Report from Queen ' s Park w- LL) I By GEORGE ASHE, MPP (PC-DURHAM WEST) On June 17, 1980, the Government of Ontario passed into law three changes to the Labour Relations Act, which were designed to removed sorne of the ocnflicts in the bargaiming process in this province, and thus hopefully create an at- inosphere of greater peace and stability in t.he marketplace. Unfortunately, the main principles of this legislation were somewhat overlooked in the publicity surrounding this issue, and I would like to clarify this oversight for my constituents. First of ahl, to ensure the collective bargaining process is fair to ail employees, the legislation now provides that ail eni- ployees in a bargaining unit, whether or not they are actually members of a trade union, will be entitled to participate in a strike vote or a vote to ratify a proposed collective agreement. The Government 0f Ontario believes that ahl employees who are affected by the outcome of such votes should have the op- portunity to participate. Secondly, the legislation addresses concerns of the em- Firestone w orker doesn't know what to do now WHITBY FRFEPRESSI WEDNFSDAY. JULY 2-3, 1980, PAGE 15 Changes made to Labour Relations Act ployer by pr' i,*.ng the employer with the right to require, on one occasioi., ither before or after the commencement of a strike or lockout, that a government supervised vote be held on the employer's last offer. Thisfeature of the legisiation an- swers the concern of employers who believe that an offer made would produce a settiement, if put to the employees. It is anticipated that this provision will encourage further incen- tives for responsive representation on the part of the trade unions. The third priniciple of the legislation is the one which has received the most publicity, and which has created the greatest anxiety. A trade union that has been certified as the bargaining agent for employees now has the right to require that a collective agreement contain a provision requiring the deduction of union dues from the wages of every employee in a bargaining unit, whether or not the employee is actually a mnember of the trade union. Lt is important to remember that the legislation does not compel any individual to join a trade unjôn. Lt simply recognizes that any person who benefit.s from negotiations by the union (who is bound by law to represent them on a fair and equal basis), should contribute financially to the union. A few personal supporters in Durham West Riding have ex- pressed to me their displeasure with this third amendment on the bases that it was contrary to Progressive Conservative philosophy. As I have pointed out to them, it was Sir John A. Macdonald, a P.C. Prime Minister, who legalized trade unions in this country in 1874. He did it because he recognized there are some things in society that must be reviewed continually, and where a probiern exists it must be dealt wltl>. The Government of Ontario continues with this philosophy, and where we see strains and stresses in the system, action is taken to achieve, perpetuate and improve on the harmony that is s0 very important to this province and this country. Collective bargaining is by its very nature an 'adversary situation.' The objective of the three amendments outlined above is to eliminate some of the unnecessary conflict, in or- der that both the demands and the needs of the entire market- place might be realized in a more efficient fashion. Neither "side" like all three amendments, therefore, it would appear to me that a fair balance of received gain or loss was equitably achieved. Time will tel.. By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff For Greg French and the majority of his fellow workers at Firestone Canada's Whitby plant the shock of last Friday's closing may neyer wear off. French, a 25 year em- ployee of the plant, told the~ Free Press that he still did not know what he was goin! to do.' He also said that he did not have a new job. French is a bami operator and the only .i- dustry that uses this ty, of worker is the rubbe in- dustry. "I thought 1 was my way to having everyt ing 1 needed out of life. Ne what I wanted, but 1 iat I needed." That is probably he story of the majority of the 650 people at the paînt who lost their jobs on what Mayor Jim Gartshore referred to a while ago as Whitby's " Black FridaY. " 125TH ANNIVERSARY 1855-1980 THE CORPORATION 0F THE TOWN 0F WH ITBY PROCLAMATION CARNIVAL WEEK TAKE NOTICE THAT the week of JuIy 27 to August 4, 1980 is hereby proclaimed as'Carnival Week'in and for the Town of Whitby to remind citizens of the many activities during the 1980 Whitby County Town Carnival. DATED at Whitby, Ontario this 23rd day of JuIy, 1980. J. C. Gartshore, MAYOR Town of Whitby AN SCO T TIS G xýiP, D1 <e c- 0F WHITBY Wishes ta congratulate the Town af Whitby an its 125th Anniversary. And to invite all aur aid friends, and Whitby and Durham Residents, to visit us in our Hospital ity Raom at the Whitby Roam ra quois Park an Thursday July 24 6:30 p.. -11p.l. Friday JuIy 25 6:30 p.m. - 1 a.m. Saturday JuIy 26 6:30 p.m. - 1 a.m. Alsa corne aiong ta aur Open Hause Dance held at the Masanic Hall an Cochrane Street in Whitby on Saturday Augusi 2nd 8 p.m. - i a.m. 41 1