PAGE 6, WEDNESDAY, SEVIT-MBE-R 30. 1981, WIIITBY FREE PRESS Strike now in sixth wýeek.... No0 en0ili oNA Steelwalko ut NoaRese Is aise of tlie By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff The 32 striking em- ployees of Whitby's Nor- th American Steel Equlpment Company Ltd. have been walking Oie picket lie for nIm f av wlkt ifa nd tliere isno end in siglit. The workers, mem- bers of the United Steel- workers of Amnerica Local666, have been stziklng te back deman- ds for a new contract. According to a union officiai. Oie two sides did sit down at Oie bargaining table for 2½ bours Monday Yiught but to no avail as a settie- ment was not reached. In fact, John L.aRose, president of Local 6662, is of Oie opinion that Oie compiany does net want RLUut BI A wctma~~ -- to bargain with the workers. "As far as IPm con- cerned, tliey must thlnk it's a big joke," LaRose said i an interview Tuesday morning. "Ab- solutely notliing was ac- complislied." Tlie president re- marked tbat the talks, held hi the presence of Ontario Minlstry of Lahor mediator Hank Skinner, turned into a debate over thbe workers' conduct on the picket lune. opinion that the cern- pany is not bargaining in good faitb. I don't think they know tlie meanlng of good," lie said. "They don't know what it means.ti a Pop People Pop CASE 0F 1230 oz. BOUTLES $499 & <ep. CASE 0F 2410 oz. BOUTLES $449 & dep. BROWN' S F OODMA STER BROOKLIN 655-4521 8:30 amn to 6 prn Except Thurs. & Fr. Nights tii 9 pm ý9roi The union official also claimed that the com- pany wanted the picket fne removed before negotiations went any further. LaRoee sald that he rejected that request lmniediately. He went on to restate bis belief that the com- pany doesn't want to sit down at the table and negotiate. "I don't thlnk that they're ready to bargain yet," LaRose said. However, some points of contention have been resolved. The union bas agreed to a tbree-year contract to replace the old one that expired in June. L.aRose also said that the union lias agreed to wage increases of, 30 cents an hour in each of the tbree years. At the end of the contract, the workers would be earn- ing an average of $9.50 an hour, Up frorn the currÈent $8.60 an hour. Agreement lias also been partially reached on 100 per cent company paid drug and dental plans. There are still two major issues left to be resolved. One bas to do with a cost-of-living clause that the union would like to see improved and what is generally referred to as the 15.03 clause. SThis clause has to do wiîtl management per- sonnel worklng ini the plant, doing bargaining unit work. Througliout the strike, the union bas accused Nortb American Steel of denying its members overtime riglits by baving management personnel work in the plant. The union is also adament in Its cdaim that since the strlke began, management of- ficiais bave been brlng- ing tlieir spouses into; the plant in an effort to keep up, production. When asked te confirm or deny this charge recently, Company president Jeff Wright dedlined to comment. The company recently issued a statement claiming that it would go out of business within one year if tliey gave ini- to the union's demands. LaRose described the mood on the ipicket line