City Council approves 2014 Operating and Capital Budgets
December 17, 2013 at 4:14 PM
Today, Winnipeg City Council passed the 2014 Operating and Capital Budgets despite numerous implications to the quality of city services moving into the New Year, including the mandatory 3.5 days of unpaid leave for city employees.
“We have serious concerns about the millions of dollars in the so-called cost savings initiatives voted on in the budget,” said CUPE Local 500 President, Mike Davidson. “These reductions in staffing levels and service cuts will, without a doubt, compromise front line services being delivered to the citizens of Winnipeg.”
Additionally, the continuing practice of cutting staff and leaving positions vacant has taken its toll on almost every single city department. The effects of vacancy management include a decreased capacity to deliver services to the public, poor morale within the civic workforce, and reduced ability to redeploy injured and disabled workers, among others.
“The bottom line is that every department needs adequate staffing levels, in order to deliver needed public services and programs.” said Davidson. “Our members are often taking on the responsibilities of two or more people, causing increased stress levels, and putting them at risk of injury. This is not the way to run a workforce, and definitely not a way to run a public service.”
CUPE Local 500 also echoes the concerns of some Councillors that the budget process lacked meaningful public consultation, and discarded reasonable suggestions for improvement from both labour and business alike.
“CUPE Local 500 has presented numerous initiatives over the years to help cut costs for the city,” stated Davidson. “It’s unfortunate that some members of Council are entirely unwilling to stray from their political agendas for the betterment of our community.”
While the budget has been passed at City Council, CUPE Local 500 will be working to ensure that the Collective Agreement between the Union and the City of Winnipeg is properly interpreted and enforced. If necessary, the Local will be pursuing recourse through the processes outlined in the agreement.
Here’s how Council voted on the 2014 Operating Budget:
In favour: Mayor Katz, Councillors Browaty, Mayes, Nordman, Pagtakhan, Steen, Swandel, Wyatt and Sharma.
Against: Councillors Eadie, Fielding, Gerbasi, Havixbeck, Orlikow, Smith and Vandal.
To view a copy of the Local's brief to City Council, please click here.
