City’s labour negotiations proceed with Emergency Services personnel
The City and the London Police Services have agreed on a new contract which gives officers a 9.8 percent salary hike over the next three years. The increase is determined largely by the provincial arbitration system that normalizes pay rates across Ontario for emergency services. Under the system, police in one municipality tend to be awarded the same increase as police in other comparable districts. Base wages for a first–class constable will rise over the life of the contract from $73,596 to $80,807 by the end of 2010. This brings London pay levels on par with officers in Peel, Thunder Bay, Windsor and Waterloo. The increase exceeds the national inflation rate - currently hovering at just over two percent but threatening to rise. Negotiations between the City and the London Professional Firefighters’ Association, which is subject also to the provincial arbitration system, may commence at any time.
... and CUPE Local 101
Contract talks between London city managers and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 101 union leaders, representing 750 inside workers, came to an end on July 9, after weeks of tense negotiation. The tentative agreement, which union leaders ratified, will see CUPE Local 101 employees receive an 8.15 percent pay increase in wages over three years. Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best was pleased about the outcome of the vote. Chief Administrative Officer Jeff Fielding stated that he viewed the agreement as being, “very reasonable and responsible.” The agreement includes, for the first time, language that addresses concern over absenteeism. Employees will be entitled to take up to three (reduced from five) consecutive paid ‘sick’ days off. Additional paid sick days would be allowed only with a note from a physician. Another aspect proposed, that the union has filed a grievance over, is the establishment of a corporate attendance management program. The program is intended to help manage concerns over health, wellness and absenteeism. This program is going to arbitration. Attendance records of city workers came under increased scrutiny this past winter when two unrelated audits at city hall found employee absences to be well above the national average. Council is due to award a contract to an absenteeism consultant before the end of July.
Truscott awarded millions for wrongful conviction
On July 7, Ontario’s Attorney General Chris Bentley announced that Steven Truscott would be paid $6.5 million for his wrongful conviction in a 50-year-old murder case. In 1959, a teenage Truscott was convicted to hang, on charges he raped and killed his 12-year-old friend Lynne Harper. Although the initial death-sentence was eventually commuted, he still spent 10 years in jail before being granted parole in 1969. Truscott was acquitted of Harper’s murder in August of 2007 after a lengthy review by the Ontario Court of Appeal. The awarding of the compensation package, which includes $100,000 for Truscott’s wife Marlene, was based on recommendations from retired judge Sydney Robbins, who was brought in to study what sort of payout would be appropriate. “I hope that Mr. Truscott and his family will now have the opportunity to move forward with their lives,” said Bentley. “My thoughts are also with the family of Lynne Harper, who will continue to live with the tragedy of their loss forever.” Members of the Harper family have publically expressed shock and sadness at the province’s decision to pay restitution to Truscott, calling it “a real travesty” but acknowledged that there is little that can be done to prevent it.
New laws for old problems
Federal legislation intended to target impaired driving came into effect on July 2, giving police better tools to investigate drugged or drunk motorists. Bill C-2, the Tackling Violent Crime Act, is a centrepiece in the minority Conservative government’s legislative agenda and includes the following provisions:
A maximum life sentence for intoxicated drivers who cause death, and 10 years for those who cause bodily harm when blood alcohol levels are over 80.
Suspected offenders can be charged with a criminal offense for refusing to comply with demands for a physical sobriety test or bodily fluid samples.
Tougher mandatory penalties, such as $1000 for a first offence, 30 days in jail for a second conviction, and 120 days for the third.
“Today, I am pleased to say we have delivered on our commitment to Canadians by passing the Tackling Violent Crime Act,” said federal Justice Minister and Attorney General Rob Nicholson. “As of July 2, if you are caught driving impaired, you will be held fully accountable for your actions.”
Ombudsman seeks go-ahead for nursing home probe
Ontario’s Ombudsman Andre Marin recently revealed that his office is prepared to investigate the province’s long-term care facilities. Marin made the announcement on July 3, following the release of a Canadian Press report which showed many nursing homes in the province consistently failed to meet with established government standards for elderly care. Some long-term residents in the homes were shown not to have a toothbrush while others repeatedly failed to receive the requisite two baths per week. A long-time advocate of expanding the ombudsman’s jurisdiction into the field of healthcare, Marin has promoted reform within the industry and invited people with concerns about nursing homes to contact his office. Unlike his counterparts in Alberta, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and the Yukon, Marin doesn’t have the power to directly investigate Ontario’s publically funded long-term care homes. Workers in these institutions are expected to satisfy 400 rules covering everything from food temperature to ensuring a clean, respectful environment for residents. Many of the provincial standards relate to documentation and paperwork and more than one-third of Ontario’s homes have been cited for administrative infractions.
