such programs as Weewanee Camp hear Kitimat, a program which attempts to en- courage young offenders to stay within the law. There are three things which make law en- forcement workable, Shelford stated — the police, the people and the Cabinet shuffle | distributes transportation LANGLEY, B.C, (CP) Premier Bill Bennett announced a change in the areas of responsi- bility involving three cabinet ministers. Bennett told a news conference that Recreation. and Con- servation Minister Saw Bawlf will assume responsibility for the British Columbia Ferry Corp., replacing Tran- sport Minister Jack Davis and Provincial Secretary and Tourism Minister Grace Me- Carthy assumes _re- sponsibility for the B.C, Steamship Corp. New Courthouse for Terrace A $2.5 million cour- thouse for Terrace was announced by Attorney- general Garde Gardom yesterday. Construction is expected to start in the spring with completion for the three-courtroom complex in two years. The building will house Supreme, County, ‘Provincial and Family courts. Supreme Court will share a_ {full-sized courtroom with a jury box with County court. Provincial Court will be given a full-sized cour- troom without a jury box. Family court will have a smaller room to hold hearings. Accomodation will also be provided for the courts. If one of these breaks down, thw whole system will break down, he sald. Staff Sgt. Dick Latta of the Terrace detachment RCMP said that van- dalism in Terrace is a problem, but added that there are very few places in the province that have not shown increases. Terrace has shown a 100 per cent increase in vandalism over the last year, but staff Sgt. Latta cautioned against relying too heavily on statistics which can be misleading. Vandalism in Terrace is “no more appalling than anywhere else,” he slated, Figures fram January to September show 287 public, judges chambers, registry staff, lawyers, court reporters, sheriff’s officers and probation officers. Although the location has not been chosen, the Attorney-General’s department has asked the B.C. Building Corp. to assess various land op- tions. The courts are now all in one room of the rovincial government uilding on Lakelse Ave. There is no Supreme court facility in terrace. The courthouse moved to the present sight in early spring to make room for expanded RCMP offices in the Municipal hall. reported incidents of willful damage, com- pared to 165 for that period in 1976. As an example, there were 31 incidents) reported in September. Vandalism in Terrace covers a whole range of damages, Staff Sgt. Latta sald, but the most common are broken storefront windows and damage lo cars. When asked what the possible solution to vandalism Staff Sgt. Latta answered, ‘‘I haven't a clue.” Police officers across B.C, are facing the same problem and are trying several solutions in an attempt to decrease Davis wil] take over responsibilty for rovincial air services rom Mrs. McCarthy. Premier Bennett said that because the Crown ferry service is of such vital concern to Van- couver [sland residents, a cabinet minister from an island constituency should be responsible for the ferry corporation. Bawlf represents a Victoria riding. Bennett said Davis has carried an extremely heavy load since his appointment to the cabinet in December, 1975. Davis will continue to be responsible for B.C. Hydro and the B.C. Energy Commission. Bawlf, speaking in Victoria, said he welcomed the challenge to take over respon- sibility for the ferry corporation and added that his appointment was no criticism of Davis' performance. He said he will have a plan ready in the. spring or the future direction of the ferry corporation. vandalism. The biggest obstacle to a Solution is the difficulty in catching offenders, he said. Even with stepped up patrols and foot patrols the vandal can escape the scene faster than he can be caught. One way the police can be more effective is through public —_co- operation, Staff Sgt. Latta said, adding that people seem more willing to come forward by reporting complaints. “People are ilred of: being apathetic,” he said. The committee will be formed in the near future to investigale ways of decreasing the threat of vandalism in Terrace.