NORTH VAN

EDITION

Newsstand PriceS0¢ October 16, 1983

Don't know details yet
of when they'll go

OFFICIALS WITH the union that represents non-
teaching employees of School District 44 says lay-
off notices affecting more than 100 of their
members will come down within the next few

weeks.

MARK HAMILTO

But Dr. Rod Wickstrom,
district superintendent, says
that statement is a ‘‘predic-
tion’’ that he can’t confirm.

“‘What we're looking at
immediately is lay-off notrces
for 100 of our members or a
little more,’” Diane Joly of
Canadian Umon of Public
Employees (CUPE) local
389, told the News Friday
“‘If that happens | don't sec
how the distmct will be able
to keep its schools clean and
maintained "’

Wickstrom, asked to con
firm the CUPE claim, said he
couldn't

“Those kind of decisions
haven't been made yet by the
board of school trustees.”

Wickstrom said “All we
have so far oa thiee year
plan

Wickstrom said while the
plan, developed by the
district. in’ response to the
provincial government
restraint’ program, calls for
extensive lay-offs of teachers
and CUPE cmployces, the
timing of the moves hasn’t
yet been determined.

Joly’s statement came
within days of a mecting of
CUPE membcrs -- support
staff such as clerical workers

and custodians — at which
the effects of the three-year
plan were spelled out.

‘The concern of the
membership was not only
that we would be losing
jobs,”’ said Joly, ‘‘but about
what will happen to our
schools as the result of a lack
of staff

Joly fear the layoffs of
custodians and maintenance
employees will result in lower
standards of cleanliness for
schools; that the loss of
crossing guards could pose a
threat to children; and that
the loss of support services
will make the jobs of teachers
that much harder

CUPE, which has aircady
seen oats) North Vancouver
school district) membership
drop from 600 to 470, stands
to lose another couple of
hundred under the three ycar
plan, according to Joly

But the details of when
those cmploycees will face
uncmployment won't be
known until at Icast the cnd

of this month.
The only action CUPE will

take against the threat of the
cuts ts at the provincial level.

“We understand that this
tsn’t the result of any action
on the part of the school
board,”’ said Joly. “‘We're
not interested in getting in-
volved in a) confrontation
with the local board."’

Newsroom 985-2131

Classified 986-6222

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