Speaking to You By SCOTT FENNELL, MP (PC- Ontario) Expo '86 EXPO '86 may seem a long way off to many o! us, but for those who have been invited to attend and perform, the great ement is approaching very qulckly. 1 would like to take this opportunity to inform you that the federal government hasallocated $2 million for the speclfic purpose of helping groupa travel to, and perform at EXPO '86. These funds will corne from the "Special Touring Budget" of the Department of Communications. * To obtain an application for funds, an interested party must contact whomever it was that they received the invitation to perform from. At the provincial level, this would be: Mr. Christopher Wootten Director, Cultural Programming Operations Division EXPO '86 Corporation P.O. Box 1986, Station A Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 2X5 Phone (604) 668-6216 If your invitation came from the federal level, then the contact would be: Mr. John Cripton Producer, Cultural Programs and Special Events Canada Pavillion i7th Floor 200 Granville Street Vancouver, British Columbia V6C l54 Phone: (604) 666-2000 once the application has been filied, it will be passed to a review committee which will examine ail applications and make recommendations to the Minister of Communications, Marcel Masse. WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28,1985, PAGE 15 Nurses get wage parity.... W.P.H. awarded 1985 settiement The Whitby Psychiatric Hospital employees' five-year fight for better wages appearsto beat anend. According to Joan Gates, president of Local 331 of the Ontario Public Service Emn- ployees Union (OP- SEU), representing the workers, an agreement bas been reached which will give public sector nurses wage parity with nurses in general hospitals and "scientific and professional" staff a wage increase o! 4.25 per cent. The tentative agreement bas corne about as a resuit of bin- ding arbitration entered into by the workers and the provincial gover- nnient last week. Members o! Local 331 were forced to seek bin- ding arbitration wben eigbt months of negotiations failed to bring about a 1985 con- tract settiement. The local's 650 employees have been without a contract since Dec. 31. Although there are still somne outstanding issues to be settled before the agreement is finalized, Gates says she ila lvery optimistc" that they will be resolved quickly. "This la the first time that the government bas indicated any willingness to face the problern and do sornetbing to correct it. We are very bopeful," she says. The problem, accor- ding to Gates, la the higb turnover o! staff at the public sector hoapitals. The local president and her. colleagues across the province dlaim that the attrition rate amnong staff is directly related to low wages. Sehools open for registration Durham scbools will be open Aug. 26-30 to give parents an oppor- tunity to register their cbildren, if necessary, prior to the first day of scbool, Sept. 3. If your cbild la en- tering kindergarten or la transferring to a new school, be or she must be registered. A birth certificate or transfer slip sbould be presented at the time o! registration. Early registration is more convenient for al involved. If you require more information, cali the Durham Board o! Education at 576-4600. The government's unwillingness to pay competitive wagea is in turn taking its toli on patient cae, they dlaim. According, to Gates, the mnembers of Local 331 have repeatedly ap- proacbed the gover- nment about the problem, but until now no action bas been taken. j "IThrough binding ar- bitration, it bas finally been acknowledged that there is a problern and sometbing must ha done to correct it." f'or the past four years, abe says, the arn- ployees bave been working quietly to make tbeir concerns known to the government. It wasn't until they "got vocal" and went to the press this year, that they met with any suc- cesa, cdaims Gates. As a resuit of Local 331,s hlghly publicized fight, she says, nurses and psychiatric staff in otber areas have begun figbting for similar demands. "The nurses in Huronia Regionai Cen- tre in Orillia were demonstrating the day before our arbitration hearing," she ex- plained, "to draw atten- tion to their own con- cerns ... there are a lot o! people working fQr this." Gates said that nurses employed by psychiatric bhospitals are paid approximately $4,000 a year lesa tban their counterparts in general hospitals. Other pharmacy workers, oc- cupational therapists, and psychologists at governent institutions are also paid lesa than what they would receive in the private sector. Gates is confident that the wage increase awarded members of ber local will correct moat of the staffing and patient care problemas governmnent hospitals are currently experien- cing. While there are other matters, such as pen- sions, which Gates plans to take to the negotiating table at a future date, for the moment, she says she's content with the gains made by her local during its last round with the government. FOR DOGS ONLY LTD. (AND PALS) 306 STEVENSON ROAD NORTH 15 HALL STREET A OSHAWA, ONTARIO OSHAWA, ONTARIO E 723-1 131 Li H 2Y7 PET GROOM ING & SUPPLIES III PUPPIES & KITTENS FOR SALE PRESENT THIS AD AND RECEIVE -10% OFF'PET SUPPLIES (EXOLUDINO DOG FOOD) $00 OR UNTIL NOV. 30185 OFFER IS NOT GOOD WITH ANY OTHER DISCOUNT MUNICIPAL ENUMERATION Starting September 3, 1985, an enumerator, carrying a proper identification card, will cati at your residence for a few minutes ta check basic information required in determining: " your eligibility ta vote in the municipal and school board e lections to be held on November 12 this year; " the allocation of education property taxes between the public and separate school systems; " the distribution of provincial grants to local governments ta help reduce tax bills; " the preparation of jurors' lists; and " population information needed for other municipal programs. The enumerator must record such information as the name, age, property status (e.g. owner or tenant), school support and residency of ail members of the household. When the enumerator visits, please check that the information on the Enumeration Notice is correct. If it is not, revise it and verify the changes. If you are not home, a Notice will be ieft for you. If changes are necessary, please make them and mail the Enumeration Notice, as soon as possible, in the pre-addressed postage prepaid envelope accompanying the Notice. For any additional information, please contact the local assessment off ice. Ontario Ministry 0f Revenue DURHAM REGIONAL ASSESSMVIENT OFFICE 605 Rossland Road East Whitby, Ontarîo Li N 5S 1 (416)668-9351, Toronto Line 686-1422, Zenith 67140 Regional Comm issioner - W.H. ParnellI DAVIS STUDIO 0F DANCE (formerr the Cou Dorfman School of Ballet) 100 DU NDAS ST. W., WH ITBY continulng the tradition of hlgh quallty dance quality Classes: Movement, Monsters and Giggles for Boys& Girls 35 years Ballot, Pointe, Jazz, character for Boys& Girls 6 years and up, and aduits Soiptember 4 and il - 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. 7and14 -10a.m. -1 p.fl 668-1251 or 666-2989 director Heather Davis B.A. Teacher Tranng OIliomna Â< THE CORPORATION OFTHE TOWN OF WHITBY TOWN 0F WHITBY MUNICIPAL OFFICES CLOSED LAOU AL MON DYSEPTEMBE2j8 WHITBY TRANSIT The Whitby Transit WILL NOT be in operation on Labour Day, Monday, Septemrber 2,1985. The Transit System willI resume normal operations on Tuesday, Septemnber 3, 1985. We regret any Inconvenlence that may be caused by this ac- tion. R.A. KUWAHARA, P. Eng., Director of Public Works.