The City of Toronto’s Core Service review has now begun. See: http://www.toronto.ca/torontoservicereview). Residents of Toronto have until June 17, 2011 to fill out the Toronto Service Review Feedback Form. We are asking all of our members to fill out the form. It can be done online and takes about 30 minutes to do. It will be the most important 30 minutes that you spend this year.
The form will ask you to identify if you are employed by the City of Toronto or any of its agencies, boards or corporations. As residents and taxpayers, you have the right to comment on city matters. We are recommending that you do not need to identify yourself as a city employee. Your opinion is as worthy as any other in our communities.
This is our chance to send a strong signal to our City Councillors and the Mayor about the kind of Toronto we want to live in and pass on to our children.
Our management has recently informed you that they have been trained in continuous improvement techniques using Lean Six Sigma methodologies. This is an industrial model that has been used to streamline production processes. In other words, cut jobs.
Management has also set up an email for staff to share their ideas and suggestions for ways that the library can run its programs and services more efficiently.
As a word of caution to our members, you are the efficiencies. The union is recommending that you not participate in the efficiency review. “Gravy” does not automatically equal management. This is not the waste FORD NATION is attacking.
In 1999, there were six (6) managers on the Sunshine list earning over $100,000. This amounted to $600,000 in salaries. In 2010, there were over 50 managers earning over $100,000 with a total salary amount of $6 million!
That salary amount is equal to 125 public service assistants, staff we desperately need to keep our libraries running. Since 1998, 10% of staff have been cut. This year we saw the closing of the Urban Affairs Library as recommended by the City Librarian and supported by FORD NATION.
Continue to watch this blog and attend our monthly General Membership meetings for the latest information.
Please talk to your Area Chair, Vice-Chair or Steward, email us at local4948@rocketmail.com if you have any questions or phone the union office at 416-440-7981 if you have any questions.
