Let’s Have A Look At The City Setting The Record Straight
"City Of Prince George Sets the Record Straight"
On December 10th, the City issued a statement and posted it on their web site saying "The City of Prince George wishes to correct some of the inaccuracies that have surfaced in the recent comments related to CUPE bargaining."
Now the first paragraph deals with bargaining as to who says what and when. We at 250News have never been, nor would we want to be privileged to those negotiations. It is suffice to say that bargaining in the media will get you nowhere.
On the matter of essential services, the City does make a statement which requires a response.
The release states, "The City is unwilling to make compromises on any essential services that would put the public health and safety at risk. For example, the City is adamant that services such as police," Stop right there. Time to "set the record straight". The RCMP are an essential service in every community they service across Canada. While there could be some employees who work for the City and are assigned to the detachment, able to strike, the actual officers cannot. Policing will continue. The only effect would be that some NON EMERGENCY calls might take longer to be answered. Trying to bait the public with a statement that the City is somehow fighting to keep police services "maintained at safe levels throughout any labour disruption" does little to enhance your image.
As to " waste water treatment, drinking water and snow clearing" being maintained at safe levels, Labour Relations Board is the appropriate place to have those issues decided, again, not in the media.
Another section of the release is entitled "Wage rates for managers less than CUPE increases".
It then goes on to say that wage rates for management staff have not increased since 2012. Yes that's true, nor has there been any increase for union workers since 2012. This is 2013 for those that may have missed a year and there is no new collective agreement in place. The normal practise is, whatever the Union receives by way of wage increases in a given year, the same rate will be applied to non-union staff. Until there is a new contract, that is unlikely to change. The release states "No management increases have been offered for 2013 or are planned for 2014", which is in keeping with the zero, zero and 2% increases proposed by the City to the Union. The release makes no mention of what the wage plans for management would be in the third year of the proposed 3 year contract with the union members.
"Clarification of City Budgets" is the title of the final paragraph in the release.
"There has been a suggestion that some departments have received significant budget increases. For instance, reports that the City Manager's budget has increased by 60% are misleading" reads the statement.
I have always said the "salary" increases in the City manager's department are about 60%. The budget for 2014 is $1,403,858.00 up from $869,735.00 that is an increase of $534,123.00 according to the Office of the City Manager provisional plans ( p-29) of the budget documents. If the City is making a case on wages that are being paid, this is a good place to start.
The City Manager herself told Council that her overall budget is up 30%. So when the City says "There has been a suggestion that some departments have received significant budget increases", does that mean, the City does not consider a 30% increase in the City Manager's department to be a "significant increase"?
That increase we were told comes, in part, from the addition of a Deputy Corporate Officer and up to three new communications officers.
As for the salary increases for management while some have assumed new responsibilities, their salaries are reflected in that, those new responsibilities along with salary increases show that management has not lagged behind the average worker in any way, as matter of fact, looking at the figures available they have much better. Just what are added responsibilities worth?
I'm Meisner, and that's one man's opinion.
Comments
That’s awesome Ben. Thanks for clarifying it.
Thanks Ben…for speaking up for the average guy…the Mayor and company have lost their way..totally out of touch with reality…this is not Toronto or Vancouver..it’s a small city where the tax payer is getting squeezed and under serviced by a big city mentality….really Beth James you need that much of a communications department?…..really Mayor Green?…serious?
“the Mayor and company have lost their way..totally out of touch with reality…this is not Toronto or Vancouver”
Really? Rob Ford and Mayor Moonbeam (aka Gregor Robertson) haven’t lost their way? LOL. Sorry, no offence meant. That just made me laugh this morning.
I find it offensive that some of my taxes are being used to post articles about how great the city of pg Cupe workers are paid! The city of pg website should be about promoting the city of pg and information for its citizens. None of that information should be political!
Are your anti-city articles purposely false in order incite dissatisfaction with the citizens of PG?
In your article just yesterday you stated that the managers took 14.5% over 5yr while the union took 16%.
You also stated that the budgets were shifted around within departments so several positions were moved into the City Manager department.
So which is it? Why purposely spread FUD?
Great article, Ben!
Has the snowflakes frozen your ability to read Rayban. Look at the story, it says the City Manager Beth James said her budget is up by 30%.
Try reading the article once more , who is pumping the FUD
NoWay: “I find it offensive that some of my taxes are being used to post articles about how great the city of pg Cupe workers are paid!”
Why? What is there to be ashamed of? …other than the fact the PG Municipal Workers are amongst the best paid and benefitted anywhere.
Yes, I did in fact read the articles which is why I am asking the questions.
blog/view/30410/1/city++issues+release+to+set+the+record+straight?id=143&st=15
âthe increase to the City Managersâ budget is the result of moving positions and the associated budget from other departments. Similarly, Fleet Services and its budget was moved from Corporate Services to Operations earlier this year.â So, while there have been some departments which have seen decreased budgets, the budgets for those respective departments have in fact been increased.
If the City is saying that the budget to the Managers office is increasing because of reorganizing departments to fall under her sword; then there would be no reason to ask for additional money. A budget reallocation because of a responsibilities transfer does not require a request for an additional 400+ thousand dollars. How dumb does she think we are?
Good work, Ben. The saga of City Hall continues. Too bad we can’t throw the bureaucrats out like we can the politicians. Bring on November, 2014! Let’s all get out and vote!
Those city communicators are no match for the great communicator.
About Ford have a look at how he runs the city. Has he been charged with anything yet.
Ms. Green you cannot run a city like a business. You do not have absolute authority. I guess you and your puppeteers are finding that out.
Rayban, you don’t seem to understand the difference between a press release and an editorial.
This “editorial” is long on rant and short on facts.
It would be nice if the name was left as Opinion 250 instead of 250 News as this is clearly one mans opinion, not news.
Rayban, that is why it is in the “views” section and not “news”
The Mayor and the City Manager Beth James are trying to make their reputations at the cost of the City Workers. I support these workers who have not received even an ounce of Respect from the $100,000 crew of Managers!!! hell I’ll even join em on the picket line as 0 0 2 is a disgrace….have you ever been to Quesnel, horrendous roads, no parks, and THEY just received a raise for each year……don’t tell me Quesnel is better off financially as they just closed their largest mill in Canfor!! 0 0 and 2 is a Joke!What I see is a City top heavy in management that has not bargained in good faith from day one!
arayban68 ‘…as this is clearly one mans opinion, not news.’…duh…that is why this is Mr. Meisner’s editorial…wow, just enough to be dangerous, hey?
raresense: ‘…A budget reallocation because of a responsibilities transfer does not require a request for an additional 400+ thousand dollars. How dumb does she think we are?…”
Bang on.
Think about rayban , the manager says one thing on one hand about operations, in a different breath says spending in her department will rise by 30% . That is why meisner is asking the question , where will the money come from to pay the new communications director and the other two . They don’t fall under the heading of transferring to other departments that is just a bunch of what you like to call ,FUD. Shari and James should call it two girls opinions.
Regardless of all of it. Managers and employees fail consistently at removing snow.
the interesting part of the release, beyond the fact that it wasn’t in capital letters, is the author.
If you check on the properties of the pdf you download you see it comes from “tspooner”. If I understand it she is the executive assistant for the Mayor and City Manager.
SO the release was drafted with political intent by either the mayor or the new city manager. Maybe they can set the record straight. Was the release drafted by the Mayor or was it written by the City Manager?
Maybe Bill Gaal can let us know who wrote the release as his name is listed as the only contact even though the content obviously came from the lofty offices of the fifth floor.
Now that’s interesting psst. Thank you for that.
Also, executive assistant? I thought they posted a job for that… or was that for 2 more executive assistants to make 3?
This City manager does What she wants, when she wants, with whatever budget she wants….and Mayor Green hired her personally to do just that! Worst Mayor and Manager this City has Ever seen. These 2 woman will be the ruin of this City! What’s odd now is that I cant seem to find ANYONE that voted for her! You Cannot go into contract negotiations with a clear purpose to forced a strike, they have NO Respect for the Workers, the Union or the Citizens. Kudos to the workers for telling them enough is enough! My friend works for the City at the 18th ave yard and Bill Bill Gual has been walking around the yard yelling “Strike….Strike!!” to the workers! What does that tell you about how this situation got to where it is!
It was posted for the wrong reason JohnnyB! Was that something to be proud of information posted this time last year? No!
raresense wrote: “A budget reallocation because of a responsibilities transfer does not require a request for an additional 400+ thousand dollars. How dumb does she think we are?”
You have just shown how dumb you are.
Each manager is responsible for the operations of their department and the budgeting for that operation.
There is a point of information (not a request because it is the City Manager’s choice of how she operates her department since it would otherwise be micromanaging on the part of Council) of how the CM department will be reorganized and the total expenses/revenues which will be required, as well as an explanation of whether this will be new money to the total City expenditures/revenues, or whether it will be a re-allocation.
THAT is the way a proper budgeting process works ……
BUT, since the City is still a lousy communicator, the wrong message was seen by some who head for a red cape as soon as they see what they think might be that.
Too bad we have so many functionally illiterate people in this community.
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