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By GORD KOLLE Special to the Beaver job security. More than anyâ€" . thing else, the fear of losing their jobs, of being thrown on the unemployment rolls is fueling Oakville‘s Miracle Food Mart workers as they enter into their third strikeâ€"bound week against their employer, food giant A and P Canada Ltd. I t isn‘t about money. It‘s about Striking Miracle Food Mart workers say dispute is over job security and not money Of 6,500 striking workers in 63 stores chainâ€"wide, just over 300 picket Oakville‘s A and P stores and Miracle Food Mart and Ultra Mart stores. The fact the company wants to eliminate 700 jobs and trim its operâ€" ations has smashed morale and got the union almost total support in its vote to strike. The strike occurred Nov. 18th. "We‘ll stay out here as long as it takes," said Terry Simpson, a 19â€" year employee who is strike coâ€"capâ€" tain at the Hopedale Mall A and P. "I don‘t think we‘re in a position of power, not against a company like A and P but I started with Miracle when I was 17. I‘ve got no other option than to strike because if I‘m laid off I‘ve got no other skills; it‘s straight to unemployment or welfare and I don‘t want that," said Simpson, 37, who heads a sinâ€" gle income family with two children to support. "I think we‘re going to win. We uldn‘t be out there if we thought we would lose it," said Jim Hobbs, spokesman, United Food and Commercial Workers local 175. There are three issues to hammer out before the union sends its memâ€" bers back to work, said Hobbs. The union wants a guaranteed early retirement package for senior workâ€" ers and a new threeâ€"year collective bargaining agreement retroactive to June 21st when the current contract expired. The third issue and a major stumbling block to negotiations is the company‘s insistance on signifiâ€" cant wage rollbacks, said Hobbs. Hobbs would not elaborate on how deep the cuts are, but "just let‘s say they‘re very large." A and P Canada remained tightlipped on its strategy. "No comment, no comment, no comment," said company spokesman Bill Sheine. "We won‘t negotiate through the media. It‘s our position with everybody." Miracle, formerly Steinberg‘s, was purchased by A and P three years ago and strikers say that since then, what was considered a family operation has been steam rollered by the philosophy of "strictly busiâ€" ness." This is the view shared by workâ€" ers manning the picketlines at stores in the Hopedale Mall, Upper Middle Road and Dorval Drive locations Wednesday night. with Sheila enly until Dec. 3093 Call for your appointment today 338â€"2099 1500 Sixth Line, Oakville Think of us at Christmas for Yule Logs, Cakes or Pies and we‘ll give you... To e e hok 10% Ofi We‘re Your Holiday Headquarters 1/» pRICE b celehate we ane offering a special â€" xpires Jan. 31/94 PERMS, HIGHLIGHTS, CUT BLOW DRY er pie On all Robbins. The strikers say this is the first time they‘ve ever been on a fullâ€" blown strike and they are uncertain about the future. Miracle bookkeeper Kim Peaks, 36, said she agrees that striking near Christmas in the middle of a recesâ€" sion when the whole country is tightening its economic belt is not generating the workers a lot of pubâ€" lic support. "But the public doesn‘t realize this strike isn‘t about money, it‘s about keeping our jobs," said Peaks, a 17â€"year Miracle employee whose family of three depends on her job as the chief source of income. "The people out there who do support us are concerned as Canadians that 6,500 people could lose their jobs. I agree there has to be some concessions but we just don‘t like the way the company‘s handling this," said Peaks. As they brave the fierce December winds and huddle around fires in old oil drums, the workers say they are receiving mixed reviews from Oakville residents and mall business staffers. One one hand, some mall busiâ€" Ice Cream Yogurt 135 Lakeshore Rd. W. (See ‘Pickets‘ page 4) L--- 1 would like to know more abo J Funeral Costs: _ _ C Preâ€"Planning Funeral _Arrangements [ Arborcare After We don‘t think funerals should have to cost so much." We believe you should control the cost by selecting only services important to you. Our General Price List offers a full range of traditional, and not so traditional services. That way you and your family can select services appropriate to your needs and budget. When we assist an informed consumer to make an intelligent decision, we can assure the best value in funeral service. We invite you to call us to find out how much the services you want will cost. Terry Cooke, Funeral Director Addr hon