VOL. 101.NO.106
KANSAN
Y
KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
TOPEKA, KS 66612
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1991
(USPS 650-640)
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
NEWS:864-4810
Strike is now real for Food Barn employees
By Patricia Rojas
Kansan staff writer
Food Barn employees went on strike yesterday to protest the management's implementation of a new policy that will reduce the year reduction in wages and benefits.
"Our goal here is to bring Food Barn back to negotiate a fair contract for the workers," said Mike Simmons, picket captain for the local store, 1900 W. 23rd St. "And if that fails, to shut the company down in order to run a profitable grocery company will buy these stores."
The company presented two proposals. The second one, which included a $6.4-million year reduction in wages and benefits, came after employees complained about the conditions of the first proposal.
The management had said that if employees did not accept the second offer by Feb. 21, it would implement its initial contract proposal.
Managers of the Lawrence store declined to comment yesterday.
The new contract took effect yesterday.
Simmons said Food Barn Inc., was losing money because of mismanagement, not labor costs.
Simmons said the new contract eliminated health insurance policies for part-time employees. In the past 10 years, he cut $48 million in wages and benefits.
"During this whole time, management has taken no cuts," he said. "They have made no concessions whatsoever."
"But I will continue to support the strike and the picketing for as long as possible."
Under the old contract, the local Food Barn store employed 40 people. Fifteen of them were KU students.
Simmons said he would have to look for another job because he has a Walmart job.
Mike Charles, store union steward,
said that four employees had quit
their jobs since the new contract
offer was announced. There are 14
employees still working. The others
are on strike.
Charles said he would continue to strike until the management decided to rethink it.
Wendy Marshall, Lawrence sophomore, who picketed yesterday, said she would work another part-time job until the strike ended.
"We're not striking for higher wages and benefits," he said. "We're trying to keep the wages and benefits that we have."
Jim Oliverius, Lawrence senior,
said he was not well-informed about
the negotiations and had no opinion
either way.
"Basically, I can't afford to send," Oliverus said. "I have bills to pay."
Dan Rebik, a janitor at Food Barn, 1900 W. 23rd St., participates in a strike protesting management's reduction in employee wages.
Allies, Iraq agree to truce POWs and land mine locations top agenda at dramatic meeting
The Associated Press
SAFWAN, Iraq — Allied and Iraqi military leaders agreed yesterday to a tentative cease-fire and a quick release of war prisoners in a dramatic meeting of commanders at desert desert airstrip in southern Iraq.
"I am very happy to tell you we agreed on all matters," U.S. Army Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf told a crowd of soldiers and journalists after the two-hour meeting in a tent beside the crushed-stone runway.
He announced that a symbolic release of POWs would be made immediately to show good faith and that all detainees, including several thousand Kuwait civilian hostages held by him would be treated as war prisoners.
Iraq's U.N. ambassador, Abdul Alur al-narbali, said in New York that Iraq had released 10 POWs that Iraq had received 14 POWs from the U.S. soldiers including one woman
Schwarzkopf said Iraqi military officers in the battlefield meeting were cooperative and had a positive attitude, and he added that if such dealings continue, a lasting peace was well on its way.
Schwarzkopf, the U.S. commander in the Persian Gulf, and other allied chiefs refused to say whether they had learned how many POWs are held by Iraq. The U.S. command knows of at least nine U.S. citizens. The only woman U.S. soldier listed as missing in the Persian Gulf War is Army Spc. Melissa Rathban-Nealy, 20, of Grand Rapids, Mich.
Schwarzkopf said U.S. troops would withdraw from occupied southern Iraq as soon as a permanent cease-fire was signed and Iraq had complied with U.N. resolutions in 2014. In addition, among other things, rescind its annealization of Kuwait and accept liability for war damages in the emirate.
The Iraqis turned over information on the location of mines planted during the seven-month crisis, Schwarzkopf said.
"We have received information on the location of minesfields in Kuwait and minesfields in international waters so that we can begin operations immediately to make those areas safe," he said.
Upon the signing of a permanent end to hostilities, he said, allied forces will be drawn back from the Iraqi territory they occupy. He said, however, that such a pullback would not occur before the formal signing.
The U.S. general, the chief commander of American forces in the gulf, did not mention other demands made by the allies and described in U.N. resolutions, including reparations descending Istanbul's annexation of Kuwait.
Schwarzkopf said agreements included steps to ensure that armed units on both sides did not come in contact with the infantry, in order to avoid further deaths.
Schwarzkopf said that the two sides were prepared to meet again but that no meeting had been scheduled.
Schwarzkopf had said before the meeting, "I'm not here to give them anything. I'm here to tell them exactly what we expect them to do."
The allied commanders at the meeting, whose exact location had been kept secret for security reasons until it began, were demanding the quick release of prisoners and the location of Iraqi mines.
More gulf news
Page 12
Iraq agrees to terms of U.N. Resolution 686
The Associated Press
BAGHAD, Iraq. — Iraqy iq-
dayed acceptance U.N. demands
for peace and began rebuilding
ruins of the Persian Gulf War.
Baghdad Radio, monitored in Nicosia, Cyprus, quoted a letter sent by Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz to the United Nations saying that Baghdad had accepted Resolution 686, which was issued after three abstentions. The resolution was opposed by Cuba.
The resolution retains the economic and arms embargo and demands that Baghdad pay reparations. It also orders Iraq to free war prisoners and captured civilians, return stolen property, rescind its annexation of Kuwait and identify the location of mines and booby traps in Kuwait.
Yesterday, the U. N. Security Council was considering easing the economic embargo to allow mercy flights of food, medicine and fuel to the war-ravaged country.
In Baghdad, a blast thought to have been from an unexploded warhead shook the city yesterday, reminding residents of the nearly six-week allied bombing campaign.
Baghdad Radio reported that President Saddam Hussein met Saturday night with his information minister and asked to discuss restoring nationwide television and radio service.
Voters in Latvia and Estonia show desire for independence
The Associated Press
In Latvia, nearly complete vote totals showed that 77 percent voted in favor of separation and that 21 percent voted against, officials said.
RIGA, U.S.S.R. — Latvians and Estonians voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union yesterday, officials said after counting more than three-quarters of the ballots.
In Estonia, 77.8 percent voted for independence, election officials said. Officials had hoped for a strong pro-independence vote so the three Baltic republics could march in step away from the Soviet Union.
On Feb. 9, 91 percent of Lithuanians casting ballots voted in favor of independence. The Lithuanian government scheduled the referendum to be on March 4 and opposed a crackdown in the Baltics that left more than 20 people dead.
Like the Lithuanian vote, the referendums in Latvia and Estonia were little more than a public opinion poll and carried no legal weight.
They did, however, represent a strong challenge to President Mikhail Gorbachev, who has branded the United States with declarations by the Baltic republics.
Gorbachev has scheduled a nationwide referendum for March 17 on holding the Soviet Union and its 15 republics together Leaders of the Baltics, as well as the republics of Armenia, Georgia and Moldova, they would not participate in that vote.
For many, the referendum was a chance to express a heartfelt desire.
"We have dreamed all our lives about independence. Our fathers lived in a free Latvia," said Zinaigur Radiabiau.
The three Baltic republics were independent for 20 years before they were forcibly incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940.
Rock Chalk Revue raises record $35,000 for charity
Bv Jonathan Plummer
Kansan staff writer
The 42nd annual Rock Chalk Revue, which ended Saturday night, raised about $35,000 for the United Way of Douglas County.
Leigh Reinhart, executive director of the show, said the figure was the highest ever generated by the prosecution $30,000, which was last year's total.
Good promotion, an increase in the price of tickets, tighter budgeting and the quality of the show all helped the program exceed its goal, Reinhart said.
Di
"We were just hoping to match last year," she said. "I think it basically has to do with the fact that the shows just keep getting better and better." Ten awards were presented after Saturday's show, Reinhart said.
Best Supporting Female: Jeremy Wilkins — Delta Gamma/Beta Theta
Best **Original Angle**: *Cases*. Cases
- Gamma Phi Beta/Phi Kappa Alpha
*Best Use of Sets: Kappa Delta/
Delta Tau Delta
- Best Supporting Male - Ryan Manecka - Kappa Delta/Delta Tau Delta
* Best Female - Susanna Terrell - Gamma Phi Beta/Pi Kappa Alpha
* Best Male - (tie) Jamey Welch - Alpha Gamma Delta/Lambda Chi Alpha and Kirk Cerny - Gamma Phi Beta/Pi Kappa Alba
Beta Yulu Delta
- Best Costumes: Gamma Phi
Beta/Pi Kappa Alpha
Best Production: "Change Your Ways" Gamma Phi Beta/Phi Kappa Alpha
- Best Overall: "Some Thing's Fishy" Kappa Delta/Delta Tau Delta
- Most Charitable: Alpha Gamma
Delta/Lambda Chi Alpha
The most charitable award represents not only the house that sold the most tickets to the program, but, for the first time this year, that which donated the most hours of community service.
"It was kind of hard to get people going at first, but after the first couple of times that we went out, we
Carla Byrd, who coordinated the charity drive for Alpha Gamma Delta, said that the whole house, not the office, would be rewarded to win the most christian award.
came back and told people about it, and put posters up, and it kind of kicked in," she said.
Byrd said her house donated 375 hours of service to groups recommended by the United Way, including local nursing homes, where members performed their part of the show.
Response was so positive that the house may continue to perform for nursing homes, she said.
Reinhart said that although awards were nice, winning was not the most important part of the show
to the performers.
"I think the most important thing to everyone was to put on a good show, a show you can be proud of, and the friends you make," she said.
The mood backstage was mixed with sadness about ending the show and happiness at what the show had achieved, Reinhart said.
"It was more exciting than sad," she said. "You want everything to go well. What got the most tears was how much money had been raised."
Activities will help finance, promote playground
Lynn Crockett makes a pass during the benefit basketball tournament.
By Rick C. Honish Kansan staff writer
"Ram and jam!" was how Greg Monkress described the style of play at yesterday's wheelchair basketball tournament, a benefit for the Ryan Gray Playground for All Children.
Monkress' hands were bruised, bleeding and swollen from two days of basketball battle that his team, the Tulsa Rollin' Roustoutbats, had lost in Miami, missouri. Oklahoma Kansas Nebraska
"We've learned in the past two days what the refs will let us get away with," he said. "These guys are out there taking advantage of that. They're playing hard."
But as Monkness watched the final game between the Northeast Kansas Wheelhaws and the Courage Rolling Timberwolves, he was all smiles.
They were also playing for a good cause.
They were also playing for a good cause. Mike Martin, tournament organizer, said the proceeds from the tournament would be used to help finance the Ryan Gray Playground.
Gray died in September at the age of 17 after a long battle against an inoperable brain tumor.
As a close friend of former Kansas basketball coach Larry Brown and the 1986 NCAA championship team, Gray attended practices and games, and the team to be put on by a friend but an inspiration.
The playground will be built in the shape of a basketball at Hillcrest Elementary School, 1045 Hilpont Drive. It has been designed with ramps and platforms instead of stairs, and its slides will have padded landings. A sandbox will be included that will be accessible to all children.
If a child is in a wheelchair or wearing a brace, he will be able to swing and build sand castles alongside his friends who are not physically different.
Martin said that having the proceeds of a basketball tournament going to help a park associated with Gray made it even more special.
"He loved the game so much, but he never
Debi Drummet, a promoter for the Lawrence St. Patrick's Day Parade, said the tournament was one of many activities designed to help finance and promote the playground.
"This event is not so much a fundraiser, but a tour of the community involved." He said.
got to play competitively," he said. "This is what I wanted to help out with something that will benefit all of us."
way to get the community involved," she said.
All proceeds from the parade will go to the project.
Drummet said judging would take place today for a community-wide elementary-school coloring contest. Of the 100 to 150 semifinalists, six will be chosen to ride in an antique train in the St. Patrick's Day parade March 17. She said pictures from the contest would be displayed by businesses in downtown Lawrence and in the Riverfront Plaza starting March 11.
"We are aiming for $10,000 from the parade," she said. "This tournament will give us around $1,500, and we have collected another $10,000 from other activities."
A religious group on campus was recently found to be in violation of certain Kansas University Religious Advisors' guidelines. Members of the group say the charges are untrue, but a former member, in a day-by-day account, says her experiences with the group left her confused and mistrustful of religion.
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