Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 1, 1978, Winnipeg, Manitoba Ambulance worker benefits being reintroduced quietly Winnipeg free press wednesday March 1, 1973 by John Sullivan c Ity officials quietly moved to restore up to 000 in funding to Winnipeg s ambulance service tuesday after a howl of protest Over a budgeting Blunder by two civic committees last week. Finance committee chair Man d. A. Abe Yanofsky said automatic Union Bene fits inadvertently chopped by his committee a week ago will Likely to restored before the budget goes to City coun cil tonight. The benefits mandatory under the ambulance Board s contract with its unionized attendants include proficiency increases for 1977 and 1978 and a six per cell boost in fringe benefits. Although about in 1877 proficiency increases has already been paid out. Finance committee failed to allow for them when it slashed the ambulance Bud get by last week. A six per cell wage boost for this year was approved but the committee forgot to Bud get for an automatic in crease in fringe benefits. Executive policy commit tee did t notice the Tommis Sion when it gave perfunctory approval to the reduced budget thursday. The spending cuts which also shelved a tentative pen Sion plan and Extension of a five minute ambulance response Lime to All areas of the City have prompted a strike threat from the Union and the possible resignation of at least one ambulance Board member. Yanofsky Independent citizens election commit said tues Day he will recommend an addition to the budget to cover the benefits if the finance department can identify the necessary figures in Lime for tonight s meeting. If he information in t provided in time i la recommend that we add a clause allowing for any increase necessary to meet require ments under the present Union he said. Yanofsky called the budget debacle an area of misunderstanding and insisted it was nobody s fault. But he blamed the committee s error on the original ambulance budget saying it was not sufficiently itemized and broken Down to identify proficiency increases Bene fits and other mandatory spending items. The finance chairman also said his committee was unsure if he proposed pension plan benefits and six per cent wage increase were within Federal Anli inflation Board guidelines. Union and ambulance Board spokesmen have charged that finance com Mitlee chopped he the Bud gel in a Gung to fashion without inquiring about the consequences. John g. Mcfarland the ambulance Board s finance chairman said last week the committee obviously did t know what it was doing when it made the cuts. He said ambulance Board Mem Bers attended tile finance committee meeting and offered to explain the Esti mates but were turned Down. Mcfarlane. Who said his resignation from the Board is Aulo malic if the cuts Aren t restored predicted the shortfall in necessary funding could cause 15 Lay offs of ambulance staff and affect emergency response time across the City. Bob Biggar business representative for the International association of machinists and aerospace workers Iam attendants Union said finance com Mittee obviously did t read the budget at All be fore they axed it. Biggar said All the employee benefits were clearly itemized in the original Esli mates including a letter from the ambulance Board s Law firm indicating the total compensation was within Aib guidelines. Also a City official attended Union ambulance Board discussions on in and was told the plan was exempt from Federal controls he said. The Union official also criticized councillor Don Merriu a member of both the ambulance Board and finance committee for nol informing his committee colleagues about the Aib situation or that culling mandatory proficiency increases was impossible. Gerric Independent i overview said earlier tues Day that Mcfarlane s explanation of the i efficiency awards at the ambulance Board s january budget re View passed me right the ambulance Board s Legal firm i Ilbaldo and plus Kin advised the Board Jan. Hut the i Fly ambulance Alli ii Danes and supervisors workouts not handouts my Ottawa up what this country needs is less handouts and More workouts inde pendent i Leonard nines said tuesday. The former c Onsch relive from Nonelon n.b., told he commons thai Canada now is a country of socialism a welfare state where the principle of hard work has been forgot Len. This is the most Over governed country on he said. We simply can t continue with government handouts what we need is More workouts especially from the Bureau Jones speaking during debate of a Bill extending like Bank act for one year said in was a great Day for Independent i s be cause their ranks bad swollen by 100 per cent. Stan Schumacher formerly the conserva Tive my for the Alberta Riding of 1 Allier has become an Independent i and was As signed a new Seal near Jones earlier in the Day. Jones attacked the Liberal government for adopting Loo Many programs of social Assis Tance citing the health and welfare depart men As an example. Dill government incentives to private in Dusley in the maritime provinces were legitimate because they were needed he said. We just need a Little push in private business. Jones said the government has shown through ils policies in is nol a promoter of free Enterprise. Hard work from All Levels of the Economy especially government is the answer to economic woes he said. The steam thai blows the whistle will never turn the he concluded. Were probably not subject to Aib controls at All. The firm said the Winnipeg ambulance service operated under contract with United health services corp., was exempt because it had fewer than 500 employees. The lawyers added that even if the controls applied the ambulance Board s tentative 1978 contract with Iam including the pen Sion six per cent wage in crease and proficiency awards still within the guidelines. The Law firm s letter was included in the ambulance budget submission to finance committee last week. Biggar said Yanofsky s move to include Money for proficiency increases in the budget still does t come close to ending the threat of a possible strike by the ambulance attendants the Union s contract expired dec. 31. The Iam official said the attendants remain very Upsel Over the axing of their pension plan and finance to Mmiller s recommendation to postpone expansion of the five minute ambulance response Lime to the Transcona Concordia Hospital area and Charles both finance and executive policy committee voted to Cut funds earmarked the Hir ing 17 More ambulance staff for the expansion. The com Mitless recommended the City cancel its management agreement with United health and refer the pension and expansion proposals to a new autonomous Winnipeg ambulance commission. Although finance commit tee said ambulance employees could be brought under the City s pension plan after the new commission is established Biggar said this could Lake months and might nol be acceptable to Hie Union. They have to give to Days notice of termination in United health so by the Lime hey Sel up ibis com Mission we re into Biggar said. By the Lime the cily makes ils Appo Immens and lie new ambulance Board meets and Famila Rizos itself with the situation it la be the fall. Our Contention is thai the Eily should approve the pension and the other service improvements and make any changes next Princess Grace of Monaco arrives tuesday at the Guthrie theatre in Minneapolis where she rehearsed for a tuesday night Benefit performance of poetry and prose. The Princess is appearing in six . Theatres. Ulster terrorist Given 10 life terms Belfast a a protestant terrorist was sentenced tuesday o 10 life terms in prison for the murders of six roman catholics and attempts to kill four others in North Ern Ireland s sectarian violence. In Londonderry gunmen shot and killed a As his car approached the predominantly human Catholic bog Side District. The death brought to the number of known dead in warfare Between Catholic and protest and extremists and Security forces since 19119. A Belfast court gave Raymond Glover 25, the 10 life sentences plus jail terms of five 10 and 15 years for armed robberies and bombings. It was a record number of life terms handed Down in Northern Ireland. Glover pleaded guilty to All charges. Lord Gibson the judge hearing the Case made the life sentences concurrent meaning Glover eventually will be eligible for parole. Most convicted murderers in Britain l about 10 years before being paroled by the government. Glover a Belfast insurance agent said he joined the outlawed Ulster Volunteer Force in because i Felt at the Lime there was a great danger from the new program set at St. B. College starting in september St. Boniface College will offer a full fledged French language administrative studies pro Gram at Community College level. The program has been announced by education minis Ter Keith Cosens and Marks the first Lime the College will have advanced French language instruction in the Field. Groundwork for the program was land in 1975 when a bilingual secretaries course was introduced followed in 1577 by one year French courses for clerk typists and Junior accountants. Beginning in september graduates of these three courses will be Able to proceed to advanced one year programs for accounting secretaries executive secretaries As Well As office and personnel managers. All i desc programs will Lead to diplomas. The new French language administrative studies pro Gram at the College is operated in co operation with the Federal government which shares in the costs. Entrance requirements for the program is a Grade 12 education or eligibility As a mature student. Additional information on the program May be obtained by contacting Laval cloudier director of Community College programs at St. Boniface College 200 Cathe dral Avenue Winnipeg r2i1 oh7, or phone 233-0210. Do it yourself special Enterprise 2 Burner stoves each roof vents water systems propane fittings win Dows parts sinks toilets table legs running gear couplers tires and rims. Plus a Lull line of re parts and supplies. Card Bros. 1975 Ltd. 1399 Erin St. 772-7397 Weston Square Mcphillips Logan 786-5539 prices effective wed. Mar. 1st to tues. Mar. 7th. In sit. 9 in. To 6 . Wei. Thun 9 in. To 9 Ira. Socials Stags parties cold meats cheeses pickles Bye bread Etc. Corned beef All brands cigarettes Cartons 200 s Bacon ends 5-lb. Box. Grade a 1 a 2 Long loins Cut t. Wrap 4o-50 in. Avg Price and taste that s guaranteed to please Flower Dale selects Only the most tender leaves and buds from african Indian and Cey Lonese teas. The result is a deeply satisfying Rich Tea. The Flower Dale taste is not surprising when you consider the care that goes into the Flower Dale blend. What is surprising is while Flower Dale costs less than most other Fine teas in your supermarket you cannot buy a better tasting Tea anywhere. And now this Coupon fets you try Flower Dale for 27" less than its usual Low Price. Look for the Bright red Teapot and the Nice Low Price on the package. And fill your an invitation to save or. Dealer . Hayhoe foods limited will redeem this voucher for 27 cents plus 5 cents handling on Purchase of any size package of Flower Dale Tea bags. Any other application constitutes fraud. Failure to provide on request invoices satisfactory to Hayhoe that you have complied with such terms will void voucher. All vouchers submitted for redemption become the pro Perty of . Hayhoe foods limited. For redemption mail to Herbert a. Watts Ltd., Box 2140, Toronto Ontario m5w1h1. Enter opposite no. 55 on Coupon debit slip. On your next offer a pics May 31 1978 Purchase of Flower Aletea any size package. Cup with Flower Dale. Flower Dale Tea. Don t let the Low Price fool you ;