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Whltby Free Press, Wedesdcay, Februay 15,195 . page 27 Brunelle deflends' health council ASHLEY BRYANT, 10, of Oshawa lets go in 10-pin bowling at Leisure Lanes Feb. 5 in Oshawa, at the Bowl for Millions held to raise funds for the local Big and Little Brothers organizations. She raised $250, highest in the prep division of those making pledges. Five-pin bowling was also held, over the p ast weekçend at NorthEnd Bow! in Oshawa, to support Big Brothers. OPtoto by Jeremy Drewa, Whitby Free Press By Mke Kowalsld Opponents of a proposed role change for Whitby General Hos- pital have been warned not to antagonize a potential alv Councillor Marcel Ïfunelle said the Durham Region District Health Council may ultimnately prove to 1» the commun!tys saviour in its fight to preserve acute care services at Whitby General. But the council culdjut as easily turn a deaf ear toWit0' pleas- when it cornes time to make a decision on a proposal to convert the hospital into a regional rehabilitatibn treatment centre, Brunelle stressed. "We can't alienate those people, we need them,» Brunelle said of the 16-member body which advises the Ontario Minis- try of Health on local issues. «We have to differentiate bet- ween the steerinq, committee and the health councîl -- don't shoot the wrong people," he said. "If you continually beat. up on the people who are going to make the decision, you won t get too far.» BruneUle's warning was deli- vered last week during a meeting between Town council and mem- bers of the Save Our General Hospital (SOGH) citizens' com- mittee (see story on page 1). 1%e health council 'has recei- ved the final report of a special steering committee which dealt with the future delivery of acute care health services in Durham Region. Re committee's report will officially be presnte to the health council at its Feb. 22 meeting. Brunelle, who until last November was a member of the health council, recalled the his- toyo the controvrersial proposaI to hng Whitby General'srole. The decision to forrn the steer- ing committee came about as the result of a provincial directive which requested local health councils to examine their future needs. Union slams Whitby Hydro FR OM PAGE i trucks which management offi- ciais are allowed te take home in case they get an emergency cal.' lI addition, the ad pokes fun at «perks" enjoyed by Whitby H&0r enerai manager Tom av sucI- as a private washroom and'an eiectronicaily-operated desk which can be raised or lowered according te the user's preference. "Our union takes the position that for a workpiace te b. effec- tive, a corporation's most vaiu- able assets are the. workers,» saîd Muehy, a Whitby resident. '~ost successfui companies are those which embrace this principle.» But Whitby Hydre adiieres te traditionai outdated thinking that they are the bosses and the workers do as they're teid,» said Murphy. For example, the union pro- posed 20 different ways te cnt costs only te have ail suggestions rejected by the commission, Mur- p'hsad. mployer takes the approach that if there are any preblems, only they can deal with them,» he said. "P'rom our perspective, if Whitby residents are te get the most reliable and efficient elec- tricity there has te b. a funda- mentai shift in hw Wib Hydre is managed.» Previously répresented by the International -Brotlierhood cf Electrical Workers, the 21 Whitby Hydro unieon emj>loyees, mainlyj lineworkers andf meter readers, joined the PWU lest year. In reality Local 1000 of tihe Canadian Union of Public Employees; (CUPE), the PWLJ label was given te the local te distinguish it from other CUPE units since it covers thousands of Ontario Hydro and municipal utility employees across the pro- vince. Murphy did not want te, get inte specifics cf the union's demands at this time. But h. said the province's social contract legislation dees not affect negotiations since Whitby Hydro's cost-cutting obli- g ations under the social contract ýave been met. In a brief four-paragraph statement, commission chair Don MacMaster pointed eut that the unien's allegations were pub- lished at the samne time that contract negotiations reached an impasse. "While the Whitby Hydre Elec- trie Commission has fullI con- fidence in its management team, the general manager has been asked te prepare a full report answering each of the allega- tions,» stated MacMaster. «Common sense, however, dic- tates that our public response te our custemers -b. withheld until. this series of advertisements has run its course a.nd contract ne go- tiatiens have been successfülly completed,» hie added. MàacMaster would. net ela- borate beyond the officiai state- ment, but promised that «we wil respond te al cf it after the negotiations.» May aise declined comment, other than te, explain that the episode*with the truck was an %islated incident» which invol- ved net having a «flagman» pre- sent. "It couid have happened with any cf our trucks,» he said. "That truck has been werking and is workingtoday.» Commissioner Ralph Blank, an Ontario Hyd re empIoyee, deciined comment since ne is a member cf the same union, while cemmissioner Bill Lawler could net be reached for comment. Commissioner John Hughes, hewever, said hie intended te press for more details at last night's cornmission meeting. ]mhere for the customers, net for staff," said Hughes. Mayor Tom Edwards, Town council's representative on the. commission, aise declined te comment specifically. "Immore concerned with bringing negotiations te an amie- able conclusion,» said Edwards. "If these matters are se urgent they should have been raiseci eariier,»he said. But if there is any substance te the charges, "F'm sure Mr. May wili b. responding te that,» Edwards added. Meanwhile, the unien's Toronte office has been «swam- ped» with calîs since the ads first appeared, Murphy said. uPeople are very supportive,» he saîd 'This is a good example cf the community getting upset with the lack cf contrM over things that affect them.» Murphy predicted that net only will the. employees "end up with a botter contract,» but that Whitby residents will have a «ýmore efficiently run commis-. sien.» The 15-member committee was appointed by the health council based on provincial criteria which stipulated the committee's makeup. Past Whitby General Hospital board chair Ed Buffett and Ash- burn resident Jean Achmatowicz are members of the steering coin- mittee which is chaired biy for- mer Brock Township mayor Allan McPhail. "TIhe whole idea was to havé hospitals work together and rationalize services," said, Brunelle. "TIhat's good in theoryb,but in practiceitîs been something dif-. ferent,» hie said. Despite government denials that an' decisions affecting local hospital will be made locaily Bruinelle suggested that many ë the decisions-had ini fact already been made. "I don't feel the steering com- mittee has been ji*ven a free hand to make decisions based on the facts in &font of them.,»lhe said. Bruneile also said the steerig committee operated indepen- dently of the health council and that the council. was unfairly attacked when the committee submitted its.intiai report. A "discussion pape? released b>y the counicil ,last May was based on a consultant's recom- mendation that Whitby General be revaxnped. "The first time I knew about it was when I read it in The Fýree Press," said Brunelle of a Deoem- ber 1993 story on the proposed role chan e. "Peo p e souldn't have attacked the district.health coun- Cil." Notwithstanding whatever recommendation the health council makes to the health ministry, the final decision on Whitby General's fate will be made at Queen's Park, Brunelle said.. "In the final analysis it will b. the minister making the deci- sion,» he said. "I don't expect this government te survive so it should be uýp te your (SOGH) group te put it on, the agenda. «A new provincial. government ma decdesomething different andlet's hope they do.' Councillor'Joe Drumm was not as forgiving as Brunelle, howe- ver. Drummn slammed the steering committee for acting_ in secrecyr and said MPPs- Drummond White and Gord Mills were "fully inforrned7 while Town councîl was k. t h the dark. "As Iir a rm concerned, the acute care committee acted ini secret and did not let peopl know what was going on,. he said. Drumm agreed that the heaith council should not be overtly criticized prior te, its decision, but felt opponentà must continue their fighit. "We don'lt have te kiss their rear ends, but we don't have te back away either.» Meanwhile, the health council continues te function without an elected representative, in its ranks. .Brunelles terni expired follow- ing the November municipal election and Durham Region council has not made a move te reappoint him or someone else. "I'm not entirely sure why,» said Bruneile. «Whether this has te do with the current contro- versy I don't know.» Brunelle said the. heaith coun- cil wrote Durham Region chair HayIerrema ini Decmber, re 'u sting that he be reappoin .- «Iunderstand the appoint- mente will be in March, butthe~ could happen anytime. I dont know why it hasn't been done yet.» WHITBY HYDRO'S aerial boom truck, shown during a summer event in Whitby when it was used for rides, has been described bythe Power Workers' Union as 'Double-The-Money-Half- MYillion-Buck-Truck.' Free Presfle photo v