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THE HERALD Mreh in Metroland editorial staff avoid a strike ByBENDUMMETT the Herald The editorial staff at the Georgetown Independent and the Acton Free Press won t be hitting the picket line The staffs union the Metroland unit of the Southern Ontario Newspapers Guild and the management for Metroland settled on a twoyear contract retroactive to Dec 3 Sunday after in tense negotiations went on until late last Friday afternoon about hours after a stnke or lockout could have been called The union had been without a contract since Dec 3 until 71 per cent of the union members at the Sunday meeting supported the agreement in which senior staff will get the highest pay hike There are ISO union members in the 17 Metroland newspapers Reporters and photographers entering into their fifth year as of Dec 3 will receive a weekly salary of in the first year of the con tract a 13 9 per cent pay increase The salary will increase by 7 2 per cent to a week in the second year An editor with two years ex penence will receive a weekly salary increase of about eight per cent from to in the first year A similar percentage in crease will kick in the second year raising the weekly salary to The union was withm 15 minutes of calling a said union spokesman and former dent reporter Mark Holmes At Thursday minutes before the union was in a legal strike position we finally got an offer from the company that was close to being acceptable he said We made sure everybody got a raise Mr Holmes added Brenda Metroland s director of human resources said she was pleased the contract dispute was settled We worked very hard and I think the union got a very good contract The union was originally asking for a threeyear contract calling for a per cent increase in a senior reporter s salary and a 24 LOW LOW CARPET PRICES 8736002 345 Street Unit 25 Georgetown in the Knolcrest Centre Behind Penny COUNTRY VIDEO GAMES I I RANGE PUTT COUNTRY LOBSTER NEW COUNTRY CRAFTS COUNTRY BKKERY ENJOY A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY CWM UN and per cent increase in a senior editors salary Management was offering a threeyear contract with salary in creases of 5 per cent in the first two years and six per cent in the third year Heated was the word Dan Ralph the union Stewart for the In dependent and the Free Press used to describe the debate leading up to the vote on the proposed contract Some people with two or three years experience were not happy with their raise They felt the union could have bargained for more money said Mr Ralph Mr Holmes agreed saying some argued Metroland is a rich com pany and some people thought there was more money Salary increases for those just starting and those with up to three years experience varied between six and seven per cent a year said Mr Ralph But he argued the union negotiating team was concen trating its efforts on getting the senior people the highest raises Mr Ralph pointed out when the union management signed their first agreement in 1967 junior reporters received the highest pay hikes In bargaining a contract tin fortunately you have to give up something and that was the less than desired salary increases for junior reporters he said But a 8 per cent show of sup port for the contract shows most people are happy with the coo- tract Its not perfect but we could have got a lot worse If the union didnt accept the con tract all of the companys conces sions would have been revoked he said And for an extra two per cent it t have been financially worth it to go on strike for a month or two Mr Ralph said The union had to give up its de mand that the company stop filling reporting positions with freelancers or students the other major contract issue The union is concerned about the company whittling away reporters positions with freelancers but Mr Ralph said it seems as if Metroland is us ing less freelancers now than it did two years ago Mr Holmes said the union to still looking at the issue of freelancers and he Indicated it might be an issue during the next round of negotiations Freelancers arent entitled to benefits and students work for free the union says The company showed no will bigness to budge on the freelance issue because it is an integral part of a community newspaper said Ms The contract includes several other provisions including an un changed grievance procedure which Mr Holmes calls Important for the union a new vision care plan improved life insurance benefits and an extended health care plan UP TO CASH FOR TRANSFERRING TO 1st RATE 1 1 45 1 1 1 0 1010 1000 COUNTRY FROZEN I I I I 1st RATE I I 1ST RATE INVESTMENT CHEQUING ACCOUNTS The 1st Rate Investment Chequing Accounts offer you all the best features of a savingschequing account a Bill account and a term deposit Into one INTEREST ON EVERY DOLLAR 1st Rate now has five levels of interest And as balance grows so does your Interest rate Interest Is paid at the higher rate en every dollar In the account HIGHER RATES FOR THOSE 50 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER At The Municipal when you get a little older the deal gets even belter because our special 1st Rate Plus option pays higher interest for those over SO Plus you auto become a member of the Golden Circle Club which entitles to special benefits The abort rate arc for lit Rale 50 and arc subject to Ask at the branch current rates on our Rate Regular Account No Interest on dap when balance Is under MONEY MARKET RATE FOR 75000 OR MORE Once your 1st Rate balance exceeds 75 we now auto pay our Money Market Rate on that portion over 75 Should Your balance later fall below 75 you 11 continue to receive our 1st Rate Investment Chequing rates on every dollar Todays Municipal Money Market Rate UP TO BONUS CASH WHEN YOU TRANSFER TO 1ST RATE Have us transfer your whole savingschequing account from another financial institution to The Municipal and we give you for a balance over 75 for more than 150 for over and for more than Your choice one cash bonus or bonus gift per household valid at The Municipal In Georgetown only until April 1990 Complete terms and conditions available at the branch BONUS GIFTS Open a new 1st Rate Account and depending on the deposit amount you can choose from the exciting variety of bonus gifts on display at The Municipal Branch in Georgetown See us for complete details Offer ends April 7 the municipal St li i fynn Member lmurirre Corporation the municipal trust GEORGETOWN Main Street South Gary Elliott Manager brandies across Ontario Open Saturdays Over SI billion in assets