action over firing of shop stewards Postal union upset over loss of two employees in dispute THE CANADIAN Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has vowed to take job action to protest the firing by Canada Post Corp. stewards. The pair were fired on Friday, February 19. The firings resulted from a wildcat strike staged by three letter carriers and one shop steward in North Vancouver on Wednesday, February 10. On that day, shop steward Ray _Andrews and three motorized let- ter carriers refused to handle extra parcels required of them by Canada Post. "Andrews said there is a clause ‘in the union’s collective agreement that states the mail in question “ should be delivered by the Priority ‘Post courier section of Canada Post. : vs After. the one-day. wildcat strike, Canada Post suspended for one day ‘Andrews, -the three letter carriers and a second North Van- couver shop steward who had left “his “depot. to enter the labor < dispute. '’ While the. two shop stewards have been fired for their part in: the: wildcat strike, the three letter carriers* involved have received the union held a membership meeting on Tuesday, February :23, @' address the issue. He added that’ several motions were passed hat some kind of job action hould be taken against . Canada Post." “Bertrand ‘said it has not been decided what action the union will “take or, when but added it will be “‘soon.”” “The | firing of two shop of two North Vancouver CUPW shop By Surj Rattan News Reporter stewards is an attack’on all postal workers. One steward was fired for representing letter carriers in a dispute with managernent. “The other shop. steward was released for exercising his rights under the collective agreement in order to resolve a dispute,’’ said Bertrand. He added that the firing of the two shop stewards is not an isolated incident. “It’s part and parcel of Canada Post's attacks on postal workers. Every day Canada Post violates the collective agreement. We simply can’t sit by and let Canada Post continue attacking our rights. “They (Canada Post} have thrown down the gauntlet and we intend to respond,”’ said Bertrand. Canada Post spokesman Ilona usiks said the two fired shop stewards vioiated the collective agreement by. staging the wildcat strike and added that there are “ways and means” to handle a dispute. Beiks said Canada Post asks its motorized letter carriers to handle any extra mail the Priority Post section cannot deliver and added that postal workers across Canada have regularly been delivering Priority Post mail. She said North Vancouver is the only location where there is a problem. poor Tory record hangs over leadership hopefuls THE PERSON who succeeds Prime Minister Brian -Mulroney as leader of the federal Progressive Conservative party will’ have to accept responsibility for the govern- ment’s dismal record during the last few years, North Vancouver Liberal Sen. Ray Perrault said Thursday. ‘He made the comment one day ‘after Mulroney announced that he would be stepping down as Tory leader and would not seek re-elec- tion during the next federal elec- tion, which is expected to be cail- “ed later this year. “Merely putting a new. lid ona A, “tainted tin of tuna does not make it any better. This is just re-labell-: “ing. They (leadership candidates) -cannot escape responsibility of the bad record of the last two or three “years,” said Perrault. a Automotive .. “ BiClassified Ads. Wi Ecolnfo...... & Editorial Page -. : i Home & Garden ... By Surj Rattan News Reporter He also criticized the Mulroney government for entering into the North American Free Trade Agreement ‘‘without sufficient protection.” “He’s (Mulroney) a Conser- vative. They have not blazed many trails in the area of social See Decision page & Gi Trevor Lautens .. BG Mailbox ........ 89 Paul St. Pierre ... & What’s Going On : Weather ‘Saturday, clouding over, highs 8°C, lows 2°C; Sunday, cloudy, ; highs &C, lows 3°C. - Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement Number 0087238 NEWS photo Cindy Goodman SUMO WRESTING in North Vancouver? Two padded opponents square off during the inaugural night of Sumo wrestling at the Coach House in North Vancouver. t 10 style -wrestles with new entertainment experience WET T-SHIRT contests. Mechanical bulls. Dwarf tossing. ‘Horizontal bungee jumping. By A.P. McCredie Sumo Reporter “In the competitive business of attracting patrons, club managers have devised all manner of activi- ties to make their bar atmosphere stand out amongst the crowd. North Vancouver’s Coach House Inn has raised the ante for Thursday night business by offer- ing patrons a chance to jump into a foam-filled Sumo suit and take to the 14-foot (4.2 m) ring for a basho (match) against an equally ‘*pumped-up”’ oppanent. The sport of Sumo depends heavily on ‘‘psyching out’’ oppo- nents, traditionally done by salt throwing, staring and stamping feet prior to the basho. Such an- tics are heavily encouraged. Initially, wrestlers begin with the status of Maegashira,. and move’ through the ranks of Komusubi, Sekiwake and Ozeki, finally reaching the top of the -heap as Yokozuna, the highest ac- colade in Surno wrestling. The concept for the suits was developed in Australia three years ago. The ‘‘sport’’ has only been in Canada for two weeks, with a pair of suits making the bar rounds in Ontario and a pair in B.C. _ We are waiting for three more sets. to arrive,’’ said Kathryn Baker, special events coordinator for Lesters, the Burnaby-based supplier of the suits. ‘“‘The Inte- rior clubs are lining up for :a chance to have the sport in their clubs.’* The’ suits used at the Coach House are also making ‘ regular appearances at a club in Langley and at the Notorious: club in downtown Vancouver. © i Two suits, including the padded ring, cost $10,000 ; While movement is not hindered too much in the bloated, suits, competitors who fall. cn their backs have been known to strug- gle for some time trying to right themselves. Ever see a turtle on its back? From all accounts coming out of the Coach House tast week, the sport of Sumo has grabbed'a ff irm feg-hold on the imaginations - of the local bar «circuit in North Vancouver. ~ ’ Cook death shocks colleagues Canada loses a valued citizen, says Prime Minister, THE FLAG flew at half mast on Parliament Hill this week for longtime North Vancouver MP Chuck Cook. At 66, he had just recently been diagnosed ‘with cancer. He died Tuesday. The death of Cook was met with shock and regret by the many who knew him during his time as a politician. Prime Minister Mulroney Wedaesday. . “Canada has Jost a valued cit- izen. and effective parliamen- tarian with the passing of Chuck Cook. , Whether serving as a lawyer, broadcaster or Member of Parliament, he always dem- onstrated , tenacity,- intelligence and dedication to the interests’ of his fellow Canadians. “On behalf of the government of Canada and of ali Canadians, I extend to his wife Dale, and to his children our most sincere and heartfelt, sympathies,’? Mulroney said... Said Senator Ray ‘Perrault Wednesday, | ‘‘Chuck’ ‘Cook’s passing comes as a profound Brian shock. { spoke with Chuck only . recently and he appeared to be’ in excellent health. issued | a - statement’ By Michael Becker | and Lovise Woznow “Chuck worked tirelessly for the people of the North Shore. While we had our political dif- ” ferences down through the years, we had our agreements as well.... Our nation has lost an effective and dedicated Member of Parliament and a very good Canadian,” Perrault said. . Meanwhile, Mary Collins, Tory. MP. for : Capilano-Howe | Sound,.’expressed deep regret at ‘the passing of her North Shore colleague. “Chuck Cook has throughout | his careers, both in. journalism and in politics, been an individ- ual who spoke out on what he belived in, and who was not afraid to take unpopular or con- troversial stands when he felt he was being true to his ideals. “It. was this independent thinking, combined ‘with dedica- tion to his work and his ridin 1058 . Ridgewood ODr., which made him both an out- Vancouver. ° | standing representative of his constituents and an effective Member of Parliament in. Ot- tawa,’’ Collins said. Cook’s executive assistant Monica Nelson said her boss was also a good friend. “If you had any problems, he ° was right there for you. He was a very stong family man. He was really caring....”” , Said North’ Shore News publisher Peter Speck of Cook’s passing, ‘‘Chuck Cook was always a good friend to. the North Shore News. He was forthright, courageous. It’s a great loss.’’ Born Charles Henry Cook in Regina, Saskatchewan, Cook earned a Jaw degree from the University of Saskatchewan and a master’s degree in business administration from Western University in Ontario. ; In 1949, he married Dale and fathered two sons and one daughter. Funeral services, for Cook have been scheduled.for 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at St. Catherine’s. Anglican Church, North