YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969, Bears sighted on WNW. Shore: 8 hte Januars 7, 1987) News O85-2131 Classified 986-6222 Catch Libraries sports |- gc action |"| high-tech PAGE 15 PAGE 27 Distribution 986-1337 40 pages 25¢ Over 200 Versatile union employees laid off OFFICIALS for the union that represents 70 per cent of Versatile Pacific Shipyard Inc. workers expressed bitter disappointment Monday that no Polar Class 8 icebreaker announcement was made during Saturday’s Henry Larsen launch ceremonies. Workers and Boiler- makers Industrial Union (MWBIU) president’: John Fitz- patrick said. ‘‘}'m not surprised, but I'm sure as hell disappointed. {f he (deputy prime minister Don Mazankowski3 had just said yes, we're gonna build it and we're gowna build it here, but we have a few wrinkles to iron out first, then the men would have been satisfied. That's what they were hoping to hear.”” But Mazankowski, who was at Versatile for the launching of the $92 million Henry Larsen, said on- ly that the announcement a irding the $350 million Polar 8 icebreaker contract ‘tis immirent."” He did not say if the contract would be awarded to Versatile when that announcement is made. Though work on the Henry Larsen will continue at Versatile until its scheduled completion in July, the major portion of its con- struction is finished, Remaining work will be primari- ly to the interior of the 327-foot icebreaker and will involve only the yard’s finishing tradesmen. Fitzpatrick said over 200 MWBIU Versatile workers, in- cluding 64 platers, 115 welders and 53 laborers, had been faid off over the past two wecks. “From 366 on the seniority list two weeks ago, we are down to 119 now,’’ Fitzpatrick said. Marine J987 without the Polar § contract. He said Monday the size of the company’s workforce over the foreseeable future would depend on the amount of ship repair work Versatile does and the number of industrial contracts, now being bid on by the company, Versatile wins. “There is still work out there,’ Alsop said. Financial problems that beset the shipyard’s parent company Versatile Corp. throughout 1986 remained a factor in the delay of awarding the Polar 8 contract to Versatile Pacific, Alsop said. But he added that steps to mitke Versatile Pacific a separate finan- cial entity from Versatile Corp. should be completed within two to three weeks. Financial statements released by Versatile Corp. last year reported losses of $42.2 million in the third quarter of 1986, compared with a $4.7 million loss in the correspon- ding period of 1985. In 1981, the corporation reported an overall profit of $44 million on $896 million worth of sales. Mazankowski’s press secretary Tom Van Dusen said Tuesday Versatile's financial problems had to be solved before the contract nL LD HENRY LARSEN SHIP LAUNCHING: SEE PHOTOS PAGE 3 er But Versatile president David Alsop said he remained optimistic about his company’s fuiure and convinced that Versatile would get the Pojar 8 contract. “T was not expecting the an- nouncement (Saturday),"’ Alsop said. ‘tHe (Mazankowski) con- firmed the project has priority, and that’s always encouraging.”’ Calling Saturday's gala launch “textbook perfect’’, Alsop said he expected the Polar 8 contract would be announced by the federal government within two to three weeks. . According to Alsop, Versatile’s workforce had dropped from 550 in January 1986 to 350 in January 1987. In August, Alsop predicted Ver- satile Pacific would be down to about 206 employees by summer could be awarded to Versatile Pacific. “It’s not been confirmed that Versatile would get the contract, but the government must be sure that Versatile is financially viable...."" He said no announcement on the Polar 8 contract would be made this week or next. Fitzpatrick said the disappoint- ment of further delay in announc- ing the Polar 8 contract was seriously demoralizing to his union’s membership: ‘We're sick and tired of people telling us to be patient, to wait for this and wait for that. AH] we get are promises. But we won't let them forget (about the contract). We will con- tinue to keep the pressure on.”’ The next federal cabinet meeting is scheduled for Jan. 15. NEWS photo Mike Wakellald Too late to prune A WEST Vancouver couple was sleeping in the guest-room after a 100-foot cedar tree crashed through the roof of their house late on New Year’s Eve. Jim and June Cameron returned home from year-end festivities early New Year's Day to find the bedroom of their Southborough Drive house completely caved in. “It was a very good old tree,’’ June Cameron said Friday. ‘It broke mght through our roof and through the back side and took out our bedroom.” The Camerons guess high winds were responsible for felling the tree, which snapped off five feet frum the ground. “It didn’t come out by the roots.” ; The so far undetermined cost of repairs is all covered by insurance, she said. “The contractor has told us he'll get it done as fast as he can,’’ said Jim Cameron, who credits West _ Ysncouver firemen for securing the fallen cedar.