Strike is left-wing coup d-état, cries Conrad Black

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: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : : January 30, 2000 : BC Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair today released a copy of a letter from Conrad Black, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hollinger Inc., in which Black calls the strike at the Calgary Herald an "attempted left-wing coup d'état". : "Conrad Black's remarks are so far from reality that they would be funny - if he didn't own a majority of Canada's daily newspapers", Sinclair said. : Below is the text of Mr. Black's letter. : January 17, 2000 : Mr. Jim Sinclair : B.C. Federation of Labour (CLC) : 200 - 5118 Joyce Street : Vancouver, BC V5R 4H1 : Dear Mr. Sinclair, : Your letter of December 2 confirms the Neanderthalean cynicism of the union leaders who precipitated this needless problem at the Calgary Herald. They have no grievance, are well paid (an average reporter receives over $64,000 annually), work 35 hour weeks and enjoy a free fitness centre and subsidized day care. : We have shown nothing but respect for the "basic rights of workers", including the right not to be used as industrial cannon-fodder by corrupt union leaders. The present strike is an attempted left-wing coup d'état in the newsroom of the Calgary Herald, which serves a community that includes very few mindless socialists of the type you would find convivial. : Our company, in founding the National Post and other daily newspapers, including those in Cranbrook, Fort St. John and Peace River, has created almost as many jobs in the industry as the labour movement has been severely complicit in terminating, in the deaths of the Montreal Star, Ottawa Journal, Toronto Telegram, Winnipeg Tribune and Oshawa Times. : I note your gratuitous comment about Canada and Chrétien. In the last month in Canada I found no one in sympathy with the primitive, parochial and xenophobic views you expressed. My "personal squabble" with Chrétien is a legal dispute over breach of contract and the rights of citizenship, not subjects of and for which I would expect you to have the slightest knowledge or respect. : If you wish to cancel a subscription to the National Post (presumably as a result of lip-strain after too ambitious a foray into bisyllabic reading), contact its circulation department. That newspaper, like the Nelson Daily News, will face up to living without you with courage and fortitude. : Sincerely, : "Conrad Black" : If you would like to reply to Mr. Black's letter you can reach him as follows: : By email: blackc@telegraph.co.uk and/or dt@telegraph.co.uk and/or letters@nationalpost.com : By fax: in London at 00-44-207-538-6242 Attn: Conrad Black and/or in Toronto at 1-416-363-2454 Attn: Conrad Black : Fax by email: in Toronto at remote-printer.Conrad_Black/Hollinger@14163632454.iddd.tpc.int or in London at remote-printer.Conrad_Black/Hollinger@442075386242.iddd.tpc.int : : ************** : This is a cyber picket line in support of the striking workers at the Calgary Herald newspaper in Alberta, Canada. : If you do not wish to receive these updates please send an email to cep2000@mediaunion.bc.ca : Make sure to put the word "REMOVE" in the subject line. : For up-to-date information on the strike, visit the striker's web site at http://www.heraldunion.com : To send letters urging advertisers to quit running their ads in the scab-run Calgary Herald send them email by clicking on this link: http://www.heraldunion.com/adhelp.htm  Help build the picket line! Ask your friends to send us an email and put the word "JOIN" in the subject line. : Picket line members 1,873 and growing as of January 31, 2000! : ***************

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