Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 24, 1981, Winnipeg, Manitoba Total ban on forced retirement urged by Tom Goldstein and Paul Moloney Manitoba should ban mandatory retirement at any age under any Circum stances says a former City of Brandon employee suing to get his Job Back. If there is no Law which requires everyone Between the Ages of 20 and 65 to work then Why should those who have lived longer be forced into unemployment because of age John Green told a one Man provincial inquiry into compulsory retirement yester Day. Green 66, was dismissed As bran Don s safety coordinator and emergency measures controller at the end of november 1979, when he reached his 65th birthday. He has taken his Battle for reinstatement to the Manitoba court of Appeal which has reserved its decision. His submission was one of three heard yesterday by commissioner Marshall Rothstein doubling the total number of presentations to six. The commission s next hearing is set for Gimli tomorrow afternoon and eve Ning. Three More hearings Are to be held in Winnipeg july 20-22. Green said that the courts have ruled that the provincial human rights act forbids mandatory retirement because it amounts to discrimination on the basis of age. However he accused the human rights commission of not being aggressive enough and being reluctant to take on age discrimination cases. Green accused governments of using a double Standard when they refuse to allow workers to stay on Over the age of 65 while extending political appoint ments beyond that age. Included in his list of examples were . F. L. Bud Jobin 66, and provincial civil service commission chairman Roderick Hunter 65. He also named a number of Individuate who successfully fought mandatory retirement through the courts including University professor Imogene Mcintire and Farmer Winnipeg police chief Norm Stewart. I should t have to fight for myself like i have since Green said. He added he was ready to sell his Home if he had to to continue his fight. I Don t feel i m old. I May be getting older. I can still do a Day s work and i can still produce a family if 1 have Green said compulsory retirement should be prohibited in any form including individual contracts or collect see forced Page 4 Boxer Wayne Caplette is the local kid on the Brink Clearing tonight 9 sunny tomorrow 22 details wednesday june 24, 1981 free press Sun Rise s . Sets . Moon rises . Sets final Home delivery 957-0550 classified 956-2330 ramp carry 18 from tracks by Cecil Rosner Winnipeg free press Dauphin eight ramp officers arrived at the scene of a Metis Demon stration just after . Yesterday and forcibly removed 18 female protes ters who refused to Budge from a in Irack. The protesters were carried one by one into an ramp bus and three cars then taken to the station where they were released and Given notices to appear in court to face charges of trespassing on railway property. The 10 adult protesters were scheduled to appear in court today while the remaining eight who Are Between 14 and 17 years old will answer to the charges later. The sit in was part of a demonstration which began monday against what the Indian and Metis protesters Call discriminatory actions of management and poor working conditions on a car work gang. Protest now fight for earlier yesterday two members of the Crane River Indian band and a 19-year-old Man from watermen were arrested and told to appear in court on charges of dismantling rail tracks. They were taken into custody immediately after an earlier three hour occupation of the track and now join two other men who face similar charges arising from an incident monday. The demonstration against in which is being held on the tracks at the Dauphin train station escalated yesterday afternoon when Manitoba Metis federation president John Morrisseau announced that the protesters would end their daily three hour sit ins and begin occupying the track on a 24-hour basis beginning at 8 . But the protesters changed their strategy at the last moment decided instead to have the female demonstrators stand firm leaving the men to continue the protest today. About 60 protesters marched onto the track at . Yesterday and minutes later ramp Cpl. R. J. Mar see 18 women Page 4 Wayne Lowacki Winnipeg free press i firm seeking 9.2% increase in Gas rates ramp officers carry an Indian woman off the car tracks at Dauphin to a waiting police Van. Communists in Cabinet causing concern Paris a France s first Cabinet with communist members in 34 years holds its organization meeting today amid concern in a number of Allied capitals Over the inclusion of the pro Moscow party. In a move to unify the political left socialist president Francois Mitter Rand gave four non sensitive places in the 44-member Cabinet today to the communists. Mitterrand s to get them the communist leaders accepted Mitterrand s Prog ram including demands for the soviet Union to withdraw from Afghanistan and not to intervene in Poland. The four communist ministers Are led by Charles Fiterman party Leader Georges Marchais chief Deputy who was named minister of transport. His Post is fourth in order of precedence in the Cabinet but is not a policy deter mining position. The first admission of communists to a major government of the North at lactic Alliance is viewed in Washington As an important psychological break through for the party with a potential for far reaching consequences. There Are fears that it will increase the chances of communist admission to the government in Italy where the party is much stronger than it is in France. The . State department had no immediate comment. But opposition to communist participation in any government of one of its key allies has been a mainstay of . Policy since the second world War. Vice president George Bush is due in Paris today to meet with Mitterrand and is expected to convey this attitude from the Reagan administration. Prime minister Trudeau also arrives late tonight in Paris and is scheduled for a luncheon meeting tomorrow with Mitterrand. Trudeau is expected to discuss the Agenda for the seven country economic Summit in Ottawa in july. It is not known if he will voice objections to Mitterrand s Cabinet appointments. Anticipating Adverse reaction from France s allies Premier Pierre Mauro echoed president Charles de Gaulle s popular insistence on French Independence and said in a television appearance the government of France is not made for foreigners. It is made or he referred to the communist votes that helped elect Mitterrand last month and contributed to the socialist Triumph in the second round of the Assembly elections last sunday saying his party decided that All who voted for the majority must be represented in the other officials said sensitive matters in Domestic and foreign affairs Are Seldom discussed in full Cabinet ses Sions and decisions on these Are usually taken by the president and Small groups of the ministers directly involved. Since the four communists were named to head the ministries of transport health professional training and civil service they Are unlikely to have Access to to nato secrets. The inclusion of communists in the government had been generally predicted and was not a major concern to the French Public. The party has been a major element of the political land scape since the War with 20 per cent of the voters supporting it until the elections this year when its vote dropped to Between 15 and 16 per cent. By Glen Mackenzie the greater Winnipeg Gas company is seeking a 9.2 per cent rate increase for natural Gas starting aug. 1. The firm told a Manitoba Public utilities Board hearing yesterday it wants a five per cent increase to cover the Federal government s excise tax which goes into effect july 1, and a 4.2 per cent increase in its rate base. The firm increased prices by 4.2 per cent june 1 to cover the excise tax levied by the Federal government for the Purchase of Petrosina Canada Ltd. Bill Salo marketing manager for greater Winnipeg Gas said yesterday the average Homeowner s Bill is now a year. A 9.2 per cent increase would bring it to company officials told the Board the firm had 1980 operating revenues of million and operating costs of million a pre tax profit of about million. After corporate taxes net income was million. Company president Austin Rathke told the Board the firm paid million for Gas in 1980, compared to million in 1973. During the same period property corporate and other taxes increased to million from million and Federal excise taxes imposed in 1980 will take another million he said. Expenses up 70 per cent and while the consumer Price Index Rose 87 per cent Between 1973 and 1980, the firm s operating expenses per con Sumer Rose 70 per cent he added. George Pinkie 60, of Inkster Boule Vard appeared As an intervener to argue against the requested increase. Because the Board gave greater Winnipeg Gas everything it asked for last time maybe you should lean to Ward the citizens or Consumers this said Finkle. In a written Brief presented to the Board Arnie Makinson president of the Manitoba Gas workers Union which represents 259 greater Winnipeg Gas employees said a recent Board Deci Sion to allow the company to charge interest on unpaid Bills creates a hard ship because of the firm s practice of estimating meter readings. Prior to the penalty Makinson said a consumer could wait a month until an actual Reading was taken if he Felt an estimate was too High. Rejected by computer information submitted by the firm showed that of meter readings in May 14.2 per cent were rejected by the computer because they were grossly underestimated and 8.8 per cent were rejected for being grossly overestimated during the re cent Gas workers strike. During the 79-Day strike earlier this year the firm spent on Security labor and on other Security according to figures introduced by the firm at the hearing. Jerry Kruk the firm s vice president for operations said Security labor included the Cost of hiring a private Security firm to guard company plants and other major company assets 24 hours a Day during the strike. Figures presented to the Board showed the company saved in wages during the strike but extra strike costs totalled one of the items was for systems Kruk told the Board this involved hiring six surveyors to complement the regular two in order to Check for possible leaks in major build Ings and make sure Gas company lines at construction Sites weren t damaged by construction work. The Cost for the eight people works out to each or a Day. The hearing continued today. 84% of postal workers favor strike action by Michael Doyle Winnipeg free press Ottawa Canada s inside postal workers have voted 84 per cent in favor of strike action if their Union cannot make a Deal with the Federal government within the next few Days. A strike could occur As Early As monday but Canadian Union of postal workers president Jean Claude Parrot said he Hopes an agreement can be reached in negotiations scheduled to Start this afternoon. Parrot said the 84 per cent strike mandate is the largest percentage in the history of the Union. The Federal government will now have to recognize the Union s will to get an agreement he said. Parrot said a report by conciliator Pierre Jasmin should form the basis for serious negotiations. Yesterday Treasury Board presi Dent Don Johnston said Jasmin s report gives him grounds to expect a possible agreement. But Johnston could Only foresee agreement on Money issues and not necessarily on fringe benefits sought by the Union. A key proposal for 17 weeks mater nity leave will have to be. Looked at with extreme care by the government not Only because of the precedent it would set for hundreds of thousands of other government employees but for the Ripple effect on society Johnston said. Jasmin recommended the postal workers get 70 cents More an hour and a continuation of a Cost of living Esca Lator that goes into effect after the consumer Price Index increases by six per cent. The Money suggestions con form with those accepted earlier by the letter carriers Union of Canada. He also recommended a one year contract while the Union is seeking an 18-month contract. Instead of 17 weeks of maternity pay the Treasury Board pays the equivalent of unemployment insurance benefits to cover the two week wait before unemployment benefits become available to pregnant women. Unemployment Bene fits usually last 17 weeks at 60 per cent of insurable earnings. See 84 per cent Page 4 Good buys a Winnipeg economist says the consumer is much better off today than he was Back in the Good old Days when bread was seven cents and milk 13 businessmen facing economic hardship blame High interest rates and Finger Federal government As the real sign of times the Highway signs read Detour Emerson and each year some two million Drivers and More and More local residents do just czech mate Winnipeg jets general manager John Ferguson went Home last night frustrated angry and empty handed not knowing who s going to pick up the Index Ann Landers. 27 answers. 17 Bridge. 33 business.46 classified.57 comics. 22 crossword. 34 deaths.2, 57 editorials letters.6 entertainment.36 food guide.41 Horoscope. 32 Jumble puzzle.61 klady.36 Mullro Yontov. 38 movies.38 Russell. Sports. 65 sports record.70 stocks.49 . 17 tempo.25 to listings.17 Werier. 6 ;