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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday September 27, 2006 - 3 Picket line snarls traffic at Ford plant By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A labour dispute involving 16 Ford workers has resulted in slowed traffic on the QEW and temporarily delayed production at Oakville's assembly plant. The striking workers ­ stationary engineers, compression mechanics, instrument mechanics and water treatment operators ­ set up a picket line early Monday that slowed Canadian Auto Worker (CAW) employees entering the plant. "There were delays in terms of getting our employees to work, both production and white collar workers," Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. corporate affairs manager John Arnone said Monday. "Although there have been delays, particularly first thing this morning, we have successfully been able to produce vehicles for much of the day." Arnone says the main issue between Ford and the striking workers, who are members of Local 2003 of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) Union, is the result of the recently built flexible manufacturing plant, which uses electrical power instead of compressed air for assembly-line tools. "Plant operations deemed there is no longer a need to generate compressed air, and the impact of that decision is on four of the employees at the facility," he said, adding those four jobs are no longer necessary. The offer on the table from Ford is a RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER SEEKING SUPPORT: Darren Green, a member of Local 2003 of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers, chats with a Ford worker at the picket line the striking workers set up outside the entrance to the Oakville assembly plant on Ford Drive. $70,000 retirement incentive for each of the four workers and pension provisions that would avoid the layoff of workers, and which "pay more than the average industrial wage in Canada," Arnone said. That offer was turned down by the CEP workers, who have been without a contract and in negotiations with Ford over job security since last November. Local 2003 CEP representative Zoran Grgar says the four employees who would be laid off is just one of "several large issues" that led them to walk out on the job. "The impact is on the entire bargaining unit," he said yesterday. "Job security and income security are the big issues," he added, noting the funding of pensions and benefit plans for workers who are laid off or on severance packages are major concerns. "Those are a dry trust," he said. "There's no money in those funds, so basically they're like IOU's on paper. With the auto industry the way it is these days, if Ford goes bankrupt or something else happens, there are no funds." The pension plan, Grgar added, is also under-funded, which is another of their concerns. "These are everybody's concerns at Ford," he said. "We're getting tremendous support from the workers. There's very, very few ­ less than two or maybe even one per cent, that are not in support. Every single worker stops and talks to us. There's a lot of disgruntled workers at Ford." He says these issues are ones "that the CAW gave up on." "That's why there's so much sympathy from the CAW bargaining unit. Obviously, if we're able to make some headway, hopefully there's a benefit for everybody." The deadline for a deal between Ford and the 16 CEP workers was Sunday night. "They've had lots of opportunities to address this," said Grgar, who added, "we'll be out here (picketing) for a while." Two days left to register for municipal election By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF With two days left before nominations close for the upcoming municipal election, it appears some interesting races and some acclamations may be in the offing. A four-way race for the mayor's job could result in more than the traditional 30 per cent or less voter turnout at the polls Nov. 13. Long-time Oakville mayor Ann Mulvale is being challenged by 2003 mayoral challenger Rob Burton as well as two sitting councillors -- Ward 6 Town/Regional Councillor Janice Wright and Ward 3 Town Councillor Chris Stoate. So far Ward 1 Town Councillor Ralph Robinson is heading for an acclamation -- not new for the veteran west end politician who has had that experience before in his more than two decades on Town council. His Ward 1 counterpart, newcomer and Oakvillegreen Conservation Association Inc. founder Michael Lansdown is stepping down after serving three years on council, leaving the seat open. It's being sought, to date, by a trio of residents including: former Town of Oakville employee Margaret Mercer of Water's Edge Drive, Lakeshore Road West resident Michael Glynne who has been commodore of the Bronte Harbour Yacht Club and chair of the Oakville Taxpayers' Coalition and Hixon Street resident Alan Johnston who chairs the Bronte District Advisory Committee. Also heading toward an acclamation, at least as of press deadlines is Ward 2 Town Councillor Cathy Duddeck. In that ward, too, however there's a race for the Town/Regional council position. Incumbent, veteran Councillor and former Oakville police chief Fred Oliver is up against Chatsworth Avenue resident Glenn Woolfrey, an insurance executive and Santa Claus parade volunteer who's involved in the Canadian Forces' Naval Reserve and long-time Oakville resident John Hogg. In east Oakville's Ward 3, the vacancy being left by Stoate is being sought by a trio of candidates including former public school board trustee and chair Mary Chapin, Blenheim Crescent resident Scott McColeman and minor sports veteran Wayne Moorehead of Greeiaus Road. In Ward 3 however the job of Town/Regional councillor appears, as of press deadlines, to be headed for an acclamation for long-time Councillor Keith Bird. In Ward 4, Town Councillor Renee Sandelowsky is finishing up her first term on council and is the only sitting councillor who has yet to announce their intentions. Sandelowsky, who was also involved heavily in Oakvillegreen before being elected, told The Beaver earlier this week she prefers to wait until Friday before making her plans known. Whether Sandelowsky runs again or not, businessman and former Halton MADD president Jeff Gareau of Bonnybank Court who also ran for election in 2003, wants the job, as does Jorge Urena of Sequoia Way. Both registered earlier this year. It appears that Sandelowsky's Ward 4 counterpart, Town/Regional Councillor Allan Elgar, and another Oakvillegreen founder, may also be headed to an acclamation after two terms on council as the opponent registered to run against him, Robert Wagner of Madden Boulevard, withdrew last week, only a month after registering. Ward 5 will offer races for both its Town and Town/Regional council positions. Incumbent Marc Grant is being challenged by GreenTrans supporter Brian Hopkins. Mah- mood Khan who had registered to run in early July, withdrew in mid-September. Veteran Town/Regional Councillor Jeff Knoll is also being challenged by Margot Street resident Angus Scott who first announced he'd run for the Halton Regional chair's position, but then withdrew to instead seek his ward's regional council seat. A quartet of candidates are ready to hit the campaign trail in Ward 6 in hopes of filling the vacancy left by Wright. Milorad Mitrovic, of White Oaks Boulevard, will run against Maria Robinson of Holton Heights, John Hussein of Golden Briar Trail and Del McIntee of Nichols Drive. In Ward 6, newcomer Town Councillor Tom Adams will have competition in Max Khan, of Pilgrims Way, and Marius Frederick of Marlborough Court. Friday -- Sept. 29 -- is the deadline for nominations. The nominations will then be scrutinized for validity by the Town Clerk and the 2006 municipal election campaign will be officially underway. For candidate information, general election information and a schedule of all-candidates' meetings visit the Town's website at www.oakville.ca. Get hooked up with a new phone. Everyone likes to get a taste of something new. That's why we'll give you a new mobile phone at least every three years.* So get where the going's good and get all our future friendly ® promises. ® For the full description and conditions of our future friendly promises, visit your TELUS store, authorized dealer or retailer, visit telusmobility.com/promises or call 1-866-264-2966. *Applies to PCS and Mike clients on published monthly rate plans as follows: you will be eligible for a $0 handset upgrade on a handset chosen by TELUS with a minimum value of approximately $150 at least every 3 years and subject to a term commitment. Data clients with data devices are eligible for a new device upgrade every 2 years, subject to a term commitment and rate plan requirement. 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