SMITH ACCEPTS EXTRA PAY INSTEAD OF JOB
BEMC Reaches Settlement With Former Union Leader
BY SUSAN USHKR
Instead of his old job at Brunswick
Electric Membership Corp. or one like it,
fired union leader George Douglas "Doug"
Smith of Whitevillc has agreed to a settle
ment that includes another three years'
wages.
BEMC reached a settlement with the
former union leader around July 8, after a
federal appeals court directed the co-op to
comply with an order to offer Smith his job
back.
BEMC General Manager David J.
Batten said the settlement with Smith was
valued at approximately $150,000. It in
cluded reinstated back pay (at a rate of ap
proximately S10 an hour) interest and bene
fits from June 14, 1993, to his dismissal and
"three years' additional salary for him not
to accept re-employment," said Batten.
Smith's telephone had been disconnect
ed and he could not be reached for com
ment Monday.
The June 14 order by the U.S. Fourth
Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va.,
denied a motion by BEMC to have its ap
peal reconsidered and directed compliance
with an enforcement order issued in April.
That order enforced a remedy issued by
Administrative Law Judge Robert G. Ro
mano in 1991.
The remedy found that BEMC had en
gaged in unfair labor practices and directed
it to offer to rehire Smith and clear his per
sonnel record; and if requested, to bargain
in good faith with Wilmington Local No.
495 of the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers. Smith was fired May
10, 1990. after a scuffle with co-op
Assistant General Manager Robert "Chip"
Leavitt.
BEMC also had to post a copy of
Romano's directives at all sites, which it
did on July 12, just ahead of its deadline for
reporting compliance efforts.
The NLRB ruled that Smith's involve
mcni in ihc altercation was legally insuffi
cient grounds for his dismissal and that his
firing was discriminatory.
However, the union has not been active
at BEMC since sometime in 1990, accord
ing to former members and management.
"Unless we hear from the local in
Wilmington, we're going to operate on the
premise that the union is dead here," said
Batten. "If they ask, we are to negotiate
w ith them in good faith."
Ratten said 51 percent of the 50 to 60
employees eligible for union representation
had signed a petition asking BEMC not to
recognize the union as their bargaining
agent. However, a vote could not be called
with the case pending before the NLRB. It
is uncertain when, or if, a vote to end union
representation will be called.
BEMC employees voted for the union
in Sept. 27. 1989, and bargaining began that
November. However, BEMC and the IBEW
never did negotiate a contract.
Approximately 55 of the co-op's 138
employees arc eligible for union representa
tion in collective bargaining.
If BEMC and the union were to re-enter
negotiations. Batten acknowledged, the sta
tus of two supervisory/management jobs
created by BEMC without union involve
ment, as well as a number of job "promo
tions and enhancements" that have occurred
in the interim would be called into question.
In March 1990 the co-op's drafting and
mapping coordinator and load manager co
ordinator were moved to new non-union el
igible positions of engineering assistant su
pervisor and load management coordinator
supervisor with benefit of collective bar
gaining with the union as required by feder
al labor laws.
In seeking to have its appeal heard
again, the electric co-op had wanted to cite
a Texas case in which another appellate
court had ruled regarding the National
Labor Relations Board's authority in labor
related issues involving Texas cooperatives.
Since 1989 Batten said the co-op has
paid approximately $200,000 in legal fees
to labor law specialist W. Britton Smith Jr.
of Charlotte, who was hired to represent the
co-op in union-related matters.
In voting for the local, union members
said they were seeking a larger role in deci
sion-making at BEMC for employees and
fairer wages for linemen and others. While
BEMC is the second largest co-op in the
state, at the time the union was organized
their pay was short of the statewide aver
age.
Batten said that since then, BEMC has
increased its efforts to make sure employ
ees have an opportunity for input and has
reviewed salaries.
"If we had any discrepancies we have
tried to address those," he said. "We feel
confident that in today's climate they arc
being paid fair market value for the size of
our co-operative and our service area."
STAFF PHOTO BY DOUG BUTTE*
Jurassic Beach
Cindy Simmons of Marietta, Ga., spent a vacation day working on
this dinosaur sand sculpture at Holden Beach. Her daughters
found the shells used for the teeth and claws.
When you leave
the Brunswick shores/
take the Beacon with you!
cV
pica's Favorite
rozen Yogurt ?
.When Tiste Matters A Sj
Early Dinner Menu? 4:00 to 6:00 P.M.
Paata of the Day $1146 ? Chicken Angelica $9.96 ? Steak Diane $12.95
Crabcake Cheaapeake $1196 ? Fried Jumbo Shrimp $11.96 ? Broiled Flounder $9.95 .
Sea Catch [Bbck Grnp*. Yalk? n> Tmk Amku IUd SMfftr. Nvmcuu SdM) >bn milatiU $11^6 to $1195 1
Entrees served with house salad, fresh baked bread and sauteed vegetables or rice
Wc serve food Mon-Fri till 1 AM. Sat. till 12 PM, Sun. til 10 PM
HAPPY HOUR IN THE BAR 4 TO 7 PM-FREE WINGS
Bar Specials All Nite
350 150 $2.25
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llwv 17. Little River, SC ? Open 7 Days a Week . fc.
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with Colombo ^
of Colombo Frozen Yogurt and get a second
of equal or lesser value Free.
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for
Good at Shallotte and Southport Express Stops
Recipient of
1ST PLACE
FOOD
DIVISION
at the 1992 & 1993
BLUE CRAB
FESTIVAL?
Little River. South Carolina
Varnum Takes Seat On Town Board
BY DOUG RUTTER
Tony Varnum officially took his
scat on the Varnamtown Board of
Aldermen Tuesday morning, taking
the oath of officc from Mayor Judy
Galloway at her place of business.
Vamum was expected to lake his
scat on the board at Monday night's
regular montnly meeting but he was
called in to work. Instead, he was
swom in Tuesday at the Lock wood
Folly Seafood docks.
Vamum fills the scat vacatcd by
Tonya Robbins, who rcccnily re
signed to devote more time to her
restaurant business. He also fills her
scat on the town planning board.
The planning board has tentative
ly scheduled a meeting Monday,
Aug. 2, at 7:30 p.m. in town hall.
Chairman Ada McDonald said pre
liminary plans for the town park and
a proposed adult entertainment ordi
nance will be discussed.
Shallotte rcccnily adopted an
adult entertainment ordinance that
restricts where businesses such as
topless bars and massage parlors can
locate and how they can operate.
Aldermen said Monday night they
arc interested in getting new people
on the planning board. Current
members arc McDonald, Tony
Vamum, Paul Vealcy, James Mincra
and Tracic Varnum.
"I'd like to sec some more people
from the community on the planning
board, maybe even add some addi
tional members," McDonald said.
Added Mayor Galloway: "We'll
be glad to have all on there that want
to, even if we have a whole room
Chadwicks Hope For Arrests
In Family Cemetery Desecration
A Shell Point family is hoping for
the arrest of a person or persons who
desecrated its small, century-old
cemetery.
Two weeks ago, for the second
time since March, headstones were
overturned in the Chadwick family
cemetery off High Meadows Road,
according to family member Toni
Chadwick.
Graves in the secluded family plot
date back to the late 1 8(X)s and early
1900s, according to Nellie Chad
wick, who lives nearby. The first in
cident occurred in Marchr, when
family members discovered six
headstones had been overturned.
While most could have been toppled
by hand, Toni Chadwick said she
believes machinery would have
been required to turn over one large
headstone.
'The first lime we fixed it our
selves," Toni Chadwick said. "We
didn't caH the sheriff's department."
Two weeks ago, when family
members discovered all the dozen or
so gravestones overturned and flow
ers strewn about the cemetery, they
reported the incident to the Bruns
wick County Sheriff's Department.
Detective Gene Caison said Tues
day he hopes some recent arrests in
a series of unrelated incident will re
sult in information about the ceme
tery desecration.
"1 don't believe kids could have
done it," said Toni Chadwick, who
used a backhoc to right the head
stones after the first incident. She
said she could find no additional ev
idence such as footprints. "It seems
like each time it's happened right
before a rain."
Mcvtk Sxiundm
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?Comprehensive Eye Examinations
?Ocular Emergencies
?Contact Lenses and Glasses Prescribed
?Diagnosis and Treatment of Diseases of
the Eye
?Full Selection of Eyeglass Frames
Suite 3, Promenade Office Park
143 Holden Beach Road, Shallotte
Office hours by appointment.
Evening appointments available.
Phone 754-9687
Member American Optometric Association
Make vour
1,
Save lime and money with the BioGuard" 3-Step Program.
Sanitize /\ Shock ^ Prevent Aleae
Stingy Slick" stabilized 1 Remove wastes with ' ? Back-Up* stops
chlorine lasts longer. I Burn Out* or Burn X algae before it scans,
You'll use less / Out* 35 to keep water 1 saving you time
chlorine, less often. ^ | sparkling dear. J | and money.
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Back-Up?
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ffj 579-8828 OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY
Daily Maintenance ? Chemicals ? Accessories & Equipment
Dealer For
Down East Spas
full." Anyone interested should con
tact a town board member.
Town Clerk Lucllcn Norris re
ported Monday that she recently
mailed third notices to a half do/.en
property pwncrs who still owe town
taxes for 1989, 1990 or 1991.
If the taxes aren't paid by the end
of the month, town board members
have instructed the clerk to turn the
matter over to Town Attorney
Michacl Ramos for collection.
Vamamtown plans to send a letter
of thanks to Congressman Charlie
Rose for his efforts in getting the
Lockwood Folly River channel
dredged.
"We may not be able to measure
his part, but I'm sure he had some
part in this," Mayor Pro Tem Ennis
Swain said. Swain works for the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
which carried out the projcct.
Starting in August, aldermen will
meet the sccond Monday of each
month instead of the third Monday.
The meeting time will remain 7:30
p.m.
Congratulations Jehovah's Witness
Kingdom Hall-Midway Road
We're proud to have provided paving services for your church.
Helping Brunswick County Grow!
Grading And
Paving Contractor
754-7177
2 miles north of Shallotte on Hwy. 17
Asphalt Plant
A
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WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF "DAIRY QUEEN*"
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ANY FLAVOR SUNDAE
$ X .49(nuts extra)
(Good July 22-Aug. 4)
Serving real ice cream and fresh fruit topping since 19S0.
Shallotte Plaza 5701 E. Oak Island Dr. 1002 North 3rd St.
Shallotte ? 754-2545 Long Beach ? 278-5371 Wilmington ? 763-5053
CHICORA
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We have 2 locations for your convenience
Shallotte Seaside
341 Whiteville Rd.(Hwy. 130 W) Seaside Plaza (Jet. Hwy. 179 & 904)
754-8731 < 579-8512
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Hospital
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Children
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Emergencies