A7 - Friday, December 21, 1984 - North Shore News OE mailbox (> ] Facts about Teachers want pay talks kept secret health Dear Editor: In answer to Bob Hunter's Column of Oth December, “dt Hurts Doc’* = here are a few points: 1 DOCTORS FEES only amount to 17% of the cost of Medicare (and of these about 48% poes tO Paying our nurses, Office rent, telephone and supplies) — so please don’t blame our tees tor the cost of the system 2 DRUG ABUSE AND MUL TIDOCTORING can be controlled better by phar Macies using their com puterized records (as there are 10 doctors to every phar- Macy) -—- most pharmacists are excellent at warning us but addicts also forge or steal presenpuions or give false names Y HEALTH COSTS are only 7 $8 of the Canadian vross national product CHEAP compared with 9% tor West Germans and 12% each for the Swedish Socialist Ltopia and the tl S Capitalist Wonderland 4 HHE AE TH © ARE CONTS are bound to imeredse it quality isto be constant vet more use Madde of the system The biggest expenditure is on the over 68s and every bods knows we have an increasing - I. aged population, especially in BC where many elsewhere Choose to cretite With more Particrpaction sports injuries have increased twofold in tive vears andhave to be paid for S It our Health © are Costs are higher than other would Mr Hluntes to be looked after on one of them or perhaps in the L KO where only Se of COUESE in from pro VINES preter health Costs are the (; NP (of the UK don teeta heart operation ot Rw ot Vo re voy dialysis uf and kidneys over 30 thaave ta you de til tive four oor veabs for eleotive sutyery like A ocatabact operation on a tig replacment but rl sure saves tyne st costs 6. If 10-15% of accidental deaths could be avoided by better pre-hospital care, perhaps we need a larger am- bulance service (3 am- bulances only are stationed on the North Shore) 7. Perhaps society could practice cost effective preven: tive) medicine by stopping people driving so badly or us- ing poorly maintained cars (Most people who die in car crashes are in their 20s and so lose SO vears of life exapectan- ey. More potential years of life are lost by car crashes than by ALL heart and cancer deaths - but few recognize this as a preventive medical problem Remember the battle the BOC.MA_ had to fight to persuade the government to adopt) car child restraint legislation, and the public op- posilion to seat belts?) Xx LASTLY, the restriction in doctors billing numbers, though having the support of some doctors, was the work of the Ministry of Health NOT the BC MA who have opposed it Rodney (Gslynn-Morris Family physician West Vancouver Rec passes for poor? OPEN LETTER TO NV REC. COMMISSION The Vancouver Board otf Parks and Recreation issues a Pacthty Pass that allows low inveme People to attend any ofats PS swimming pools and sskating cmks for free Whiy North an couver mot issue these passes does for low income people? With trimacs pettlity toupher perhaps vou could make Chis a proorits atid give the poor aC hrastrtas present 1 oJ) Bechler Vancouver The Season's Best FASHIO! for a great looking you! ONLY 4 DAYS LEFI! Holiday Shopping Hours ce 111 West Ist NEE a Ts Dec 20 til SPM Dec 21 til SPM Dec 22 tl 6PM Dec 23 12-5PM Dec 24 10 5PM Dec 25 be. 26 Closed FREE GEE T WRAPPING, Designer Save 986-2496 «4 Ata “Manxitmum Quality at Mintmum Pri... Dear Editor It has been historical prac. tice that the North Van- couver Teachers’ Associa won, upon signing an agree- ment with the North Van- couver School Board do not engage in public discussion of the negouiation process, re- main silent on the pro- ceedings of salary discussion We have done so, even when we have gone lo arbitration Negoturations, we believe, are most reasonably accomphish- ed in private discussions bet- ween representatives of the involved parties. Public com- ment leads to) pubhe con. Last minute gift ideas Open Sunday 12-5 troversy which would only add to the difficulties of the negotiation process Untortunately yout newspaper, through the Sun day, December 9 editorial has made it very difficult tor our associauon tO maintain that silence. By relying on a figure which 18, at best. an esumated assumption made by a trustee of a figure which was used in the very early stages of the negotiation pro- cess, the impression is left that itis that amount which we are seeking. Furthermore, editorial states, your incorrectly, Open Boxing Day 12-5 “6b xl 100 Neew for to °788 hip MAG Ce rong Teabe ot. POs! t 1820 LONSDALE NORTH VAN, 85 MODEL 85 MODEL ~ “8498 wk Wied 1 SHBB 85 MODEL 141NCH BEST BUY SERVICE 985-9831 987-8811. that the majority of teachers in North Vancouver qualify for incremental raises as they earn additional years of ex- perience. The facts are thatin North Vancouver 64 per cent of our teaching force has reached their maaimum in. crement raises for experience purposes, thus will nol receive “automatic increases " We do not want to negotiate in public We only hope that if public comment is made that it be done only ta fara Wall Soe Ara, Weal Ample free parWlig WIN A MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE ROYAL VIKING LINE Entry forms No purchase required. Other Pre-Christmas Special Winners at McMordies: Here’s a Handy Check List: Seagull Seraquil »NU MANY MOREIN-STORE SPECIALS CHRISTMAS STORE HOURS Monday—Friday 9:30 a.m.- 9:00 p.m. saturday 9:30 a.m.- 5:30 pion Sunday 12:00- 5:00 p.m. fj io v Mordies *222 Marine Drive, North Van aot Pernrtrertun 986 5566 8569 Granville at 70th 261 3012 when all facts are properly checked out. Andrew J. Krawczyk President North Vancouver Teachers’ Association. (The News editorial stated only that ‘'a mayority of teachers’? — meaning teachers in general — qualify for incremental raises. It did nol specify North Van- couver, which ts understood to be something of a special case due to its large number of senor teachers—ED.) at 19.95 9.95 1 19.95 5.00 9.95 9.95 9.95 9.95 14.50 ' 17.00 995 69 00 19 95 23% off 20° off