Just posted the following comments on John Prince's blog
The following is from the CUPE 812 collective agreement.
4.01 The Employer recognizes the Union as the sole bargaining agency for all Employees.
At the council meeting on Tuesday administration stated that the municipality has 100 non-union "employees". When asked to clarify who? they stated Firemen, Rescue, Swimming pool, Ski hill, and Library.
If and I do not use that word lightly, I was CUPE I would be looking at those "employees".
For years they were defined as either volunteers, or employees of a society to avoid the costs of them being "municipal employees". Cupe rates probably start at $25 per hour and higher none of these "employees" were making close to that rate.
This action could lead to some more very serious ramifications.
How the hell are the taxpayers going to be to afford to pay for all these new found "employees"?
15 comments:
They appear to be very desperate in trying to justify their position. Maybe they were advised by yet another consultant who helped them connect the dots in pulling this off. How sad that is what this council is all about they will do anything to justify their actions. It is a good thing that others are politically aware of what is happening and are informing folks through the local media. The real ironic part is this council just may have created an issue that will pull this community together. Unfortunately for them it will be at their expense. Good on those who are writing letters and taking action-- they have not removed our freedom of speech "YET"
This is the final show down, the Firemen are the last organization that has the numbers, the structure and the leadership to stand up against King Bruce. If the Firemen are beaten, who will take this dictators on?
Ah, a man I thought was lost in the wilderness has returned safe and sound. (see my comment on my blog Peter, for why I just said what I did.) :-)
Anyhow, the stature of you two guys in the union movement (past and present) on this matter is important to our community. Thanks for sharing what you have and what you still can? Maybe the powers that be will stand up and take notice before they bury all of us in debt bigger than the deep doo-doo we're already in.
JP
Town of Pincher Creek
Swimming Pool Rates of pay, keep in mind that CUPE rates in Pincher Creek are on average $2 per hour lower than the Crowsnest Pass
JUNIOR GUARD April 1-2013
$14-14.68 per hour
Senior Guard April 1-2013
$16.72-17.41
The ski hill spends some where around $100,000 on wages that are typically in the $10-$11 per hour range.
Unionized Firemen I expect will make more than $15 per hour.
The Municipal ad for firemen says the firemen have a benefit package. Can anyone tell me what this package includes?
I hope nobody is believing that this thing just happened.
Now Council and Administration are just reacting to this situation as it unfolds.
This Mayor and Council are known for their strategic planning with the help of high priced consultants, plus task forces made up of 95% none residents.
Those people get to go away they don't have to live with the consequences, or the public reaction.
Well it doesn't say benefits package. It says "benefits". They could be tangible ones, or otherwise.
In the firemen saga, I cannot understand the following:
The Town has a letter saying that the job was advertised for 4 months, inside and out. They had no inside applications. I find that funny - why wouldn't one or more of the fire chiefs apply from here?
So why would we hire a Fire Chief at $100,000 per year plus a brand new truck every 3 years-$50,000 to eliminate 4 Fire Chiefs at $5,000 each per year. I am struggling really hard to make sense of this?
Marty
Marty, in the Mayor's Pre-election Town Hall Meeting, he made it VERY clear that a priority was to consolidate the Fire Depts. At that time it did not make economic sense, but he quoted that a study that had been done regarding the Fire Depts. I'm not sure where the people that voted him in with a landslide were at time, but this is no surprise. How it is all unfolding certainly is.
I doubt if they are following a specific preplanned strategic program set up up by this Mayor. More than likely as various events unfold, His Worship is winging it with the help of the Admin. I think that we are giving him too much credit, and that he is bumbling along.
Jose
Some firemen are also full time municipal employees. I'm pretty sure employers can't split your employment into separate "jobs" so your hours on each "job" don't qualify for overtime. Any firemen in this situation, is your overtime calculated like that?
Shouldn't a CUPE member that his also a Firemen be speaking to his union. Now the municipality has taken the position that these "volunteers" are "employees".
Somebody made not such a brillant move here. It is all related back to the code of conduct designed to keep "employees" silent.
Gary
So how do we put an end to this circus. The clowns should be just players, not the brains behind the operation.
Benefits...the fireman have a life insurance policy so in the event that they die fighting a fire then there is money to support their family.
Now that the Pool Board and its Society have been dismissed; Crowsnest Pass Taxpayers can flip the bill for CUPE Union wages for our local lifeguards.
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