electrical,

College workers hit bricks

By MARGARET SPEIRS
NORTHWEST
College support staff braved -20
Celsius temperatures to walk the
snow-covered picket lines to support
their demands for. better wages and
benefits Jan 13.

The one-day walkout saw BC
Government Employees Union (BC-
GEU) strikers huddled around burn-
ing barrels in front of NWCC’s Ter-
race campus, and in total 70 support
staff and another 35 college employ-

~ ees were out in Solidarity.

Lynne Nordstrom, NWCC sup-
port staff member and BCGEU strike

coordinator, said the striking work- °

érs included those in food services,
‘payroll and accounting,
information technology and student
records: |

She said their demands included

parity with instructors’ benefits anda _

long-overdue wage increase.

Wes Law, BCGEU staff rep. said
“AL some point, things may. esca-
late.”

He added that could mean all af-

filiated colleges in the province g going
out at the same time.

Support staff received a 4.4 per
cent wage increase over two of the
last seven years while management
received 7.1 to 12.5 per cent increas-
es since 2002, he said.

NWCC president Stephanie For-

syth’s salary increased from $111,675

during. the 2001/2002 school year to
$115,105 the following year, a 7.3

COMMUNITY

worries

eed

EMPLOYEES at NWCC staged a one-day walkout to back contract demands.

MARGARET SPEIRS PHOTO

per cent raise. 8

In addition,. Forsyth) received
$97,144 for expenses over the three-
year period, moncy used for travel to

China and Europe provided from the
federal government and others.

Beth Davies, vice president edu-
cation and student support, received
a 12.1 percent salary increase from
$98,815 to $104,699 during the same

period. She also received a total of

Reed

$55,621 for expenses, ;
Strikers are asking for seven per
cent over four years. “We don’t feel
that’s unreasonable,” Law said.
They also want .15 health benelits
that instructors have already.
» Although .support staff .are not
instructors, Law ‘believes they de-
serve the same benefits.

“We get sick the same as instruc- .

tors. This country is supposed to be

one of equality, not second class cili-
zens,”-Law said. 4
Strikers walked the frozen snow

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - A3

~ oulside the NWCC. gate from 5:30 —
a.m. “until 8:30 p.m. Classes were _

cancelled for the day.
Donald van .Dyk, president Ter-
race NWCC student association, said

in a letter that the association would’

Not support or oppose any strike ac- _

tion by the BCG EU .

City eyes deeper budget cuts

By JEFF NAGEL

ct TY OFFICIALS are ona drive to trim Terrace’s
already tight budget to steer more money to road

and infrastructure upgrades.

it’s time to tackle more of them.
Poole would not put a dollar figure to how
_ much he wants to cut from. the city” S nearly $ $13

million budget.

year,’

ship of it.

“he said.
If there’s no buyer for the land, he said, it’s
possible the city will be ordered to take owner-

oY
S

§

News In Brief

Union word awaited -

THE LABOUR Relations Board is now adjudicating on
whether Wal-Mart workers in automotive departments

in Terrace and six other B.C. stores will be unionized.
An LRB hearing on the application brought by the
United Food and Commercial Workers wrapped up Jan.
10.
The union is also appealing an earlier LRB deci-

sion rejecting a union certification for the entire Terrace,

store. - . ,

TWO NORT HWEST ERNERS have been.named to the
province’s new Pacific Salmon Forum.

Harry Nyce. who heads the fisheries department for

the Nisga’a Lisims Government, and Tsimshian Tribal
Council fisheries director Teresa Ryan have both been
appointed.

“The $5 million forum is’to focus on protecting wild
salmon, enhancing aquaculture and improving, overall

confidence in fisheries management. Former fisheries

minister John Fraser will chair the panel.

G

Park break and enter

SOMEONE BROKE into Lakelse Lake Provincial Park
and stole several items between Jan 4 or 5.

os

The thief; or thieves, cut the fence,-entered and re-

moved three winches from trucks in the compound. ..

Crime Stoppers asks : anyone with information to call

them at 635-TIPS.

Business hit twice.

TWO BREAK-INS led to the theft of property at. Neid
Enterprises earlier this month:

The first took place around 10: 58 p.m. on Jan 2 and
the second occurred at 10:45 p.m. on Jan 3

Police suspect that the burglars left the scene by ve-
hicle. Call Terrace RCMP at 638- 7400 with any infor-

mation, =»

Sculptures pifered

THETHEFT of five unique sculptures from the Terry Fox

While that would put an attractive piece of :
property in the city’s hands, Poole said it would
also force the city to pay several hundred thou- -
sand dollars of bankruptcy costs tied tothe land.

Any recommendations from city staff will be
subject to council approval.

Even withanticipated spending cuts, the:coun- *
cil is likely to approve'a property tax.increase this
year, councillor David Hull said.

~A.tax increase appears to be inevitable, * Hull
‘said. . 7 ;

re : 2 ve , : : oo . mo v
ve . : . ~ ‘ ns a 0

library i in the Fraser Valley left woodcarvers: devastated
late in Dec.

_The'large pieces included a Kermode bear, a face ree
-sembling the carver’s deceased father carved out of an_
‘unusual piece of driftwood and another driftwood work
of a Medusa head of entangled snakes, that took a long Lb
time to carve. . " ;

The library manager: ‘said-the thefts won vt stop future |”.
art exhibits ‘and is recommending that the library board eo
look into” the matter. ,

The cost-cutting effort is complicated by union
wage increases stemming from the new contract
si ened last year, and ongoing uncertainty over the
future of New Skcena Forest Products.

_” Poole said the cily has already delayed its bud-
gel process later than usual:in hopes a deal would .
be j in place to sell the sawmill here and that the |
city would then“know how much money it will
‘receive for unpaid: properly taxes...

“With Skeena still up in the air I’m not going
to factor in any“costs or profits off that issue this |

And they warn it could be the start of more vis-
‘ible cuts to city services.

Options like closing the pool one day a week
are being considered, chief administrative officer
Ron Poole said. a,

* “FP need reductions,” he’ said. “We're trying to
cut as muchas we can out of operating to shift it
“towards capital and more specifically infrastruc- :

ture.” ;

A long list of recommiénded road upgrades
were cutout of last year’s budget and Poole said.

y

Venue aaah danni leer svt Ete Sond Za alt

se Bete anes SER PL eon ete mba

Get great low fares to just about anywhere, _ oe .
Book now, sale ends January:19%2 :

ae ae .
fen . athe Fy
ey ts Lobes ee

,
. Cer d Bd g LL 4

. . t

. rr arr c ror) ny cee Oe Oe eS 7

" ' . f

Canada: one-way Tango fares from Terrace, for travel until May 31, 2005.

TORONTO

$249

ST. JOHN'S, NL

*249

REGINA
SASKATOON

*249

MONTREAL
OTTAWA

249

EDMONTON

$199

HALIFAX

249

VICTORIA

*159

CALGARY

$199

VANCOUVER

*99

WINNIPEG ~ 4

$249

USA: ONE- ‘WAY. fares from Terrace, for travel ae May 31, 2005.

0

ATLANTA

°281

“BOSTON -

:285

"NEW YORK |

*209

HOUSTON

‘274

LOS ANGELES”
SAN FRANCISCO

$162.

SEATTLE

*126

ORLANDO” ok
MIAMI .

$285

PORTLAND, OR

*140

WASHINGTON, D.C.

282

PHILADELPHIA
°283

Book directly at aircanada. com and earn one Aeroplan® Mile for every $3 spent on flights within Canada and to the U. Ss.

You can also call your travel agent or Air Canada at 1-888-247-2262.

A ticket purchased through Air Canada Reservations will cost $5 more (taxes additional).
Save time! For all flights within Canada you can now check in at aircanada.com

For hotels,’ car deals,’ and all your travel needs, go to aircanada.com

PREFERS BUILDING SANDCASTLES

‘

A ticket purchased through Air Canada Reservations will cost $5 more per person (non-retundable, taxes additional), *Hotal and car deals are provided by our travel partner, destina.ca. Hearing-impaired (TTY): 1-800-361-8071, Canadian destinations: The fuel surcharge is now included on ail our fares. Fares indicated
are one way. Tickets must be purchased by January 19, 2005. Travel must be completed by May 31, 2005. Advance purchase may apply. Taxes, insurance, NAV CANADA surcharge. airport improvement fees and Air Travellers Security Charge of up to $6 are not included. U.S. destinations: The fuel surcharge is now included on all
our fares. Fares indicated are one way. Tickets must be purchased by January 19, 2005. Travel must be completed by May 31, 2005. Advance purchase may apply. Taxes. NAV CANADA surcharge, airport improvement fees and Air Travellers Security Charge of up to $12 are not included. Fares indicated are not available for travel
February 18-21, 2005; March 13, 2005; March 18~20, 2005; March 24-28, 2005; April 1-3, 2005; April 10, 2005; May 20-23, 2005. Canadian & U.S. destinations: Tickets are 100% non-refundable. Fares valid at time of printing and apply to new bookings only. Seats are limited and subject to availability. Day-of-week, time-of-
day restrictions may apply. Fares may vary depending on date of departure and return. Maximum stay and other conditions may apply. Unless otherwise specified, Fights may be operated by either Air Canada, Jazz Air Limited Partnership (a b.a. Air Canada Jazz™), United Airlines, SkyWest or Air Wisconsin (d.b.a. United Express).

™ ir Canada Jazz is a trademark of Air Canada. ©Aeropian is a registered trademark of Air Canada.

detiatha ths bees,