Test drive p34 Chrysler LHS returns with all-new design JULY 9, 1999 a Auto Sright Lights Classitieds Crossword Lautens Mercer Real Estate Talking Fersonals north Shore Free Press Lid Pubisher Peltor Sent 1139 Lonsdale Avenue Nostt Vancouver BC etd Canaan Podurarors Mar Sains Proquct Agremnent Ya 9087238 34 Pages The Voice of North and West Vancouver since 1969 \3 NEWS photo Terry Peters Let the Games begin AND they're off. continue through Sunday at various venues. Read next Wednesday's News for a full recap. Bok Mackin News Reporter THE North Shore Association for the Mentally Handicapped (NSAMB) is accusing the provincial government of coercing community sociai service workers to unionize. North Shore community social service group says NDP gov't is coercing workers to unionize nized labour. According to the Labour Code, every employee is free to be a member of a trade union and must not be coerced or intimi- The B.C. Games for Athletes with a Disability began Thursday morning in North Vancouver. Among the events was lawn bowling for visually impaired athletes at the North Vancouver Lawn Bowling Club. The Games NSAMH executive director Rick Mowles complained Tuesday to the Labour Relations Board. He said the govern- ment refuses to pay non-union workers the same wages and benefits as unionized employees who perform the same work under the same conditions. He believes the government is using the wage disparity to increase membership for its friends in orga- dated to join or aveid a union. Named as respondents in the complaint are the Office of the Atrorney General, Children and Families’ Minister Lois Boone and Finance Minister Joy MacPhail hail is also chairman of the Public Service Employers’ Council. The non-union NSAMH employs 300 peopie, offers services Real esiate p5 Foretelling future with mortgage renewals Decidely Jazz, Marie Chouinard, EdgeFest preview This Week p15 FREE Neurosurgery cash request turned down Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter dangelo@nsnews.cont LIONS Gate Hospital has been officially denied $1.6 million to reduce its neurosurgery waiting list. OF 3,988 paticnts on the LGH surgery list. 168 people are waiting for neurosurgery. LGH spokesman Clay Adams said ‘the wait time for all surgery averages about 176 days. The North Shore Health Region board had tasked the health ministry for $3.6 mil- neurosurgical operating, roem this fion te increase ume. ‘The money would go towards an additional 10 hours a week of neurosurgical operating FOOTE space OVET CWO VCars nN The money would allow for 260 more neuro- surgeries at LGGH. Adams said hospital administrators ace disap- pointed with the health ministry’s response. The health ministry turned down the funding request ina Jane 30 letter. “Obviously neurosurgery is crucial as far as Tions Gate maintaining its rating as a trauma centre Iris an essential service in our cyes,” said Adams. See Health page % to people with mental and physical disabilities, and relies on the provincial government tor wage and benefit funding. Without a funding increase, employees’ only option for better pay is to join a uniow, Mowles sad that would benetic unions allied co the governing NDP and be detrimental to the NSAMH, “This is aot a typical contracting situation,” Mowles said. miment gives us all our money for wages. We can’t on anything else and we can’t use any other money to “Employ 25 are going to leave and go to a higher paying job, ch is going to affect our level of service and quality of ser- NSAMAH runs on S8 million per year, including $6 million in contracts from the Ministry of Children and Families. Mowles See Complaint page 3 GABLE GARDEN = Be a 8°x6" Sku.898623 reg. aay». Sale é PRE-CUT AN® DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE TIME-CONSUMING PLANNING AND COSTLY CUTTING MISTAKES, ALL KITS INCLUDE CEDAR SIDING AND SHINGLES FGR WEATHER RESISTANCE. Constructicr plans included inside your kit package and are clearly iWustrated with step- by- step instructions. Do-it-yourself and savet Kits also available for ee eee 7 houses and lesn-to style sheds, 5 West ist Stroet, North Vancouver Jano (pen985-3000 _ 108" Shugo ro9. 679". “Sate”