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.y.v.v.v.v.;.;.; ||| iiiiilliiiil --am III!! m JBxX ; ;;, Éslàill iiiüü with something for everyone : :>ï: General Motors Adds 650 Jobs by Lorraine Manfredo General Motors in Oshawa has announced plans to introduce an unprecedented unprecedented third shift at its truck assembly plant this August. It's a move that will mean the creation of 650 new jobs at the GM autoplex. George Peapples, President and General Manager of GM Canada, made the announcement Wednesday at company headquarters in Oshawa. He said that the decision to operate operate on a round-the-clock basis demonstrates demonstrates GM's flexibility to meet strong and growing demand for the full-size extended cab Chevrolet and GMC pick-up trucks. The third shift is a first for any auto assembly plant in North America America and its implementation will attract attract attention from the auto industry world-wide. Buzz Hargrove, President of the Canadian Auto Workers, said other car manufacturers have already expressed, expressed, open intèrest in the idea. The third shift has the potential to revolutionize assembly operations in Canada, he said. Scheduling three shifts back to back hasn't been tried in the past due to concerns about equipment maintenance and cleaning. But, GM is confident it has these and other technical challenges sorted out. An agreement between local 222 of the CAW and GM, ratified last week, was a key factor in obtaining the additional volume of truck production. production. According to GM President George Peapples, the positive ratification ratification sends a strong signal that Oshawa workers are determined to earn the right for new jobs and future future production opportunities. Local 222 shop committee chairman chairman John Caines called the agreement agreement a "turning point" for General Motors. The 650 jobs represent real hope for GM workers in Oshawa and for laid off employees from the van plant in Scarborough. There is also the possibility of more jobs if strong consumer demand demand continues. The Ontario government has recognized recognized the economic significance of the third shift and has allocated $5 million from the Ministry of Economic Economic Development and Trade, to assist in upgrading the skills of the new truck plant employees. The financial assistance will be in the form of a repayable grant, to be forgiven on achievement of job targets. Allan Pilkey, MPP for Oshawa, was on hand Wednesday to announce announce the job training grant.- He said the funding will help buoy the fortunes in the local community community and contribute to the economic economic recovery across the province. Increased production at the facility facility is also expected to generate jobs at hundreds of auto parts suppliers, many of which are located in Ontario. Ontario. It is estimated that for every job created on GM's shop floor, there are five more created in the autoparts autoparts sector due to the spin-off effect. effect. MPP for Durham East, Gord Mills, says this ripple effect will easily multiply the province's million dollar investment into many millions more in economic activity. He believes the training grant, in combination with the third shift, will be a "wonderful lift for the Riding Riding of Durham East." He believes if it hadn't been for the province's financial financial support, the third shift may have gone to a GM facility in Pontiac, Pontiac, Michigan. Oshawa Mayor Nancy Diamond said the united effort of GM, union leaders and the provincial government government is the kind of co-operation which will be needed to survive economically economically in the 90's. She points to local infrastructure improvements (such as the Oshawa airport upgrading) which were possible possible because of co-operation between between four levels of government. The announcement of the third shift at GM will in no way lessen the city's efforts to diversify the economy, she said. Graham's IGA* IVlaxi Drug (Indicates partial distribution) For information about inserting flyers in 1U KJutoUe*, please contact our office at 623-3303 Contestants who came closest to guessing the correct weight of a Bow- manville Zoo elephant picked up their contest prizes on Monday and had a chance to meet Sheba who walked downtown to congratulate them. Glenn McKenzie, (left) won second prize of a family season pass to the Bowmari- ville Zoo. And 8-year-old Lisa Schultz won first prize for her guess - a mere 28 kilos off the mark. Lisa picked up $100 in Downtown Business Improvement Area bucks. The DBIA had sponsored the contest as part of its White Elephant Sale. By the way, the elephant weighed in at 2946.5 kilos. kilos. Also pictured are Ron Hooper, chairman of the Board of Management of the Bowmanville Business Improvement Area, and Ted Strikwerda of the Bowmanville Zoo Petition Calls for Radiation Centre at O.G.H. by Laura j. Richards Over 15,000 names have been collected collected on petitions asking the provincial provincial government to place a radiation treatment centre at Oshawa General Hospital. Three boxes holding the petitions carrying over 15,000 names are to be presented at Queen's Park before the end of the current sitting of the legislature. legislature. Durham East MPP Gord Mills will officially table the petitions at Queen's Park. He picked up the documents at a media conference held on Friday afternoon, afternoon, May 28, at the Oshawa Centre. Centre. The petitions are the effort of Citizens Citizens for a Cancer Centre (CFACC) at the Oshawa General Hospital (OGH). The organizers of the petition, Mar- yanne Sholdra, Donna Kingdon and Sylvia Blomme, hope that the province province will designate a site in the Durham Durham Region for a cancer centre having having full radiation therapy facilities. "From all points within the region, it's easier, safer and quicker than going going to Toronto or going north if there is a waiting list," Ms Sholdra told the media and others in attendance. With chemotherapy already available available at the Oshawa General Hospital, CFACC secs that having the capabil ity to do radiation therapy would be a plus. According to information supplied from CFACC, approximately 80 per cent of the new cancer cases diagnosed diagnosed in the Durham Region each year, are initially admitted to the OGH. Outpatient chemotherapy visits have increased by 90 per cent over the past four years from 2,298 to 4,500. Statistics collected by CFACC also state, "it is projected that the number of new cancer cases diagnosed in the Durham Region each year will increase increase by 56 per cent over the next 10 Continued on Page 3