A& - Sunday, March 25, 1984 - North Shore News papers. It’s really a big laugh, the way the newspaper people line up to be shot. Right now, for instance, it looks as though the six unions at Pacific Press will hit the bricks, the’ smallest vote for strike action among those op- pressed masses having been 75 per cent. And they are real gluttons for punishment. The last time they unfurled their battle flags was in 1978, and the struggle lasted for eight months with no percep- tible gains. On that occasion they were led by the noble pressmen, whose differences with the employer were sett!- ed in the end by arbitration after the strike was over. It would have been much too simple, of course, to settle the matter that way before the strike started. EXPENDABLE Earher this month = the publisher of The Sun, Bill Wheatley, sent a pretty clear message to his people in the form of a financial state- ment. And what the message said, in effect, although (here wasn't a single word in it about’ The Province being folded, was that as far as Southams are concerned, that newspaper ts expendable In 1983, he pointed out, the Sun made $18,000,000 The Province, on the other hand, lost $15,000,000 Well, even a printing pressman can work out that 15 from 18 leaves three, and that that isn'ta hell of a big profit for a big operahon But that's not all Depreciation and in. come tax reduced that profit to $400,000, meaning that che sharcholders were left with a retuen of less than half of one pet cent The union leaders sec the statement as aio ploy. of course, butatus backed up by soo much detait that there can be little doubt oat wasn't dircamed up one night after dhaner and dhaaks get this straight by Doug Collins Daily newspaper folk — gluttons for punishment f there were a contest to discover the most . block-headed unions, there is no doubt that the newspaper brotherhoods would win. True, they have not occupied any ground at False Creek and declared it to be union territority, but they have a great inclination for self-destruction. And that’s one of the reasons why there are so few daily news- The editorial and clerical Staffs in the guild are show- ing a little nervousness. But all of them, like sheep, have gone astray and if the ex- ecutive shepherd tells them to walk they’ll walk. The guild president, meanwhile, has of- ee er ee “.. lining up to be shot.’’ fered the plaintive cry that all they’re asking for is a decent contract. A decent contract? The present one gives five-year reporters $701 a week, or $36,452 a year. If they work at night they get a differen- ual. Then there’s overtime At this rate they will soon be TH TH. ae apace tenia rN SPP Dan PS 5 = ati tietge gene pene BOE OA SE, ihe: : os : y Sanaa wage yer SDS eke wy Sener wwe te ¢ 5 ae Announcing MURRAY JAMIESON finally marvricd MARY-ANN PLATSKO on December 31, Wistung you both the best Looe, your familles able to hire chauffeurs to drive them to work. If there is any work, that is. NO MORE MONEY There’s the usual cry that the émployer won’t bargain. Of course he won’t. Not on the union terms, anyway. The last deal was signed just before the recession hit, and staff got 17 per cent the first year and 13 per cent the se- cond. According to Wheatley, labor costs went up by 33.2 per cent and benefits by 44.1 per cent. So the employer says no more money for the time being. The newspaper industry’s mechanical trades are not my favorite people. In the 1978-79 encounter, the prin- ling pressmen were able to find work all over the place because of their closed shop. Some of them even worked for Southams over in Vic- toria, which is pretty funny seeing that Southams own Pacific Press, too If you were in the com- pany, wouldn't you shut The Province down? Oh well, go on strike, lads. It’s an all wind that blows no good! 1983 Double duty WORKMAN ERIC Sanderson had a shadow recently while he was doing finishing work on concrete curbing at Mt. Seymour Parkway and Riverside Drive. His efforts were mimicked by three-year-old Brandee Carter. IS NOW OPEN SUNDAYS! 11 AM-4 PM 986-1818 323 MOUNTAIN HWY., NORTH VAN UNISEX Thuja pyramicdelis 42” tall. attractive easy care hedging shrub 10 for Specimen Tree with 42" 1 ae graceful drooping branches Azalea plants trom good selection, lovely flowers evergreen bushy plants Perennial ground covers 4” pots . and rockery piants 8 plants for | Counteracts excess acidity created during the winter ‘Dolomite months. Guaranteed not to burn. 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