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W I~I an ~ C ntr WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY MARCH 5 1980 PAGE 17 worke rs may strike iegal If a "reasonable" contract offer is not received, workers at the Whitby Psychiatrlc Hospital and the Durham Centre for the Developmentally Handicap- ped bave naid that they could stage an illegal strike. The alznoet 300 workers at the Whtby Institutions are among 6,2W0 counsellors, nursing assistants and child care workers across the province currently Garbage site delayed The closing of t.he town- owned garbage duxnp site on Highway 12 bas been delayed. The delay bas been caused because of problems in acquiring a new site for refuge that cannot be han- dled by garbage trucks bas forced tbe town to keep the facllity open past its scheduled closing date. Council had decided to close the site, located near Groveside cemnetary on March 1 after regular gar- bage collection was expan- ded to serve the north part of Whitby. Regional Councilor Gerry Emm said that the Groveside site had been used as a transfer point for garbage from the north and was to be losed because people from outside the area were using it on a regular basis and adding to the cost which he said was getting out of band. The town is presently negotiating with the Region of Durham to set up a sixiliar dump at the Conlin's Road site that is used by Oshawa. Emm said that the site will reniain open to provide an alternative to dumping on tbe side of town roads despite its financial problenis. 1"We are not going to close one down witboUt baving another to take its place," Emm n id. 6th Whitýby bargaining for a new con- tract with the Ontario governnient. They are represented by the Ontario Public Service Employee's Union (OPSEU) and bave said that they are flot satisfied with the gover- nment's offer and if other methods do not produce a respectable settlement they could walf off the job.- Katie Fltzftandolph, a spokesman for the union, said last week that represen- tatives from mental retar- dation centres and psychiatric institutions from acrss the province met recently and decided to begin a public awareness campaign -and lobbying goverrnment officials. She added that the union bas not disregarded the possibility Wf an illegal strike and cited a walkout by provincial jail guards, also belonging to OPSEU, last December. Mfter the strike, the guar- ds were given a 27.4 per cent pay hike over two years although union president Sean O'Flynn received a jail sentence for the illegal walkout. OPSEU is seeking a set- tlement similiar to the one that the jail guards received although the governmnent bas offered wage increases of five per cent.and 4.5 per cent over two years. "IThere is a grave danger that the government will be faced wit.h another strike even though we don't want to break the law, " according to OPSEU spokennian Ken Thibeau, who represents the 90 councieirs at the Durham centre. He also said that the workers are militant and are inspired by the sucess of the jail guards' strike. About 98 per cent of the counsellors signed a petition favoring strike action Thibeau said because "this insult in wages just put the icing on the cake." The wage demands are jusified, according to both Thibeau and FitzRafldolph, because of the danger and the "'terrible working con- ditions" at the institutions. 'II think the time has corne. They're in for a rude awakenrng if they don't corne back with something," thibeau said. 1"If the correc- tions people (jail guards) can go out and break the law and get a good settlernent, we can do it too. " The militant feelings "have been coming on for some time,"1 he said although the union and the province have been at the bargaining table for about a month trying to replace an agreement that expired last December. OPSEU bas requested that I a mediator be appointed to help resolve the dispute. Fred Upshaw, represen- ting the almost 200 OPSEU working at the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital said that bis members also feit that the government's offer is an "insuit" and that a strike wil be considered if a better offer is not made and other methçqds fail. A strike vote could be taken in about two weeks if the negotiations make no progress, Upshaw said. Ontario THE BROOK STOP HAN DCRAFTED, READY- MADE CERAMIC ITEMS TO ORDER PERSONALIZED GIFT ITEMS AND CUSTOM-MADE FOR ALL OCCASIONS MADE 224 BROCK ST. SOUTH, WHITBY (across f rQm Firehail) STORE HOURS: MONDAY TO FRIDAY, 9:00 - 4:30 PHONE: 668-2077. COLD CUT CENTRE 128 Dundas St. We, Whitby 668-9931 Parking At Rear ASSORTED COLD CUTS Boy On. pound and get haif pound FREE Reg 2.99 IL 2 lb. Omit Porish Cou Sausage 1.49 i whlle quantifies last "Freezer Orders Avoulable"i Canada Packers Red.-Brandl Beef Wholesale Division K.H. Kurz Foods Inc. Hwy. 12 Myrtie Station 655-3692* Cold Cut Centre &Quality Meats 178 Queen St. Port Perry 985-2818 Banquet The 6th Whitby Boy Scouts, Wolf Cubs and Beavers annual Father and Son banquet was held at Heydenshore Pavillion on Sunday, February 17. This event was attended by approximately 190 fathers, sons and guests. The guests included Phyllis Hicks, public relations officer for Whitby District Council, Richard Hicks, A.D.C. Beavers and Roy Parker, A.D.C. Wolf Cubs. Presentations were made to Joanne Sturgess, Caria Hicks and John LeBar on behalf of the 6th Whitby Group Committee, for ser- vice with the Beaver Colony and the Wolf Cub Pack . Wolf Cub of the year award was presented to Colin Lacy. Lsk Yb rk - - . - ý - Hcikiàýys]