Item - 2009.EX34.21
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Executive Committee on September 8, 2009. The Executive Committee has referred this item to an official or other body without making a decision. Consult the text of the decision for further information on the referral.
EX34.21 - City-Strike Post-Mortem: Request Province of Ontario to Mandate Garbage Collection as an Essential Service
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Referred
- Wards:
- All
Committee Decision
The Executive Committee referred the Member Motion by Councillor Walker, seconded by Councillor Thompson, entitled "City-Strike Post-Mortem: Request Province of Ontario to Mandate Garbage Collection as an Essential Service" to the City Manager for a report to the Employee and Labour Relations Committee; and further that the City Manager be requested to submit a report to the Employee and Labour Relations Committee prior to the termination of the existing Collective Agreements.
Origin
Summary
Moving beyond the City of Toronto’s six week employee labour disruption, City Council must learn from the mistakes and successes of the strike experience. Most importantly, City Council needs to find a way to prevent this kind of disruption to our city from occurring ever again. One way would be to request the Province of Ontario to deem “essential” the services most integral to the operation of the City, such as garbage collection for homes, businesses and public spaces. This would require a simple change in Ontario’s labour-relations legislation.
The all too recent strike action has upset summer plans for everyone, especially families who rely on city-run daycares and day programs; even the water was off in the children’s splashpads in the parks. Families have had to find a private solution to the failure of their basic public service; many are still waiting for refunds for the cancelled programs that were to start a week after the strike action started. Life only happens once and a labour disruption should not be able to negatively affect so many who have no say in the labour negotiations.
Residents had to deal with their garbage before the rats got it and some tenants had to deal with rats in garbage heaps behind their apartments. Businesses lost business and the construction industry was halted due to the lack of City-issued work-permits. Public health was compromised by the lack of personnel in terms of everyday response to everyday health problems, the impossible task of monitoring the toxicity of the temporary neighbourhood dumpsites, as well Toronto’s long-term health is now jeopardized by a lack of preparedness for the coming “Swine Flu” H1N1 virus pandemic. Emergency ambulance service was even reduced by workers involved with this strike; when ambulance response times drop by 20% people die, and sadly, they did.
Never again can City Council allow this to happen to Toronto. There is too much at stake. We must speak up and ask the Province to make integral City-services essential under Ontario's labour legislation so failed contract settlement negotiations never impact Torontonians this way again.
(Submitted to City Council on August 5, 2009 as MM38.10)
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-23023.pdf
Communications
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/ex/comm/communicationfile-11716.pdf
(August 24, 2009) E-mail from Brynn Ralston (EX.Main.EX34.21.2)
(August 22, 2009) E-mail from Loudon Young (EX.Main.EX34.21.3)
(August 21, 2009) E-mail from Helle Soomer (EX.Main.EX34.21.4)
(August 21, 2009) E-mail from John Fletcher (EX.Main.EX34.21.5)
(September 4, 2009) Letter from Ann Dembinski, President, Local 79, Canadian Union of Public Employees (EX.Main.EX34.21.6)
(September 8, 2009) Petition from Judith Andrew, V.P. Legislative, CFIB (EX.Main)
Speakers
Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, Ward 34, Don Valley East
Councillor Cesar Palacio, Ward 17, Davenport
Councillor Michael Walker, Ward 22, St. Paul's