The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Swain:,, Don' t take customers for granted By 1Mik. Kowalold iÀke any succesaful business- men, teacbers must ensure tbeir custemers'needa are being met. Only in tbis instance the custe- mers are- not clients or con- sumers but atudents. And iýxow effective a job edu- catera are doing will bie deter- mined by the numnber of students dropping out of scbool. Hugb Swain, president of Andrew Canada Inc. of Whitby, delivered this message te the recent annual meeting of tbe Durham Industry-E-ducation Council. The -council was founded in 1987 and is comprised of repre- sentatives from Durham Regi*on's two ochool boards, Durhame Col- lege and local industry, labor and government. The council acts as link bet- wesn Durbam's business com- munity and its education system. It co-ordinates community resouroes for the nesds of stu- dents and teachers in career education and belps te ease stu- dent transition into the work- force.' Durig his speech, Swain tou- ched on the challenges facing Canada's business community and drew parallela witb the edu- cation system. He teld bis audience that free trade, with the United States means Canadian manufacturers must compete as neyer before on a global scale, witb. new levels of quality and service. «There are new standards teday, world-class standards, tbey are higb and getting big- bierW said .Swain. Bgusinesses not prepared te adapt te these changes are in danger of falling by the wayside, b. warned. "Ini recent years the North American aute industry bas stagged witb importa wby bas that bappenedT' asked àwain. lt«Thbe industry lost sight of qua- ly and service, lottsigbt of what' their customers expected.» Swai said management bas te realize tbat aIl of tbeir employess must be involved in the. "drive for quality'. "They'e ahl part of a cbain, if tber'sa weak link in the chain the customer won't b. satisfied.» While business bas been guilty of losing «sight» of its customers so bas our education systemn, said Swain. He said. administrators and teachers must «review their mis- sion". «Who is the customer-client? la his needs being met? What changes are neededr» According to Swain, if tedýay's students' are not being fulfihled it will b. reflected in absentes and drop-out rates. Atbougb teachera may be doing an effective job instructing the "three les.. as employers we' also have to be considerafe of the soft side,» said Swain. . "Integrity, honesty, respect-for others ... are we teaching these values* in the school systom?» Hoqwever, Swain amit that businessmen cannot accurately define the «quality»teywnt . thefr future employees. "You ask a typical business- man what he neés and hecan't verbalize it, but Tii know it when I ses tý Followinq his speech, Swai said organîzations such as the council are important in strene- thening the bonds bet*een bui- ness and educators. "TIhere is always a need for iaIogue and communication in developing a good relationship.» Union demanding Metroland justify layoffs. By 1ek.owalski A ornte-based communit newspaper chain bas been chal- lenged by its employees' union te, justilfy a recent spate of layoffs. ii. Southern Ontario News- paper Guild (SONG) is demand- ingMetroland Printing and Pub- lishing ex 1 ' the rationale used techop more than 100 .mployees in the past few monthé. Owned by Torstar Corp., pub- lishers of the Toronte Star, Metroland operates 14 newspa- pers in soutbern Ontario. Locally, Metroland _publishes CCL president is guest speaker at DRMA dinner Wayne McLeod, president of CCL Industries Inc., will be guest speaker at the f»iftb anni- versary annual meeting of the Durhiam Region Maunfacturers' Association oh Thursday, Nov. 29, at the Holiday Inn in Osh- awa. McLeod is Ontario chairman of the Canadian Manufacturers Association. .McLeod will speak at &30 p.m. Dinner is at 7:30 p.m. and the annual meeting will begin at 8:30 p.m. Osbawa-Whitby This Wesk and the Ajax-Pickering News Adver- tiser. SONG, wbicb represents reporters, photographers and some editers, bas sesn its Metro- land membership- reduced from 145 te, 115 since May. Five Guild members were let go y his Week wbile four were laidoff by the News Advertiser. Only one of the cbain's papers, wbicb publisb bi-weekly or tri- weekly, bas been spared layoffs. According 9te, a SONG news release, Metroland bas plotted its strategy carefully. «While otiier firms wbicb bave laid off 30 or 40 employees bave made beadlines, Metroland.. bas avoided detection because only one or two people are cut at any on. time,» states the release. SONGs Metroland unit chair-- man Steve Pecar says workers refuse te believe the- layoffa are justified. "Tih. company is a buge moneymaker and' is still making money » said Pecar. "If tuer. are te b. layoffs, the compaVy is tep beavy i manage- ment. W believe there sbould-b. layoffa tiiere.» A spokesman for Metroland was not available for comment on tbe union's charges. Pecar told Tii. Fr.. Press that Metroland bas intimated at declinir1g advertising revenue as grounds for the layoffs. «W. haven't been given a spe- ciflc reasOn,» said Pecar. "We kesp bearing they're not doing as well but Fim not sure if itfs as bad as tbey're making it out te be.» Pecar said Metroland would neyer provide tii. union witii an accurate assessment of its finan- cial bealtb. «They don't bave enougb res- pect for thir employees to show uthe books. Tey would neyer do that.» .Altbougb the majority of latyoffs followed the. signing of the. union's second contract witb Metroland in Marcb, Pecar doub- ted the. layoffs are a formn of retaliation. "r'm not sure if it can be blamed entirely on tii. contract.» Altiiougb Pecar admits there is little the. union can do te prevent laLyoffs,ý he feels management, should exaènine ahl options before cutting jobs. «In the newepaper business if thinga go bad they sbouýld go out and be more aggressive in aelling ads. «Instead, tbey just throw u their hands andi say 'we're beat. They take a knes-jerk reaction te the economiec cimate and get rid of workers.» Christmas yearuround at this store By Greg MacNeil At this time of year many begin te get the. Christmas spirit. But two of Whitby'aý newest business owners have the. Christmas spirit. year-round. Diane iÀvie along witb partner Joan i3rown, recently opened Y. 01. Fashion Chiristmas Store in Whitby's Pearson Lanes. The. so opened about two-and-a-iiaf mrontha ago, j»st in time for this year's shopping season. While othiers pack the tinsel and garland away in the attic siiortly after tii. new year,' Livie and Brw will b. keeping their doors open temptin¶ siioppers witii a wide variety lo decorations, ligiits, trees and homemade crafts. Wiien tii. mercury rises durig June, July and August, Livie and Brown aren't worried. "W. found that when we yvould- go teý Christmas stores in other ares, people were more than willing te buy theïr decorations on the off-season," assures Livie. That way siioppers can concentrate on gift-buying come Christmas time. Livie says the. idea te open a Christmas store came up about two-and-a-balf y.ars ago. The two women, wiio are active members of tiie Optimist Club, would always flnd tiiemselves exploring similar stores wiienever tiiey were in another city at a convention. They tbougiit it would b. great fun te work in sucb a shop. Then - flnally, Livie says, 'W. said let s stop talkcing about it and lets do it." Many of the. iandmade items in tii. store are made by local people. "We've got two young artists rigbt now that are looking into doing some things for us, 111<. wooden toyq soldieifs and rockinig borses," according te Livie. 1 I addition te tthe fine Canadian-made products, Y. Oie Fashion Christmas Store imports a lime. of 'quality German decomtiýns that are proving te b. quit. po4ular. Parents are encouraged -to! bring their children.,, into the st;ore. Livie and'Brownlov.,,to se. the reaction of ids when t hey enter tbe.siiop or -peer in throg on. of the 'bay Windows."Té looka on their faces are just 0 incredible," says Livie. - Tie. image of a family store l aIso helped by the, fact. Livf' three daugiiters and Brown's fou sons are actively 'involved-. The girls belp out-in the. store on weekends 'while tii. boys hae been leniga helpngiand'in. areas like Lidng up the. sbop'o* decor, picIng- up stock ahd' setting up computer programs. ~ IF YOU WANT TO FA YLESS TAX IN 1991A NO/OR IF DIETER W. KIRNER YOU WANT MORE GROWTH IN YOUR RRSP, THIS Prominent Local SEMINAR 15 A MUSTI!LY :. u iyj*uanT*h- ." SPCA A A -R Ground-Floor Tax Planning, The Tax Squeeze - What's left to Mrite-nff ? OSHA WA* PUBLIC LIBRARY AUDITORIUM Igi Ét7cn A v 1 Limited Partnershîp . Jlntpîanni 1 fDEC. 6, 199 OpprtnîtesRRSPWsRRîF'slAnnuities 1:30PM & 7:OOPM - Uifited Partnershio Tax Two Seminars For Your iPCAL US Shefters. Convenience 1 lnvesting in mortgages * jiSPEAERS -lnvesting in Prime Rentai Paul Linden,. renowned Condo and Commercial Real Thurs. Jan. .17, 1991 financial consultant and Est aie Thurs. Feb. 14, 1991 Alan Duffy local Real a Special Side Show Thurs. Mar. 14, 1991 Estate expert. C L 57 071For Resevations Mow Jo Protect Your Bathroom- Investme 'ni lncreasingly we're hearing from people who are concerned about damage thiat powdered abrasive cleaners can do to their expensive sinks, tubs and fixtures. KLING non abrasive lotion cleanser is the best produot we've' seen for general bathroom dlean up. The thick lotion clings to vertical surfaces and soap scum is literally removed with a soft wipe of a cloth. Fixtures are left sparkling like new. Pie entire washroom smells MAINTENANCE LTD. clean and fresh. For mildew buildups iJn showers or rust stains on, tubs we recommejnd Butcher's PEARLY Tu.e 'and Porcelain Cleaner. This easy to use spr ay and . wipe produot cleans- like magio yét- contains no* abrasives, no acids and no causticës. At Swish- we -guaranée everything we seil.- If the product doesn't perform to your satisfaction, bring back the unused* portion - we'II give you your money back... rii Dundas si 7 S Burns Si Consumers Dr. - Hwy 401 500- Hopkin&.Street,-Whit~y **~ 666~-4224~