Page 6, Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, November 11, 1992 rý iWWv The only Whitby Newspaper owned and operatèid by Whitby residents for Whitby resîdents! Pubiished every Wednesday by 677ý209 Ontarl ia m. at 131 Brock St. N, Whitby, Ontario Il N 5S1, Phone 668-61 11 Toronto Line 427-1834 Doug Anderson - Publisher Maurice Pither - Editor Alexandra Marin - Production'Manager 2nd'Glass Postall. Registration #05351 m kô te eitor.. Fairness was, needed To the Editor: Favourite heroos of mine are the Tolpuddle Martyrs who, in 1934, dared to ognz the first agriculture wrer'unio,'n In Britain. Their ýpenalty? They were banished to the colonies. As a boy in the tihirties, I romember vividly images of my friends' fathers facing tear gas in Oshawa as they souglit'bargaining rights with GM. Premier Mitch Hepburn called in the provincial police to try to queli such an absurd idea as woker rig lts I shah nover forget the acrid, burning, bitter taste of 'tear gas used that year-to disrupt a strike by workers in a woolen miii in my hornotown of Peterborough. We have como a long way since those nef arious days. This year, however, 1 have been dismayed by the venomnous, virulent,. hysterical attacks on the labour relations reforms recontiy passed at Queen's Park. These attacks have corne rocentiy through advertisemnents on TV by sorne business associa- tiors and In newspapersby somne new%4,soaper associations. 1 arn reminded of Pau's advice ta the Ephesians that "We wrestle not against f iesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Why are the leaders of this attack so af raid? In discussing the issue with the staff at the. Whitby Chamrber af Commierce, i have neyer received an adéquate explanation as.to why similar legislation passed in Quebec In 1978 has not produced such dire resuits. During the year since such legisiation was passed, the number of strikes has decreased, the length of strikes -that do occur has beeri shorter and thero lias been no mass exodus of employers. As our weil-known PM has said, ?eey, voter needs a kick at the can newspaper associations, that are so neurotic about Bill 40 may have chosen the wrong target for their anger. The Rao government can be turfed out, but the idea of the need for fairness in labour relations wil Isa pfo those dis- gruntled opponents of the changes effected by B6.1Il4à . They should try- to close down the libranos. As Iong as workers romain literate and have access to the weaith of- historical, ba ckground to their movement, they wIll neyer accept the resurrection of *the oId systom of master-servant relationships. And so my advlce to m opponents les don't' fool aroun. Close down the sources of this discontent. Shut -the librarios. Censor the purveors of historicai information. Look up the Yeiiow Pages for more hate mongers and doom sayers. But remember, as George Orwell has said, "No bomb that ever burst shatters the crystal spirit.0 Donald M. Warns Whltby Apprecia"'ted To the Edîtor: We would like to thank the businesses for their donations which helped to make our bazaar a great success. Our sincere gratitude. Members of Windsor Place Seniors- Association Whtby To the Editor: praposed new curriculum policy for grades 1 'o 9 has mysterlously mare inan.once every tour years. Quality .Iducat ion Network found its way ta us. For democracy to really work in (QEN) has been waiting patiently This important document is this country. workers should share with high expectations for'tlie intended ta supersede the current' a sense of democracy in the Ministry of Education ta release its legislation and will have the force workplace, increase access to "1compreliensive education» policy.0 of the law. If enacted as law, we collective: bargaining and oppor- ft was scheduled ta be unveiled In wilI have greater cause for concern tunties> for developing partnership mid-October but, as of Nov. 4. tlie than ever. Clearly, Education et 9ory' level of the Ontario public Is still waiting. In the Minister Tony Silipo h as ignored alI economny.- meantime, a leaked copy cf the the public uproar and input over The argument that business will the lest few years. not., invest in Ontario is. a Commru ity support An official curriculum document m uti-f aceted t hing . From one pointP hudcerysl .'tte of view,, IfBill 40 doos pravide a is.appreclated shuldcal peive(ouls)the more harmanious relationship b. attained in each grade, outlining between workers andTthEdor the content, skills, attitudes and managment wha kin ai alue taheelerned Thi employer wauld bypaëss Ontaria? On Saturday, Oct. 24, the lst document contains only the SAre we ta b. held ta ransomby Ashburn beavers, cubs aud scouts 'fîuffiest' of goals. the threat that same, businesses conducted their annual Apple Day In the past, the Ministry of that liave na' other aim than and giant yard sale. Education, despite its numerous maximum profits, wouid go 'The day was a complote failings, has stopped short of elsewhore? success, thanks ta the efforts ai explicitly dictating how There are wiser voices In the the many> volunteers and the prof essionals* (teachers)' should business community such as that conimunity at large.' teach. Even that restraint is now of Bil11 LHeureux, president and k f is indeed most lieartening abandoned as teachers are rnanaging , partner of Hees . when the mariy hours of volunteer ordered that "Gare program arees International Bancarp. L'UHeureux efforts are recognized and must reflect a holistic, rathor than says that the, Bob Rae government« supported thraugli the -generosity a compartmentalized view of s trying hard ta work with business, aifaur entire community. subject matter and student and its appraach should b. given a development." This will result in charice. B3ob, Nixon the final de-profession alization of Those sections cf b ~q~ ~~ . -.Culea dery teachers wlio will now no longer be. Whoppingýwages * By Michael Wycks Resuts of a new study comparing privato and public sector . wagos has found that employeos worklng for the municipal public sector enjoy a significant wage advantage over employees in comparable private sector positions. The study, undertaken by the Canadian Fedleration of Independent Business (based on Census Canada data) reveals that employees of the City of Regina boast a 32.8 per cent wage advantage, the highest in the country. Winnipeg is rankod, second with a 24.5 peor cent, advantage and Montreal is third,, with a 20.8 per cent advantage. Toronto's municipal employees do botter by 13.5 per cent. The national average is 9.3 per cent. Comparable. data on employ- ment benefits are not available for most specific areas but nationwido findings suggest the benefits gap alone is twice as largo as tho wage gap in favour af municipal employees. - CFii3's senior economist, Ted Mallett, said the study proves that public cynicismn againstý government and the civil service is' rooted in these data and the notion of 'cushy,' rocession-proof employment is accurate in terms of municipal wages and benefits. "l's become increasingly clear that the systems and procedures determining public sector pay and benefits levels, whiîe very beneficial ta emplayees, beave taxpayers and private sector employers with ver littie say, despite the fact that they are ultimately paying the bilîs,N said Mallett. "There is simply no valid reason for this gap to exist," Mallett adds. "t's not as if private sector em ployees are less deserving of hignh r wages and benefts than public sectar employees. "In fact, the anly reason civil servants enjoy higher salaries and better benefits is becatise th eir employers -- city gavernments across Canada -- are completely isolated fromn the roal- world of market-place competition. "Governments are'able tao ffer empl 1oyees Iextremoiy gçinérous salaries and benefits becauso "the bottom lino"'--. going .'ouU of business_-- ls ln no way a. consideration." CFIB's report highlights the differences on a national average. between municipal and private sector employees in the following areas: salariesand paid benefits, $45,071 municipaliy aid $38,064 ln the private sector;. and hours. cf work, 34.11 peôr week municipally and 36.44 1n thé' private sector. These tindings point to. a 27 per cent wage'and benefit advantage in favour of municipal..omployees natiqflv,,ide. OFIB recommends that by using, tho resuits of the Most current Consus as a guide, municipal governmonts must begin work toward achieving parity 1in their wage scales- and, over a fivo-year period, roduce any ldentified gas b' 50per -cent. Rem alninggdiffperentials sho'uld thon b. phased out during the next f ive years. prof essionally, responsible and1 accounitable for their work. School boards, parenté and teacliers have welcomed the ides of province-wide standards. There is no provision in this proposai for the annual application of standardized tests of'basic (or any) : skills .to aIl students in the province, as favoured by QEN. lndeed, the objectives appear to have been- developed in such a way as ta make any genuine accountability impossible. >We,, agree, with, and f ully support, Maikin Dare and OQE's posiion on this document. The NDP has kept everyone Wfiting for nothing. Quallty Education Network, Durham Reglon Listen to Your Heart! In just a few hours, you could ýearn to help save someones ife. Learn CPR - Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. In just a féw hours.. so listen to your heart. Contact one of the foilowing agencles to enrol in a CPR course near you today: The Canadian Red Cross Society- The Heart and Stroke Foundatîon of Canada The Royal Life Saving Society- The Canadian Ski Patrol *St. John Amrbulance QEN-examines Ieaked.copy.: HasTony?' '7-7 7- >, -"-_ 77, Viewpoint