Bigelow, City Workers Look To a Positive Future
Prince George, B.C. – “I think it can only go forward and go up from here,” the feeling of the head of the union local representing inside workers with the City of Prince George following recent high level changes in administration at City Hall.
There have been innumerable comments to 250 News reporters over the past three years about the low level of staff morale under the previous mayor and administration. Feet-on-the-ground employees expressed frustration that input they considered valuable was disregarded or not even listened to. The large number of layoffs and/or terminations of both union and exempt staff had employees wondering regularly whether they were going to be next.
CUPE Local 1048 President Janet Bigelow says that in the past three years staff morale “has been at it’s lowest. Decisions that were made over the last three years have directly affected the morale of City workers in general, and from here we will go forward in a positive manner.” She says “I think the feeling of disrespect from the leaders” toward staff was at the heart of the matter. However she adds “but I don’t want to talk too much about the past, I think we look to the future now and I think it can only get better from here. In the words of (new Mayor) Lyn Hall, it’s a new day.”
Asked her feeling about Saturday’s announced departure of now-former City Manager Beth James, Bigelow says “all I’m going to say about Beth James and her leaving is that we wish her the best.”
Asked what qualities she would like to see exhibited by the new city manager, once one is hired, Bigelow says “I would like a person that is open-minded and will listen, and will respect what people have to say.”
Comments
Large number of layoffs? Huh? There was what, a dozen of them? Which is not nearly enough.
Despite a raise moral has been low. Lol.
No green/James fan here but come on.
Lildigger. Not everything in life is about raises and money. Did you miss the punchline of the story?
“Did you miss the punchline of the story?”
The punchline comes this afternoon at the closed council meeting. CUPE will present their bill and the taxpayer will be told to bend over because it will be a doozy.
With a CUPE influenced council , if you thought your taxes were going up before , now with needing to give raises to the much under payed and under benefited union employees look out for your tax bill now . As the citizens of Prince George will have to pay out for our new council .
For Bigelow the fact that cupe had to accept a 0% wage increase, something that has not happened in decades, is like a gaping ax wound that will likely never heal.
Who occupies the city manager’s chair should have no effect on the average worker unless the manager has instructed the department head to elliminate obvious inefficiency and waste in their department.
“The punchline comes this afternoon at the closed council meeting. CUPE will present their bill and the taxpayer will be told to bend over because it will be a doozy.”
Axman, where did you dig up such a ridiculous statement? Sorry, but your fear mongering skills are mediocre at best…
The tone Axman’s posts often suggest that he is more interested in the ‘lulz’ :0
Posted on Monday, January 12, 2015 @ 11:21 AM by Veritas
“The punchline comes this afternoon at the closed council meeting. CUPE will present their bill and the taxpayer will be told to bend over because it will be a doozy.”
Axman, where did you dig up such a ridiculous statement? Sorry, but your fear mongering skills are mediocre at best…
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There is a closed door meeting this afternoon that -according to the Mayor- will focus on labour issues. Maybe it’s not a council meeting as I heard on the radio. Bigelow issued a “wish list” of what her union wants to see out of a new manager. Since when do the workers get to pick the managers?
Bend over PG.
Did Bigelow actually go to work today?
Hasn’t she been off on a lengthy and undisclosed medical leave? What with vacation days, sick days, extended medical leaves, she seldom seems to be at work!
Why would she be there today? Oh, right, she’s there to give Hall her Union’s list of demands!!
Tomorrow? Well, that will probably be another day off work!! Too much stress!!
@ Axman Well, perhaps the closed door meeting this afternoon is related to a specific item regarding Beth James departing and far from being a secretive lefty plot to gain an upper hand and bend over the tax payer. The last time I check City workers are tax payers as well; it’s funny how nobody acknowledge that fact when they go into an anti-union rant. And as far as Janet Bigelow issuing a wish list, why wouldn’t she?? I believe it’s part of her role as union rep to communicate effectively on behalf of her members. Everyone has a wish list for the City! Hell, I’ve got a huge one, do this , don’t do that… but it doesn’t mean I’m going to get my own way, but I sure expect to be listened too. The us against them game is over now, it’s been overused and worn out under Shari’s reign of terror. Scoring political point by demeaning others… I’m so done with it! We all need to move on with the realization that this is our community, each and every one of us!
as the old expression goes “you dance with the one who brung ya”..CUPE brung ya so now it is time to dance!!!!
@ Axman Well, perhaps the closed door meeting this afternoon is related to a specific item regarding Beth James departing and far from being a secretive lefty plot to gain an upper hand and bend over the tax payer.
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We can only hope but I’ve been around long enough and seen enough political shadiness that I’m a tad jaded by the entire process. The piper always get paid.
I’m not sure why people keep referring to unions as “lefty”. Unions are the biggest of big business; it’s been a very long time since they were “the left”.
Veritas: “The last time I check City workers are tax payers as well; it’s funny how nobody acknowledge that fact when they go into an anti-union rant. ”
When your position is supported by tax dollars, it doesn’t matter that some goes back into the system. If it did, we could get out of debt by hiring millions of government workers. See the problem there?
As a matter of fact, it would probably save some administration by paying those workers less and making those positions tax free.
The net result to the system would be the same and you wouldn’t have the false illusion/shell game of taxpayer supported workers ‘paying taxes’.
City worker = oxymoron.
Nuff said.
Just wait till the firemen get their raise.
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