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" ve regis a he FE aitae ual Arig a nd ty 2883 j TH ati a5 5 Gat seu penne te iy pa Sie We aw i) 2 i i if ‘ ae i fi | ' jain aes Li iy He vat 7 "yi Hiiste Hit ® BT tHE fiz ae » seenee ae esteeee aia Nn ” He eee a ELE mh ft HH ee mI) ni te eee ATTY _ FIP Hg At ’ “orm Herrin aie ni Dick: a a ug Hil Fy in! if A ga ul aa ra a sn BB i ae g hel Hil Ht ‘AES sr ae Ukr Hi hh a Ties i 26>! $3SNID1 ONY ZONVUNSNI NVYASNI 30HO9 soBoysn> ‘yoors Yr - ZELL SAL Se MOA 404 BWOY © YIM, snBeyso> Ay BIqUINIOD LSTL i444 6 |2dy ‘Aopsoupeyy 0} yBnosys ¢ |1sdy ‘Aopsunyy E ie ill: (penunvor) ADPINJOS 6 judy ‘Aopseupem 04 yBnosys ¢ dy ‘Aopssny) = NL: “TANLIS (1 f a PY s06eys0> y B1qQUINIOD SFL STZS-S9E MOA 40} BUY © YM, ae SEagEsegEaoger in| iy Hh ey | att bay iF aH e HARD BY RECESSION Editor's note: While publicity drums are beating for the May opening of Expo 86 in Vancouver, recession and a major layoff have hurt the mining town of Trail. This is part of a series on the economy of British Columbia in the year of block, empty restaurants and buttoned-down wallet paint the picture. Ne This Kootenay community, in common with mine towns elsewhere in British Columbia, is carrying the weight of recession in this euphoric year of Expo 86. Worse, it's been dealt a blow by its best friend. For many years, a rich bounty rolled off the “bill,” as the town's residents call Cominto Ltd.'s giant lead-zine smelter and fertilizer operation. Cominco was an excellent corporate citizen, both visibly — the 4,000 jobs, the arena complex, the gymnasium — and quietly, with funding for Girl Guides and other community groups. Like others in the heavily resource-dependent Koot- enays, Trail, tucked into the snow-capped mountains beside ‘the Columbia River, and Cominco, here since the turn of the century, had been forced, to retrench over the last couple of years. Then, in February, the Cominco gravy train derailed. CUTS JOBS The company, the major employer in this town of 9,600, announced it was laying off 325 employees, a full 10 per cent of the workforce, and instituting a number of cost-cutting measures. No more free fertilizer for employees and seniors, no more awards banquets and possibly no more Christmas turkeys. “Many people are only now realizing what Cominco did for the community in addition to supplying jobs,” said ~ FEATURE PORT retired Cominco executive Mark Marecolin. “Now, when someone can't go to certain conventions, Girl Guides aren't getting money for this, or whatever it is, they recognize that the source of their ability to go was The layoff, the largest in Cominco’s history, followed a $97-million loss in 1985 after a $24-million profit the previous year. Company officials blame faltering metals markets and a worldwide oversupply and say there is little chance the workers will be called back soon, if at all. ‘The job losses — which amount to $12 million a year in lost wages — attacked the underpinnings of the local economy, the free-spending young families, and raised the region's unemployment rate to over 20 per cent. Most of those caught in the layoff squeeze were married men in their . late 20s or early 30s. LOOK ELSEWHERE Many, like 25-year-old Tom Girardon, who had seven years seniority and was on the Steelworkers Union executive, see their future elsewhere. “There were rumors going around, but nobody really thought it was going to get up to 300,” he said while sipping a soft drink in the union's office. “It's going to be tough to pack up and go. So many guys have got mortgages, —— stakes in the community. “But you can't live on UIC when you've got a mortgage.” Girardon, married with three children, said he’ considering moving to Edmonton to enlist in the Ar aed Forces. “T'd been thinking about it for a while. My wife? She just laughed. Things aren't so good at home right now. Pai rt of it’s the job I guess. Some’ arapant a archi ip bu jut bring it home with you and that can put a strain on the marriage. NOT WORRIED Forty-year-old Bob Johnson, another laid off Cominco worker, has two children and a mortgage. With an almost boastful air, he maintains that he won't go “nuts” whiling away the weeks painting rooms and doing yard work. “T'm not seared because I know there's work out ther It all depends on how much you're willing to accept.” Johnson has a line on a job in Kelowna, but he's wary ‘About telling anyone, especially a reporter, r, what it is. me trade as me. This gets out and they'll be on th Throughout the town core, business is off — at the travel agencies, at the service stations and at the barber- shops. It started months ago when the layoff rumors began circulating. At the Steelworkers hall, Georgetti slumps back in his office chair. The number of working union Prembers has fa lien to 1,900 from a high of 3,700 is in 1982 and the gut-wrenc! hing job of counselling the soopoe ring is taking its toll. ve had a number of people in my office that just don't know iprdocs to turn,” says Georgetti, whose grandfather and father worked nearly al all their lives at Cominco. een ey're honest people. They want to know how they pay their loans off. They don’t want to default on their union president Ken PLAZA CLEANERS Castleaird Plaza. 365-8145 HARD TIMES . . . Cominco Ltd. 's layoll of 829 werkety in Februory still has Troll reeling: But that doesn't mean the town lacks optimism. mortgages. They don't want to lose their vehicles and they need some help.” The union has arranged for debt counselling and is working with government agencies to establish a job search committee. But if there is despondency here, there is also a good deal of optimism, a sense that things may be tough for a while but a a leaner Comineo and a resilient Trail will survive. Some of the jobs may e even come back at Cominco. Company officials are with the’ pr government for a break on water rental fees, which would trigger the release of $69 million in federal funds to help complete a $270-million modernization of the lead smelter. And man; 7 paagle ate patlins ah newly a coalition of patel beguearyreciganenansigs 2 qr poop Np a with a number of small projects. It's headed by the well-respected Marcolin, the retired Cominco executive. Like other Trail boosters, he points to the area's recreational facilities. And he cautions the doomsayers that and any community in Canada would weleome an industry PA eee Se ee supplied. cary. 22: VANCOUVER LODGING RESERVATIONS LID. tourism potential, i its rich sports heritage and abundant Westar locks out workers ELKFORD (CP) — Westar Mining has locked out about 400 employees at its Green- hills open-pit coal complex in southeastern B.C. Contract negotiations broke off last week, and the independent union at the mine suspects Westar is moving to take advantage of a reéent B.C. Labor Relations Board decision allowing em- ployers to unilaterally change job conditions after collective agreements expire. Eric Cable, president of the Greenhills Workers Asso- ciation, said Saturday that the union had been told the lockout would last two days, then the company would rehire all the workers — under contract terms Westar offered last week. 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