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Neighborhood House voted 81 per cent in favor of strike action March 1, but officials of the House say they have yet to receive official con- firmation that the vote actually took place.

In a press release issued March 1, the Service, Office and Retail Workers Union of Canada (SORWUC), Local One, said the vote was held ‘‘in an atrempt to get the contract settled and to put pressure on management to cease their anti-union ac- tivity.’ Workers have been without a contract since December 31, 1983.

The release says there are

VANCOUVER

WEST municipal council will take another Iook at a

proposal for a 9,000- litre propane storage tank, but industry ex- perts say concerns of West Vancouver resi- dents are unfounded.

The 9,000-litre tank (not 90,000-litre tank as earlier reported) is proposed for Petro Canada’s 2196 Marine Drive station.

“Hundreds of propane tanks have been installed in Vancouver and thousands in Europe,’’ says Nick Bosma of the B.C, Gas Inspection Branch. ‘‘There are regula- tions for propane install- ment, The tank must be 25 feet from any ignition area, it must be protected from traffic. It’s realty no dif- ferent from gas tanks, but because it's above ground, people get upset.”*

Petro Canada owner/ manager Terry Higgins says if the propane was buried it gets too cold and will not flow. “If it’s open we have a better idea of what's hap-

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17° outstanding grievances filed by the union against the House for breaches of con- tract and harassment, in ad- dition to a pending arbitra- -tion concerning (wo laid-off employees. The release fur- ther states the union also expects to lay new grievances over seniority, harassment

IP’S ALMSOT spring. and ‘while the occasional’ breeze may make heavier coats and even gloves desirable, North Shore residents are

and arbitrary changes to job descriptions.

Union representative Muggs Sigurgeirson said the latest. grievances could in- volve up to five employees.

The union also claims management has not come to the bargaining table since June, 1984, with the House, in the fast fiscal year, repor- ting a surplus of $10,000.

Doug Sabourin, executive director of the House, disputed several of the points contained in the release, saying the only notice the House received of the strike vote was in a ver-

Tee bie

NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE

bal message from the Labour Relations Board (LRB) that an observer — necessary in order for a strike vote to take place — had been appointed.

Sabourin denied SOR- WUC's claims that the union had won a decision from the LRB fast November as a result of the House using unfair labor practices in the dismissal af three long term employees, reportedly for union activity.

Said Sabeurin: ‘**What happened was that we Said off three program coor- dinators. Two were. settled

within the terms of the con- tract, and the third was set- ted outside of the contract upon a recommendation of the LRB. We also laid off the assistant director of the Neighborhood House, who was part of management. We're certainly not anti- union. The chairman of the board is a member of a union.”*

Sabourin added the two sides last met in December, 1984, nat June, in order for management to ask the union’s consent in applying for a federal Canada Works grant.

orkers vote to strike

WORKERS at

Sabourin said at the time both sides agreed to, among other issues, a $100 signing clause for the union. However, the union backed out of the deal when Management stated they would only pay the $100 once confirmation of the grant had been received.

“We last five potential positions and we had already agreed the people hired would have been placed in the bargaining unit,’’ said Sabourin,

He added the next meeting for the two sides is scheduled tor Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

NEWS photo Terry Peters

discovering its not too early to get started on (heir summer tans. Above photo was taken at John Lawson park in West Vancouver.

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