City Failed to Lead By Example In Wage Negotiations
When the CUPE workers for the city of Prince George were getting prepared to vote on the last contract offer, it was generally believed by all those closely involved that the contract offer of 0-0- and 2 would be approved by a narrow margin.
The thought was that the City workers didn't want to enter into a prolonged argument with the City negotiators.
That all ended when a day before the vote, a poll released by the City suggested that there was widespread support for the city's position that there should be no raise for the workers.
Two things are at play here, either the city was hoping by releasing the poll to infuriate the workers into rejecting the contract there by carrying out the wishes of some at city hall , or they were trying to convince the workers that they had the support of the community behind them.
A bit of common sense thinking would have made those involved realize that doing what they did, would have the effect of polarizing the workers, and in fact it did.
Could the City have negotiated a contract that carried a 0-0-3 wage hike? The answer is, very likely, and it would have come without the cost of polls at $14,700 dollars and lawyers fees which will, in all likelihood, exceed $100,000 dollars. We have asked the City to provide us with how much is set aside in the budget for legal fees but have not had a response.
When you consider that the proposed expenditure of $440,000 dollars to hire two and perhaps three new communications people at the Hall plus the cost of the labour lawyer and a poll and you can see that while the City is suggesting that it is you the taxpayer that is front and center in any decision they make with respect to wages, it doesn't quite equate to that.
If the fifth floor was bent on showing leadership in spending in the City, it would have taken the bull by the horns and said that in addition to expecting the union workers to fall on the sword, the same will take place with all non union members including those who call the shots. That in fact has not happened with the result that the citizens are divided on how they view the matter.
If you want to preach restraint, you have to walk the talk, not just pay lip service to the idea .
When you look at the tax increases in the this City, the boost in user fees, business licenses, special levy charges, a new utility, new "service fee" for secondary suites, you really get the feeling that the effort has been poor to nonexistent.
I'm Meisner and that's one man's opinion.
Comments
Thank-you Ben, you are right on. What ever the “fifth” floor at City Hall tried to do, will soon backfire across their desks and into their laps. After all the shenanigans that have recently taken place from the fifth floor in city hall, I would have to conclude there must be some low cloud cover in that location….they are out of touch with reality…and are demonstrating how inept they really are in running our City..
I disagree on one point. They have LED by example and that example is indeed a very poor one.
It seems that politicians, once they get into office, are immediately affected by the “millionaire” syndrome. In seeing all that money, they just don’t know where to start spending it!
I don’t get it. Instead of being good stewards of the resources, they’re like little kids finding a room full of candy, gorging themselves on whatever looks the most appealing to them and fighting off anyone who wants some of it.
Politics, to me, seems to define corruption. We see very few honest politicians.
I agree that there are some, perhaps many, politicians who can’t be trusted, but the biggest problems is not that most politicians are not honest; it’s that they’re not too intelligent. It’s human nature to assume that when someone does something that flies in the face of morality or common sense that their intentions are suspect, but more often than not their behavior reflects incompetence, not ill intent.
http://princegeorge.ca/infocentre/communications/media%20releases/Media_Release_-%20City%20Sets%20Record%20Straight.pdf
I agree that most of the problems are caused by incompetence and lack of common sense. The shift from reality based non-political decision making to one based on politics is not in the interest of those who pay the bills (taxes).
Potholes (for instance) don’t get fixed by biased political strategies. The balance has shifted too far from the practical into the manipulative realm.
Can this evolution be brought back down to earth?
Thank you, Ben! This is exactly how I’ve felt about the situation. It seems like there’s money for everyone except the people that actually get things done at City Hall. Beth James does not understand the concept of acting in good faith. It’s her way or the highway, across all sectors of the City. While this management approach does have its benefits, it is not one of negotiation, where there needs to be some give and take. The Union has repeatedly taken steps back from their initial position, but the City continues with their hardline stance, making very few concessions to their workers.
Again the Mayor did not want an agreement, she wanted a strike to show how tuff she can be on city workers and play hero. Good luck. They poked the workers in the eye countless times for no reason other than to ensure a fight.
Its a tough call. I think most city workers if not all make a pretty substantial living, probably better than the majority of people in this city. So during time of trying to get a few issues in order is maybe a time they should step back and not expect a raise this time around. But on the other hand, the city gouging the taxpayers with their new fees and taxes in the guise of a shortage of capital when at the same time they spend like they are dipping from a bottomless money pit, makes me want to tell the city workers to put the boots to the city and let everything go to crap. But the reality is, regardless of which way this goes, the end result is, the taxpayer will be the one affected the most. Either by higher taxes to pay for the raise, or no services while they are out on strike. Lose Lose for the taxpayer.
I hope the Union sticks it to the city!
This city should not be run like a business as they are trying to do at city hall.
The city has take the same approach as many businesses have done over the years. Destroy labour rights , crush unions , outsource jobs. And at the same time a few bath in the riches. Don’t think for one minute taxes will decrease. They will continue to increase at the greed of a few that feel entitled.
Respect the real workers, the ones in the field doing the work!
I support the union/workers and I also pay my taxes in this city.
We as tax payers should take this city back and do something about the greed of management.
This dispute seems to be more about politics and egos than anything else.
When you come right down to it the two sides are not that far apart. If you take the city’s math at what a 1% increase would be on an annual basis it works out to be a few hundred dollars per employee. When you factor in income tax it is less than that. On the other side the city plans to spend more studying whether they should keep the four seasons pool or not for a cost of $300,000 than it would cost for a 1% increase in wages for their frontline employees. So who is really wasting money.
Anybody can create an enemy or be a bully in the media. It takes true leadership to bring people together when there is potential for conflict.
It is time our elected leaders, even the awfully quiet ones on city council, actually showed some leadership and found a solution to the dispute rather than the continuing the public spat in the media that makes both sides look childish.
The trouble with this situation is that there is absolutely no leadership that is actually focused on finding a resolution. That is the saddest statement of all.
psst
I very much agree. well said
ewitt: I read the press release. Just comes across to me like the big ‘sister’ (Green/James) keeps jabbing little brother (union staff) in the side (like when we were young and kids fought in the back seat of the car while travelling with mom/dad). Big sister Green/James doesn’t want little brother (union staff) to squeal on her so she just keeps telling her parents (tax payers) that she’s being picked on. You’re the big sister… grow up. Take some responsibility and stop blaming EVERYTHING you’ve done wrong on little brother!!!
I’m not a liberal fan, but even Crusty Clark realized she made a big mistake when she first came to office and gave her whole staff that huge raise. Then when the public gave an uproar, she cancelled it. Maybe our “Mayor Green-Tax Machine” should do likewise with all her big ideas. Roll back management wages maybe? Stop implementing these wild hair brained tax grabbing ideas? Building new things when we can’t pay for what we have? Remodeling the outside of the Civic Centre – really? They are only going to sell it once the games are done aren’t they?
Hello? I like your comparison to the big sister – little brother. You are right Green/James need the strike so that Green can run for office in that she broke the union.
I don’t feel the City should be run like a business, I feel it should be run like a family household. You have so much money coming in and you have to work with it. Maybe we should make them use play money so that they can see where it is going and when they run out they have rethink the budget. Having numbers on papers doesn’t help, the more numbers the more you become numb to the real costs.
I think that the reason council can not think for themselves is they get elected and the first thing they have to do work on the budget. Administration loves this as they get the council in their pocket by convincing them that only the administration has the information. It is time to stop the rubber stamping and for each councillor do his/her own digging for information. After all they now make an average wage.
The mayor and council need to step in and take control. If the council needs to overrule the mayor this is the time to step. It up. I know there are good coucilers who do not agree with the mayor.
The management staff have received for more monetary funds and they miss represent this buy saying there have been no raise in pay. Is this a bonus then. We need fairness and accountability.
I hope the union shuts down the city, I will be blaming the mayor for being unreasonable
JoeyTomato: “I hope the Union sticks it to the city! “
In other words, you’re saying, ‘I hope the Union sticks it to the taxpayer?’ That’s where the City gets the money from, you know.
“Could the City have negotiated a contract that carried a 0-0-3 wage hike? The answer is, very likely.”
Pure conjecture. There is no proof. Besides, there are other issues on the table, I understand.
We really do not know. 1,1,2? 0,1,2,3?
It is a guessing game what would have worked and what will work.
As they say in German, “if the dog had not stopped to pee, it would have caught the rabbit”
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