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Whitby Free Press, 9 Oct 1996, p. 1

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McTeague's gas bill supported page 2 Province '-selling Shores property page3 Innushare 'blitz' until weekend pae9 Fire Prevention Week page fi Strkeaffects feeder Pl ants> By Mike Kowald A. strike by General Motors' workers has had a major impact on local com- panies that supply parts to the automnotive giant. Three Whitby firme have laid off almoot ail of their ernfloyees as a resuit of the neaabegan last Wed- About 20,000 GM wor- kers are now off the job across Canada and more will follow if a settiement is flot reached with the Cana- dian Auto Workers (CAW) union b midnight tonight. Loal, production at WoodbrîdgIe Foam, ILear Corporation and Mackie Automotive Systems bas ground to a. hait. Woodbridge Foam laid off about 120 ofita 160 hourly and salaried employees on Thursda. 1As of Monday, ahl hourly workers exoept for'skiiied trades ,were gone and if the strike lasta much longer, no one will be left in the Forbes Street factory h «Depndng howlong h strike goes we could* lay everone sf~ aid human resources manager Brook Collins. Woodbridge ;su p plies foaxn for GM- car antruck seats that are manufac- tured at the Lear Cor- poration plant next door and at another Lear facility in Ajax. Cllins refused to specu- late on how soon the strike may be over, but did say that Wodrdge could be back in full production within a"day of two" of a settiement. c Officiais at Lear's Whitbyt plant would not comment and directed The Free Press to the company's Dinner for 200 at the pavilion, It is expected that 200 less fortunate local resi- dents-will enjoy a Thanks- ivgdinner next Tues- 'eSalvation Army and Canadian- Tire are arrangr- in the traditional turkey dinner at Heydenshore Pavilion fortb ose who migbt not otberwise bave suc h a dinner. Those who wish te attend must pick up tickets (no cost) At the Salvation Army offie at Kent and Duùndas streets, unit 5, or make an antment by calling 430- Entertainment will- be provided. head office in Michigan, but repeated telephone calis were flot returned. Lear employsabout 500 peopl at its Forbes Street site A receptionist at Mackie's Automotive Sys- tems bluntly told a reporter that «nobody wants te talk to you» and would flot pass on the request .to a. com- payofficiai However, The Free Press SEEPAGE27 Strike hurts United Way campaign By Mark Reesor The General Motors strike has thrown a mon- key wrench into this year'a local United WVay cam Paeýyasinrbas stopped at GM, feeder plants and other companles where workers are off as a resuit of the strike, of course, but "the downside transoends even GM,»n says Oshawa- Whitby-Ciarington United Way campaign manager Bob Howard. "You've got people in the community who are related to GM people who aiso, will null in their borna a littie it... in the education divi- sion (for example), how nany of them have a spouse who's currentiy on ayoff as a resuit of the itrike? "Thats what's difficuit rrus toproject right now.» Canvassing at GM plants iil resume when the wor- cers return, as wil! payroll leduction, but Howard ut" te make up donations iot received during the irike. There are bright spots in his year's campaign, hough. Howard says can- ftssing in the "vast iajority of places, it's pro- Pý ably better than it was iatyear.» Strike fears, a late atart id similar promotions by ~oToronto hospitals put a rimp in ticket sales for lisyersHome Free raf- e.Some 1,900 of the 6,500 ckets ($100 each) were spxj PAGE 1d i ni st ti la cri ti th: fla tic k;'? ~ f**' -' ~ Y Centennial Building theatre expansion. piroposed l'y MieKowahajd A ong-a aieddream cf Whitbythsin may be close te, fruition. The Town's operations committee has recommen- ded that a $375,002%xpn sion of the Centeni Building be referred te next year's capital budget. edrsed by council Snext Tuesday, budget approval may be a mere formality as. $971,000 already existaeia *ecal reserve .fund' estab'shed years ago for jua t such a PComm%.ittee members were quick _te, approve 'a parka .and,.recreation department.,report-Monday that called'for expansion of *the Centennial Building's theatre facilities. According te the report, the WibCourthouse l. heatre group bas come up Swith a more modest pro- *posai te meet its needs Sthan the one contained in a grandiose scheme- presen- ted te, councul five years Prepred by Sears Rus- sell chitets, that study called for an elaborate $5.2- million refurbiahing cf the former Ontario County courthouse on Centre *~A revainped Centennial Building would bouse not Sonly an enlarged com- munity theatre, but aiso an expanded Whitby archives ad museum, the study Spro sed. ZthughSears Rum*ll envsioeda *1-million expansion of the theatre facilities, department durec-- ter Larry Morrow teid com- mittee that the theatre group feels that its require- ments can be satiàfie at a cheaper price. After consulting witb local architectural firm Barry Bryan Associates, th:oup devlopediapro- po5,000 sutbei olcost $375000and he epart- ment concurs witb their findings, Morrow said. "Its always' been my interpretation that the theatre is Ifirat priority,» 10

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