———— UL TUTTI TAIN TEE eV IUUTUAIE MRL LURE | A aA Hit LABOR ST. JOHN‘S — At press time, the Newfoundland Association of Public Employees (NAPE), was calling picket captains together in preparation for a_ possible resumption of its five-week strike by 5,500 transportation, public works and general service work- ers. The meeting-took place in the wake of government bargaining demands that would see promo- tion in the Newfoundland public sector based on merit rather than seniority. - NAPE chief negotiator, Tom Hanlon, told reporters last week that the chances were very good that the strike, which began March 3, would resume unless meaningful talks took place. He said the union was shocked by the government’s position on promo- tions, which he maintained broke the agreement reached, April 6, that got negotiations rolling again. Following a_ province-wide television address by Premier Brian Peckford in which he seemed to concede to the key union demands of wage parity for the 5,500 strikers with other pro- vincial employees doing similar work, and the scrapping of Bill 59, the union agreed to return to work and end their defiance of anti- strike legislation for 96 hours. After only seven hours the talks bogged down and the clock began ticking toward the end of the 96- hour deadline. Barring a shift on the government’s part the strike was set to resume April | at8 a.m. The agreement of April 6 stipu- lated that the contract NAPE reaches for its 5,500 strikers would have the same language as other provincial public sector contracts. The seniority provi- sions on promotions being ad- vanced by the union are the same as those currently enjoyed by the province’s hospital workers.. The showdown between NAPE and the Tory government has placed the overwhelming bulk of public support on the union’s side. Newfoundlanders identify with NAPE’s demands for parity and the cancelling ofa reactionary law like Bill 59 which allows the government to designate as es- sential workers up to half of any government bargaining unit. Newfoundlanders see the strike as a battle for justice and fairness for the NAPE members whose wages have dropped substantially behind other government work- SFL brief spurned by Tories REGINA — people,”’ “‘A slap in the face for working was how Saskatchewan Federation of Labor president Nadine Hunt described an April 1 meeting to present the Federation’s annual brief to the government of Saskatchewan. **Our brief is based on resolutions passed at our annual convention by delegates representing Hunt said. ‘‘We address issues which affect all working people and their families. It deserves a serious response from any govern- ment which claims to be doing what Saskatchewan 66,000 members,” people want done. “‘Only four Cabinet members showed up at the the SFL president said, up the time to debate national and global issues rather than talk about the state of Saskatchewan's economy or look at our proposals.” The Federation believes Saskatchewan’s loss of population to other provinces, rapid increase in poverty, and falling wages should be of serious concern to the government; but the Cabinet minis- meeting,” ‘“‘and they used ters did not want to talk about these or any other signs of a failing economy, Hunt said. **In stating our position on free trade we pointed ‘ out that Canadian workers do not want the terrible working conditions, low wages, poor health and ‘competitive, safety standards and inadequate social programs which combine to make southern U.S. industry >” she said. ** the minister of labor respond that Canada’s economic and social system is second to that of the United States and we would do well to emulate it.. It was shocking to hear ‘‘While refusing to discuss most of what was in our brief, the minister of labor did take time to tell us how he thought it ought to have been written,”’ the Federation president said. ‘* He told us that we should ignore the concerns of our members and put together a submission praising the government.” ‘‘Asa final insult they forgot that they refused to meet with us at all last year, ‘This government has become increasingly arrog- ant as their term comes to a close.” ” Hunt concluded. ers because of provincial wage controls. With the labor movement on the: verge of mobilizing a general strike in support of the strikers, and added to the strike’s popular- ity among the general public, the Peckford government was forced into making concessions in order to cool the situation down. However, the government’s at- tempt to slide in merit over senior- ity as the basis for promotions in the public service incidates to NAPE members and the rest of the trade union movement that the Tories want to cling to their workers bear the gov financial woes through !! conditions, benefits and’ With 40 per cent of the ince’s labor force organiZ unions, and the strikers by the provincial labor move” "ad and the massive Nation of Provincial Government ployees which has pledged financial and-moral sup NAPE, many Newfoundele think the Tories should 100 okt rf before grabbing this tiger by tail. 19th Century Ontario doctors i applied leeches to their patie j] 20th Century Ontario doctots |} apply extra billing Both are blood suckers Catholic teachers strikt| TORONTO — Wages and class size are the issues fueling the strike by Metro’s 5,800 separate school teachers which~ began April 7. Teachers say the strike is the product of a decade of frustration over subsidizing the province’s largest school board with lower wages and working conditions. bound Graham Cable Co.., collective agreement.” contract. won their back pay. tion of Labor. recently. Decertification bid flops TORONTO — An attempt by anti-union elements at the strike to decertify the Communications Workers of Canada failed last week when the Canada Labor Relations Board rejected the application. Under the Canada Labor Relations Act the only grounds for decertifying a union seeking a first contract is if bargaining in bad faith can be proven. In its April 9 decision the Board found that CWC Local 55 *‘has made a reasonable effort to enter into a Some 25 Local 55 members have been on the picket line for the past eight and a half months fighting for their first contract with Graham. The company has used every dirty trick and anti-union tactic that it could to first block the union and then deny it a Graham has already been rapped by the CLRB. Last August the board ordered the company to reinstate 40 workers sus- pended for taking part in a work to rule campaign. The workers CWC officials say they will try again to ask Labor Minister Bill McKnight to refer the case to the CLRB for the imposition of a first contract. Meanwhile the strikers remain solid and deter- mined to keep fighting till they win their contract. SFL protests “bad” union law __ REGINA — A proposed amendment to the province’s Trade Union Act that will permit employers to unilaterally implement concessions demands is under fire by the Saskatchewan Federa- Bill 8, the proposed amendment is a bad piece of legislation that will encourage employers to use the labor relations board to get around the bargaining process, SFL president Nadine Hunt said For the past several months the federation has heen asking the - government for an amendment to the act that will clarify the intent of Section 11 (1) (m) so that an employer can’t arbitrarily change the terms and conditions of an agreement once the con- tract expires. The federation says a contract’s terms should continue until a new one is negotiated. Bill 8 fits in with the Tory government’s neo-conservative, concept of running Saskatchewan. This attitude was evident in January when labor board chairman De- nnis Ball, in a case involving Safeway Co., and the Retail Whole- sale and Department Store Union, ruled that the employer could unilaterally change the terms and conditions of employment. ‘‘open for business”’ “Quit,” CBC workers tell boss TORONTO — Technicians and other workers at the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., called on CBC president Pierre Juneau to quit, April 8. In a statement by the National Association of Broadcast Em- | ployees and Technicians, the union said the CBC head was cuts on an exaggerated estimate of Mr. Juneau’s only answer to the ~ funding deficit is to cut programs and personnel, then clearly he has outlived his usefulness as president of Canada’s publice broadcaster and should step down now before any damage is basing programming and st the corporation’s deficit. “‘ done’’, NABET said. CBC officials claim the corporation will face a $48-million deficit next year while other sources have estimated the real figure to be as low as $10-million. One union spokesman pointed to the overtime some workers are getting while staff is being laid off. A spokesperson for the Canadian Union of Public Employees broadcasting council } charged that the CBC accounting department is in disarray and hit the corporation for not presenting accurate budgets when cuts are patch cy 6 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, APRIL 16, 1986 ‘to the teachers’ wage de were under way involv! union and the board. They've been. without @ conlt since September and are dem ing a wage increase that com p* root with the 4.5 percent hike ¢ nt" te lic school teachers acceP! their last agreement. ie The strike is solid, with © about 55. teachers crossit Ontario | English Teachers Association pi¢ si in the city’s 219 separate SO" 4 The Separate School latest wage offer mou and 3.2 percent in each y& two-year contract whilé, teachers have been demal and 5.5 per cent. Classroom size in the key issue, and in the minds? strikers of equal importa™” iy wages as a basis of settline dispute. A recent taskfore® @ separate school syste™. covered that as many 45 “44 cent of the school rooms more than the 32-student The union is demand board hire more teachers 2 the board’s proposal ! another 125 new teachel® short of the need. F Classroom size was one most highlighted issue’ . packed meeting of the % April 9, at Massey Hall. in sessions, the strikers heard executive report on the 9 the strike and as they © A from the closed meeting, ! dicated overwhelming suPF their leadership. The teachers have the ¥” of the Ontario Teachel eration which is throw!® moral and financial supP™ hind the strikers. As the weekend app! there were no indication’ early settlement. The boa" meeting, April 9, came dow a hard line position th@ 6) wouldn’t be a single pentY “4 d At press time mediation” Ue