32 - Sunday, April 1, 1990 - North Shore News Ed Peck is B.C.’s top industrial relations trouble-shooter f Ed Peck did not have the job he does, he would proba- bly feel at home working as a National Hockey League referee, because settling disputes is what Peck does best and has been doing for over 35 years. As commissioner of the {ndus- trial Relations Council (IRC), a position he has held since the of- fice was first created in 1987 by the provincial labor ministry, B.C.’s top labor relations trouble-shooter has stepped in and settled more than his fair share of disputes be- tween the province’s trade unions and their employers. The 65-year-old Peck, who has lived in West Vancouver for the past quarter century, says the rela- tionship between labor and management in B.C. today is a lot calmer than it was 10 years ago. ‘Labor relations today’is a good deal more tranquil than it was a @ecade ago. A decade ago the economy was super-heated and we were approaching a recessionary period,”’ says Peck. ‘‘In 1980 and 1981 inflation was running high and wage settlements were high and there were a good deal of con- flicts. By comparison today, it is relatively quiet, although it may not remain that way.’’ There are about 80 people who work for the IRC, with Peck as their boss. His job, among other things, is to keep B.C. Labor Minister Norman Jacobsen in- AFFLUENCE@ 7 2INFLUENCE IRC : re NEWS photo Mike Wakefield ED PECK has been in the business of labor relations for over 37 years. formed on the current labor rela- tions climate in the province. The IRC was set up for two Teasons, says Peck: to adjudicate legal issues that arise between unions and employers and to me- diate disputes between unions and their employers. And while Peck says the labor telations climate today is not as volatile as it was 10 years ago, disputes between unions and their employers are on the rise. “Everything that comes into the council has to be in the form of a written application. In 1989 we received a total of about 3,800 ap- plications...that’s an increase over 1988," says Peck. Every time a union in B.C. takes WINDOW DESIGNS pecialized window fashions featuring: @ The Cailfornia shutters @ Levelor blinds @ Abbey blinds @ Tastefully selected fabrics @ Custom designs & ideas 922-4668 for helpful service OPENS APRIL 4 Serving the lower mainland, Whistler, Squamish — LOCATION — 2413 Marine Drive. West Vancouver (parking in rear) a strike vote, that vote must be supervised by the IRC or it is declared illegal under current pro- vincial government legislation. But because the B.C. Federation of Labor (BCFL) has been boycotting the IRC, many trade unions have been holding strike votes without informing the IRC, mainly as a symbolic gesture of support for the boycott. A second IRC-supervised strike vote is then usually held in order to make the strike vote legal. Peck says the BCFL’s boycott of the IRC is not doing anything to help improve the province’s labor relations climate. “*[ think it’s unfortunate that the federation has seen fit to continue the boycott. There’s no doubt we could do a better job in labor rela- tions without the boycott. But there are a significant number of affiliate unions of the B.C. Feder- ation of Labor who are not part of the boycott,’’ Peck says. Born in Victoria in 1924, Peck is the son of the late Col. Cy Peck, a former Skeena MP and Gulf Islands MLA. During the Second World War, Peck served with the 3rd Canadian Division (Canadian Scottish Regi- Ment) and was wounded in action in Holland in 1944, He attended university in Lon- don, England and graduated with See Peck Page 33 MERCEDES-BENZ “S$? GLASS Excellent selection of Mercedes-Benz ‘‘S” Class sedans — attractively priced and available for immediate delivery. All vehicles complete with books and service histories. Stock #5307A "88 Mercedes-Benz 300 SE . Pearl Grey, Grey leather. 23.000 kms. local. eee $63,800 Stack #94484 *88 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL Pear! Grey/Burgundy leather 32.000 kms. local. 62... 2... $73,800 Stock #5060A ’86 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL Smoked Silver/Black leather. 86.000 kms. local. ..........0.. $59,800 Stock #5602A "89 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL Pearl Grey/Grey leather. 28,000 kms. Local Stock #5 300A ‘87 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL Diamond Blue/Biue leather. 52,000 kms. Local $62,800 Stock 41IQ4A '86 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL Nautical Blue/Grey leather. 58,000 kms. local. ............. $53,800 Stock #5238B *88 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL Smoked Silver/Burgundy leather. 48.800 kms. local, ..........08. $73,800 Stock #5487A "87 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL Taupe/Palomino leather. toa $62,800 Stock #50678B ‘85 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL Champagne/Cream leather. {16,000 kms. local. ............. $48 ,800 Mercedes-Benz WA 1375 MARINE DRIVE, NORTH VANCOUVER 984-9351