City councillors off base with proposal to cut wages - CUPE calls their proposal illegal and impractical

CALGARY, Nov. 4, 2019 /CNW/ - A trio of city councillors are so blinded by their desire to play games with the lives of civic employees that they are making proposals that are illegal and unworkable. That was the message from D'Arcy Lanovaz, President of CUPE 38 and responding on behalf of the Coalition of Calgary civic unions representing the ATU, IBEW, Carpenters, and other CUPE locals.

Lanovaz was reacting to a proposal by Calgary Councillors Farkas, Chu and Magliocca calling for a 5% cut to the wages of all employees.

"The fiscal problems of the City of Calgary cannot be solved by regressive and illegal wage cuts," said Lanovaz. "Time and again, these councillors act like the people who work hard for the city are somehow to blame, it's not true and it's not fair."

Lanovaz said his members have already accepted two years of wage freezes and a modest increase of 1.5% in 2020. "We're seeing our wages lose pace with the cost of living, we agreed to that as our part to prevent further job cuts," said Lanovaz. "Since 2017, the city has already shed hundreds of jobs while adding more work to our duties."

Lanovaz said Council is panicking and trying to cut and slash without any thought or concern for the well being of Calgarians. "They should slow down and talk to citizens and front-line workers about the cost of cuts and alternatives."

"Instead of cutting essential services, Council needs to fix the tax shift problem. Calgarians just want them to get the job done and stop playing these games aimed at vilifying employees."

SOURCE Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)