John McDonald An 11th hour meeting be- tween the B.C. Government Employees Union (BCGEU)and negotia-tors for the Douglas College Board is the only thing re-venting a possible strike at ~ Douglas College. Marian Exmann, local chairperson of the union said that college management asked to meet again when 77% of the local membership voted in favour of job action. The meet- ing is scheduled for Wednes- day morning, Jan. 2Ist. after which 72-hour strike notice could be served. The employees include sec- retaries, building service workers and other non-teach- ing staff at the New West and Maple Ridge Campuses. Exmann refused to say what job action would be taken but added she thought the Doug- las/ Kwantlen Faculty Associa- tion would honour. a picket line if it was set up. “They haven’t come to us and said they would honour a pick- et line,” my understanding that it’s their practice to honour a legal picket ine.” Officials of the DKFA, com- posed of the faculty of Doug- las College and Kwantlen Col- lege in Surrey, were unavail- able for comment. _ Exmann said the main issue in the contract negotiations was the college’s desire to end con- sideration of. seniority in pro- motion. “The current agreement pro- vides for senority to be used with other factors (in promo- tion),” said Exmann. “Seniority does not stand alone as the sole factor for promotion - the other factors are education, skills, knowledge ~ and experience.“ “The new (contract) language would make senority insigni- ficant if it was conisdered at all.” said Exmann, “but it is- “We can’t agree to that now or any other time,” added Ex- mann. Personnel Officer Rob Cor- bett, acting as negotiator and spokesperson for senior man- agement and the DC College Board, would not identify the main issue. “The position that the college is taking is that we will not negotiate outside the table,” said Corbett. “We’re looking to negotiate at the bargaining ta- ble as opposed to through the press so I won’t say.” He did outline the college’s position on possible job action. “We're extremely concerned about the hardships that any job action will cause the stu- dents - that’s critical to us,” Corbett said. “We will main- tain, as best we can, services available to students but I’m hoping we can resolve it at the (bargaining) table prior to any job action.” He said that plans for off- campus instruction would not be considered. “The intent is to have a continuation of classes,” Corbett said. Support for picket lines, if they do materialize, varys a- round the college. Local 40 Foodhandlers, in the college -cafeteria, said they would sup- port any job action. “We won't cross,” said shop steward Eileen Thomas. “It’s an understanding between all un- ions,” she explained. The Douglas College Student Society is not taking an official position. “It’s based on_ per- sonal perogative,” said Sec- retary Janet Blaauw, “but I’m going to cross.” Society Treasurer Chris Lir- ette said he'll honour a picket line. “I’m not a union basher,” said Lirette. “It’s the only tool they have for effectively back- ing their demands.” The student society is plan- ning a “sleepover” in the school concourse to “show concern” at the situation. Page 2 Page 3 Coke is it Page 4 Page 5 Page 7 Inside Box Hobbsian music ©.P.S. elections Music, music, music Les Autre Funnies, of course Exmann said she did not con- sider the student society move to be “partisan”. “T think what they are trying to do is indicate to both sides that they are a group of people to be considered in this and that what ever we decide to do obvi- ously affects them,” said Ex- mann. “They’re just making it clear.” Canadian University Press VANCOUVER (CUP) -- Res- ponding to pressure from stu- dents and faculty, B.C. billi- onaire Jimmy Pattison has deci- ded not to accept the honorary degree offered him by the Un- iversity of British Columbia. While Pattison refused to el- aborate on his decision, he was apparently influenced by the possibility of protests at spring convocation, by demonstators objecting to his ownership of a local company distributing pornographic magazines. Since the senate decided to award the degree last fall, in recognition of Pattison’s role as chair of Expo ’86, the Van- couver entrepreneur had come under criticism by university senators, students and _ student council. Senate vice-chair Jean Elder resigned Nov. 3 over the award and the four other academic women on senate sent a protest to UBC president David Str- angway. Elder, an associate history professor, said in her resigna- tion letter: “While it is certainly true that anyone may be in any business within the law, to honor persons engaged in bus- inesses which exploit. and humiliate women seems to be more than I can countenace.” Before Pattison’s decision to reject the degree, law student Christina Davidson was calling on students to organize against BCGEU considers strike College board negotiator Rob Corbett: Capilano College students expressing their support for faculty job action last year. January 21, 1987 Douglas College's Autonomous Student Newspaper Pattison refutes degree the award. “People may think it’s just soft-porn he’s distributing, but it’s not,” she said. Davidson said Pattison, who owns Vancouver is Mainland Magazine Company, is Can- ada’s_ second-largest _distribu- tor of pornographic magazines. She also said that his compa- nies have been convicted twice. of violating Ontario obscenity laws. On Jan. 7, UBC student cou- ncil voted to oppose awarding Pattison the degree and plan- ned to convey its disapproval at the next senate meeting. Briefly Canadian Science News The collaboration of a Cana- dian and American doctor has led to an effective treatment of fibrocystic breast disease, a painful ailment which pro- duces benign lumps and _sore- ness and afflicts between 50 and 80 percent of all women. Clinical trials since 1971 have shown that elemental”, or pure iodine taken orally failed to give any relief in only two percent of 315 cases. It is now up to cellular biologists to de- termine why the treatment works. “Gee Ma, look at what I got in the mail!” Canadian Science News A Vancouver company has developed an underwater ra- dio system which — enables divers to communicate with enhanced clarity over much greater distances. By replacing the continually —_ transmitted carrier wave with a radio signal that sends only when the diver speaks, the effective range of underwater conversation has be increased to 1200 metres from a previous maximum of 100 metres. Filtering devices have reduced background noise to the point where divers can, recognize each _ other’s voice as easily as they can on the telephone. ”Scubaphone” was developed by Orcatron Mfg. and was used for under- water security checks at Expo 86.