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

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday February 9, 2008 - 5 Talks at an impasse By Dennis Smith SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER New Patients Welcome! Dear Neighbour, If you are looking for a new dental office in Oakville, I would like to welcome you to consider my practice. My office has developed a number of amenities to make you and your family feel as comfortable as possible during your time with us. Some of these amenities include satellite televisions in each of our treatment rooms so you can watch your favorite programs or you can listen to music on an IPOD with BOSE noise cancelling headphones. We also have the fabulous, new ICUITI Digital Video Personal Eyewear glasses that allow you to watch DVD's on a virtual large screen TV. We have developed a number of special amenities that have been specifically added for your children's comfort including a Playstation 3 with a 40-inch Sony Hi-Definition flat screen LCD TV in the children's section of the reception room. I have recently invested in a dental laser that can treat cavities in you or your children's teeth without the drilling sound or vibration. The Laser treatment can lead to a decrease in the amount of anesthetic that is required during the visit to treat the cavity and improve the overall dental experience for you and your child. I am very fortunate to have a caring and friendly team that are committed to your overall oral health and will make you feel welcome and respected. If you have any questions about our office, please feel free to call us at 905-827-1619. We look forward to meeting with you and creating a long-term relationship. Sincerely Contract talks for Halton paramedics have broken down and are headed for mediation, with wage and benefit parity cited as a key issue. OPSEU Local 207 has announced negotiations have reached an impasse. The union's paramedics have been without a contract since Dec. 31, 2006, but no major job actions are planned, according to an OPSEU staff representative. "We're not allowed to strike and work to rule is not an option we want to exercise," said Pati Habermann. "We could raise awareness by doing an information picket, but it depends on how mediation goes." She said Halton paramedics' wages are behind their counterparts in Toronto, Hamilton and Peel. "There are the same requirements with respect to the skills set and expectations of performance," said Habermann. For Halton (as of 2006), top hourly wages are $30 for Primary Care Paramedics (PCP) and $33.49 for Advanced Care Paramedics (ACP). Comparable figures are $35.30 and $37.07 for Toronto and $31.94 and $35.65 for Hamilton. These wages are as of 2008. In Peel (as of 2006), comparable wages for paramedics are $30 and $33.60. "Our members want and deserve a timely agreement containing wage rates and benefits that respects the important and challenging work they perform," said Habermann. Halton has 101 full-time and 31 parttime land ambulance paramedics providing emergency care and basic life support, such as Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and first aid. All are qualified to drive the ambulances. Habermann said advance paramedics are able to administer some medications. Recertification is required every two years for ACPs and every three years for PCPs. The union representative believes both sides want to reach a settlement without going to binding arbitration. "There's definitely space in between what they're offering and what we're proposing," said Habermann. "It's not huge, but we've got some work to do. "Halton itself is growing and we need to get more cars and more full-time paramedics." The union representative said another concern is off-load delays, where paramedics have to wait at the hospital until the patient is under doctor's care. "We'll use the mediator as best we can," said John Phelan, Halton's director of human resources. Phelan declined to answer some questions, citing the region's protocol of not discussing contract issues in the media. He did say Halton always pays fairly for what it asks staff to do. He added there's no danger of a strike by paramedics and their service levels are mandated by law. Dr. Stephen Phelan Dental Surgeon. Laser, Family & Cosmetic Dentistry 1500 Heritage Way, Oakville, ON L6M 3H4 call 905.827.1619 to arrange an appointment Creating sensational smiles in Oakville for 15 years. SAVE 25% on first time orders. Visit us online at www.justaddheat.ca where you can learn more about preparing your own home cooked meals in record time. Is Just Add Heat a luxury purchase? - The food is very luxurious. - The ease of preparatoin is a luxury. - The extra time you have to spend with family is a luxury. - The cost is not a luxury. Voted Best New Business 2007 As a matter of fact, the cost is very affordable. When you consider the cost of groceries and wasted ingredients you might actually save money. Our meals cost between $3 and $6 per person, and that is not including the 25% discount you will receive as a first time customer. We also offer to assemble your meals for you at no additional charge. 610 Ford Drive (at Cornwall) 905-338-9816 www.justaddheat.ca