The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is speaking out before an anticipated loss of union jobs as the City of Prince George considers a new approach to
delivery of municipal services.
CUPE is taking umbrage to a report by the Prince George Select Committee on Business, which the union says advocates for increased use of public-private partnerships and contracting out of public
services.
CUPE locals 1048 and 399
represent the City of Prince George's unionized employees.
The select committee on business presented its final report to city council on Monday. The committee, made up of Mayor Shari Green and 20 business leaders selected by her, made 16 recommendations on how to make City Hall more
business friendly.
"We can only wonder what, 'open to innovative procurement options,' really means, but it seems to suggest that our mayor and council may have public-private partnership plans pending," CUPE local 1048 president Janet Bigelow said.
"We've now heard from the business but what about the rest of the community? Doesn't our mayor, Shari Green, represent everyone in Prince George?"
Last month Green and city council announced the elimination of 28 city jobs, including nine layoffs, as part of $1.9 million in budget cuts for 2012.
During the public consultation during city council's budget meetings, Bigelow said the cuts include the entire environmental services department and two out of three city parks crews.
Bigelow said she's concerned those layoffs will only be the tip of the iceberg if the city pursues privatization of public services.
CUPE local 399 president Gary Campbell said history has shown that public private-partnerships are often costly and inefficient ways to deliver
essential public services. The agreements often include long-term contracts, which provide contractors little incentive to maintain facilities and service standards, Campbell said, while paying workers less than the equivalent municipal employee.
Campbell said he hears from several city employees a day who are concerned about their job security.
"It's on everybody's mind. Everybody is really concerned," he said, "especially with our new mayor and council."
Green and the select committee co-chairpeople Janine North and David Livingstone could not be reached for comment as of press time. The select committee's full report can be found
online at princegeorge.ca.
