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A \^pfcu& cu} ^ w w T h e O a k v il l e B e a v e r P U u vp q w 4 <B M SALES REPRESENTATIVE OAKVILLE-CENTRE 338-9000 For C ustom er Service C o n v e n ie n c e A n d Luxury In Every Ro o m (905) 842-5000 A Metroland Publication Vol. 38 No. 103 SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 7 ,2 0 0 0 24 Pages 75 Cents Plus GST ___ Canadian Open which runs from Sept. 4th to 10th. Photo by Barrie Erskine GETTING READY: Assistant Greens Keeper Neil Tandan installs a new pin position on the 16th green at the Glen Abbey G olf Club in preparation for the upcoming Bell Secondaiy teachers' contract talks start on sound note By Dennis Smith SPECIAL TO TH E BEAVER Good progress was reported by both sides following the first sched uled bargaining session, Thursday, between the Halton District School Board and the secondary school teachers' union. "The m eeting was am icable, with some progress made in sharing positions," said union president Larry Chud. "Some substantive issues were tabled." The session involving Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation District 20 (Halton) and Halton District School Board nego tiators was the first after a summer hiatus. The two sides have established three more bargaining dates - Sept. 13th, 21st and 29th. "Both sides want to work to get a deal," said Chud. "We don't set meetings just for the sake of setting meetings." He said workload and compen sation are key issues and the will ingness to discuss them Thursday is a good sign. "Both negotiating teams were all there," said Chud. "It's a sign peo- pie are taking this seriously. We're doing the best we can." The union leader expects to hear soon from the Ontario Labour Board about a 'no board report'. Halton secondary teachers can stage a legal walkout 17 days after the report is issued. The union recently voted 92% in favour of strike, with 700 of its 1,000-plus members casting bal- lots. Thursday's meeting provided a chance to clear up some housekeep ing issues, said the board's negotiat ing committee chair. "It was a positive meeting, of sorts," said Michael Ellis. "Things went slowly but they went well." The board vice-chair said agree ments involved contract wording (S e e `T h re e ' p a g e 5) UPPER O A K V ILLE S H O P P IN G CEN TR E Upper Middle at 8th Line G a rd e n C lubTM W a te rin g W a n d & N o zzle S e t R eo$ 5 9 -3 2 0 0 -8 T N 8 4 9 -8 4 7 3 O A K TO W N SH O P P IN GP LA Z A 550 Kerr Street 8 4 4 -0 2 0 2 Store.Hour Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat 8:30 a.m.-6 p m Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.