TRE YOIC

Sipe

February §, 1995 56 pages

BFrts
‘B Ann Mortifee’s journey
of harmony: 19
(‘@ Full Figure Theatre’s
the “ft” word: 23

_® Classifiod......................48
BB Fashion... nnn 2

@ N. Shore Alert............15
B SPOrts..nnc cscs TB

TY Listings..................34

@ New owners revive
Scallini: 20

EB Soup's a surefire cure
for rainy season: 36

Weather
- Thursday:
mainly sunny
_ High 9°C, Low O'C.

~E OF NOR’ TH AND WEST VANCOUVER

Office, Editorial 985-2131

Track spill

Municipalities face

UNIONIZED MUNICIPAL workers in
North Vancouver City and District have
scheduled a strike vote for Thursday.

Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
representatives are expecting a solid mandate for
strike action.

“We do not want to go on strike but it seems as
if that is what you want us to do,” Paul Webber told
North Vancouver District Council on Monday
night.

Webber, a plan checker in the district's permits
and licences department, told council that the
Nonh Shore is the last focal in the Vancouver area
to calla strike vote.

Lower Mainland local government wer Rers
have been without a contract since Dec. 31, 1993.

Seven months of bargaining benween ‘CUPE
focats and their respective municipal employers in
1994 was Jollowed by collective bargaining with
the Greater Vancouver Regional District last
October. :

A vote in favor of strike action would give the
CUPE workers the right to serve 72-hour strike
notice on local municipalities. ;

In the event of a strike all public municipal ser-

LGH FORUM

Euthanasia assailed by
speakers at Feb. 2 public
forum hosted by North

Shore hospital.

Display Advertising 980-0511

WINTER GAMES

Organizers of the 1996 B.C.

Winter Games currently tak-
ing applications for director
and volunteers.

Distribution 986-1337

NEWS photo Brad Ledwidge

WORKERS SURVEY the damage Saturday after four Canadian Pacific cars derailed on
Canadian National track near North Vancouver's Neptune Terminals. One of the cars spilled
its load of potash. CN is investigating the cause of the crash. No injuries o:curred.

service shutdown if contract talks fail

NORTH VANCOUVER
“DISTRICT COUNCIL
By Martin Millerchip

vices could be affected including: recreation ser-
vices; the city library: planning and development
permits and applications; water, sewer and parks
maintenance and garbage collection.

A mediator is currently involved in the contract
negotiations, and Webber told the News that the
union would be meeting with him on Tuesday and
Friday this week.

Local 389 president and CUPE municipal
negotiating committee member Mike Hocevar told
the News that if there is to be a strike “it's S quite a
ways s away.”

“Our whole intent is to get a contract.” said
Hocevar. He is looking for positive results from
meetings this week.

Webber said progress on substantive issues had
been made in previous negotiations but that talks

-are not currently “progressing forward.”

He said the issue of work hours is the current
stumbling block.

REACHING EVERY DOOR ON THE NORTH SI

The union tabled a three-year contract Dec. 14,
1994, calling for a 0% wage increase for 1994, a
2% increase for Jan. 1, 1995, and 1996, and 1% on
July 1, 1996.

CUPE workers on the North Shore currently
make between $9.48 per hour and $25.31 per hour.

A counter offer trom the employers included a
0% wage increase in 1994, and 0.5% wage
increases Jan. 1, 1995, and Jan. | and July 1, 1996.

Both union and management spokesmen have
indicated some flexibility on the wage issue, but
employers want the work flexibility issue settled
before negotiating a wage settlement.

Darlene Towsley, a district clerk-cashier, told -
council she was “scared to death of the possibility
of going out on strike” because it takes her and her
husband's salary to provide for her family.

She asked whether work values were being
placed ahead of family values if an 8:30 a.m, to
4:30 p.m, day was to be replaced by “whatever the
employer feels fit.”

But district director of corporate services David |
Stuart told the News that management was merely
asking whether the union would be reasonable in

See Cast page 5