Cape Breton's Magazine

But I got it later. Task work. That's a form of a bonus. That's incentive time off. Which means they can go down and work four hours and go home. (If they get their job done.) Get their job done. And they'd rather the incentive time off than the bo? nus. It's that important. Even today. (But Gordon wouldn't give that.) Oh, no, no. Do you know how I (fixed) him? Albert Fairley. Albert Fairley was the head of the board in Montreal. I got an audience with Fairley and I went in and I sold him task work. I said, "You're talking about horren? dous compensation costs." I said, "If my men are down in the pit four hours instead of eight, it cuts it in half"--the time that they can have accidents. Understand? scheduled for closure. 16 was in my back yard; I lived here. 16 was scheduled to go first. I knew if I got the task work in 16, I'd wipe out the overtime. Understand? Increase the productivity, cut the cost for time, and get him a profit. So, I talked Fairley into the task work. 16 was done loading every day at half past 11. Done every night on night shift, half past 7, 8 o'clock. Everything done. They closed Florence first. Then they closed Caledonia, which was supposed to be last. And the last one they closed was 16. Un? derstand? Through this. So, I had to do that to (fix) Gordon. I was a politician, eh? So I kept my mine last instead of first And the other thing- Quality Cameras Building, corner George & Dorchester Streets. PEOPLE YOU CAN TALK TO. • listen to this one, now. The other one was--we'd wipe out the (cost of) overtime. Gone early.... So, I did this for two rea? sons. I had 16 Colliery, Cal? edonia- -I nev? er told this story to any? body- -and Florence, But you know who closed 16? This is anoth? er part of the story. We had Donald Macln? nis, who was a federal representative. He was causing us problems. So we had a meet? ing and we said, all right, we'll defeat him. I nominated Malcolm Vic Maclnnis. Worked for Malcolm Vic. We knocked Donald Maclnnis off. When we beat Donald, Diefen- baker got mad and he closed 16! That's why 16 closed! I could tell you the story on that. Laughs. This is the inside stuff, the backroom stuff, you see. And then of course, with 22 years, I was the longest president that was ever president of that union. There was none of them ever lasted 22 years. And all that history--and it was turbulent! Chuckles. (At another time. Bill had pointed out: I was the first Catholic president that was ever elected in District 26. I won against all tradition. I was the first president that was ever elect-. ed from the town of New Waterford. It went Atlantic Canada Art, Crafts, Pottery, Clothing Gourmet Coffee • Espresso Drinks ' 7553 Main Street, Louisbourg ' LOUISBOURG HARBOUR INN Delightful harbour-side inn with 8 co2y guestrooms, private baths, balconies, fine seafood dining, overlooking harbour & Fortress. 9 Warren Street., LOUISBOURG, N.S. BOA IMO Ph. (902) 733-3222 TOIX FREE RESERVATIONS 1-888-8888-INN