Marathon bargaining session ends teachers' strike By Debbie Luchuk A tentative agreement was' reached between the OSSTF (Ontario Secondary School Tea- chers' Federation) and the Dur- hem Board of Education Monday night, ending a brief strike action earhier. About 18,000 secondary stu- dents had a short holiday as classes and exams were cancelled Monday. However, teachers and Sexual students returned ta school for the balance of the week. At the Monday night board meeting, visibly tired board trus- tees announced the tentative agreement. «We have no details of the settlement until there is ratifica- tion. The schools will be open tomorrow (Tuesday) and the buses are running. Information regarding exams will be handed out," said board chairman Lorna Murphy. The ratification vote date was not available at press time, but is expected later this week. Main issues of contention were class sizes, staffing Iévels, wages and benefits. Teachers rejected a contract offer in December that called for the hiring of 40 new teachers, 20 this year and 20 the next. A four-per cent salary increase retroactive ta last September, with an additional one per cent Feb. 1 and a 4.74-per cent in-, crease for September of 1989 were also part of this initial offer. The teachers wanted 68 new teachers guaranteed in a one- year contract, and more money than was offered. Provincial mediator Doug BRelc-h had ordered a news black out on negotiations. Both parties had been in negotiations. since last Wednesday at the Holiday Inn in Oshawa. Many of the secondary schooh had exalms scheduled for this week, but Monday's were cancel- led with strike action. Senior high school students SEE PAGE 27 ass ault in east Whitby Durham Regional Police are looking for a man 20-25 years of age after a woman, 29, was sexually assaulted in her apart- ment last Friday. Police say the man entered the apartinent through sliding patio doors at 900 Dundas St. E., building D. Once inside, he began assault- ing the woman who began to screaîn. A neighbor heard the screams and knocked on the woman s door. According to police, the knocking scared the man off. He is described as a white maie, age 20-25, dlean shaven, 5'7" to 5'8", with a thin build and light- colored, shoulder-length hair. He was wearing blue jeans and a jean jacket. Police are investigatiflg whether the suspect is the saine man who bas attacked three other 'vonen in Oshawa and Wihitby in the past few months. STRIKE ACTION by Durham Board secondary sehool teachers, including th Street High School (above), was only he Strike action was brief of Education a tentative agreement was reached after a marathon iose at Henry session of negotiation. The ratification vote is expec- ýd oda s ted later this week. vn Oweo ree vPeRfphoto D urham police watch Metro case closely By Lo)rna Miller The manslaughter charge laid against Const. David Deviney of the Metropolitan Police Force bas sent reverberations of concern, anger and frustration throughout the police forces in Toronto and outlying areas. Const. Deviney fatally shot Lester Donaldson during a routine domestic call. Donaldson was known ta the force, he had a history of troublemaking and that night was brandishing a knife. It was a split-second decision cali on the part of Deviney, and he pulled the trigger. The Metro forces 'vere deluged with cails of support in defence of Deviney and anger at the charge when it was announced. Cries of political interference have- been made; poltiins bave urged "calm and rational thinking," black activists have cried "Racist," and the Metro police have laid down their arms in a short-lived strike. How bas ail this affected the Durhamn Regional Force? I have received many calls froni officers expressing concern over the charge," said Dale Mlan, head of the Durhamn Region Police Union. '1he expiry of time between the incident and the laying of the charge raises a strong suspicion that ioitical i-nfluence was brought ta bear on the investigation committee." "The judgment was a real downer,- said Staff Sgt. William Vandoleweerd of the l8th divisfion of Durhamn police. "I can't make any comment on the judgment but we do have great concern for the officers on the Metro force. They do an ama.zing job."t "~I don't feel that this issue bas affected us to, any great extent," comrnented Chief Dave Edwards of the Durham foroe. He would not comment on the charge, saying he wasn't acquainted with ai the pertinent data. He said, however, "The Durham Region force would be watching the SEE PAGE 27 Busy '89 year for Chamber 1988 'vas a very busy year for the Whitby Chamber of Com- merce and there's nothing ta, suggest 1989 won't be just as busy. Following the chamber's Gth anniversary celebration last year, the first order of business in 1989 was ta move into a new office in Pearson Lanes. The chamber had been located in the Centennial Building. See Pg. 17 'TAX TIME Whitby Free PressFnacl Planning Report 'That office (Centennial) was not the type of indicatar for the chamber and one of my platforms 'vas that we needed a new office," said chamber president Bob Richardson who was elected to his second termi last Tuesday at the chamber's general meet- inc iÀe said the new office allows for a better profile both ta, cham- ber members and the public. "Some people (including mein- bers) did not want ta go into the former office now we have a better appearance and mare spaoe. We have a real, honest- to-God offlce," said Richardson. For 1989, Richardson promises the chamber will present a"big- ger and bette?" Peter Perry award night and more seminars for chamber members. The membership drive, begun in 1988 with 70 new members, will continue in 1989. Richardson hopes ta sign 150 new members this year ta bnîng the chamber's total ta 430 by the end of 1989.* Other items on the agenda for 1989 include producing a busi- ness directory, staging the cham- ber's second golf tournament and attending aIl new business open- i'Klks have also been held bet- 'veen the chamber and the junior chamber of' commerce about SEE PAGE 25 :;lu IvLquiLiLt&ay tze y CE-,Cqg Ag ýý